hyperv6

Good question, let's e-mail BMW public relations and find out why they have 2 cars nearly the same size! While we're at it, let's e-mail mercedees' public relations and find out why they have 2 cars nearly the same size! The box cars are being made is getting smaller so there is less room between them. But even then the 5 series is different enough to give buyers a different feel and more room in the car. These two cars attract different buyers. A third larger Cadillace also attract different buyers. The way some of you act here GM just needs one car per division and I find it odd as I would expect that most complaining the most would want the greater difference between lines. I expect in the next gen Lacrosse and Regal they also too will be spread out a little more. They nearly overlap each other in price and size. GM has done a good job of trying to make them appeal to different buyers but I suspect the next gen Lacrosse will grow in size at some point. It is a case GM simply had to work with what they had.

Weak excuse... I'll believe that when I see it.. Not a weak excuse just buisness. You will see it and finally believe it. Cadillac needs at least one larger car model even in a lower volume. Once they have the CTS and ATS in place the time will be right for a top line car. Too many wanted the top line first but it would have failed as Cadillac had yet to prove they could build a world class car at $40K . How can you expect someone to plop down near $100K for a unproven car?

The Cadillac Version I agree will probably be the answer to getting the VOLT price to drop faster by getting the R&D cost covered by the higher income users. This is how they cut the cost on Fuel Injection, Anti Lock Brakes, Stability Controls and many other things that were high priced technology at first and moved to the cheaper cars as volume and money came in.

This is true and what is even worse are people who are GM fans that call it a flagship when GM has made it clear it is not the flagship. GM has made it clear that this car is the volume Service fleet/ livery go to car frm the start. Also it is a FWD for those who demand FWD. The fact is the XTS was a car started long ago and just finished with the new money. It is a gap filler and a car that will lift the resale burden from the other main line Cadillacs. In other words no resale value plunge like the Town Car to the ATS and CTS while providing the easy money that the Town Car used to bring in to Ford before they killed it. In other words they had this car already and they may as well put it to some use vs wasting the money invested. Doing it this way will not harm the other Cadillac and will provide some needed cash flow. The XTS mission is seperate from the rest of the Cadillac line. For what it's worth it is their Captiva. The flagship is yet to come.

Charging stations really are not the answer. Too long to charge and fast chargers damage the long term life of a battery. Electric cars have a limited segment of the market and will have for a time till ranges climb and charging becomes much faster on a much cheaper battery. I expect they will get there but it will be a while. Right now cars like the Volt are the only ones that the average driver can live with and it will remain a limited model till GM gets the price down. If they could get the present car to a non tax credit $20-25K they will sell a ton of them but till then...... This is where an electric Cadillac would have an advantage. You can package the model with higher priced items and sell it till they price drops enough to package it in a Chevy.

Who knows they may make it 1.5 more than the 5 series for a total of 3"inches increase. in relation to the 5 it really matters less vs the ATS. The greater difference in size between the CTS and ATS is to Cadillacs advantage. Why have two cars nearly the same size? The bottom line is that with the ATS now here the CTS can afford to add a little more to gain more trunk and interior room. With using the Alpha they can now do so with less risk of a weight penalty. More room at the same or less weight and a car that is moved farther away fromt he ATS. Where is the down side? I would toss out the 5 series argument all together as the key is to make place for the CTS between the ATS and new flag ship. Let it become a car not so close to the other two models. They need to make their car their own and not just a CTS large, medium and small.

I think Cadillacs point is they will gain the 2 inches. The ATS needs more space between and the CTS to be more. Also how many here cry becase there are no larger Cadillacs and they do not fit in a CTS? More than I want to hear. The steps between the ATS, CTS and new flag ship RWD will be just right with the XTS doing the dirty work of fleet work, profesional car work and the remaining snow top traditional luxury buyers that are left in FL and other areas. Toss in some suprises like a small roadster, a coupe coupes and a wagon they should have a nice car line up. The trucks will sell as long as they are blinged out Chevys and will make a lot of money doing so. I just wonder where the smaller SUV lines will go. The small SUV market is growing and growing. It makes one wonder what Cadillacs reaction will be. The SRX I feel will not be alone for long.

The key here is the globaliztion of GM. Lutz and Wagnoner did leave GM in good shape when it comes to their engineering and production of products. GM right now can build and produce nearly any car in any maket it needs to. GM no longer has to build a Cruze at one plant and send them everywhere. Just look at the Regal it started in Europe and was easily moved to Canada. It also is being built in China. GM is on he road to recovery but they have yet to complete the full road. There for sure is plenty to do but for once they are makeing progress in many areas that they never have before. We will see a continued effort to revamp the entire line up of products and better placment of product to move Buick and Cadillac where they need to be. The ATS is the first of the all new product we have seen as the other cars were product they had ready before the chapter 11. GM is moving to he 401 K system to stem the bleeding in the pensions. They are working to update the dealer networks and customer service. I have seen more GM people on the forums than I have ever seen. They are offering help to those who have issues and questions. That was not how the old GM did it. There is still more to come. The only thing I worry about is the economy. RIght now the Euro issue is far from over and the chance of a attack in the middle east is not a matter of if but when. How will that effect oil prices long term and will it impact truck sales. GM does not need to get a new truck out and have oil prices spike again. We know how that went the last time. And as pointed out above the union question remains. I suspect as long as the Democrates are in charge the unions will hold back on the companies. They know they can't make the elected officals that they paid to get elected look bad as they will get little in return if they lose their office. A lot can happen but as of right now GM is doing what they needs and lets hope their luck holds out.

The CTS is moving to a very similar 5 series size. That will make it fall in line with the other cars in class as for better or worse the CTS was always the odd one out. It should provide more interior room and a larger trunk. The one thing to note is moving it to the Alpha may permit GM to provide a larger CTS but also keep it similar in weight and who knows it could to prove to be ligher than the present smaller car we have now. GM has learned how to make the Alpha very light with the ATS and I am sure many of the measures will be employeed on the CTS too. While It is not going to come in at the 3300 of the ATS there is a real chance it will beat the 5 series in weight. I have heard talk of the Turbo V6 having 350 HP. Also expect a V8 to continue in a V series car. The real unknown is will there be a Coupe again? Also with the ATS getting a Wagon will the CTS wagon return. Sales have been very weak here and the smaller wagone would do better in their attempts in Europe. I really don't expect any major suprises here. The ATS and XTS have shown us where this car is going style wise and we know to expect more room. I would also expect to see more technology being in the mix here at the higher price point. With a V8, magnetic shocks and a powerful V8 in a l light car for the class I can see this car being much better than the present CTS. It will be interesting to see where this all ends up. Alpha is far from done with what we will see. Just wait for the Camaro.

I don't know about the smaller Cadillac but has anyone really noticed the photos of the larger CTS yet. Imagine a CTS that is larger but has about the same mass as the present car. Should make for a very appealing car. I am hearing 350 HP Turbo V6. I would expect the V8 V to have as much or more power.

Well, that isn't entirely true. The Ohio service would be 110 service just like this Michigan release and it is still on the list of projects to complete. They want to get that done because it would also speed up two of the long distance trains. I don't understand this "you're left without a car" thing. Call Enterprise, they pick you up, and they have an agreement with Amtrak so if they know you're coming by train, they will bring the car to you if the train is early or late. Not according to those who supported this last year. That was the joke in Ohio They claimes high speed at first and we all expexted 100-120 MPH and then the truth came out that because of rail traffice and conditions they would be limited to the 79 MPH. Rent a car for one day. There goes any savings you would see in this trip unless you drive a one ton pick up. The other issue is people here were raised to take their own cars. Mass rail transportation was removed with the help of GM in the 30's and then after WW II they started to abandon buses when they bought their own cars. With the growth of the Suburbs here there is no easy way to get around in most of our cities. It would take years and untold dollars to attract many of the people here to rail. Note we are not like Europe and most of us live in suburbs and work in other suburbs. Our lives do nor revolve around downtowns anylonger. Once people here got cars they moved out. Thy try to offer buses service here to the burbs but few have the time it takes to get from point A to point Be to transfer to C to transfer and then to D where they were going. Now if we had more people say traveling to Cleveland from Canton for work It might work but most people do not live that far from work here. Like I said in some areas like when I travel from Wallnut Creek to Down Town SF the Bart is great but in the small town Middle America the culture has changed enough that it would take years and billions to bring it back. Hell they have pulled up many of the rails due to the less trains we have even for freight here.Since much of the industry has closed in this area many of the tracks were pulled up and and trucks have replaced them. There just areas where this will work and others it will be a great money loser. It is time for the goverment to give the money to the places it works well and fo a better system and grow it out from there. If they wanted to do it right. First fix the east coast to a system that is on par with Europe and then make a rail line from NY to Chicago. Then worry about the connections from there. This was how they buil the oiginal rail system. Now here in Ohio a true high speed rail to NY or Chicago might see enough people to support it. But just going to Cleveland to Cinci Few will ride and it would just be another waste of funds and a failed attempt. Like I said I am not against a good rail system just the ones where it is not a great idea. Here the public reaction was enough to say how it was going to go over. We really don't need near empty trains to go with our near emply buses. This is an idea that just needs to be grown and expanded from where it does work. To do it patch work style just will keep people away here. People here are just independent and have gotten used to the freedom of getting where they are going on their terms and times. This is not something easy to break. Unless fuel cost get to the point they can not afford to travel that way they will continue to keep doing as is. Unless there is a great direct personal gain they will resist this. Few here are green enough to do it just for that reason. Most of us here are 4 generations or more removed from the trolley system that we had. Most kids today laugh or cringe at the idea. It is something that would have to have more appeal than it does not to attract more riders. Many here will ride a bike or walk before taking a bus.

As far as I have ever heard Amtrak is not making any money. It may be they are just losing less. We were offered the so call high speed rail here in Ohio. The fact was it was not really what anyone here could call high speed. It was limited to 79 MPH and would have to make a few stops from Cleveland to Cinci. The deal was for so much money from the Fed and then the state was going to have to kick in more money than they had.. The other issue was it was not only going to take longer than a car drive down 71 but it would leave you in any of the 3 major cities with no car and little way to get to any of the suburbs. Rail works well in the large metro areas on the coast where you have good transportation once you leave the station. But in areas here in the mid west we have few good options here once you get off the train. Even Cabs are not a common sight anymore. If we had something here in Ohio that was at least 120 MPH people may consider it but for the most few will give up their car for a longer trip even if they saved a few bucks on the long trip. I am not anti rail I am just anti expensive rail that really would go unused. I love the Bart in San Fran and the Coast Rail in Cali as long as the engineer is not texting. In the right places it would really do well.

I think you are missing the cost of such a system and how few people would pay the price it would cost. The Volts price makes it a hard sell already and I am sure this system on a Regal would be nearly as much. You also have to consider less 10% of most Regal buyers will even want such a system let alone pay for it. As these systems get cheaper you may see it some day but for the the E system is a cheap way to add a few more MPG till better things care ready for production advancement wise and affordibility wise.

From what I have seen it looks as if only some models will see it at first. I saw the 2.4 still listed on some cars. That could have changes but we will have to see.

I don't think Porsche or Lamborghini or Ferrari and Maserati have to worry...they have VW/etc and Fiat, respectively, to make the FWD appliances...BMW has Mini, Daimler has Smart and M-B...it's the independents like Aston Martin and Jaguar/Land Rover that have to worry... No matter who own who they all are working on cars that get much better MPG. Porshe is into hybrids and electrics already and working on more. Ferrari is looking to smaller engines in the future Aston is in a world of hurt as they are not doing the IQ for fun. The fact is even if some can skirt the regs they still have to fight the Green movment in Europe. It is much stronger than most here even have a clue. The Green party is strong enough to change laws and force companies just by public opinion into changing products. While most are people who want clean air which is ok many within this party are zelots. I have even seen it effect companies like Michlien. years ago they made and market a tire with the Green Lable on the side. I remember getting the prototypes in and the guys joking it was not green. While we will still have some fast and impressive cars the reality is many of the large engines will be gone and other ways to power even sports cars will come into the market. Even Europe in many areas has California beat on the Green movment. Clarkson does not joke bout them just for fun. It is his public display to fight against them. He is one of few that will speak freely in public about them. Things like the engine size tax in London and cut in the Autobahn is only some of the minor changes they want to see as more get elected.

The 2.4 is not sluggish by anymeans as long as you consider it a small sedan. Now if you are expecting a sports sedan yes it may feel under powered but I would in no way call it sluggish. It will enter any highway with little drama. A little noise that the 2.5 will improve on but with no issues of getting up to speed. Too many expect every car to be a GS, SS or a V series. The fact of life even in the past most Chevys came with a 307 and many Buicks has a V6 or 215 in the 60's. They were enough to keep the average driver happy and never pretended to be a performance car. Even at the the 2.4 Regal would out run many of these average cars of the past. Just think about the 90+ HP 2.5 Iron Duke.

Smaller lighter and more expensive are all in the cards for most makes and models in the future. Unless someone has the magic bullet the new standards will not be met. Also fuel will never get any cheaper. Smaller is lighter with more expensive materials. In a Cadillac you will see more exotic things used to get the weight out. It is not hard to do in an expensive car but in a car like a Sonic it is difficult to do and keep the price down. All the sports car makers and luxury makers in Europe are scared as they are being forced for once to make cars they would never have considered. Some will be ok while other will take a hit. Who ever thought Retrimed IQ would be sold as an Aston Martin? Anyone notice too that Cadillac has made it clear not to expect a XTS V? It seems they will save the V for the new larger RWD sedan. So all is not small.

They are #1 in sales for that long only if you're counting F-150 v. Silverado only. Add in Sierra and/or Avalanche to GM's count and the title of #1 1/2 ton pickup seller has flipped back and forth a few times over those years. (and back into the C/K1500 years too) Ford has long used creative accounting when addressing sales. That is why I question their longest lasting claim. Is that just the F150 or the F series. Or is that just some years vs others. I would love to see GM state they are the MFG of the most trucks with Chevy and GMC.

I would love to see Cadillac take the Miata like car and take it to the next level. More power, less weight and technology like the magnetic ride. Put it into a simple sports car package with a real trunk and soft top. Make it handle unlike anything else in class. The Miata has been a solid performer for several reasons. I would love to see Cadillac take this to the next level. Keep all the crazy stuff for later and a more expensive car. The Alpha could make a car that the Solstic just could not be at the price Lutz set. While holding the base price to $19K was right for Pontiac it was wrong for the kind of car it could have been at the time GM tried to do it. I would like to see them place a car more expensive and advanced than the Miata but priced under the BMW but better performing. Leave the silly trendy things like flip doors and odd styling alone for this car. Make a real drivers car that someone could drive daily or on a trip and still drive on open track day. The Cadillac price point could make a car the Solstice never could have been at a Pontiac value. This also would be a car that could last as it would be light enough to still return good MPG with no need for crazy hybrid system. The only crazy thing I sould even consider is a 500 HP Eco Turbo. This car would be different enough to remove it from anything the Vette is doing or will do.

Maybe Ground Zero was a poor term but it all leads back to the goverment forcing loans to those who could not afford them. It happened under Clinton and Bush. The fact is Freddie and Fannie were part of the goverment and contrubuted to the over all issues too. The Goverment wants to regulate the banks and they can not even handle their own. The bottom line is both sides are screwing America for money and power and expect the rest of us to pick up the tab.

In time we will see a small FWD Cadillac. If Benz and BMW are working on one you can be sure GM will have it too. These companies are running scared to the future. The Alpha is much more flexible than many seem to want to understand. Might get the latest Car and Driver as they have a good under body shot of the new ATS.

I too feel the banks were given a free ride. Just this week they the present admin tried to make it look like they did a good thing on the Forclosures but it really means little. The goverment is the one who got the forclosure problems started and Freddie and Fannie were Ground Zero. Also we had people out there with no hope of making the payments on most of these homes and they expect those of us who can make our payments to bail them out. I am sorry it is time to hold people accoutable for their actions in and out of goverment. This weeks action was all smoke and mirros as the problem is much greater than a 25 billiond dollar issue. As for the way the auto bail out was done. I still think the Unions got too much payback for their political donations to the Dems. I feel they should have a part of the pie but I think they were give too much of the pie. You can't have the inmates running the psych ward. There are too many in the unions that want to bleed the companies till they are no more. They were part of the problem to start with.

Interesting point, but FAIL; he's a Republican!! The partisan Bull Sh!t is what has gotten our country in this mess. We already have too many people voting for someone for the wrong reasons in both parties. Time for us to vote for people for their own thinking and actions and not because they have a D or an R behind their name. Then once elected hold them accountable for what they do and say. The next 20 years are going to be ugly in this country.

If you drove a Old Diesel hard they would hold up well. The real issue is many of these engines were standard in some models and peole bought them and just puttered around town. We would get these in and every gasket was leaking oil. Also many people would think I need to clean this up and put cold water on the injector pump and it would lock it up every time. GM took a short cut and it tarnished the image of the diesel in this country for years. I had one customer with a GP with the Olds in it. He drove Cleveland to Columbus daily at 70 MPH, He drove it hard. That engine out lasted the car. It also never had leaks or issues. If GM hopes to bring the Diesel back they need to make it the best they can and take no shortcuts this time. Also they need to market the hell out of it. I just wish they could find a way to make the price equal with the gas engines as this would make it easier for many to take a chance on it and find out they are better than they used to be. Happy customers and great MPG will sell these engines.

It is plain and simple that who ever was in office would have bailed them out. At that time and place it was the only thing that could have been done. You can call it different things and you can change a few requirements but in the end they would have gotten the money. The one thing GM did that was good was GW started the wheel turning and but let Bama Admin set the ground rules and set it up the way they wanted. He could have played politics and threw a granade out there for the Bama admin would have had to fall on. Like him or not he did put the country first on this decision. It is well known he made many in his own party mad but the man did the best thing he could do for the companies and the incoming admin. Too bad others don't work this way on both sides. Now it is up to GM to get this paid off asap. This milk is still spilled as far as GM is concerned. The goverment gave them the mop and it is up to them to mop it up.