hyperv6

GM can afford to do this better now that they have already cut much of the over capacity and other union restrictions they had before. In the past it was cheaper to keep plants open and sell vehicles at a loss vs closing plants and costing even more. It is nice that they have these options now where they were really limited on what evil to choose before. I know they are not moving the new trucks up any but I wish they would get the better V6 package out even in this truck. They really need it as it would help sales during the gas spikes. I see the Ford V6 sales in the F150 was up to 50% last month. I wonder how many of these could have been a GM purchase if they had a good Turbo V6 package to offer?

Cheaper and better value is for Chevy. For marketing more and better technology is key for Cadillac marketing. People will pay more to get more in this class. The bottom line is people pay more for a car like a Cadillac to feel and look special. If they just give the samethings you can get in a Chevy how special will they feel. They can go to other brands to get the advancements that set them appart from their neighbor good value car. Cadillac can afford to add some good as they are not as limited on price.

I suspect it will be more than the 380 HP as stated. GM has shown several times that this engine can produce much more HP still with good V6 MPG numbers. Who is to say that there will only be one level of Turbo V6? I expect the Alpha Camaro will be getting one too along side a V8 offered in the top level car so I would expect they will offer more than 400 HP in at least one version of the V6 Turbo. Trust me Cadillac will not make a car that is not at the time of release at the top of it's class. They have stated already they are not comprimising on this car nor the future CTS. I expect the Supercharged V8 will remain a CTS item only. No need to undercut it with the cheaper car. You need to give people a reason to pay more for the CTS.

The Astra isn't really a competitor w/ those, it's two size classes larger..more of a VW Golf, Focus and Mazda3 competitor... The Astra isn't really a competitor w/ those, it's two size classes larger..more of a VW Golf, Focus and Mazda3 competitor... These cars are similar in Euro tuned 3 door hatches. It is more tuning vs the size aspect here. The Buick will be closer in price to the Mini and GTI.

I was hoping the GTC hatch would arrive. It would make one sweet car and under Buick it could get the stuff to really compete with the Mini and bury the Fiat 500. I think this is why the Cruze SS was canceled. These cars would be better done as Buicks and could be sold at a little higher price with better engine and equipment.

Not sure how it is around the other parts of the US but here in the Midwest the Cruze's are popping up like dandylions. Every short trip I take anymore I can see a half dozen or more Cruze. I saw the numbers and the over market numbers for last month were really good for the car. Now that I have seen several of the trim levels and color some of these look really good on the road. The only weak spot for me is the C pillar. I really wish it has something closer to the Malbu look but on a shorter wheel base it would have been hard to do. As for the engines you have what they have. GM deemed them the best choices for more than one reason. You can imagine all the combinations you like but it means little. This car was made to be economical and it is. As for the trannys I see them being offered but limited. GM still will not invest a lot into putting manual trannys in too many models that may end up sitting on dealer lots and having to be discounted to get sold. It would be nice if you could order one and they would build it. That would save the the expence of unsold inventory. As long as the manual market remains in decline I see little more effort being made than what they have. We are at 7% as a whole and in many segements even less of the cars being Manual. Even the theft rates are down on them as many of the theifs can't drive them. I see the manual in this country being let to the performance cars and slowly fade away accept for a stripped down odd econo car that provides good numbers for advertising. Even back in 84 Pontiac touted a 50 MPG Fiero with a manual and specail gearing. As far as anyone could find only a few were built so they could prove to GM it was a economy car and for advertising. From what I have seen of them they would not get out of their own way they were geared so bad.

I did this with a Lucerne in a parking lot of Kohls in Yorba Linda CA. It was early in the AM but I still got odd looks driving the circles. It did stop the wacky compass.

Thanks for the update. It is good to see things are working well as as stated by GM. People can make a fuss over the Leaf all they want but this is the car that has a shot at mainstream. Just getting the price down would really make this model over the top with the general public.

Enkei did the Saturn S-Series alloy wheels, some of which are very lightweight for their size. They did the 2004 Grand Prix GTP Comp G wheels, too. I noticed that earlier this week when I had the wheels off and thought it was kinda interesting... '04-'06 GTOs and G8s used Blaupunkt stereos... not real unusual for Holden, but unusual for GMNA. My GTP Comp G wheels say Prime Wheels on the back. Even the seats in the Fiero were Lear. GM may have styled them or worked with the companies but much of this is out sourced and sent in as a package anymore.

Many of these seats are brand name but often they are not noted. Same on wheels and other parts. I remember the wheels on my Inlaws old town car were OZ Racing but it was only on the back of the wheel. Top Suppliers often don't get a tag or label.

GM is only going to do trim upgrades in the Camaro and the Vette with the major work already started on the C7 and 6th Gen. It would be a great waste of money to do a major overhaul on such short term cars. While the present interiors could be better they are so bad that they need major work. The improvment in the seats and steering will get them by till the new car is ready. Noe it is not that far off. 2012 is the 8th model year of the C6...they could have at least given the interior an MCE a few years ago..a car at this price point should at least have it's own steering wheel... GM did not have the money they needed to bring cars to market like a new Impala or Malibu so do you really think they had enough money to spend to fix the Vette Interior. The Vette Guys used the money they had on the electronic suspensions, Brembo brakes and by pass exhaust and let the interior slide. While it may not be the best in class it is not that bad. The first gen Viper looked and felt like a kit car. When Pontiac had to delay things like hood scoops a year do to the lack of funds it is telling how short budget funds were on some models. Even cars like the Vette has limits and they have to pick and choose what they will spend it on. They could have done an interior but then they would have had to skip the magnetic shocks. In this class performace comes first. As for the steering wheel I fell tickled to death I have a ZR1 wheel in my HHR SS. Buy if I had a ZR1 I would wonder what the hell did I spend all this money on other than brakes and and engine. Just for the cost of the car they could afford a Momo or some other aftermarket wheel. It would add little to the cost and make the interior a little better without a redesign. Hell I put a OE Momo Wheel from a 288 GTO Ferrari in my Pontiac. I got a hell of a deal on it in Beverly Hills. The guy at the X Ray machine at the airport looked me and said a Steering wheel?

They do when it's the Mercedes S-class. Problem is Cadillac needs credibility, which could be gained with a successful flagship, however, the flagship probably won't sell because of their brand image. They are sort of in a lose-lose. Cadillac ain't Mercedes. Even then the S is still not their profit center. Cadillac needs to do as BMW did with the 3 series. BMW was a niche car till the 70's and then were maketed well. This whole deal was built on the back of the 3 series cars not the 6 or 7. Build quality cars people love in volume and at prices that they can afford. Then once you gain their trust then offer the more expensiver stuff. If you can't get someone to get out the 3 Series to get into a CTS or the ATS they still have some work to do. You win their hearts and trust with these cars and then you build on it. Cadillac is close to gaining the rep they need and they just need more buyers now. The next gen CTS and the ATS should be about right and prime to make a dent in the market. At least in the states. Just because you can build a $100,000 does not win cedibility. Getting more people to take a chance on a class leading $40K Cadillac will win more credibility than anything else. I think they have learned this from the last two attempts at a 2 seat roadster.

GM is only going to do trim upgrades in the Camaro and the Vette with the major work already started on the C7 and 6th Gen. It would be a great waste of money to do a major overhaul on such short term cars. While the present interiors could be better they are so bad that they need major work. The improvment in the seats and steering will get them by till the new car is ready. Noe it is not that far off. The fact is the Vette is a limited production 2 seat car and they are not going to sink a lot of money in a car that will only 40K-45K units at best till it is replacd. Remember last year the C6 I saw some where sold only just over 12,000 units. Yes there is a lot of things they could and should do to the C6 but would just be more fiscally smart to invest it in the C7. To invest this in the C6 would make it hard to see a return on the investment. Edge is in a much more hotly contested segment and needs to see production number much greater than the Vette. This makes it much easier to see the return on the investment.

They were not going to do much to this car. The next one will get the interior we have been waiting for. The Vette like any other car has has a budget and most of it has always gone into the suspension and drive line. Those areas are the most unforgiving in sports car. Not that GM can afford a better budget they can finally make a complete car vs the best with what they had to spend. I still think it is a crime the ZR1 has the same wheel as my HHR SS. Same look, feel and size. Thy just added a different center with crossed flags. I mean how much would a Momo have been to add to the car? On the ZR1 they could have tacked it to the price and no one would know.

I think the take rate on a Turbo V6 would be greater than a small Diesel. Many people in the 1/2 ton market are not as dedicated diesel fans as they are in the 1 ton class. I know they both are trucks but they do have two very diverse group of ownes. The 3/4 is the meeting turf and it is still a gas dominated platform with a good number of diesls in this weight class. Don't get me wrong I would love to see a small diesel option in a 1/2 ton but I am afraid I just don't see it as a very popular move in this country. As for the Hybrids I just don't see a great take rate unless they find a lot of MPG or get them priced about the same as a normal truck. I have driven them and just don't see the interest at the price point they are at. Some think a Volt is over priced I think the Hybrid truck/suv has them beat. I see most half ton owers ok with Gas V6 as long as it is smooth dependable and has equal power to a small V8. I even wonder if a lighter truck would still be a good call. Ford at one time offered a light F100 back in the 80's. It was not a truck you would beat hard on but it would meet the needs of many truck owners that only haul light loads and to be honest really don't need a truck for major work use. Lets face it many truck ride empty and seldom haul anything large. Note too most do not even have a ball on the bumper for towing.

The key things I want to see with the new truck other than a better nose on the Chevy are these things. Less weight. Ford has already started to remove upto 700 pound from their trucks. There is a lot of wasted space in todays trucks under the hood and in the cab. I hope they can find a pleasing way to pare down this waste of space and added metal and keep the trucks looking good. Also Chevy needs to get a Turbo V6 in the next truck. The Ford is selling 36% of the F 150 with this engine and the market seems to be ok with it. They are also paying S750-s1750 more for it too. These engines with the way gas prices go up and down will only help sales. In all I would like to see some changes to the trucks to move them ahead in styling and technology. Today the companies just want to make them big and bulky with the largest chrome grill they can. I know some like the mini semi look but I would like to see GM move the industry into newer and more creative areas for the truck. I think buyers would go for it as long as the styling was still pleasing. Trucks made a big jump from the 30's to the 50's and then from the 70 to the 80's. It is time again for anothe major advancement in the idea of what a truck can be.

They will get to it but a Halo Cars don't pay the bills. Also with a depressed economy it is not the best time to get people to spend a lot of money on a unproven car. Once the ATS and new CTS are on line and the rest of the line up starts to fall into place they will pull this one out. I suspect they have a better idea of what the will do just not a good handle on when they will do it. When the time is right they will have something to show. I suspect while not next year it is not too far off.

While I am no fan of the present Chevy Stying it is a very good truck and really gives up little to the Ford and Ram. Like stated many are brand loyal here and seldom change ranks. The CAFE is an issue starting 2015 so they have some time on that. If they just tweek these and spend most of the funds and extra time on the new trucks they will better off for it. Sometimes when things get rushed they leave much on the table till later anyways.

The extra couple MPG will have little effect on helping sales much. The shock of the gas kills most truck sales for a while untill they drop again. The question this time with the Middle East issues are will they ever drop again? The present truck will do ok in the near term in this kind of market. I would rather them take the extra time to get the new trucks right and continue work on higher MPG cars. The last time GM hurried up the new trucks the gas spiked and hurt sales for a few months till they dropped. So much for getting in a hurry.

This is one GM needs control the media on as even if they are not at fault bad press can still hurt them. Just look at all the damage Audi went through even though they were cleared. The Even cleared bad press here could really effect the future of all GM EV vehicles. Too often they report the happening but never report the findings that clear the company or person in question.

That has been my point from the start. the Volt is a car the average buyer could live with and use. The Leaf takes someone with short trips and has either no need for long travel or a second car. In Autoweek they picked the car up with 75 miles and drove it hard in testing. They had no where to charge it and could not make it home. The only solution was to flat bed it home. There is no forgivness if you fail to keep in the varing miles you can drive. In time batteries will imporve and cost will come down do car like the Volt or even a full battery powered Volt may happen. Untill then the Volt is a good solution to a market that will grow. Note the EV cars are improving faster now than ever in their history with the kinds of investment they are now seeing since main MFG's are now offering them. But they will only be part of the automotive market equation as they still have a lot of work to do and there are things they just can't do yet to even think of replacing the Gas engine. I think GM is doing the right thing in offering the Volt E assist and the Eco lines. As time and investment improves these things they can expand the markets. But for now they will give people their choice of what they want. GM now only needs to get the small Diesel engines into the mix.

I am glad to see someone who has driven the cars view. I am looking forward for my first drive in one. I may never buy one but this is the first EV I would even consider. I just read the Sotry in Autoweek on the Volt and they liked it. The story on the leaf was funny as they would not say anything negitive but did show the tale of running out of power and being left on a flatbed truck with a dead Leaf. The Volt was also run out of gas but the reserve battery kicks in and will go a couple more miles. This would have worked if they had not been in Northern Michigan in the middle of no where. But a can of gas fixed it and they were on their way.

I think the turbo will remain at 2.0L (or 2.2L max), but I too await the rest of the story from GM. GM anounced the new changes would be used on a whole family of updated Eco engines. The 2.5 is just one of the basic models they will use. I too expect a smaller engine to be the Turbo model of models. Here is one engine that was still born a couple years ago but it gives you an idea of what GM was looking to do with the LNF. This was the considered at one point but just never made it to production with the issues at GM. Note this info is not some proposal I came up with. It will be interesting to see what direction they will choose.

Who's to say that the Turbo will be 2.5? I think I will wait for the rest of the story from GM.

I am shocked a the lack of comments on the interior lighting. Look close at the interior note the wide use of lighting on the inside. It will look very nice and up scale inside. I only fear most of it will only come on the LTZ. As for the Eco model GM needs more people to buy these and less people buying V6 cars. It will come down to selling more even gimick like cars for a extra couple MPG's or making cars smaller yet. I see no issue with the Eco as long as you can choose it and it is not forced on us. The lack of V6 while sad is not really a big deal since V6 sales account for a small total of Malibu's. Save it for the Impala and let them have the V6. Give people a reason to buy one or the other and not sell neat identical cars.