Drew Dowdell

So basically Cadillac just released "His and Hers" cars. This one for the guys/enthusiasts and the SRX for the women/real estate agents.

Very interesting considering Toyota doesn't even sell the Camry, much less the Camry Hybrid, in Great Britain.

SSR I can believe, but the Aztec was one of the first of the big crossovers, predated only by the RX and the much smaller RAV4 and CRV. Complain about styling all you want, but "Large Crossover?" was a question everyone was asking....

CTS Sport Wagon and Next Generation SRX Based on the hot-selling CTS sport sedan, and a sister vehicle to the CTS Coupe Concept, the Sport Wagon extends the design-driven renaissance of Cadillac. Following this special premiere at Pebble Beach, the CTS Sport Wagon moves to the worldwide auto show circuit this fall – and into Cadillac dealerships in spring 2009. More after the jump “The next-generation SRX, along with the new CTS Sport Wagon, showcases Cadillac taking its dramatic design into new directions, particularly cars and crossovers that are the right size at the right time for today’s luxury consumers,” said Jim Taylor, Cadillac general manager. Link to full article.

Wait a mullet! This thing has a hidden roof rack? Sweet!

Well.... I like that they kept the fins...

I soooo can't wait to tour the continent in one of these.

doesn't the next 9-5 happen simultaneously with the LaX?

When gas prices shot up vintage beetles came out of the woodwork. In the past few weeks I've seen more than is healthy of Cutlass Salons and the Pontiac Phoenix hatchbacks

Fender vents!!! If there is a next time, spend a little extra money on an alternator with a lifetime warranty. They're out there.

It really could have been a chicken/egg issue. Bad batteries can fry alternators and bad alternators can fry batteries. You'll likely never know which went first. edit: And I bet you could have saved yourself some money and installed the alternator yourself. They are crazy easy on this car.

I know there was a big difference in transmissions. Chevy's powerglide, Olds's Hydramatic <the WINNER!>, Buick Dynaflow were all very different.

If I were looking at old engines, I'd want a Buick 455 over a Rocket 455 because of the torque, but then I'd have to watch out for intake manifold problems. Or I'd want an Olds 350 over a Chevy 350 because they are smoother running and easier to tune. </completely made up examples>

Not having much access to the older GMs back when there were divisions, I wonder if you guys can enlighten me on some things. Buick had a 455 and Olds had a 455. Buick, Olds, Chevy, and Pontiac all had 350s I'm sure there were some other overlaps of displacement as well. Did all of these engines have dramatically different personalities? For example, why did the Chevy 350 survive while the Rocket, almost nearly as well renowned, was canceled in 1990 and Pontiac's and Buick's 350s canceled much earlier. I can understand the reasoning behind wanting just one common V8 engine design, but what I'm asking is why one of them won out over the other.

Back in the days of the "true" divisions, there was a lot of inter-division competition. Now that all the divisions in NA have been essentially merged, it seems the internal competition is much more global. GM-DAT v. GMNA v. GMEU v. GMAU.... and I don't think that's a bad thing. Challenging GMDAT and GMEU to come up with the best global compact and sub compacts should produce interesting results. Best RWD platform being a contest between GMNA and GMAU <Sigma v. Zeta> with the eventual combination of the best of both.

I see your point, but on the CRV the bottom of the door that is part of the bumper is a separate piece.

Is the Venza ugly enough to sell?

$50 says it can't be federalized as is with the bumper being part of the rear hatch.

Mr. Sulu, lock phasers.

For release: Aug. 15, 2008, 12:01 a.m. EDT SNEAK PREVIEW: 2010 CADILLAC SRX CROSSOVER All-New, Next-Generation SRX Coming in 2009 PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – Today Cadillac provided a special sneak preview of the next-generation SRX Crossover, a 2010 model that will launch worldwide in mid-2009.The all-new SRX is intended to bring a more dynamic alternative to the heart of the luxury crossover segment, featuring a fresh iteration of Cadillac’s signature design language. “The next-generation SRX is the result of the continued exploration and refining of Cadillac design language, with the goal of creating dramatic presence in the luxury crossover space,” says Clay Dean, Cadillac design director. The all-new SRX debuts at major global auto shows later this year, at which time complete details will be released. The 2010 model will replace the current SRX Crossover, which launched in 2004 as a key component of Cadillac’s ongoing product renaissance and global expansion. This next-generation crossover is similar in styling and proportion to Cadillac’s Provoq Concept that appeared in many auto shows during 2008. The all-new production model is being developed to achieve excellent driving dynamics and wet-weather traction, with an elegantly modern cabin designed to accommodate five passengers and ample cargo. “The next-generation SRX, along with the new CTS Sport Wagon, showcases Cadillac taking its dramatic design into new directions, particularly cars and crossovers that are the right size at the right time for today’s luxury consumers,” said Jim Taylor, Cadillac general manager. # # #

For release: Aug. 15, 2008, 12:01 a.m. EDT CTS Sport Wagon: Cadillac’s Renaissance Takes A New Form Dramatically Designed Alternative to Larger Vehicles Makes Debut at Pebble Beach PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – Amidst the beauty and history of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, Cadillac treats car enthusiasts to a world premiere of its latest production-car design. The 2010 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon makes its debut this weekend on the Monterey Peninsula, showcasing a dramatic design that elevates and updates the classic wagon body style. Not unlike many historic Cadillac designs, the new CTS Sport Wagon is an unmistakable and dynamic presence. The car’s intricately cut rear profile injects fashion-forward design into the formerly utilitarian world of wagons. Cadillac’s upcoming wagon offers ample interior space and includes a range of six-cylinder engine choices, making it a compelling alternative to larger utility vehicles. Based on the hot-selling CTS sport sedan, and a sister vehicle to the CTS Coupe Concept, the Sport Wagon extends the design-driven renaissance of Cadillac. Following this special premiere at Pebble Beach, the CTS Sport Wagon moves to the worldwide auto show circuit this fall – and into Cadillac dealerships in spring 2009. “The addition of this dramatically-designed Sport Wagon is well synchronized with today’s changing consumer tastes as a compelling alternative to SUVs or other larger vehicles,” says Jim Taylor, Cadillac general manager. “This is an important step in Cadillac’s ongoing global expansion, and of course in international markets like Europe, wagons have been and continue to be very significant.” A striking profile is created with the CTS wagon, with a silhouette that suggests speed and aerodynamic efficiency. It rides on the same 113.4-inch (2,880-mm) wheelbase as the CTS sport sedan and is 0.3-inch (7 mm) shorter. However, it offers a generous cargo area of 25 cubic feet (720 liters) behind the rear seats. Design highlights include: • Signature V-shaped deck and tailgate motif • Large, vertical taillamps with light-pipe technology • Power-opening liftgate (via key fob or in-vehicle button) • CHMSL integrated in subtle roof spoiler • Integrated roof load management system with cross bars for a seamless appearance • Cargo management system with adjustable in-floor containment • New 19-inch wheels • Larger available panoramic rear sunroof The CTS Sport Wagon, like its sedan predecessor, includes available features such as all-wheel drive, a 40-gigabyte internal hard drive, pop-up navigation screen and a hand-cut-and-sewn interior with Sapele wood accents. “The CTS Sport Wagon is an important expansion to the Cadillac lineup worldwide,” said Taylor. Design details Dramatic planes highlight the CTS wagon’s design, including a V-shaped motif carried throughout the vehicle and carefully integrated intersections of exterior surfaces. The elements coalesce in a dramatic fashion, creating tension that emphasizes the vehicle’s performance. “It’s a taut design that not only suggests sleekness, but delivers it,” said Clay Dean, global design director for Cadillac. “Indeed, the drama of the sedan is amplified in the CTS Sport Wagon, as the centerline cue that is part of the exterior and interior is more prominent and plays a stronger role in defining the design at the rear of the vehicle.” The emotion of the CTS Sport Wagon’s design is carried by a number of nuanced details. The liftgate area, for example, is a confluence of angles and planes that typifies the vehicle’s design tension. Cadillac’s “V” motif is most prominent here, culminating in a spine at the center of the liftgate that is accented with a subtle spoiler at the top of the backlight. The rear quarter panels extend slightly beyond the inward-angled planes of the V, creating a distinctive W shape at the rear of the vehicle. Large, prominent vertical taillamps – with Cadillac’s signature light pipe technology – are the final, dramatic touches to the rear-end styling. “The more you study the rear of the CTS Sport Wagon, the more you see,” said Dean. “Functionality was certainly a guiding factor during development, but so was the idea to inject emotion into the normally sedate wagon category.” One of the more interesting integrations of form and function is found in the seamless roof load management system. Rather than stylized stanchions, brackets and cross bars that protrude above the roof line, the CTS Sport Wagon’s system blends with the roofline, maintaining an uninterrupted appearance. The center section of the roof panel angles downward inside the roof edges, allowing an unobtrusive placement of the cross bars – and creating a subtle fin effect at the trailing edges of the rear panels. “They’re not fins in the classic sense, but they work to help disguise the cargo load system and, yes, they acknowledge Cadillac’s design heritage,” said Dean. The interior of the Sport Wagon is common with the much-acclaimed sport sedan, including streamlined instrumentation, LED lighting and hand-cut-and-sewn accents with French stitching. Powertrains Direct injection technology helps the CTS offer more power while maintaining fuel economy and lowering emissions. It delivers fuel more precisely to increase the efficiency of combustion. This means less fuel is consumed and lower emissions created. With the CTS Sport Wagon’s 3.6L V-6, direct injection translates to 304 horsepower (227 kW)*, no loss of fuel efficiency and a 25-percent drop in cold-start hydrocarbon emissions. It also runs on less expensive regular unleaded gasoline. The Sport Wagon’s fuel economy is expected to be similar to the peak rating of the existing sport sedan’s 26 mpg highway rating. The standard 3.6L VVT engine that produces 263 horsepower (196 kW) and 253 lb.-ft. of torque (343 Nm) serves as the base engine in North America. Just like the CTS sport sedan, the V-6 engines are matched with fuel-saving six-speed transmissions, including an Aisin six-speed manual or an electronically controlled Hydra-Matic 6L50 six-speed automatic. As is the case on the sport sedan, CTS Sport Wagon includes AWD as an option. An efficient 2.9L turbo-diesel engine is being developed for CTS models primarily in European and Asian markets. It is a compact, dual overhead cam, four-valve V-6 engine from GM’s family of diesel engines that delivers optimal fuel economy as well as reduced emissions and noise. The engine is rated at 184 kW (250 hp). Driving dynamics The robust and dynamic CTS chassis infuses the new wagon with a great balance of performance and luxury. It uses an independent short/long arm ( SLA) front suspension system and a multi-link rear suspension. The multi-link rear suspension features a fully isolated subframe that helps deliver excellent suspension kinematics, contributing to a superior ride and excellent handling. Advanced chassis technology in the form of Cadillac’s StabiliTrak electronic chassis control system integrates the car’s standard four-channel ABS with the full-function traction control, hydraulic brake assist and engine drag control systems to deliver a safer, more confident driving experience. Additional chassis details include a structure-enhancing tower-to-tower brace under the hood; large, four-wheel disc brakes and premium steering. # # #

I see nothing at Renault or Nissan that could be offered to GM in terms of technology. The only thing GM has to offer to them is large trucks and SUVs.... the likes of which are of dubious value right now. Some of might suggest that Nissan or Renault could offer small cars to GM for sale in the US... however, the Astra is clearly holding it's own in Europe and would do much better here if marketed correctly. Astra is proof that GM can make small cars.

Audi at the price of an Opel?

And what would each company gain from the other?

The answer to the question no one asked.