The O.C.

....AND that's GM (and Ford, Chrysler) with their dominence (even in CA) of the SUV and pickup markets...! Yikes!

....and the "Southeast" is a Toyota distributor.....not a "region" in typical auto company speak. The largest Toyota stores in the country ARE in southern California. And it's true....like Enzl said....you have to look at sales percentages and market share to talk apples-to-apples.

My parents would beg to differ. Their '04 330 convertible is their first BMW.....and it has like 50K miles on it and there hasn't been a single thing go wrong with it.....<fingers crossed.> Also, every BMW I have had recently has been just about flawless (granted I didn't keep them as long or with as many miles.) Finally, remember whether you buy OR lease the BMW, all maintenance is covered (including brakes) for 4 years/50,000 miles. AND, you don't have to bring it in until the service indicator tells you to. Funny thing....my CTS has a service indicator too....and it ranges from about 10K-12K miles between services (which is really good.) However, EVERY time I go into my lame Cadillac dealer, they are STILL trying to convince me to bring it in EVERY 3K miles for an oil change. ....idiots....

Well maybe the General needs to set aside some funds to pay it too....... It's like a catch-22.... "Let's not invest in segment-leading powertrain development (in V8s at least) because we can't meet CAFE"....... "Uh-oh....we all of a sudden have no competitive product entries (in V8 models at least) and the imports are eating our lunch" Sound familiar? Didn't bean-counter-ism get us partly into the situation we are faced with today (concerning GM's overall struggle with it's recent history of un-competitive product entries?)

What would you pick given the choice? A 320hp DI V6....or a 320hp DOHC V8....? Considering I wouldn't mind the bit of extra expense, if the CTS today offered the alternative of the 320hp Northstar, I'd definitely take that in a HEARTBEAT over the DI V6. I just love the sound and feel of a V8 engine....especially the refined and cultured Northstar. And don't forget....you aren't exactly saving fuel by staying with the DI V6. Most road tests are pegging fuel economy numbers similar to the Northstar.....(14-18mpg in mixed driving.) Plus....an up-to-date GM V8 engine would be closer to pushing 400hp I'd guess.....with competitive fuel economy for the segment. There still is life in the V8....just maybe not in the numbers we saw in the past.

There's a segment of the market, however, that wants a V8 engine.....be it for ego, or whatever.....to totally abandon that powertrain market would be suicide....even considering impending CAFE regs.....I just don't see GM abandoning it. Look at BMW for example......their new twin-turbo I6 is a FANTASTIC motor.....20mpg or better AND sub-5.0sec 0-60s in a 3-series.....and comparable mileage and performance in the larger 5-series. HOWEVER, you won't see BMW abandoning it's V8 engine program....for VERY obvious reasons.

Except I have a feeling you won't be seeing the DI V6......I predict base 3.6L and 6.2L as the mainstream engines to mirror what G8 offers. However I'm sure there are better informed people on this site that can correct me. Also, I predict, unfortunately, automatic-only with the V6....also to mirror the G8.

Hmmmm....I've scanned this thread but it's a big one. Right now.....why would anyone in their right mind buy an Impala over a Malibu? Sure it's a bigger car....but not that you get any advantage in rear seat room. Malibu is way more accommodating in a slightly smaller exterior package. Plus, it's based upon a much more up-to-date architecture with more up-to-date powertrains. PLUS, it's way better looking....with a nicer interior. BUT....if the Impala were to offer us a sportier, RWD platform, with all the inherent characteristics and consumer perception that have been as well-received with the Chrysler LX cars, I think that would be GREAT. A mid-to-large RWD american sedan from Chevy! As far as staying FWD for the sake of it....I don't see it doing much to help the Taurus/Sable.....???

Gee....that works great for my 2007 CTS that DOESN'T have a "corporate three-spoke wheel." My GM luxury car has an old turn-signal-operated cruise control...... WTF?

Uh....because holding the "set" button....DOESN'T CANCEL THE CRUISE CONTROL...which is the whole purpose behind a proper "cancel" button. THEN, down the road, when traffic opens up again, my original speed setting is still active and all I have to do is hit "resume." Lord why is it SO difficult for people to grasp this concept? (Gawd....even my 1994....14 years old.....E320 has a "cancel" function on it's cruise control.)

What is it...? A $30-$35K RWD, V8 powered sedan. I'd say that has "hit" written all over it....no matter what the badge says. Notice they stayed with "Hyundai" instead of creating their own upscale brand. Remember.....this price range is loaded LaCrosse/Taurus territory. Next to those two cars, the idea of the Genesis sounds mighty nice to me.....and it will have an interior to beat the Buick and Ford on top of it all....

yeah but doesn't matter.....GM doesn't exactly have the type of product that the Japanese consumers buy......(microcars, etc.)

I think a RWD Park Avenue (like the China version) would be a great car to go up against Lexus. The ES350 just doesn't seem that aspirational to me. The GS and LS are though. Even the IS is more aspirational to most people leaving the ES to soak up all the traditional Buick-type buyers.

I agree with you. In fact, I for myself can't see buying any SUV without 4WD or AWD. BUT....for Jeep, I guess, offering 2WD versions allows them to bring in the product with a slightly lower price, with slightly better fuel economy. And truth be told, in SoCal at least, too few people travel up into the snowy mountains in the winter time to convince them to get a 4WD Ute. MOST of them sold here are 2WD and is probably just fine for the vast majority of peoples' needs in THIS market at least. That being said, any Wrangler tends to be a different story.....overwhelmingly people want 4WD when they get a Wrangler....even in SoCal.

You just proved my point though. You said if there wasn't an Acadia, you'd "definitely go with the OUTLOOK." In other words, it's very unlikely we'd lose you as a GM customer if the Buick/Pontiac/GMC dealer ONLY had an Enclave to offer you. Fact is....if there was no Acadia, people would either shop and buy Enclave....OR....they'd visit the Chevy or Saturn dealer to pick up a Traverse or OUTLOOK that they liked better....

The XL7 that Suzuki had at both the O.C. auto show and the recent L.A. auto show had navigation......but I guess Suzuki was too cheap to power up the vehicles for display so someone took a mapquest of the L.A. area and used scissors to cut it into a square so that they could tape it into the square slot on the dash where the nav is. I'M TOTALLY SERIOUS.....COULD NOT MAKE THIS &#036;h&#33; UP..... How sad is that? LOL

Basically....RWD versus FWD has NOTHING to do with fuel economy.......keeping in mind today's technology in regards to powertrain management. (um.....my Corvette with 400hp got better average fuel economy than my '03 Mazda6 V6 FWD midsize sedan...????........22mpg average versus 20mpg for the Mazda.)

ES350.... And I think Buick has way more potential than to chase the ES for gawd's sake......

Did you notice that they said it was the best-handling version of the three?? Impressive......0.84g on the skidpad....better than GXP and the wallowy SS. They even said that besides the FWD, it could drive better than many Lexus'...!! The platform may be old.....but Buick is on the right track with this car.....GOD imagine how good it could be with a modern platform and a 5- or 6-speed auto!!!!!!

I think it's a lot bigger picture than just the <stick in your appropriate sales penetration number> number of Nav Malibus they would sell.....I think it points to GM and Chevy as being a leader in the marketplace and offering technology and systems that the consumers (and YOUNG people) actually like to see....not just what GM thinks is "good" such as OnStar "turn-by-turn" navigation, etc. The "lack of NAV" might not harm Malibu sales.....you are right.........but the AVAILABILITY of Nav might actually help to a small extent.....and certainly would do no harm....? In another thread, we all saw that the new Honda Fit ($15k - $16k??) will offer Navigation......and a surprising number of Civics (EX models that is) that I see on the Honda dealer lot have navigation!!!!

OK...I'll admit I haven't read all 9 pages of this thread..... ....but.... My opinion....is that a RWD Impala would be a GOOD thing for GM and Chevy. Combined with the FWD Malibu (which is bigger and roomier than past Malibus) a RWD Impala would offer a choice in the marketplace that, to date, only Chrysler is offering consumers. Ford isn't doing it...and the Asians certainly don't do it. Up-to-date technology has shown that RWD/FWD doesn't have a significant impact (if any impact at all) on fuel economy......and modern traction-control and stability-control systems make RWD entirely sustainable....even in bad weather. And if you need more, a simple, cost-effective AWD system can be offered (Ford offers it even on their FWD models.) I believe you'd get more enthusiasm (a la 300C popularity) for a RWD Impala than you would detriments from the FWD-only crowd. The FWD-only crowd would either settle for a Malibu....or embrace a RWD Impala's drivetrain technology (traction and stability control, etc.)

.....and I'll give you this..... OK...no reason Chevy can't also have a 3-row Theta.....but I think they still need the Lambda. BUT....every XL7 I've been in has been appaling from an interior fit-and-finish standpoint....nowhere near as good as the Lambdas (or the VUE.) Acadia....Enclave....Acadia.....Enclave.....take whichever one you want. But still seems silly for one dealer to be peddling two versions of the same product....sure styling is a bit different, but they are even closely priced...and do offer the same equipement/powertrain/chassis, etc....

Hey I'd love an Ebrake console button. Means I still don't have to disengage the clutch to set the parking brake....plus no CA-CHUNK (lol) when you disengage the brake.

Funny....I had a RAV4 4cyl in Phoenix for a rental and found it quite agreeable overall......a pleasant driver......solid....and I happen to like the interior. For ME, it was the opposite of Reg...I went into it thinking it would be a total &#036;h&#33;box....but came out of it very pleasantly surprised. I'm not sure I'd buy one....I'd probably lean towards the VUE....but it certainly didn't disappoint me in any event....

I was talking to a Jeep dealer of mine that is a client and (this goes to show how out-of-touch many of Chrysler's product planners are) he said that when they introduced the new Wrangler, Chrysler front-loaded the dealers with either 2-dr Wranglers, or 4-dr 2WD Wranglers.....both of which are just about SALE-proof according to him.... The big demand is for 4WD 4-dr Wranglers. The 4-dr for obvious reasons. And the dealer says that, even in SoCal, people want their Wranglers with FOUR-wheel drive. After all....that's what Wranglers are all about. The TWO-wheel drive Wranglers just sit on the lots. It's amazing to me that Chrysler didn't see this coming......