hyperv6

De Lorenzo is starting to show his age. Cadillac for sure has a lot of work yet to do they now are just putting in the system to carry them into the future. Just count in the last how many years we had a major turnover of leadership all GM insiders that followed marching orders because they were afraid to make changes. This shows in their cars as while they are very competitive cars they still lack the details that the others do not. The complaints of simple things like self dimming mirrors, better dashes and just higher quality items like door handles have been an issue that Mark Reuss has been fighting the board over since he took his position. He now has his South African Pit Bull that is not intimidated by the GM leaders and is willing to mash some toes to get the product over the top to where it needs to be. Now I for one know that few outside Cadillac really know what is going on inside. But we do know that the present leaders are fixing what they have as we are just now seeing the minor changed. We are next going to see their own products. They have stated what they have is good but it needs to be better. As for the marketing. Well here is the delema. Do you market the cars aggressively that you knowledge as being not as good as you want them to be or do you fix them and then market them as the cars you feel set the standard. It is a mixed message to go out and say the ATS is the ultimate luxury car and in a press meeting discuss how you really need to make changes as the dash is below expectations and other issues you discuss. As the new and refresh product comes you will see a move from marketing from a attitude to a more product driven plan. We started out as Dare Greatly and then them went to the next step and next Don't you dare and next it may be We Dare you to try the new CT6. The fact the CT6 has a new name will not matter to most people as they could have cared less about the past Cadillac's as they really have little or a poor opinion of the division. They will need to sell what ever they have and with a new name there is no preconceived notions. People that are going to buy Cadillac will buy Cadillac. You need to focus on the folks who have not considered them before and change their impressions. It is not much different than the sell to the youth argument as you can sell a old man an young mans car but you can not sell a young man an old mans car. Besided if you are building for the future you do not go after 65 year olds you go to the younger buyers. While some may not buy now you need to make an impression on them to consider you as they become more affluent. The truth is Automaker market to kids today to get them to form a positive opinion on their products that often carry over to adult hood. Lets face it many of us were GM fans as far back to when we were 5 years old.

Ram's got a Hemi.... and even given its age, is a great engine in that truck. Ram's got a light duty diesel. Ram's got a fantastic 8-speed. Ram's 3.6 V6 is pretty darn good too as far as V6 trucks go. Ram's air suspension is superb. Ram's got a Rambox (but to be fair, Chevy did it first and then gave up up on it) Ram's got the best highway ride even without the air suspension. A lot of it still comes back to price. They generally are cheaper and have more incentives to draw in more new buyers. But then again they also have the lowest percentage of repeat buyers at Chrysler in the industry to. If it were not for some of the special features they would be in a world of hurt. But even these options you list are not something you see on many of the trucks sold as most are gas with conventional beds and suspensions. Ram trucks are a good value in features for what you pay but what you save is not coming back at resale as they generally have lower values on trade. This is a very loyal segment and price is one of the few things in this high price segment that will temps some but they often go back to Ford or GM in the end. I see it every day at work.

Well here is what we will see. Yes they will be physically smaller outside but the interior will packaged much better and will be nearly the same size if not more usable. The present model is not packaged as well as it should or could have been. They new model will be lighter and performance braking and MPG will be better. I do not expect a big gain in MPG but the related power vs MPG will be much better with the added torque. There will be a new larger model slotted in to take the place of the present model in size similar to the new GMC Acadia. The new model will be cheaper than the present model starting price but I expect it can be optioned right up to near where it is today. As for a plug in I think there is still work to do. If you note there really is not much in high profile plug in models because of the large frontal area. CD is a real range killer and that is why most EV plug in models are lower profile cars. I remember them saying just the squaring off of the rear bumper on the Volt add a good amount of range just because of the Aero effect. Until we have better batteries I do not expect much in a plug in CUV unless it is short like a Tesla X where it is more a tall car than CUV. Not only is the large frontal area an issue on drag but if it is tall the suspension also takes a chunk out of the CD number. We will get there in time but just the physical nature of the vehicle hurts Miles per charge and they are still getting the cars to where they need to be and there is still work to do.

Here most of our Cadillac dealers are stand alone or joined with Buick. Our Benz dealers are with Toyota and BMW is with MIni and VW,

Rams and Dodge trucks have long has a history of a lower price. Back when they were total crap you got what you paid for. Today quality is better but brand loyalty is hard to break. Today they are still a little better bargain and offer different styling and odd options the others don't have. It holds appeal to some and to others no appeal. But still price is their main trading card and with the trucks being better it has been less risk. Ford at one time was the same way on their cars. You got a better deal up front new but less trade than the GM. A GM car used to be more upfront but you got a better resale value later. My T bird was a perfect example. I got it in 95 for the price of a Sunbird but got nothing at time to sell it.

It is simple. #1 Brand Loyalty. People buy the same brand no matter how good or bad it is. Blind faith. #2 yes some of it is the GMC thing. #3 Ford makes more models and variations. Note they count them often as F series trucks and that takes in from 150-550 to anything else with a F on it. #4 Ford does a ton of fleet sales and focuses on these. That is why they are seen so often with names on the side. #4 Creative accounting on Fords part also adds to this at times. Each model has their good points and bad and trade them back and fourth with ever new generation. To argue that one is better than the other is like arguing who can piss the farthest.in the wind. In other words pointless as both are good in their own ways and both have issues all of their own too. The bottom line what I have listed above no more no less. We have to remember when GM got out of the heavy and Medium truck segment when money was tight. Well they are getting back into it again. That is a large number of F series sales that go un answered right there. So you can stop all the boyish banter back and fourth and posturing as both are doing fine and they both have arguments to being the best truck. The claim normally goes to the latest model not so much by brand.

Who is this demographic that is looking for a slightly smaller, slightly cheaper ATS @ Cadillac, exactly? A billion dollars spent to develop this model that's a shave & a haircut smaller- there's simply no point to it. Same demographic that buys the CLA... but later finds out its a POS.. Same buyer who will buy a 1 series or 2 series. And I doubt big time that it costs a billion$$ to develop the model.. Again.. when the newer ATS (CT3) will be a tad larger on the inside. I would also point out that while my preference is the Alpha platform be used.. I would have zero objection to a Dx vehicle that was a hatch or hybrid OK… that's your take. Mine is, there's no business case to bring out another sedan on the SAME PLATFORM as the ATS. I mean, hello? And this is coming from someone who doesn't place all that much significance in what platform is under a vehicle. CLA is moving copies (based on whoring out the badge), but the 1-2 series @ BMW is struggling. But a FWD hatchback Cadillac??????????????????? What sort of sales analysis threads am I going to be reading there?? It's not where Cadillac came from, it's not where they need to go. The whole 'must match the German's catalogs' mindset has to die but some folks just won't let it go. First lets see if that is what they will do first and then lets just see the results before we complain. Arguing this right now is like arguing that you may get the flu in September. The things about Cadillac's future are very unknown to most outside the division even at GM and even less so here in the public domain. They have really said a lot of things but really given little in details. It is kind of hard to get worked up on something we have no clue about at this point. Plus you have that factor out there today that is young and foolish that believe they will self destruct in the winter if they do not have a FWD/AWD car. Audi makes an ever growing profit on these folks. Foolish yes but their money is as green as anyone else's. As ,for the small BMW it has done very well in Europe and other markets. Kind of proves it is not just about America anymore.

If U say so BMW fan. A brand that I equate with boring and slow drivers who would be better off at a Starbucks than in my way. Nonetheless... Escalade, CTS, CT6 beg to differ with your opinion: Gee! at first glance these all look like Cadillac's! Even my blind grandfather said they even feel like Cadillac's. I think you have made a very valid point!!!!!

What Cadillac used to mean was to be the True Standard of the World all others were compared to and measured. That was decades ago. What they need to aspire to today is just the same but to attain that it will take years and continued improved products that need to better the rest to earn the image they need. As for the size and type of product brother it is what ever it takes anymore. Markets and customer desires have changed radically and the large sedan is just the the center of the market anymore. In the luxury segment some look for Quality, Technology and comfort but in so many different packages anymore. Add to this the challange to meet future regulations being forced on the market has forced the hand of all MFG. Just look at how many years Benz bragged about no FWD and now they have had to go to it. We also need to consider that if Cadillac it to go global the wants and needs are different globally too. Some placed just want large cars while others only want smaller but still high grade luxury cars. Some are forced into by taxation and regulation. Hell just look what it cost to drive a larger car in London now with the added taxed or even parking. As of now Cadillac is very distinctive. No matter if you like the styling or not it is never going to be confused for a Benz of BMW as a Lexus has been as well as the Hyundai offering. So styling is of their own branding as to if you find to you taste that is all subjective but there is no way to say it is not distinctively their own style. I think if you consider that we have not seen what JDN can and will do yet. He has been there a year and a half and we all here know you can not do much in that time. The XT5 and CT6 were both done by the time he arrived as only some clean up was being done for both models. We know that starting next year we will see some of his new refresh work but it will be limited at first. The first full on models will be 2020 and on. While I am not going to say what he has planed is going to solve everything I will say we can not condemn someone for work we have yet to see any hint of. At least let the man fail before you condemn him. What Cadillac means to me in the future. Well it will be a high profit lower volume division that will offer the most advanced and highest quality cars and CUV/SUV models that the market wants in all sizes and shapes. It will be seen as a leader in each segment it enters. Cadillac will be the company that all luxury brands will be compared to. Note the Battle Hymn Republic is playing in the back ground as you read this. What I do recommend is to consider where the automobile is going. While we pine for our wants and needs the automakers need to find what appeals to those coming behind us. They are the future that needs to be built for. They are not coupe lovers and many are not even car lovers but you have to find and build cars that appeal to them. Many do not like large V12 sedans and if they like something smaller it has to be investigated. When we dream of the future we can not pin all this on the past or present wants and needs but where this is all going is what needs to be worked on in each and every global market we plan to enter. This is big picture stuff not selfish personal wants and needs.That is where many American Automakers have failed in the past. The just build it they will come does not work anymore. Yes this means I feel they should build cars that do not appeal to me if they can make a good profit on them with younger people and or in different markets. Cadillac must do what is best to make them relevant to all not just a few. That Truly is the Penalty of Leadership!

One benefit of EVs is you do not need a driveline between back and front, so why not have an option for a second motor in back, I can see a 3rd party building that option. Then like Tesla has done add 300HP and Torque to the rear, flash the computer and have a 500hp 566 lb-ft of torque BOLT. Where would you add the additional batteries to power the second motor? It would take more power and you would have to increase battery capacity to not degrade the range as it is. Now someday that may work in a small car when batteries are better. Now in a car like the CT6 I could see where that would work in a AWD system with a motor in each wheel with enough room to add the extra batteries.

This car in both 2dr and 4dr forms should have been the Regal replacement! In RWD and AWD forms it would be the only RWD based somewhat affordable sedan in the domestic market! Using the Camaro version of the Alpha platform it like the old Firebird/Trans Am was for Pontiac could have been the Buick version of the Camaro helping spread out the cost in 2dr form while having the 4dr RWD based sedan that nobody else offers in this would be price range! I think you miss the problems of the past. The Camaro and Firebird proved to be very counter productive by selling nearly identical cars with the added cost of design, marketing and a lesser degree engineering. Not good for profits. If you want to use this you have to slot this car in some where it will not counter the Camaro and not the ATS. The only area GM can get away with some overlap is the trucks and SUV models and they are even working to slot them more apart to. The Camaro has to sell around 100K units to remain viable. You cut into that at added cost of a second model it could be much less profitable. I loved the TA but I agree GM is better off with out it as it used to be its own car for the most but from the 3rd gen on it was nothing but a fancy Chevy.

Yes it would have to be a larger car as the Regal is just not in the price class to deal with doing this right. This would be a top end halo sedan over the Lacrosse targeting a lower volume niche of people wanting sporty with jusdt some compromise for style in a sedan. Like a 5 class Benz. This car would replace nothing as it would just be supplemental. Also forget the old names. Is this really a car fitting the Park Ave name? Even Riv would not fit because of the extra doors. You want to continue the changes at Buick you do it in styling, product offerings and names. The old names only garner old customers that are loyal. The new names bring a different view to the new customers you are trying to reach. You can sell an old customer a new name but seldom do old names mean much or make new customers respond. Especially since so many of them were damaged on poor cars in the last 30 years. Lets face it the last Riviera was not the 1963-65 model. The only old name with a shot is Wildcat as most people that are the new target customers were not even born when the last one was made and it never went thought the Down Sized FWD drama. I would not be disturbed if the Regal name went away either. It reminds me too much of the soul less W bodies of the 90's. Skylark is the embarrassment of the 80's N body and I could go on. Lesabre was not a bad car but younger buyers equate it to dad or grand dad car as we all know some one that was 60 plus years old that had one or two of them. My dad did so did Grandma. Park Ave is a large luxury sedan not a sporty sedan. That is what the Lacrosse should be. Make it a Hybrid and call it Electra 240 for the charging system.

Like I said they all are using the floating pillars anymore. Many MFGs have them and yes Opel too.

Pontiac's have always sounded great but a stock 77 just was not that good with out a little help. I have been around Pontiac enough I can pick out a Ram AIr IV cam by the sound. We used a lot of them over the years and used to pop them in 428 engines. I love the sound of the Tripowe when you open it up. That stiff spot when you open the secondary carbs with mechanical linkage is a powerful feel. I am going to go down to Georgia in the near future for work. It will be in the area where they filmed much of the movie and I have a co worker going to take me to many of the places they filmed that are still left. The place where the Snowman got in a fight is a restaurant yet and we are going to have lunch here. I hate to say it but the place the Sheriff ordered the Diablo sandwich and the Dr Pepper. is gone. That is what devastated me. I so wanted to go in like so many others and order that and tell them I was in a GD hurry. It is a shame none of the cars survived. Only the promo car for Universal that was recently sold and the 78 TA Burt owned are the only two associated left. The others were reproduction and used up. Odds were they would have scrapped them anyways. No one expected the movie to do so well. There really was so little script and they pretty much made up the dialog in most of the shots. Gleason did his own thing and came up with the lines as he went. He also was half in the bag most of the movie. He would ask for a hamburger and they would give him a Martini. They asked him why he called them Hamburgers. He said he did not want anyone to know he was drinking. LOL!. The Cadillac at the end is still around. Also the semi has been found and reported it may be getting restored. There is a clone out now as is the Sheriffs car and even Carries car from the start of the movie. It is a shame the second movie sucked. Also that car had work as the 301 Turbo really did not have it to do what it needed to do.

That would make you say Oh Hail!

Here is why the Three is here so far before production taking order. Tesla Needs the Money! GM does not need to take orders a year or years before production. They just build them and sell them. Also Tesla has a cult like following that appear to fall for the gag every time so if they are willing to cough up the money more power to Tesla. Just look at all the people who plunked down $5K how many years ago still waiting for their cars. GM could be well on the way to a second gen model or a larger sister model by the time Tesla gets the Three out at a higher price than quoted here. GM still has almost half their credits and Tesla has less then 1/4 left. The real telling thing will be how many who plunked down the money will wait as more models will hit the market and many cheaper than the Tesla overall. The fact is Tesla is living from hand to mouth right now and needs more product and volume to pay for development. As it is now they are behind and burning through money. Will they keep up and get ahead. They may but doing it with cheaper cars than the X and S will be a challenge. Also how will the 3 sales impact the S sales? There is no way to call this game as even Tesla and GM do not know where this will be in 5 years. They can make projections but they are ever changing with the public perceptions and technology changes. One thing for sure is the road will not get any easier for Tesla and as it goes on it will only get tougher. While they have made a cheaper S they have not made a Cheap car yet. Just watch as by the time of release the 3 will be $50K-60K ATP and the Bolt will be around $40K. By then GM will have more product as well as Porsche will be eating into S sales as well as Nissan and others. Tesla had an easy time making lay ups on the court before anyone else showed up. Once the game starts they will be the shortest player on the court. They may score but not as often and not as easy as they have. That is not a criticism of Tesla but just the nature of large vs small business.

I think people will be shocked by this car. Yes pun intended. This is what will happen. The 3 will be late and much higher priced than the claimed $35K that was promised. Tesla has a history of over promising and under delivering. The Tesla will sell for sure as Musk could put 4 wheels on a turd and a lot of people will buy it if he can ever get them build. But Chevy here with all the options will under cut the 3 price. They will have more tax kick backs to offer and this car will have a 1 to 3 year lead on production. This car has been doing better than what Chevy has claimed on the charge so that will be an extra bonus for many. The bottom line is this is the car Chevy said they would build and it will be just in the price range of the average buyer. As long as this car is reliable and the dealer sell them properly they could gain some real traction with this car. Also GM does not have to make a profit here where Tesla needs to make a lot of money as they are pretty cash poor right now. The development cost and no profits from the cars are really hurting now. Selling Carbon credits right now is only going to go so far with more new car development needed. The only thing that could go wrong here is the dealer mess up on selling this and Chevy does not follow up on the best customer service they have ever given on these cars. That will be key as this is expected now with many EV cars. C-pillar looks cribbed from recent Nissan design cues... The floating pillar is cribbed from many cars even Opel. It is a popular thing that just is not all that original anymore.

But it will never sound as good as a LS engine. Electric and even the Turbo 4 engines as good as they are will never live up to the sound of a good old V8. Just watch the video of he Venom setting the convertible speed record as it passes by. No Tesla would ever sound that good. Hell....I just saw Smokey and the Bandit for the umpteenth and even a horsepower choking crappy 1970s catalytic converter V8 sounds better than all of those engines mentioned, including the modern Chevy LS engine. (but the LS engine DOES sound goooooood) In some scenes, where the Trans Am is idling, you could hear her V8 engine gurgle....what a sound....and no...that is not Industrial Light and Sound Star Wars sound effects, it really was the Trans Am's 400 cubic inch V8 making those wonderful sounds! Sorry to burst your bubble but generally in many scenes the sound were dubbed and in many others the engine in the car was not as you would call a Catalytic choked 70's engine. You may want to note too that the close up car had a auto but in many shots you can see them shifting gears with a standard. I am a disciple of the movie and know well many of the things they did. Hal spoke at many Pontiac meets telling things about the cars from the movie. Might note the last shot of the car coming down the hill at the race to deliver the beer. That was the last car they had left and the engine was blown. They coasted down the hill to get into the shot. I even keep a copy of the movie on my Phone you sumbitch! Sorry I had to use that some where. At least I did not use Moose Prick. LOL! At one point they installed an engine from NASCAR. Hal had some friends there and ended up owning a team there after this movie. I think the car that made the bridge jump has a NASCAR Chevy engine in it at the time. Well you can hold onto you man card for now.....>>But we are watching you!!!! LOL!

It could be a larger premium rwd awd sedan with coupe like styling., Lets face it at a higher price and RWD it would appeal to a different segment and could be sold in lower volumes. This is no different than the Impala going to an Alpha and the Malibu covering the volume in the mid size FWD. The Lacrosse is the major problem but even there two different segments. Lose the FWD impala and keep the Lacrosse and it would gain sales there. Also make the Alvita sedan a Opel, Vauxhaull and Holden using the same platform as the Impala and TT V6.

But it will never sound as good as a LS engine. Electric and even the Turbo 4 engines as good as they are will never live up to the sound of a good old V8. Just watch the video of he Venom setting the convertible speed record as it passes by. No Tesla would ever sound that good. Not so sure about that, but this Worlds Fastest Electric Corvette has that lovely Jet sound as it sets a new world record. Sorry electric drills and my Dyson V6 vac are just are not sexy sounding either. Go to 2:57 and just feel it. http://gmauthority.com/blog/2016/04/hennessey-venom-gt-spyder-sets-record-for-fastest-convertible-ever-at-256-6-mph-video/ Hmmm 186? So they modified this car to go slower than stock?

But it will never sound as good as a LS engine. Electric and even the Turbo 4 engines as good as they are will never live up to the sound of a good old V8. Just watch the video of he Venom setting the convertible speed record as it passes by. No Tesla would ever sound that good.

Well it was not all that long ago people understood the show cars were just that show cars. Few complained that 98% of what was shown at Motorama was never made. Sure bits and parts of many cars did make production in other forms but people played with more reality that these cars were not producible as shown. Today most people are not that smart. Second coupes are a hard sell globally anymore. Third China loves large and sporty sedans more than even SUV/CUV models so if it were to be built a 4 door version would fit the their market well. It would also lend a good hand for lower volume models here and down under too. May want to forget the big V8 engines as we will see more turbo engine along with Hybrid. China needs a smaller engine for taxes as do many other markets anymore. The reason this car would have not made production is very clear from the start because it was a coupe. It had no B pillar, it had no ground clearance. The brakes are larger than most tire and wheel packages, the interior was printed, Finally it was made clear it was a show car done buy the design staff not the engineering department. It had little else to do with anything else. As noted they are looking officially at a sedan version and that would fit globally and all the brands that are sharing. It also would be a high end car so making money would not be an issue at lower volumes. Is the sedan a lock no but it has a better chance. God Harley Earl would throw things at some of you because you just don't get what a show car really is. Some of you would complain that the X and Y Jobs of his were never put into production back in the old days.

It is sad but true that companies can not easily sell coupes. You can call GM what ever you like but they are in business to make money and coupes outside the Camaro are a hard sell. When Duncan is presented with a case where he could sell 50,000 2 door Avista models or he could sell 150,000 Coupe styled 4 door versions globally it is a no brainier for someone with his ass on the line. You can call it gutless but it will be profitable and do much better than a coupe. Just look at how many CTS coupes sold and how many had to be discounted that were not V trim. You call it gutless but most people in the real world call it logical.

They are still the most expensive versions of that model and still not cheap or average. The Audi is a little closer to average. They do have the better interiors in the less expensive cars but still noting special over Cadillac that still needs some tweaks. On a visual level the M4 is dull. Bla. As for better than a Camaro interior I would hope so but it is not that much better. That is the only true statement you have made. As for price if they can get it God Bless em. Much of what they do anymore is all based on image public perception. It is like Toyota and Honda anymore as they are not the best in the Camry and Accord segment anymore but yet people buy them because of public perception. FYI that E class dash is just horrible. Kinda has that Korean look about it that even the Korean cars dumped.

You take the average German car model and it is flat Drab. The fact is in ever photo you posted is a car that is very high end and very limited. If you go to a dealer lot 98% of them have no large screens, hey have no lighter colors and and most are not the top trim either. As it is well know German cars like Tesla low ball a figure on their cars and by the time you get to the stuff that is on top you can spend $25K-30K more. Yes Cadillac is starting to do this now too. It is just part of the segment. My point is not that they don't offer it at all but the fact that it is not a common thing to find the best interiors in just any German car, But you did point out how badly they really need to work on their wood trim. I was in a Benz last month and it had the black wood trim. God it may have been good material but it looked so JC Whitney. I do like the Quilted leather like above and as seen in Bentley's but there again only rarely is it found in the top trim level rarely seen. I also will be honest many companies are guilty of the dull like Chevy as I pointed out. But then again I am not paying Six Figures to get a nice interior. There are some changes I would like to see in some Cadillac's too but at least even the lower end cars shill have a better contrast to them.