Northstar

So now we have CHS and BPG? I don't ever recall GM trying to combine Cadillac, Hummer, and Saab as it did with the other three. Is this not contradictory? Does putting the GM badge on every car not clutter the image? It sounds like the LaCrosse Super will debut in about a year. Was the other "Special Series" Buick line the 'Reserve'?

TE (which is what the BRX is supposed to ride on) is full-time AWD with a rear-bias torque distribution.

Interesting take on things, but I think it's quite possible Holden has quitely been doing work on the GTO all along.

Pretty soon Buick will be all global... Enclave LaCrosse on EP II Statesman (next Lucerne probably?) Velite (?) Theta (?)

I think the Statesman would probably just be the nextLucerne. With Chi apparantly dead, what else would the Lucerne ride on?

Damn, 0-62 in 4.9s? That's sweet. The interior is really cool without pillarless, but they'd have to device some sort of rollover protection if that was to be a production feature of some car in the future. I think Saab has a good shot at growing in future years if this concept foreshadows future styling.

Good thread topic. Your lineup looks pretty realistic, except I'm not sure about the Velite yet. If we go by the Camaro concept's wheelbase, SWB would be somewhere between 110-111 inches, meaning LWB would probably be about 120 inches. I'm not sure how a MC would look on such a long wheelbase, but it's wheelbase should definetly be longer than the Camaro's, so maybe put it on a "MWB" (mid), somewhere between the other two. The current Monte's wheelbase is 110.5 inches. I also might like to put the G8 on the "MWB" and make it shorter overall than the Impala, making it easier to drive and making it sportier. The LaCrosse is going to EP II like you said, and I wouldn't be surprised if the DTS just ended up dying.

I'm guessing it will just be a two-door Impala, making it cheap to do, and it will attract some buyers the Camaro won't.

By DAVE GUILFORD | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS AutoWeek | Published 03/02/06 http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti...1024/LATESTNEWS Jim Taylor, Cadillac marketing general manager, says the division needs to make progress on one laggard element in its largely successful revival plan: building international volume. American dealers should pay close attention to Cadillac's efforts to pump up sales in Europe, China and elsewhere, Taylor said, because overseas sales can be decisive in getting products approved for the United States. For instance, he said in an interview here, the CTS and STS required significant investment for relatively low volumes. The expectation that incremental volume would come from overseas was important to their business case, he said. "You add 5,000 units in Europe, 5,000 in China and 5,000 in the Middle East and pretty soon that adds up to real money," Taylor said. "It can make the difference between a program that can make it and a program that can't." Even getting the 5,000 in Europe will be a struggle, where Cadillac sold about half that last year. Taylor conceded that GM's projections of overseas growth have been overly optimistic. Cadillac had to regain its reputation in its home market before it could win credibility with overseas buyers and -- equally importantly -- overseas dealers, he said. But gaining volume, especially with the entry-luxury compact BLS in Europe, is a more realistic possibility now, he says. "The international volume for us is really key," he added. Taylor said he has three other priority items on his to-do list: (1) Fixing the SRX. Cadillac's Sigma-based crossover has been well regarded, winning enthusiast-magazine praise for its handling, but sales have been weak. Taylor said Cadillac will re-launch it this summer with a multimedia campaign that will tout a new interior and a sport version. But longer term, the vehicle's extended station-wagon look that allows for a third row of seats needs to be modified to give it a clearer crossover personality, he said. (2) Getting an X3 fighter. Cadillac wants to battle BMW's small crossover. It's hunting for a platform because the niche "probably is the next target area for us," Taylor said. (3) Reviving the ultra-luxury sedan proposal. Cadillac has long wanted to bring a $100,000-plus sedan to market. But, Taylor conceded, GM's current financial problems have put the project on hold. "It's a nice-to-have," he said, "but not critical."

Interesting stuff. I'm guessing the PT is only beating the HHR due to fleet sales and big discounts. HHR has no rebates last I checked and probably very few fleet sales since GM can't always keep production high enough to meet dealer demand.

More than one entry is fine.

This is definetly a most excellent article. Tons of good news for GM, now let's just hope that none of it goes to the chopping block! I also hope the GTO remains a true two door coupe. I'm wondering if the MC is now becoming the quad coupe because for some reason I didn't think that Chevy would want 2 coupes of size in it's lineup.

Wow, we've got some great entries so far! Nice job guys!

I think they could just build it here but since it's already being made they'd only have to do the tooling to the plant and fascias to produce it. They could produce it in China I suppose if that works out okay, but I don't know if Americans would want that.

Why would we already have 2007 MY photos when the 2006 model just came out a couple months ago? I think autodeadline is just mistaken. I also was pretty sure the 3900 was becoming standard for 2007.

The greenhouse does not look like it will be very modern. Too swoopy for a 2007 MY vehicle, IMO. It looks like a design from about 2000.

Good news for Buick, and if it is simply a Holden Statesman with Buick badging and fascias, then it would be inexpensive to do (meaning it would make a lot of money for Buick if successful) and would probably be here quickly.

If I remember correctly, the "drawings on the wall" of a Pontiac coupe at the media preview weren't retro.

He didn't say they were up. He said "even if they were up." GM's wave of cars is basically over for a while. We have the Aura and next CTS coming, along with the Saturn Astra/ION in there somewhere, but for the most part GM's going to have a lot of truck intros and not to many car intros until the Epsilon IIs and Zetas come.

Automotive News / March 1, 2006 - 2:13 pm Dale Jewett U.S. sales at Ford Motor Co. in February fell 4.2 percent from the same month a year earlier to 242,652 units. At General Motors, sales for the month fell 2.6 percent from February 2005 to 297,481 units. After two months of this year, GM's sales are up 1.5 percent to 590,612 units. Ford Motor's sales are down 1.5 percent to 447,175 units. But the automakers are headed in different directions in fleet sales. GM executives pointed out that the automaker's retail sales rose 1 percent in February when compared with the same month last year. Fleet deliveries dropped 11 percent for the month, sales analyst Paul Ballew said. That drop explained, in part, the fall in GM sales, he said. "Fleet is going to be a challenge for us in the next few months and the rest of the year as we aggressively back off it," Ballew said. "In some months it could be down 15,000 to 20,000 units." But at Ford, fleet sales were up 11 percent from a year ago, and for the year to date are up 15 percent, said George Pipas, Ford's chief sales analyst. Ford's retail sales in February were down 11 percent from a year ago, Pipas said. "At the retail level, we have not yet reached the stabilization but we have quite substantially reduced the rate of decline," Pipas said.

I meant on the outside, but whatever. That picture isn't correct because you can't get the CTS-V without NAV (Which makes it look better). A CTS-V is $51,395, unless you want different shock absorbers or run-flats, an SRT-8 is $46,305 if you get everything but performance tires and the rear DVD system, so you're $10k difference is only $5k. I'll take a Cadillac for $51k over a Chrysler for $46k any day of the week. In addition, you're likely to find the SRT-8 marked up while the CTS-V is not going to be marked up at most places. As for the 5-Series, well, it's a BMW. It's going to be more expensive than most any comparable car. You get what you pay for.

As long as it's a true 2-door coupe, then rock on! I don't want some damn quad doors unless they're optional. If they make it both ways then I guess it's okay, but if they must have them standard, then I hope they don't call it GTO. Also, this is the first we've really heard of a GTO, and haven't heard anything about it being worked on even though it's not technically approved, so if it's coming in 2008, what does that mean for the Camaro? Probably that it's coming before 2008.

It's good that retail sales were up (if only 1%). This Feburary was probably more profitable (or at least less unprofitable) than last. Some high points: Lucerne at 7300 units outsold the Avalon. The new Escalade sounds like it's off to a great start, as well as the Yukon. HHR at almost 8k units in a relatively slow month. It should be above 10k in the summer months and be close to 100k/year. Torrent is doing okay, but it seems to just be stealing Equinox buyers.

The Lucerne outsold the Avalon and it's still picking up steam, though it seems to be stealing some LaCrosse sales too. Not a great month for Toyota, but sales were still up.

We get basically the same thing with the next VUE (but with Antara exterior), but I agree it'd be nice if this was the Equinox.