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hyperv6

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Everything posted by hyperv6

  1. hyperv6
    Folks the V12 is a dead or dying engine in the market. As time rolls on it will only be found in the most expensive and exotic cars. Even the V8 will be rare in many cars or priced out of reach of many, Cadillac will make due with the 4, V6 and V8 engines and most all will be turbo charged because of their global intentions. This is the only way they can beat the taxes in many countries. These engines as long as they are technical will be admired for their performance and advanced technology as well as any, Ferrari is going turbo and Mclaren already has with their V6 and no one is complaining one bit. Now with the Diesel issues it may not be a need much longer as Europe is starting to turn their back on the Diesel engine. Some are recommending higher taxes on the engine along with higher emission standards. This would for sure drive it out of the market sadly. The Future for Cadillac will be hybrid performance cars where they will be very advanced and the hybrid systems will provide power or power assist much like we see in a LaFerrari. While the systems will not be as expensive I peg them to be nearly as effective in power boosting or efficiency. I could see a CT8 AWD with a TTV8 and hybrid assist module.
  2. hyperv6
    Right now I get the vibe that Buick is tired of waiting for Cadillac to move up. The changes in management at Cadillac have put them at least 5 years or more behind moving up market more. They need to move up to create the space for Buick to thrive. As for now they are almost on top each other in part of the segment and it is hurting Buick. Also in play is the problems at Holden and Opel as they are working out their issues and Buick needs to wait on them to get sorted so they all can work together globally. It sucks but in the auto industry and globalization you have to time all elements to work and GM is just no there and in this case Buick is the one paying the price.
  3. hyperv6
    I found the new Lacrosse more Lexus like and less Malibu like. I have never really considered the Lacrosse as sporty. To be honest the new car in Photos really show no interest to me but in person I really thought it was a very nice car and at a price that it should do well.
  4. hyperv6
    Folks I saw this car and it was a pure show car. While it may have had some dims similar to the Camaro much of it would have never made production. Now Buick has made it clear many of the elements in the car will show up in other Buick models. Now with the positive reaction though it is possible we may see a more production like coupe of halo car in the future just do not expect this particular car. Some of us have gotten spoiled as we had a decade of cars that were show cars but really production cars under the skin. Or they were show cars like the Camaro or SSR that were forced into production with mixed results some good some bad. The fact is we went through most of the century with show cars that very seldom make production but did help predict the future styling because of positive responses. Cars like the La Sabre and Harley Earls Y job were not production cars but were good indicators of the future because of the response the received. We need to stop and look at these cars and really take a look at them with the eye of a business case and could one really be made. A car with too large wheels and brakes, No B pillar and a printed interior sitting on a chassis that could never make it over a parking lot entrance in the mid west had little chance of making production and if it did the changes would have turned most of you off all together. Being a coupe made it even less likely. I loved the car but reality just sticks out every where on it. I would love to see them combine the best realistic features of both cars into a coupe like sedan as a halo car for Buick. Make it their A7 competitor. The trick is to make it and then price it so it could live up to what people expect. The auto industry as a whole has really cut back on show cars. This year was one of the weakest yet. What few we did have were mostly based on production models with some changes and not all that exciting. I almost wonder if the end of the show car is near as cost are higher than ever and in the end so many customers are either confused and or disappointed that you can not build that 16 cylinder quad turbo coupe and price it for $50K. I know the designers love to do them and the Avista is an example of them working on their own leads. But you can not blame GM for not building a dream here and with the many expecteds I think you all know that here.
  5. hyperv6
    To be fair styling is subjective and the public is unpredictable. Even the Bangle BMW as Dame Edna looking as they were still sold because of what they were not how they looked. The issue at Lincoln is heritage or linage of the car. That will do more harm for them as anything. Now you can get away with using lesser platforms for the SUV and CUV models but the sedans you need your own bones. too many short cuts are made on the way to make a Chevy or Ford vs. a better sedan that can not be engineered in later. The Fusion is a great Ford but it is not a great Lincoln. They should have learned that already.
  6. hyperv6
    Note to on the Conti. If I were in charge at Lincoln I would be fighting for a RWD/AWD platform that could support several Lincolns and a Mustang. Ford is paying a big price on the Mustang now as they have no leverage on the cost of the platform and it shows in the handling and stiffness of the Camaro vs the Mustang today. I see they are moving up the new Mustang and I hope it includes a Lincoln first as they can afford to better refine the Lincoln and then that will hand Ford a better platform than they would get on their own. I am sure there are folks their fighting to do this but will they win? Cadillac fought for many years for their own things and now they are finally getting them. Someone at Ford should understand the money to be made and how this can transform Lincoln from a Buick Lexus challenger to a real global challenger. In the luxury segment if you are going to do it you must do it right or not at all anymore. Look at Fiat Chrysler and how they are now discounting the 300 to the price of a mid size FWD car? That should have never happened. They could be doing so much better with it at higher prices but yet they discount it deep and just slather on some mild refreshes. It is a real shame of mismanagement at it's best.
  7. hyperv6
    I know many have seen this but some may not have. Here is the 1915 Cadillac ad Penalty of Leadership. It was their response to Packard's sniping on who truly was the leader in the market. Read it and while the language may be a little old the meaning still rings true. GM lost their way with Cadillac and this is story on what it takes to be a leader in the segment. Note I believe the Dare Greatly program was based on this ad as it has a very similar vibe but just more trendy for today's market. The Penalty of Leadership Cadillac ad from 1915 “In every field of human endeavour, he that is first must perpetually live in the white light of publicity. Whether the leadership be vested in a man or in a manufactured product, emulation and envy are ever at work. In art, in literature, in music, in industry, the reward and the punishment are always the same. The reward is widespread recognition; the punishment, fierce denial and detraction. When a man’s work becomes a standard for the whole world, it also becomes a target for the shafts of the envious few. If his work be mediocre, he will be left severely alone – if he achieves a masterpiece, it will set a million tongues a-wagging. Jealousy does not protrude its forked tongue at the artist who produces a commonplace painting. Whatsoever you write, or paint, or play, or sing, or build, no one will strive to surpass or to slander you unless your work be stamped with the seal of genius. Long, long after a great work or a good work has been done, those who are disappointed or envious, continue to cry out that it cannot be done. Spiteful little voices in the domain of art were raised against our own Whistler as a mountback, long after the big world had acclaimed him its greatest artistic genius. Multitudes flocked to Bayreuth to worship at the musical shrine of Wagner, while the little group of those whom he had dethroned and displaced argued angrily that he was no musician at all. The little world continued to protest that Fulton could never build a steamboat, while the big world flocked to the river banks to see his boat steam by. The leader is assailed because he is a leader, and the effort to equal him is merely added proof of that leadership. Failing to equal or to excel, the follower seeks to depreciate and to destroy – but only confirms once more the superiority of that which he strives to supplant. There is nothing new in this. It is as old as the world and as old as human passions – envy, fear, greed, ambition, and the desire to surpass. And it all avails nothing. If the leader truly leads, he remains – the leader. Master-poet, master-painter, master-workman, each in his turn is assailed, and each holds his laurels through the ages. That which is good or great makes itself known, no matter how loud the clamor of denial. That which deserves to live – lives. “ In the end we know which one lives 101 years later.
  8. hyperv6
    First, the Continental isn't built on the chassis of the defunct American Taurus. It's build on an extended Fusion platform. It will not have the same interior packaging issues as Ford's outgoing full size cars. Second, your judgement of the CT6 is extremely premature. Besides an exterior design that falls short of the Elmiraj concept, what exactly is wrong with it? The weight is incredibly well managed within its class, the 3.0T makes a potent 404 horsepower, and GM confirmed a 4.2L turbo V8 (as well as a hybrid) coming in a year or two. The interior has successfully sorted out CUE's greatest shortcomings and the initial reviews have all been very positive. First lets get something straight. My point is Ford is making a Ford into a Lincoln when it should be making a Lincoln that could be shared with a Fords. Your point is even worse as they take a $35K mid size platform and try to transform it into a High end luxury car. Sorry but while it may not be as bad as a Cimaron, last Fleetwood or Catera GM at least learned from their mistakes. Today they work from the top down and I hope Ford learns this fast so they can apply this to their other models and all will enjoy the kind of refinement we see in the Alpha. My judgement was basically what Cadillac has said by their own people. JDN and others made it clear that it was not the flag ship when they arrived. Yes originally it was intended to be but when the new management came in not under GM management duress they made it clear they have bigger plans. I like the CT6 very much and was impressed with it but I am more impressed with Cadillac management that has clearly indicated that they need to do even better. You and some others may be setllers But the management of Cadillac is no longer happy with good enough to compete. There are many things great about the car and not a lot {I will not say bad] not as good as it should be. The point is there is so much that could be even better and remove any of the debate on what model is best in class. GM can build a better car than anyone if they let their people do it. The CT6 was built with Mark Reuss pushing for better quality parts and features and being told no by others inside GM. His fight over the cost of the door handles was stupid on the part of GM. The first thing people touch getting in a car is the handle and it should feel and work to a level like a well tuned machine. Mark wanted better and they said no? Other areas of the car could be refined even better yet. Yes I am happy with the cars we have now but I am more happy that Cadillac will gain more control over what they do and those in charge are wanting better. Like in a heavy weight fight you can not just go rounds and win. You need to go for the knock out and that is what JDN and company are planning to do with the $12 Billion and the increased profits per unit they are doing. Now if you think the CT6 is the tits that is fine but I am willing to let those in charge do the models they want and just see how much better they can do. Here is a line that was in the Cadillac ad from 1915 called Penalty of Leadership. They sum up the ad with a line that is so fitting today that it should be on the wall over every Cadillac facility and office. "That which is good or great makes itself known, no matter how loud the clamor of denial. That which deserves to live – lives. “ Read this and really think about what they are saying here. At no other time does this ring more true about GM and Cadillac. You want to set the standard of the world then you must be the standard all others are measured by. At this time there has never been a better time to challenge the Germans as they are good but no where like they sued to be. Sorry but while today's car is great they are planning better and I am all for it. I am not a settler. To me the CT6 is only like the XTS a stepping stone to where this is all going not the destination.
  9. hyperv6
    Conti will have its own set of issues. Being based on the Taurus it may not be all that roomy inside and it will still be a FWD based car. Again Ford has made a mistake to take a lesser car and move it up while the CT6 was a better car that is just less than it should have been. The CT6 is an example of why Cadillac got the 12 billion dollars and people who are willing to make them into what they want with little interference from GM. For two long GM has tried to build and sell Cadillac's like a Chevy and you can not do that. You need to let them be what they are and not focus on profit by volume. I hope those inside Ford realize this too. The CT6 is not a bad car but it is not where Cadillac or should I say those who are now running Cadillac want to be. I am grateful they got here before this was declared a flagship and then would have had to start all over in claiming what really is. It was close. I have wondered if GM may just go with the CT8 as new Flagship Omega. Make the CTS replace the present car and the CT6 at some point as one larger but lighter Omega CTS and then rework the ATS on the Alpha.
  10. hyperv6
    Yes the ports increased often because the higher class car came with the larger engine. The ports are lost on most people today as they appear like cheap tack on's from Rock Auto. Now if they were better intergrated into the styling that is fine but today a clean look is appreciated and slapping them on top of the hood just for good old times sake does not make it appealing. The fact is how many people buy a Buick just for the vent ports? Odds are greater that more appeal is lost with gaining new customers because of tacked on cheese than are gained for leaving them on. The ports have been used by many over the years and abused buy the aftermarket. Right now the appeal is just not there. One of the best Buick's of all time the 63-65 Riv had no ports. Now on the Avista the large sweeping port works and fits the car so then you could be justified in wanting one. As for the small CUV with hardly a fender and not all that much hood there is little justification to leave it on.
  11. hyperv6
    I think it is not so much the dims but the use of the space. The knee room is tight in the back of an ATS like the last Bu and just needs some things moved around a little bit. Nothing that could not be overcome. As for the Coupe it is every bit as bad as the Camaro. Once you move the front seat up far enough there is little comfort up front and for me at 5/11 my head is into the head liner. But to be fair my head is in the headliner on about 98% of most coupes today. One thing that is worse is the Mustang as my head is into the rear window and it is harder on the noggin. Over all big picture the complaints on rear sear room in the sedan are small. Yes a little more here and there space would be nice but I really don't think anyone who likes the car is going to walk just for that reason and that single reason only. Some like to take small issues and blow up to where it is just not real anymore. Besides if back seat room is that important most people are buying larger cars like the CTS or higher number German car.
  12. hyperv6
    Pretty much. The dash is a product of the old GM mixed save a dollar past Cadillac managment. JDN has already pointed out he does not like it either so expect it to change soon. It too will be a part of the refresh. Lets face it we could sit here and pick the car to the bones but that is pointless as the new management agrees with most points and is in the process of addressing it. I have seen complaints about many detail things like no folding mirrors or even dimming mirror etc. Much of these issues were because old GM was putting the money into the Alpha and not so much on the features and tried to control the price. Lets face it you leave bits like this off because of price. As it is now we have many complaining about price because they find they are no longer part of the Cadillac price structure. So in a way I can see why they help up on some areas but I no longer see that as an issue anymore as they are no longer reliant on volume anymore and it is all about profit per unit. Even the Door handle dispute was clearly pointed out in the media that Mark had with GM before JDN arrived pointed out while GM has improved there were still some as Lutz called them people who were part of the problem still at GM and wanted to save 4-5 bucks on a door handle in a car costing $80K? At this point we know what is there and what changed are needed and just need to see in a refresh how many they can address. Packaging may be improved but we may see some limits in a refresh till they have time to revamp the entire car.
  13. hyperv6
    It's still waterfall, just blacked out If you really don't see it blacked out is it really there? LOL! Either way the large toothy grin that worked well in the early 50's is gone. The Sweep is the focus now and plays much better with the size of car they are working with.
  14. hyperv6
    The new face grill of Buick is much better than the waterfall. It fits today's smaller cars better. I like the loss of the useless port holes too. From what I have heard the new engine is just what it needed as it finally has enough power to make most happy.
  15. hyperv6
    yes, actually that is right regarding the ATS. The ATS is packaged poorly. No rear seat room. Tiny trunk. And its needs a new interior. Regarding the XT5, I like the new XT5. There aren't the styling or packaging issues like Cadillac has on the sedans. Cadillac has a one track mind. You can have performance, or styling, or packaging, or luxury. Can't rarely pick more than two. That is just it the packaging is the problem not the size. I expect that will be fixed with the refresh or at least improved. A lot of the short comings of Cadillac are due to the design by committee and the GM interference. Compromises were made to make those who were still the problem inside GM happy. Mark has been fighting them till he was able to pull off the money and arrival of JDN.
  16. hyperv6
    An A6/S6 looks as much like an A4/S4 as a CTS does an ATS, XTS, or CT6. At a glance, the average person wouldn't be able to tell them apart.
  17. hyperv6
    If the ATS is too dmall buy the CTS. If the CTS is too Small buy the CT6. If that is too small the CT8 is coming. As for styling the ATS is an old car now. It will see a refresh soon and I expect it will be more than we have seen on other GM models. As for sales the CUE and the SUV will out sell all the cars. That is what people want today and that is why we will see 4 new models in the next couple years. As for the XT5 you may not like it but it will sell as well or better than the other. GM was not going to mess too much with it for now and will expand on the other models coming. You just need to let this play out more as you as well as the rest of us it takes no less than two years for a refresh, 2-4 for a revamp of a model in the works and 5 years for a new model. Being so we have yet to see any real product from the new system and management.
  18. hyperv6
    It has gone up against the other two before and finished either first or a very close second. I think they moved on as these were fresh meat. The Benz got the nod for generally one subjective reason that could be debated and not a solid objective reason. Kind of like a Heavy weight fight you can go all the rounds and be the better fighter but unless you get a knock out they will not give you the title. JDN understands this and that is why what they have is not good enough and he will set about to fix that. JDN is going for the knock out.
  19. hyperv6
    Come on you guys are more above this silly argument. Every car in this segment all look alike for the most part and it is up to the buyer to chose the size and price they can afford. Audi they all have a similar look, Benz all much alike, Cadillac they all look like sisters. BMW has been building the same damn cars in different sizes for nearly 40 years. So cut the crap and be honest they all look alike. Now that is not a bad thing. You buy the size and price you can afford nothing wrong with that. Now Cadillac ans Audi hold an advantage here as they do not have to worry about the bare bones cars that Benz and BMW do for taxi, Fleet and police sales. They Cadillac and Audi both have other divisions to do the heavy volume lifting. As for the time line we much remember to this point we have yet to see Cadillac's direction under JDN. Here is the time line we are on. JDN arrives August 2014 2015 we see some changes in marketing with Dare Greatly and improvements in Cue. 2016 we will see the last of the old GM Cadillac's in the XT5 and CT6 going into production. We will see the second stage of the multi staged marketing of the Dare with You Dare now buring up the internet. [Yes it has proven very popular] 2017 We should see a refresh of the ATS and maybe the CTS to their CT status. This should give us an idea of the direction they will be going. 2018-2020 we should see more CUV and SUV models. These should be the models in planning with more JDN approved design. 2020 THe CT8 should arrive as the first full JDN design from start to finish with no GM interference. What is good here is the move to NYC is more about isolation from GM. This will keep them more independent in their decision. Also the Autonomy of Cadillac is going to be spot on. Today only Cadillac designers and engineers will work on their product. No more engineers working a year on the CTS and then working on the next Sonic. Audi does this now as no VW people work on Audi. Also we will start to see their own engines. They will beat of the soul of Cadillac only power plants. This is what builds image and adds value to the line. Chevy engines are great but the problem is they are still Chevy engines. You pay more you want more value for your money. Like a Ferrari and a Fiat. You can get away with a Ferrari engine in a Fiat but you can not get away with a Fiat engine in a Ferrari can you? Same with platforms. We should still see the basic sharing of the main parts but much of the platforms will not be sharing many parts. They will be wider longer stiffer and have more added content than the lesser GM models. Most will start out as a Cadillac first and then be dumbed down to a Chevy or Buick. You can take a better model and move it down but never up. The Caprice Fleetwood was wrong but a CTS to Camaro works. Lincoln needs to remember this before they do a Lincoln on the Mustang. They need to make it a Lincoln first then a Mustang. What I like is we have a damn good car now. It is on the level of most in the segment and per JDN it is not good enough. I like that. Just competing and winning is not enough. Domination is what he wants to where there is no question what car is better. This eliminates the debate etc. Now to keep there will require more work and investment as the others will not remain still. As for Cadillac working more based on the profit per vehicle more than the volume is also smart. Cadillac is no longer a car just for anyone. It is going to become a car that is only for those with the means. This will force out want a be posers and the bingo hall grandmothers in Boco Vistas. {Jerry you want to see my Astronaut pen} We all saw that episode and it was the truth of where Cadillac was. This stuff will take time, investment and more work to win the trust of the customer to where they will feel they are for once getting the best and how it reflects on them. I really expect more Dares like "We Dare You to try our cars and see they are the best" Once the cars are to that point call the customers bluff and make them curious.
  20. hyperv6
    I would expect the Mazda lines would be better Incorporated into the Dodge dealer system. Sell the Mazda badged FWD cars and leave the RWD Dodge and Chrysler. Dump the FCA based FWD all together. Take FCA and keep the best and dump the worst. That is the only way for them to pull it out. It may be painful for some names just as it was for killing Pontiac but it needs to be done. Keep Ram, Jeep, Fiat for micro cars, Most of Mazda, make a new RWD Chrysler/Dodge model, kill all Chrysler FWD models accept the minivans. Lancia and Alfa let them play to the markets they are good in and keep them niche models based on Mazda platforms tuned in Italy just as the new Miata based Fiat. Masurati Expand production but not go crazy with it. Compete with Porsche and Maybe Bentley but do not try to go after BMW or Audi. Alfa should be more niche and not worry about the Sergio 400,000 volume that Sergio thinks they can do. Alfa needs to find its place and to earn its place. Lets face it most Americans see it yet as an Italian car that rust and is expensive to fix with an odd grill. Let Mazda do most of the platform development and the engineering and leave Jeep and Ram to Dodge.
  21. hyperv6
    I have said Mazda would be a good fit for them since last Summer. When they killed the cars I thought that was a sign I may have been on to something. The real key is they should turn FCA management over to Mazda and let someone who knows what they are doing run the place. The sooner Sergio is gone the better. Mazda since they left Ford has really had issues with development cost. They are doing ok sales wise but have no where near the volume they need to make it alone. Add the trucks, jeep and other brands to what Mazda has and you have a viable company if you pare it with competent management.
  22. hyperv6
    I was lucky the last rental for work I got was a red Mustang Convertible for a week at Hot August nights while everyone else got stuck in mini vans. I went to Tahoe as soon as I got checked in. Then we had a $750,000 32 Ford to tool around the town in during the event. It was pain as so many people remembered it from Hot Rod and they would jump out in front of you to take a picture. Not a good thing when you have large tires on each corner with no fenders.
  23. hyperv6
    if Chrysler is the only company that can pull off a minivan why did Toyota sell 137,497 Siennas in 2015, and Honda sold 127,736 Odysseys. Those are small numbers for a vehicle like this. Chrysler over the years sold many more annually and even today Chevy alone last year sold about twice those numbers in the old Nox. Hell the HHR as Niche model sold that many vehicles almost each year it was built. The bottom line many sold minivans but few reached or maintained the numbers Chrysler pulled. I is what kept them alive in the 80's and 90's when it was just add on sales to anyone else.
  24. hyperv6
    Not sure what the problem is with the brown at Chevy. I looked at the Colorado and the Canyon and the Canyon offers a nice brown I have not seen in a Chevy yet. I would buy the tutone brown as it look more upgrade than the gray or black of the Chevys I drove. If you are going to make it black at least put some light gray or red accents to it to spice it up a bit. I love my red and black HHR SS interior. It makes a really cheap interior look so much better.
  25. hyperv6
    Probably heading straight to the rental fleets. GM likes to do that with outgoing models to squeeze some extra profits and amortization out of an old design. Also it provides a fleet car that will not kill the resale value of the new model in the next couple years. They killed my 04 GP resale in the first year with rental sales.
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