hyperv6

Mitsu is in pretty bad shape money wise. I am not sure they would be much help. Their car lines are not as strong either.

Mazda really have nothing like jeep or Ram and it would be good for them. Mazda also could supply better platforms than Fiat has and let Chrysler and Dodge continue to do the larger RWD cars and the minivans. This is a move I would do if I were to save FCA. I would also tone down the Alfa and Maserati attack and just focus on high end cars that would do well in Europe for Alfa and Maserati in America. Leverage the plants for Jeep and Mazda in Europe to cut the over capacity and need to import. Not sure what to do with Fiat. It might not hurt to let Mazda take over their direction. This way they would end up with a better car and one that may also do well in Japan. If Mazda touches it the people of Japan may be attracted to it as they love small and home brewed but with a twist. How more niche can you get than Italian heritage and Japan quality.

I can't see that happening w/ the Italians owning/running FCA..the Chrysler brands will remain lower priority to the Italian brands.. Then that may be their down fall. They have never been known for their strong management since the fall of Rome. My hope is a merger is made and who ever comes in knock Sergio out and takes over FCA. Technically they are a England based company with their headquarters in London If I recall. I think if they kill their cars off and add more SUV and Truck models Mazda would be a good fit for them. They already shared the base of the Miata. Mazda has a strong small car line and would compliment Chrysler. They also need a dance partner too. I just hope FCA does not go parasite on them and suck what life they have for their own projects. Lets face it if Sergio had taken over GM would he have invested the $12 In Cadillac or would he have put it into his own preferred brands that are struggling yet with the Jeep money. All I know is with the moves he is making now the strategy is changing and something us up. I am not sure if they are just working to try something or if they already have something in the works. Somethings afoot here at least at FCA. Could even be Peugeot too. they have been in need of help and linked too. The money that Sergio was expecting just did not come.

Well here is the deal. Yes any GM dealer can install it. I would look for a good reliable dealer with a tech on staff that specialize in Turbo engines. Today that is easy to do but back in 08 Turbo engines were mostly Diesel. I would recommend you go to the HHR Forum and read up as there are some things you need to do before you install the kit. #1 Buy the plug in harness from Create Engine Warehouse in Illinois. This eliminate the cutting of the harness for the new Maps. These splices have been trouble for some and not trouble for others just depending on who did the work. They are worth the extra price. I would have used them if they were out when I did mine. #2 I would recommend putting the lower Map on backwards. GM used a Bosh 3 bar unit from Lancia .Yes the Italian company. Keep in mind when this kit was made GM owned a stake in Fiat, The Map is at a 90 degree angle vs 180 degree of the original. the risk you may have is the connector may hit the AC unit under acceleration and short out the sensor. I put mine on with the plug to the front and it pulls away from the fan shield when you accelerate so it does not hit. This was something an engineer from The GM performance group recommended. #3 you can install this yourself if you like it is only two maps sensors. You still would need the dealer to flash the computer. You do need to take off the front bumper which is not all that hard. As for the other changes I am not sure on how it will do to pass. It depends just on how much air flow you have as if it is too much it will not get a good reading at the O2 and an set a code. Also the added exhaust changes will only add a little power. If you want more power a bigger IC and bigger turbo is where you should look. But be aware you are close torque wise to the durability of the Automatic. Once you get over 325 FT LBS the tranny will die at some point as like most GTP guys have learned. Even with the kit the car shifts out of first fast to keep the tranny and diff alive. This is called the GM Performance Turbo Upgrade. They tend not not call it a stage kit as there is no other stages. Now there is a Trifecta Stage kit that comes in several stages and options You do not have to change the maps. The key to the GM kit is it did not void the warranty. Well I assume your warranty is up so the Trifecta is a real options with little disadvantage. When I did this kit I was only a couple thousand in on my warranty so the GM was the better and only option at the time. Duel exhaust and no muffler etc I would recommend reading up on as not all provide a lot of change. Some do but it is a matter of the right combination. The Forum others have done the changes can give a better report. I stuck with the factory exhaust a I hate the sound of the 4 loud. I would rather be a little more stealthy. But that is just me. My Buddy is talking about some changes on his exhaust but he has not done them yet. He just got his SS last summer. I would recommend going to Summit Racing web site and get the Ecotec book. It gives you all the specs and what you can do to the Eco. It gives you the limits of different engine parts too. It is the best book on Eco info. I hope this helps. Note I also took the bracket on my Radiator and clearanced the bolt hole a little bit to move the radiator forward. This kit is lucky it even got out due to the fact GM was going broke. Because of this the Bosh map really should not have been used in such a tight space. Really make sure it touches nothing. That was the only issue I have had in near 8 years. Also tighten the hose clamps down on the boost side. If they are not tight you could pop one off. going from 15 to 23-24 PSI can pop them off if they have gotten loose over time. I have seen this even happen on the trucks. Just keep in mind with the changes you make the transaxle is the weak point as the engine pretty much will handle up to 400 HP with no issue. You can buy and build a better tranny but it does cost. That was the weak point of this car at the time it was built. That is why the Solstice with the manual tranny gets 340 FT LBS of torque over out 315 FT LBS. With that said I have loved my set up and how reliable it has been. I have not daily driven it in the last year since I got another car. I want to keep the winter miles off. The 08 Bu V6 I have could never keep up with the HHR. The one thing you will find is being FWD traction is a problem. It tends to like to spin at many speeds. I have put the traction control light on at 55 MPH at times. Note the engine management will catch sometimes and you will not spin and other times depending on the speed and such it will not catch and it will light up the front tires at speeds you do not expect. The truth is FWD does not have better traction as the weigh transfer unloads the front end. If this car had RWD it would even be better.

Thank you Stew!. That has been my point as they have not had some one like Giles in charge. Sergio has been pro Italian brands and really not given Chrysler or Dodge what they should have gotten. If he had they would be giving a return like Jeep and he would not be begging for a partner. His trump card has been the Chrysler holdings and he has only really played one. I think if you really understand what I am saying we both wan the same thing a strong Chrysler Corporations line up with them leading the FCA comeback not the Italian brands. As for Cadillac the path ahead is clear. They just need to build the best car in class and let time and the public do the rest. Badge snobs can be over come but it takes time and good product. One you can speed up the other you can not. What excites me is the CT6 is not really the destination. This car is below what is expected in the future product. With $12B I can only imagine what the other models will see in change. It could be very exciting to see things in 5 years.

Views are views, but you badmouth FCA every chance you get, even in threads such as this that didn't have the first thing to do with them. that is outright annoying. In any case i am done here. Just telling the truth bother and sorry if you can't handle it. I speculate that Chrysler us working to cut the low volume and lower profit cars to help them in a merger with someone with a strong car line and no trucks. I saw one financial watcher call it a hail mary. Not my term but the Wall St Analyst. If you also note what I do say is FCA should have put all their money into Chrysler from the start and not Alfa. Where am I wrong here. Is that bashing too? My beef is FCA has raped Chrysler and Sergio is hurting FCA as a whole by not using his strongest division to increase volume and profits. You do not agree Chrysler should not have gotten the Alfa Money. Even now with Alfa losing sales that should make it even clearer. Like I said it is what it is. Knew you couldn't just let it drop.... Honestly, no. I hate to say it, but Chrysler hasn't been the strongest leg of the company for a very long time. Dodge got the lion's share. The CUV, the coupe, the sport's car, the 3 row SUV, and IMHO, they should have gotten the minivan. I like Chrysler, but honestly, they are redundant. Their product portfolio has not been strong for a very long time and until now with the current 200 and Pacifica they were judge a bunch of Dodge leftovers. If they killed CHrysler and gave Dodge back the minivan and a version of the 200 no one would miss them. It is sad, yes, but too many companies standing under one umbrella is not a good hing. If done right, Alfa could be a boom. Something fresh and covering a new sector that is currently not covered here under the FCA banner. Also, the Ram break off was under way well before Fiat was even in he picture. The though was each brand gets to concentrate on what it specializes in. It has worked too. Probably not what you expected and certainly don't agree with, bu there it is. Now do agree with part of what you state and not with some of the rest. Just let me have my opinion too with out you come storming in on every comment like I hate Chrysler. My post are not in hate they are of the issues I see and my wish they can correct them before they become irrelevant. I know you are passionate but so am I and we can both have our space if you let it happen. I just am sick and tired of being labeled for what I am not because our views are different. To me when I speak Chrysler I speaks of Jeep, Ram, Dodge and Chrysler cars. I see a place for all of them if managed correctly. I easily see Dodge being like Ford or Chevy and if done right Chrysler could rival Lincoln and even Cadillac. But at this point they are making Chrysler much less than what it could be. As for Alfa. There just is not much love or past history outside of Europe on a wide scale. The dreams of taking on BMW may be some where in the future but it is no where near 2018. Even for Cadillac it is in the future as you have to earn you spot even if you have a better car. Cadillac I see is years from being the automatic class leader. They first have to get the cars right and then they have to earn the market and reputation back. Like a Heavy Weight title you do not get it for going rounds. Too often it takes a knock out over time to earn the title. I believe they will get there but there is plenty of work to do and still a lot of trust and admiration to earn. You can build the best car in the world but you can not just design or engineer it to the top. You have to let the public embrace it for what it is once they learn and love it for what you did. Also a lot of Ego is involved with buying this car. Make it shine on someones ego or vanity they will buy it no matter what. That is one of the keys to BMW and many of their owners. If Cadillac could find a way to make the CT6 cool in the eyes of the public it could change the whole division. I do not think this is the car that will get them past that but I feel we will soon see it by 2020. That is a good photo of the CT6. I have noted Cadillac's do not photo well but in person you really get the 3D depth of the design much better.

Views are views, but you badmouth FCA every chance you get, even in threads such as this that didn't have the first thing to do with them. that is outright annoying. In any case i am done here. Just telling the truth bother and sorry if you can't handle it. I speculate that Chrysler us working to cut the low volume and lower profit cars to help them in a merger with someone with a strong car line and no trucks. I saw one financial watcher call it a hail mary. Not my term but the Wall St Analyst. If you also note what I do say is FCA should have put all their money into Chrysler from the start and not Alfa. Where am I wrong here. Is that bashing too? My beef is FCA has raped Chrysler and Sergio is hurting FCA as a whole by not using his strongest division to increase volume and profits. You do not agree Chrysler should not have gotten the Alfa Money. Even now with Alfa losing sales that should make it even clearer. Like I said it is what it is.

BMW used it too. Stew you have your view and I have mine. I am not trying to change yours so stop trying to stop me from having mine. I don't agree with much of what you post but I only respond to you generally when you counter mine. It is what it is. Now back to the movie folks!

Sedans sales will remain flat. The SUV models at Lincoln and Cadillac will provide volume and the sedans will make it on profit. Cadillac is in a place they do not have to sell a ton of sedans anymore. The price point here carry's them to high profits and the volume in China takes care of the rest, Lincoln will not sell a ton of sedans but they too will do fine on profit. They will sell these at twice the price of the average Fusion and they do not really cost close to that to build. That is why everyone is looking to this segment and why those inside Ford were able to save Lincoln. There is just too much profit per unit to give up here. Unless you are Chrysler and you discount the 300 to the price of a mid size car. It is really sad how mismanaged FCA is. They could and should be making a killing on the 300 if they would update it with a new platform and added technology. Yet they let it wither on the vine. They have mismanaged the 200 and Dart now they think leaving the segment is a good idea? Just plain nuts. Any chance to take a shot at FCA.... You realize Cadillac rebates right now are FAR higher than 300 rebates, right? I can pretty well guarantee you they are making plenty of profit on each 300 sold. Also, where is it missing tech? The platform is also fine for what the 300 is. With the CT6 Caddy is finally realizing it isn't all about figure 8s and lateral Gs, it is about the ride to most and the 300 has that in spades. it also has a good looking exterior. if it is lacking anywhere it is the interior design. We are just a couple years off from it's replacement anyway which WILL be on a new platform. It just feels bland. Caddy is doing interiors right. heck, Dodge is doing better interior design than the 300 has got in their LX variants. If they updated the interior to be more inline wih the 200/Pacfica that alone would be he biggest upgrade it needs. And none o this is a kick on Caddy, I LOVE what they are doing, but i think the CT6 is where they need to be on all their cars except the sportiest variants and they will get there. Stew I know well that Cadillac has rebates but they are not selling their luxury cars for $28k-$35K either. My in-laws own one they bought for just over $30K new. It was a very good buy for them but little meat on the bone for FCA. Now even with discounts on Cadillac the profits are still there as they have a lot of meat on that bone even at the rebated price. Now if you are comfortable with Chrysler selling a 300 that cheap that is fine but that is a car that should hold a much higher and much more profitable price point. Keep in mind you are the one who said the 200 and Dart were just doing just great and I said they were struggling You got mad at me for that. Well are you now mad at Sergio for killing them for struggling vs. fixing them like he should? I think most here would agree with my observations of FCA and their failure to do the things they should be doing. Stop relying on Alfa to save them. To not abandon the small car segment and if you want to fix FCA the path is through a better financed and better focused Chrysler not any of the Italian brands. Chrysler would bring the volume and profits they need but not just by only doing trucks and SUV models. A well balance and executed portfolio of Chrysler owned products would be strong for FCA but right now Sergio either can not afford to do it or is foolish enough to think they can not do a mid size car? Now if you think that is a shot at Chrysler then I really question your allegiance to the brand. To me you have a house on fire and you appear to think it will not burn down if you deny it is on fire. Most of my Chrysler buddies are besides themselves over what is going on there. These are some real hard core guys and they are not happy with Sergio or FCA. But I guess we are all wrong and only you and Sergio are right. FYI if this all goes south I will be the first to tell you I told you so. I will not do it with glee but in hope as I really will be sad to see Chrysler go down. Dude, your first HUGE wrong assumption is hat Chrysler is a full-on Luxury brand like Cadillac, they are not. They are actually the mainstream and before that more entry level ala Buick. FYI, the 200 IS doing just great, never said as much on the Dart though, just that it DOES sell enough to be profitable. Again, they are NOT leaving those segments, basically just outsourcing the smaller cars. It makes sense and ou would realize that if ou had read my other post in the Chrysler forum. I also called out the 300 where it actually NEEDS work. You simply do not like them and take every chance to down them, even in a Cadillac thread. That says a lot about our thoughts.............. Chrysler was as grand as any Cadillac or Lincoln but in the last few years they lost their grip and now are a discount luxury car. The point is they could be selling this car with an updated platform and improvements in technology and compete making twice the profit. You may note they are leaving these segments to focus on CUV, SUV and trucks. The fact is they did already outsource the cars as they are not Chryslers already as they are based on older Fiat corporation platforms. Basically FCA has no faith in Chrysler but I do as well as most Americans. You have a much better chance at profitability of a better 300 than an Alfa. Again do you really think the sales will climb from 68K to 450,000 as Sergio predicted from 2014-2018? You really believe that is possible. Note last year sales fell and this year China is not in the picture. Answer this if the 200 is doing great why are they shutting production down and Sergio is calling the designers names? The fact is you do not like the reality. I would never comment on your post if you had not seeked me out. If anything I have said here was not done fair and accurate I ask anyone else here to call it out. The bottom line is FCA is mismanaged and at risk as long as Sergio continues the path he is on. The path to save FCA is in Chrysler and it should have started when they merged not now that Alfa is failing to meet its goals. Reality sucks I get it but don't get mad at the messenger.

Sedans sales will remain flat. The SUV models at Lincoln and Cadillac will provide volume and the sedans will make it on profit. Cadillac is in a place they do not have to sell a ton of sedans anymore. The price point here carry's them to high profits and the volume in China takes care of the rest, Lincoln will not sell a ton of sedans but they too will do fine on profit. They will sell these at twice the price of the average Fusion and they do not really cost close to that to build. That is why everyone is looking to this segment and why those inside Ford were able to save Lincoln. There is just too much profit per unit to give up here. Unless you are Chrysler and you discount the 300 to the price of a mid size car. It is really sad how mismanaged FCA is. They could and should be making a killing on the 300 if they would update it with a new platform and added technology. Yet they let it wither on the vine. They have mismanaged the 200 and Dart now they think leaving the segment is a good idea? Just plain nuts. Any chance to take a shot at FCA.... You realize Cadillac rebates right now are FAR higher than 300 rebates, right? I can pretty well guarantee you they are making plenty of profit on each 300 sold. Also, where is it missing tech? The platform is also fine for what the 300 is. With the CT6 Caddy is finally realizing it isn't all about figure 8s and lateral Gs, it is about the ride to most and the 300 has that in spades. it also has a good looking exterior. if it is lacking anywhere it is the interior design. We are just a couple years off from it's replacement anyway which WILL be on a new platform. It just feels bland. Caddy is doing interiors right. heck, Dodge is doing better interior design than the 300 has got in their LX variants. If they updated the interior to be more inline wih the 200/Pacfica that alone would be he biggest upgrade it needs. And none o this is a kick on Caddy, I LOVE what they are doing, but i think the CT6 is where they need to be on all their cars except the sportiest variants and they will get there. Stew I know well that Cadillac has rebates but they are not selling their luxury cars for $28k-$35K either. My in-laws own one they bought for just over $30K new. It was a very good buy for them but little meat on the bone for FCA. Now even with discounts on Cadillac the profits are still there as they have a lot of meat on that bone even at the rebated price. Now if you are comfortable with Chrysler selling a 300 that cheap that is fine but that is a car that should hold a much higher and much more profitable price point. Keep in mind you are the one who said the 200 and Dart were just doing just great and I said they were struggling You got mad at me for that. Well are you now mad at Sergio for killing them for struggling vs. fixing them like he should? I think most here would agree with my observations of FCA and their failure to do the things they should be doing. Stop relying on Alfa to save them. To not abandon the small car segment and if you want to fix FCA the path is through a better financed and better focused Chrysler not any of the Italian brands. Chrysler would bring the volume and profits they need but not just by only doing trucks and SUV models. A well balance and executed portfolio of Chrysler owned products would be strong for FCA but right now Sergio either can not afford to do it or is foolish enough to think they can not do a mid size car? Now if you think that is a shot at Chrysler then I really question your allegiance to the brand. To me you have a house on fire and you appear to think it will not burn down if you deny it is on fire. Most of my Chrysler buddies are besides themselves over what is going on there. These are some real hard core guys and they are not happy with Sergio or FCA. But I guess we are all wrong and only you and Sergio are right. FYI if this all goes south I will be the first to tell you I told you so. I will not do it with glee but in hope as I really will be sad to see Chrysler go down.

Sedans sales will remain flat. The SUV models at Lincoln and Cadillac will provide volume and the sedans will make it on profit. Cadillac is in a place they do not have to sell a ton of sedans anymore. The price point here carry's them to high profits and the volume in China takes care of the rest, Lincoln will not sell a ton of sedans but they too will do fine on profit. They will sell these at twice the price of the average Fusion and they do not really cost close to that to build. That is why everyone is looking to this segment and why those inside Ford were able to save Lincoln. There is just too much profit per unit to give up here. Unless you are Chrysler and you discount the 300 to the price of a mid size car. It is really sad how mismanaged FCA is. They could and should be making a killing on the 300 if they would update it with a new platform and added technology. Yet they let it wither on the vine. They have mismanaged the 200 and Dart now they think leaving the segment is a good idea? Just plain nuts.

The problem is the Elmiraj and Ciel were done after this car was pretty much locked in. This car is not new at GM as they have been working on it for a good while. I agree this is not a flag ship wow but then again it really is not the flag ship either. I think they improved on the CTS styling and wished they had taken it farther but that is what I expect the present manager will do. The body was done long before they arrived. I think the new managers will bring out that lacking 10% in the entire car that GM just never would fully go all in on. Mark had to fight too many battles on this car than he should have. #1 this is Cadillac so no corners should be cut. #2 Mark should have been let do what he felt needed to be done. I know he is proud of this car but it is still not 100% of what he was shooting for. YEah. I wish people would get off that idea that the ElMiraj should be avail NOW. It shouldn't. Its a styling exercise that will most likely show up next gen.. like the Ciel is evident in the ATS, CTS, and CT6, not to mention the Escalade. The SRX is still apart of the OLD Cadillac language from the Evoque. The ELR and XTS, come from the Converj.. both of them. Bottom line if they introduced the ElMiraj right now.. in the current line-up.. they would have one mismatched looking car on the lot with several that look nothing like it. That styling exercise needs to come at the same time as new introductions are starting to roll out in mass. I would expect that the styling of the next CTS, ATS will be tweaks on the current design to align them even more with the CT6, Slade and XT5. The ATS, by the way.. may have been the spring-board of all of this, begot from the last gen CTS and STS. Look at that car and U can see that it was designed around the same time as the 2008 CTS. From the rear.. they can easily be confused. The ATS, as many may kno.. was set to debut around the same time as the Second Gen CTS as a replacement for the 9-3 based BLS.. of course BK spoiled that @hyperv6 - The Ciel concept was from 2011, the Elmiraj was 2013. I find it hard to believe the timeline excuse of the CT6 design. You guys seemed to lock onto the part about the Ciel and Elmiraj, but my point was "the exterior design is about 10% shy of enough visual drama." Humor me for a second, because I have the perfect example for this. When the production CT6 was first unveiled last year, I wasn't alone in giving it a shrug from an exterior perspective, meanwhile Lincoln unveiled their striking Continental concept based on FWD architecture and got just as much (if not more) attention from the media. It didn't necessarily need to look like the concept, but I don't think anyone expected it to just completely blend into their existing lineup. I am utterly convinced that if the CT6 had the same sort of unapologetic style direction Cadillac had been hinting at, even if just enough to set apart from the CTS, the Lincoln would have been little more than a footnote by comparison. Instead, we've been having direct comparisons of specs and style by the media and enthusiasts. The fact is it was a styling concept so it was not production. Then you add in how many Cadillac division manager since the first concept. I think they have had more managers than the Browns have had coaches. As it was when Mark Reuss was directing the CT6 several years ago he of all people was getting some push back on just what the car should have been. Cadillac was still in house and still was not jail broken. I think you will see a major change coming in the new models done under the new management. That is why there is a pause as everything they were working on was stopped and changed. As for Lincoln it is a nice car but I do not find it anymore stimulating than the CT6. It is nice but not drop dead amazing. Lincoln got a lot of attention as they were expected to die. This car is one that is expected to bring them back to life and they can build from there. But Ford still has not fully commeted yet like GM as to Cadillac with the money they really need. Till they get some freedom like Cadillac has gotten they will be lacking in what they offer. Ford needs to understand it is ok to trickle down from Lincoln but not to push it up from Ford. While Ford makes a good car they need to remember you can dumb down a car much better than try to prop it up. I think the new Camaro is a perfect example. Things were done to Alpha at Cadillac that Chevy would not have been able to do. Also from a Marketing standpoint it hurts to sell a top car with the same engine you sell in your value leader. It sends a bad message unless it is remade into its own tune. While the V series cars have a great engine Cadillac still has the stigma that this is the same engine in a Chevy. While some may not care many paying right at $100K do. Kind of like putting the same steering wheel from my HHR SS in the ZR1. It was cool for me but not so much for the guy who payed $125K for the ZR1.

My thoughts exactly. The black is good because it provides some much needed contrast. If it didn't have that, SMK would still find flaws with it so I'd just take that with a grain of salt anyway. Contrast is a very subjective thing. Some folks love it some hate it and some are fine with either. It is not as neutral as a solid color as most people ignore it as they just over look it and it really calls no attention to details. I would not be surprised if Cadillac at some points will add custom time to the interiors of some future models. They will let you choose from a host of options to create your own colors. Now keep in mind this would only be on the most expensive models. Also these colors here are not unlike what you would see in a Bentley GT. In fact it is a little subdued. Some of those are really contrasting and they do look great in person. If I were to complain I think the wood looks cheap in the photo on the bottom of the wheel. I expect it looks better in person as they may have airbrushed it or dulled it to get the photo.

The problem is the Elmiraj and Ciel were done after this car was pretty much locked in. This car is not new at GM as they have been working on it for a good while. I agree this is not a flag ship wow but then again it really is not the flag ship either. I think they improved on the CTS styling and wished they had taken it farther but that is what I expect the present manager will do. The body was done long before they arrived. I think the new managers will bring out that lacking 10% in the entire car that GM just never would fully go all in on. Mark had to fight too many battles on this car than he should have. #1 this is Cadillac so no corners should be cut. #2 Mark should have been let do what he felt needed to be done. I know he is proud of this car but it is still not 100% of what he was shooting for.

This is a short term plan at best and in the long run will leave them empty unless they can find a dance partner. The Germans tried to do it all on large cars and trucks and we know where that went. There are several reports out on financial sites on how Chrysler is headed for trouble if they want to relay on trucks and Jeeps for the future and how that they will run afoul of CAFE and Emissions rules of the future with no small cars in any volume. The story was writing before this announcement. FCA could build a competitive Dart and 200 if they wanted to and solve much of their volume problems and even base new CUV models on the same platform. They yet they will pass on this and it will come back to haunt them in the future. Chrysler started to fail when the Germans abandoned the Neon. If they had built on what was started there they could have really been in good shape in cars and CUV models today. Now we have some Italian nut ball trying to run the company that is way over his head. I was willing to give him credit for Jeep but now I think he just got lucky. His bashing of the designers of the 200 is a total fail. He is the one that should be held accountable. It is a lot more than just getting into the back seat that was the issue. Giving up on smaller cars will come back to bite them and by then Sergio will be long gone counting his money. And no Stew I do not hare Chrysler. If I did why would I be begging for new and better smaller cars to save them and base new CUV models on like GM and Ford and everyone else is doing. If Ford can make money on the Fusion then Chrysler can do it on a 200 if they do it right. Same for the Malibu. I think you will see a marked improvement in Malibu sales and profits with the new model. I think this move is an act of desperation as any healthy company would not abandon a volume segment like this. They would take the money and invest it into a new and better model and not run. CUV models are the future but the sedan is far from dead with millions in sales every year.

The product will be top notch. The interior may have been the one area they could address in the last year or so. Changes there take much less to do. Same with the Cue and dash. As for the black. Well GM as a whole has tried to change up their interior with contrasting color to bring a much deeper look and appearance. They have used the brown and brick to great effect in many vehicles like my Terrain. It makes even a cheap interior look like it has more depth and richness. The one look at the Olds interior above is why they did it. That one looks like someone took a can of spray dye and just shoot the whole interior. There is not contrast of depth to the interior. I am sure someone will find nagging issues somewhere as Cadillac will never get a free pass like BMW or Benz but I suspect they will be trivial.

GM is only doing appearance packages and have not done much more. While this has a little hardware it is not a Raptor killer by any mean's. I am not sure why they have resisted but they must have a reason. I would not hold my breath for a mid gate. If they ever did one the short bed Colorado needs it worse.

Well you have to consider the whole picture here. This was not a Ellinghaus or JDN car. This car was more Mark Reuss than anything else. The Turn over in Cadillac management was great during the development of this car and it fell to Mark to fight for what he could get on this car. Remember he had a big fight over the door handles as he wanted higher quality and those in GM wanted Cheaper. From all reports he got a lot but not all he wanted and that is why JDN was brought in and let to move to NYC. This car only had about a year and a half under JDN and so what changed he brought were small. At this point he has to work with a car the did not so much create but needs to buy time till he gets the CT8 he truly wants. Like I said this may be the best Cadillac they have ever built but it is still under the level of what the new management wants. I think they will offer may versions and many levels of trim to see what sticks and go from there. By trying to offer a car as good or better for a lower price they will get people at least to look at the cars. This is where you change hearts. Being this is a very well engineered car and still a very good car will also help. This be it their work or not is their lead in to the new coming products they did do and it will only get even better there. It is kind of like you love your Iphone 6 you will really love the Iphone 7 when it arrives. That is today's mentality. For the record I see the newer cars coming as being even higher quality and being more fluid in their styling. I also expect them to gain even more advanced features. Quality and high tech are two hot topics around Cadillac's future and they are pushing it. Also they want to win in this class on their terms as being Cadillac not being a American Benz. I see a very bright future based on this car and it is just what they inherited.

It is simple but too simple for some. A engine with near 500 HP will be competitive with most other heavier cars in performance. Give or take a few tenths it is in the meat of the performance segment. As for the V8 going away, well it i will become rare and very expensive at one point with the way regulations and emissions are going. To think any different would be foolish. The scary part is I have seen where people who are from some motorsports programs have come out now and said they can see a day in the not all too distant future the ICE engine could go away all together if we continue the path we are on. That was eye opening. The truth is we will move mostly to smaller engines first and then to a small engine with a hybrid system that will become standard in nearly all cars at some point. Then as batteries and electronics improve we will see more care go full electric. This will not happen over night but as long as they continue the path we are on regulation wise this is were we are heading. I am sure there will still be some ICE for a good time yet but like the changes we have seen today where the V8 has gone from 90% of all cars built to the smallest percentage already, The loss of manual shifters to the point even a Ferrari is now found rarely with a gated shifter, Companies like Mclaren and Ford marketing sports car with a TT V6 from $400K to near a Million with no V12 let alone a V8. Who every though the TT V6 in a Ford Pick up would come and be in most models sold in the 150 and most people even paid more for it. The fact is we lived in an era where normal and car that were absolutes were the norm. Today the facing regulations have everyone searching and scrambling to find solutions to issues they have no solid answers to. It used to be if you did not like the pending regulation you could oust one from office to see chance. Today with a global market and pending global regulations that may soon go into effect we will not see a move back to where we are. As cars get lighter the engines will get smaller. As performance of hybrids and electrics improve we will see more move to these models. You fix the price and the charge times on an electric car with a good range many will flock to it as today most people are driving smaller cars that take low maintenance and if they can lower it more they will buy in. The death blow to the ICE car will be if you can travel the same range as a tank of gas, charge it in the time it takes to fill a tank of gas and pay no more for the car with a ICE engine. Folks we are near that today and it will not be too long till it will be to this point. It is not a matter of if but when. The death of the Hybrid will come when the EV hits the marks to meet where an ICE is now. This was once unthinkable but this is now in the path of possible now with more time and development. None of this will happen over night but as more investment happens and as governments globally continue to tighten the noose on ICE it may come sooner than most think or want to believe. Right now just watch those who are now talking EV and Hybrids and what models are making the changes. It will trickle down from there. Who would ever have considered Ferrari making million dollar hybrid and people waiting in line to see if they are approved to buy one? Porsche making hybrids and now looking to offer a EV sedan? 20 years ago they would have put you in a straight jacket if you had ever said such things.

The TT V6 at that weight will take on many of the V8 models and the TT V8 should be almost 100 HP to the better of the V6 TT. The thing is this is not a performance model or V model. It is a luxury car that also delivers performance and a quality interior and ride. It is about the complete package not just a small part of the segment. They should do very well with this and at the price it is is should even make a good profit even if it sells in modest volumes and should do even better as sales increase. Luxury cars are like printing money. The development cost comes back so much faster and profits arrive so much sooner than a value priced model.

So much anymore cars are totaled because of the cost involved. I do not think this will change much. I had a co worker with a large luxury car that was still derivable after the crash get totaled. The car was tweaked enough it was not worth fixing. He was ok with that as he is getting a brand new one.

Well this car is going to be a very good car. It has set the direction of Cadillac as being against the Germans but not trying to be one. I am sure this car will do well profit wise. But the one thing we need to take away here is this is still a compromised Cadillac as it was not done with the new management that has been freed up. So if they can do a car this well under the GM that was still holding back image where the new Cadillac will go now that they are better financed and more liberated to do as they feel. I see then going more out with better refined styling and even higher quality with their own engines. That is very exciting to me as they will really be more of their own brand and not just a tarted up Chevy like the last Fleetwood was. This car and the coming cars will show just how bad the last 40 years really were. We should see the TT V8 before long and that should really make things even more interesting.

I was very impressed with the first couple Malibu's I was in. They are very comfortable and lots of room and good visibility. What got me was one I was in had leather and was very well apponted and still was under $30K at $29k. Not easy to do in this class without getting a rental like base look model. No cheap fake wheel caps and no ultra small tires here. Same with the leather interior as often you have to go top level to get much of a nice interior. The dash is busy but in a interesting way. Controls are easy to use and there are a lot of options to play with. The interior felt as big in the back as my 08 and the car felt more open as the 08 has that bunker feel. The styling while not a Ferrari is as good or better than most. It for sure looks like a Chevy but it looks like a more expensive Chevy. I agree with so much good product at once this car did get lost in the hype. But in the end I expect this car will build in sales over the next few years. I has all the tools that this segment needs to compete. The fact is even if you are as good or better than the Honda or Toyota it takes time to build sales. Just look at Ford on the Fusion. It has taken time to build a strong base. When people are happy it is hard to change minds. I expect GM to be aggressive on price here and beat most in the segment but not give much up on value or quality. I expect the Bu to make the top 3 in segment sales with in 3 years. The local dealer here has had a few in but they all sell with in a day or so. Someone must know about them.

Well in the book What Did Jesus Drive it lays out why companies settle. Some cases it is because even if they win they will spend more than they could settle for. In other cases it is because even if they win the media paints them into a major PR mess that makes them look bad even if they did nothing wrong. It also outlines the case of the Ford, Firestone deal. If it were not for a joint family issue between the Ford and Firestone family Ford would have gone after Firestone. As it was the Family told those running the company not to toss them under the bus even with no Firestone family members at the company yet, They all know there is a lot of fraud out there but few ever believe the large evil companies are ever right so even in the cases where they are they have to use caution to make sure they are not painted evil just by sticking up for themselves.

Well there was a time I did not think the EV would become more the norm but It could happen in my life time. I have seen where people I know in the industry are now saying that the EV will become more and more common and they are people I never thought I would hear it from like Motorsports managers etc. I do not see it coming before 2025 on the EV being strong unless there are some breakthroughs. We will see an increase of Hybrids in the future. They are more expensive now but like Anti Lock brakes and Stability Control they will get cheaper and on the lower models. I expect many cars will come standard with these systems in the future. They are the best compromise till the EV is perfected. The truth be said the emissions are so well over played anymore. Cars and most areas now are cleaner than they ever have been. No matter what you drive they will pollute in some manor in where the electric comes from or how they are made. There are by products to anything you do even a horse. In short we are not all going to drop dead no matter what form of transportation. This is a bit over dramatic over played from many on the green side just trying to make their points. The EV car still has more work to do. The issues with how fast to charge with out damaging the battery needs work. You still can not charge one in the time to fill a tank of gas. Also Many people just do not have a place to charge or enough places to charge cars. A lot of work needs done there. Hell most people struggle daily just finding a place to charge their I phone. This is why the Hybrid will carry the load for a good while. the CT6 will carry the load from development cost as will the Volt. Then this technology will trickle down to the other cars and the more they make the cheaper it will get. The global standards will make thing cheaper for all. But the stick in the mud will be CARB in California. These folks do not play in the real world. They are all about numbers and certification. I have seen were people have modified cars for better performance and lower emissions but they will not grant them legal? It is sad that they only worry about their own ideas and not what is coming out of the tail pipe. Even over simple things like Weed Eaters and Gas Cans they have nearly made it difficult to produce these or sell many of them out there. There thinking has even moved to NY and some other States of late. The future needs to be a balanced agreement of all parties and not just the extreme on either side trying to call the shots. The fact is we are not going to run out of oil anything soon. We are also not going to die from car emissions any time soon and there is room for all parties to make this deal work. The Fact is the ICE has set a standard that most live by. Until an replacement can match and beat that standard in ALL AREAS they will always remain a issue. The greatest challenges now are still cost, The next will be where to charge and how long. We need a charge time at least the same as filling a tank of gas to satisfy most owners of one vehicle. Most people will not want to plug in and sit and wait several hours to complete a trip that is only as long as the Charge is going to be. To do this if must be done in the right way as if forced it will make people mad and reject it. Cost and life style changes are the two keys. Lower the cost and make it so people can travel as they do not or better they will be happy. Also note cold weather needs some work too. The Tesla and other cars still need some work there too. Batteries hate cold and it effects them more than even a ICE that suffers lower miles.