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I think the real tragedy is that the Explorer will drive how the Blazer looks.... Get what I mean? It's like Ford took Alpha and turned it into a crossover. With 3 rows. GM...where are you? Oh in Europe, selling bikes. Did you know that Kia started out as a bicycle company?!

The problem started back in the late 70s / early 80s when every single division decided they had to be a full line auto retailer and that meant that (at GM anyway) they needed every vehicle from a J-Body up to a full B-Body plus a few extras in between. Ford did the same thing... Mercury got a cohort to every Ford car except Festiva (Tracer/Lynx, Topaz, Sable, Marquis, Zephyr, Grand Marquis, Cougar, Capri (Fox body)). Chrysler just made everything a K-Car or M-Body for all their brands. And it's all being repeated today with crossovers. Aside: I went to the Pittsburgh Auto Show today with friends. As much as I don't really care for the interior of the Regal Tour X, the exterior of that car is very striking in todays world. It looks very European. It'll be a sad day when that one goes too.

I just got a crazy idea. Instead of creating dumb ass commercials trying to convince that Buicks are not for old people, why doesnt Buick build cars and CUVs tht are NOT for old people. Because even if the Cascada was a convertible, it sure looked and smelled like moth balls, if you know what I mean. I dont get it. Even in China, Buick should have at least attempted to bring back the Riviera nameplate... It would have been better if Buick actually gave the Chinese and the Americans a bloody Riviera... There is soooo much youthful exuberance in that design that no no words need to be spoken to tell people what Buick is all about... It even out-Musks Elon Musk by making bolder doors... Its even a Hybrid... The one in 2007 was similar and just as jaw dropping gorgeous. And in my honest opinion, This next one works better as a Buick than it did a Chevrolet...a cop car Chevrolet at that... I mean, its a Buick therefore a high price tag would not have caused a heart attack because Buick. Park Avenue at that... And the Chevy SS was different enough in the looks department that Chevy wouldnt be afarid to advertise the SS and sell some copies to make...you know...money... What were they afraid of with the Park Avenue? That it was the 1st generation Zeta platform? That didnt stop Pontiac in getting the G8 nor did it not phase the Chinese that bought the Park Avenue by the ton. Its not as if Buick had such an incredible image in America back then that the Zeta Park Avenue would be an embarrassment. Au contraire, it was light years ahead of what Buick was peddling back then. The Lucerne was just a re-badged Olds Aurora that was uglier...and had grandpa driving characteristics as opposed to the Aurora and especially to the even sportier Pontiac Bonneville. Its a bloody shame that Pontiac, Oldsmobile and now Buick have been mismanaged to oblivion.

Verano is gone already. I can totally see Buick becoming a China only brand. GMC can pick up the Encore sales with an equivalent Granite. Slap an Envoy badge on the back of an Enclave and that is solved too. Envision just goes away.

And this mindset is still going on with many critics. 'When is Cadillac going to build a 1-Series comeptitor?' It's unsustainable and it's NOT for every brand. I'm sure most brands out there have money-losing lines; nearly everyone is overextended. The idea that one needs a sedan/crossover for every half foot of overall length is ludicrous. That's not what did it- it was eroding marketshare. At GM's size then, a long decline in volume would not be sustainable with the then-current footprint. But I disagree on China- there's no reason I've ever seen clearly stated that says Buick could not be a China-only brand. NOT THAT I WANT THAT, I'm just saying. Just like 'full-line brands', not all brands need or can be global.

'59 DeSoto in the Mobilgas Economy trials. Came in 3rd in the 'Upper Medium Price' class, with 19.06 MPG

I think you need to quit your job as an estimator and become a street preacher...you have the passion and conviction.

Cadillac should get into the Taxi market? If not, why not?

Basically the same vehicle mechanically, right? Same wheelbase..the Acadia has a couple inches more rear overhang for the 3rd row. I couldn't see considering one over a Ford Edge or a Grand Cherokee..

All of the costs associated with advertising and maintaining a brand. Separate badging, different designs. Doing what I propose gets cheaper when they don't have to paint the airwaves with "That's not a Buick!" commercials just to convince people that Buicks aren't for old people. GMC doesn't have that kind of baggage. I would be shocked if Barra isn't considering closing Buick already.

What I don't get is this statement: They're already designing and building these for Europe. The money is already spent. If they're going to be built anyway, why not sell them to as wide an audience as possible?

Eh... 16 years in this house. Maybe it's time to move anyway.

Or... like airbags and structural rigidity.

There you go. Your overpriced Blazer funds overpriced bikes. Europeans are on the whole much healthier and therefore lighter than Americans. They don't need the assist. I see this going two ways. It either makes money but still is a waste of time. Or it doesn't make money and it's a collosal waste of time. Wait I get. They want to make autonomous bikes. No pedaling... No handlebar. Just sit hunched over and look at your phone the whole damn time with wind in your face. It's the new convertible! So good!

DRIVEN: 2019 Chevrolet Blazer LT AWD 3.6 (MSRP around 40k) HIGHS: -Blazer name is back! -Unique, sporty CUV style, drawing inspiration from the Camaro. Be seen. Looks good in person, even in a bad color. -Nice new interior design, including ball blower vents down low. That will be a godsend in summer. I liked the gauges, displays, controls, and touchscreen. -Cargo area seemed more useful in size than I imagined. If I recall, the rear seats can slide forward and back to help out with that. -If you are averse to 4 cylinder engines, Chevy has you covered here. Most of the Blazers will be had with 3.6 v6. And with enough throttle foot, and after you let it wind up, and if the tranny actually kicks down, it scoots pretty well. -Fans of CUV's that are heavy and sit high will be like pigs in slop in the Blazer. LOWS: -There are probably a lot of people that won't be into the styling. -Drivetrain doesn't seem refined. Sorry, another one of these GM drivetrains with the common 3.6 that underwhelms. Slow transmission kickdown. Feels like driveline has a lot of slop. Lack of useful torque. Grainy sounding, revs slow, throttle response is a dud. -Interior space is not exactly a middle spot between the Equinox and Traverse. To some it will feel not much larger than an Equinox inside, which is either a compliment for the Equinox (wasn't intended to be) or a rip on the Blazer (maybe that's where I was going). Perhaps how high you sit on the queen perch exacerbates the truckiness of this thing, but it feels narrow in relation to it's size, and it's easier to knock elbows with your neighbor than it should be in this thing. -There is nothing about the ride and handling that stuck in my mind as impressive. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Now, maybe the RS is better, I don't know. -Irregardless of whether a vehicle being heavy is a good or bad thing, it's that the Blazer actually feels porky or even porkier than it is / isn't. -The elephant in the room on this thing is price. This lightly equipped LT was near 40 grand. In the same showroom is an almost equally equipped Traverse for an almost equal price. The versions that are in the high 40's and 50's, it's a real SMH to me. -An all around feel about the vehicle that it was just a cobbled together parts bin ride (which historically has been GM's PENCHANT). The Blazer is a vehicle that feels old by several years on the market, right when it's introduced. SUMMARY No compelling reason to pick this vehicle on the market other than if you are a GM fanboi/girl or you've gone sick on the styling of it. If it's the former, its another case of GM missing an opportunity to provide class competitive or better vehicle refinement and dynamics and missing the mark. If it's the latter, then the styling ends up being the sole purpose for the vehicle to exist in the market. If it doesn't have more than that, than it's hopes for being a long term success are pretty thin. I don't need to dive much more into this one. Reviving the Blazer name and throwing it on something that evokes the Camaro in styling is about all there is behind this effort. Nissan came out with the Murano in 2003? 2004? And Chevrolet finally has something to compete with it in 2019. The list of vehicles that are better options to this for your money, whether 2 or 3 row, are in the dozens. As far as Chevy, if you really want size, immediately bypass the Blazer and just go straight for the Traverse. For performance and refinement, it's entirely possibly that a well loaded Equinox with the 2.0 engine is a much more enjoyable vehicle for a majority of people. And don't forget the GMC options too. Other makes and models, Santa Fe, Atlas, Edge, Passport, all better. I might be here all day if I list all the better options. It doesn't make it bad to like the Blazer and I wouldn't criticize anyone for buying one. I just think GM mailed it in here, which they seem to be doing with increasing frequency here. All you get here is a name and some style. Bless ya if that's what you want. I may try the 2.5 FWD for contrast, but i think I can 99% safely say one of these will never be in my driveway. Continuing to lose more and more faith in GM and Chevy all the time.

Ohhh do tell.

All things being equal, you are correct... but things aren't equal. Like it or not, Buick has baggage with the general population that takes a lot of "We're not just for old people" type advertising to overcome. GMC doesn't have any of that... it's a lot easier to convince someone to buy a Denali than it is to convince someone to buy a Buick. Rappers rap about Denali. There is supposed to be a GMC version of the Encore coming next time the platform gets redesign (soon). The Enclave is on the same platform, though different wheelbase, as the Acadia. Envision is on the same platform as the Terrain. Simply put, without the cars, there isn't much reason for Buick to continue to exist.

It'll be a lease vehicle I'm betting. I still don't understand its placement against the Acadia. I know it is a bit smaller than Acadia, but it doesn't seem to drive any different.

Buick does make more sense as a ‘trim package’ for a brand, at least much more so than having Cadillac be a trim package. I am looking towards the tourx as my next ride. I agree, interior could be nicer, but I think when it goes away as a choice, if I don’t have one (I especially want the big moonroof) I’ll have missed an opportunity.

The only things that keep Buick from becoming a China-only brand are the Enclave and the Encore (maybe the Envision). The Lacrosse is dying, and so is the Cascada. I would not be surprised if the Regal and Verano disappear within the next two years while we are at it. Sadly, GM in the last 40 years has found ways to destroy brand equity by making virtually all cars the same with few real differences. "Make it cheaper; make it common" killed Oldsmobile and Saturn and Pontiac. Only China keeps Buick afloat. For every Buick sold here, Buick sells four vehicles in China. Solve those issues and Buick might be salvageable here in the land where it was born and raised.

What? Sound pricing? GM would never price the Blazer sanely these days. Better Q: who would BUY a new Blazer these days?

I came away pretty unimpressed with the Stinger when I drove it. There are a bunch of new and used alternatives that would suit me better even if they didn't have the straight line performance of the V6 Turbo Stinger.

Not even the same class. It's the Edge that will trample all over it. On interior, I give the edge to the Blazer, but everything else goes to the Edge. The Blazer is too small. It feels like the old Equinox size inside.

Yeah! No kidding! But it somehow worked. But Buick had mojo. The engineers built Buick motors that were beasts. The stylists gave Buick some pizzazz. Ditto for Pontiac. What happened? Why did it go all to hell? HOW did they let it all go to hell? WHY did they let it all go to hell?

^ The irony is, during those years of your visions, there was just as much 'redundancy' as in recent times. More actually.

I thought Buick was unto something just before the bankruptcy with the Buick Enclave and then right after the bankruptcy when Buick had a great car in the new Lacrosse and then the little Verano and Encore. I thought Buick was gonna push through and BE something. But I forgot to acknowledge that Buick, really had no brand identity to make me believe that they would succeed. What is Buick's brand identity? What has Buick's brand identity been since the 1980s? They produced the Grand National and the GNX which were awesome cool rides. but why did they even do that? Those GNs did not fit with anything they had. It did put them on the map, I guess, but Buick never followed through with anything remotely close to being sporty after that. They had the Reatta, which was cool, but it took another 25 years to get another convertible in their stable. And both convertibles lasted 3 years each... What were they producing in the 1990s that gave them a brand identity? NOTHING! When Oldsmobile died, Saturn kinda took they place, but not really. Saturn's initial brand identity was scrapped in favour of imitating Oldsmobile's new found resurgence in being a foreign brand fighter, which was technically Saturn's thing too, but Oldsmobile was the one that had any real steam going forward and GM just killed them. Screwing up Saturn in the process too. But Buick? What WAS Buick's brand identity. Oldsmobile and Saturn went away and it seems like GM tried to get Buick to start where Oldsmobile left off. But with NO clear direction... Saturn got Opel's in the end, so Buick peddled Opels unto Buick when Saturn went away... OK...but Buick NEVER had a CLEAR AND CONCISE direction to follow. So I ask again. What is Buick's raison d'etre in North America? Why should I buy a Buick anything over its competition? And THAT competition INCLUDES Chevrolet and Cadillac and GMC... PS: If Buick goes away in North America, and it just might as Buick is not distinguished enough to stand out as a brand that someone might be proud of owning...what a sad state of affairs for the conglomerate that is called "General" Motors. General Motors used to mean something. It meant Chevrolet. (visions of Bel Airs, Impalas and Corvettes) It meant Pontiac. (visions of Bonnevilles and Grand Prixs and GTOs and Trans Ams) It meant Oldsmobile (visions of the Rocket 88 and Cutlass) it meant Buick ( Doctor's cars. THE Roadmaster. The Rat Pack Riviera) it meant Cadillac (THE STANDARD OF THE WORLD) We are now gonna be reduced to Chevy and Cadillac... Nah, I dont include GMC in this as I get visions of Chevrolet rebranded trucks. In other words, I think of Chevrolet when I think of GMC... ITS PITIFUL!!!

Envision and Terrain are the same size but Encore is smaller than both and Acadia is smaller than Enclave and Yukon is biggest. So they have enough size spacing. Cadillac is about to overlap all those vehicles too, I am sure dealers want an XT3. I don’t hink GM cares, SUVs equal profit. Chevy and GMC overlapped for decades and they don’t care.

This is JLR’s own engine not from anyone else. It is based off their 2 liter 4 cylinder engine family. That is where the cost savings is, a V6 and an in-line 4 have different parts, in-line 4 and in-line 6 can share almost all the parts so it is cheaper to manufacture. Electric probably has 10 years before it replaces ICE, at least. And an engine program should only last 10 years anyway, unless you are Toyota. And some engine programs are like 5 years before they go to a new one.

As excited as I was when this car came out, I was totally disappointed in it when I saw it at the Seattle Auto show and just not myself but average size people had a hard time fitting in it and the amount of questions all focused on why just a black interior and why just all hard plastic, why does it feel and look so cheap was pretty much a doom from the beginning. This was a great idea, but poorly executed car that will always fail to live up to what was expected.

Well they were on the road. I did not see rust holes on them, but I also did not dive my Jeep across traffic in front of them, run them in the ditch, and force them to let me do a thorough visual and tactile inspection. All I know is, I still see a good number of ZR2 pickups and Blazers in my corner of the world. They are loved.

Hmmm, yes first the electric will only control the spark... And then over time the engine lost control of propelling the car altogether. The electric developed further, overtime taking over more and more functions of the engine. And then the electric motor achieved cost and technological parity. After that the engine died out. Eons later no one knows to this day why combustion was favoured over electric.

Ram unveiled the Ram 1500 Classic Warlock edition, a take on the 1970s trim of the same name. The 2019 Ram 1500 Warlock offers buyers a well-equipped, factory customized truck at an attractive $35,345 plus destination charge. The Warlock features a Ram Rebel style grille, front and rear powder coated bumper, 1" factory lift, black wheel flairs, Warlock decals, and an available sport hood. Powering the Warlock will be either the 3.6 liter V6 or the 5.7 liter Hemi-V8. Both will feed power to the wheels through an 8-speed automatic. Quad Cab and Crew Cab with the 5'7" bed will be the only configurations offered. The 2019 Ram 1500 Classic Warlock goes on sale in early summer 2019. Read the RAM press release on Page 2 for more information RAM TRUCK LAUNCHES NEW 2019 RAM 1500 CLASSIC WARLOCK Based on the 2019 Ram 1500 Classic, Warlock features the bold grille with R-A-M lettering, front and rear powder-coated bumpers, 1-in. factory ride height lift, Warlock decals and an available Sport hood First introduced in 1976, the factory-customized Warlock pickup trucks appealed to young buyers looking for a custom-look truck right from the factory floor 2019 Ram 1500 Classic Warlock goes on sale late first quarter of 2019 Warlock pricing starts at $35,345 (not including $1,695 destination) February 14, 2019 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - Ram Truck unveiled today the 2019 Ram 1500 Classic Warlock. The Warlock pays homage to the original Warlock pickups of the 1970s and offers buyers a well-equipped, factory-customized truck with unique style, capability and value. "The Ram 1500 Classic Warlock is proof positive that value never goes out of style," said Reid Bigland, Head of Ram Brand, FCA. "With its sinister monochromatic exterior, award-winning interior and great price, this mean machine is certain to resonate positively with consumers." The 2019 Ram 1500 Classic Warlock features a black grille with bold R-A-M lettering, 20-inch semi-gloss black aluminum wheels, front and rear powder coated bumpers, 1-in. factory lift, black wheel flares, LED fog lamps, projector headlamps with dark bezels, LED rear tail lamps, black badging, tow hooks, unique hood decals, heavy duty rear shocks and an optional Sport hood. Warlock decals on the bedsides round out the package. Standard on the Warlock package is Diesel Grey cloth seating, ParkSense rear park assist and Ram 1500 Classic's Luxury Group that includes a leather-wrapped steering wheel, auto-dimming rearview mirror, overhead console, 7-inch cluster display, LED bed lighting and power foldaway mirrors. Customers can also add heated bench or bucket seats, an 8.4-inch Uconnect touchscreen with navigation, black side steps and a spray-in bedliner. The Warlock is available with either with the award-winning 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 (305 horsepower /269 lb.-ft. of torque) or the legendary 5.7-liter HEMI® V-8 engine (395 horsepower/410 lb.-ft. of torque) -- both mated to the TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission -- 4x2 or 4x4, Quad Cab or Crew Cab (5-ft. 7-in. bed only) configurations. The Ram 1500 Classic Warlock is available in Blue Streak, Bright Silver Metallic, Bright White, Diamond Black, Delmonico Red, Flame Red, Granite Crystal Metallic, Maximum Steel, Pearl White and True Blue. The 2019 Ram 1500 Classic Warlock goes on sale late first quarter of 2019. Warlock pricing starts at $35,345, not including $1,695 destination. Warlock History In 1976, the first production Dodge Warlock was introduced following the public's positive response to a pickup originally designed as an auto show concept vehicle. The Warlock was a factory-personalized pickup that could "play as hard as it works," according to the period literature, complete with bucket seats, "fancy wheels, fat tires," chrome-plated running boards, real oak sideboards and special gold accent stripes inside and out. Production ran until 1979. Ram 1500 Classic The 2019 Ram 1500 Classic boasts numerous segment-exclusive features in areas most important to truck buyers. Outstanding ride and handling is accomplished via a unique link-coil rear suspension. Other features, such as RamBox bedside storage, hidden bins and a flat-load floor, offer unique solutions for cargo. New "Classic" badging is located on the front fenders. The 2019 Ram 1500 Classic Warlock will be produced at the Warren Truck Assembly Plant (Warren, Michigan), which has built more than 12.5 million trucks since it started operations in 1938. View full article

My Pontiac dealers list is up to about 3860 entries. - - - - -

Prices are going up by crazy numbers all around for gasoline cars, but the price of electric or electrified cars is staying fairly flat. Base price for a Blazer is $30k for FWD. Only way to get AWD is move to the V6 model and get dinged for $35k... for a vehicle that has no more room than the previous generation Equinox... and remarkably similar engine choices. Compact sedans getting canceled in favor of crossovers that go for $6k to $10k more on the same platform. Transposing a Sonic into a Trax doesn't cost GM $6,000, but that is how much more it will cost you and very soon you won't have a choice if you're buying new. Fiesta / Ecosport. Dart / Cherokee. Same formula. The price of the Suburban has gone up $1k a year over the last 10 years. V6 engines will soon be extinct in mid-size cars moving to cheaper 4-cylinder turbos. The manufacturers took that savings and still raised prices on the Turbo cars. Mercedes will sell you a base model stripped out 4-cylinder hatchback for just $33k. The Honda Insight is $2k cheaper than the Civic Si. The Lease only Honda Clarity is $199 a month $1700 down. A base Accord is $249 a month $2100 down. Lincoln offers the MKZ as a Turbo-4 or Hybrid-4 either way, same price. Toyota offers the Avalon or Avalon Hybrid with just a $1k price spread.

I can hear it rusting from here.

For ICE efficiency there is the rare Dodge/Chevrolet hybrid...

Using the name of a local company was a master stroke by Gm. For 70 years Holden was able to sell it's cars as an "Australian Car for Australian Conditions", one that could take the punishment of the terrible Australian roads. Great marketing. Cultural cringe has played a big part in killing off Holden, Australians don't believe anything made in their country could be as good as something made in Europe or Japan.

Wow, no wonder they're going full electric. It will be a sales BONANZA! ...and the American Automobile Association states that cold weather can cut an EV's range by 40%. In other news: WATER IS WET! Wake up, people!

Went to the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum at the Cleveland History Center today...they have a nice eclectic collection, incl. a group of brass era cars, some of which are brands that were built in Cleveland like Peerless, Jordan, Chandler, Baker. A little bit of everything, incl. airplanes, a Goodyear Blimp gondola, a couple small boats, etc. They had a Hemi Satellite and a '65 GTO: Some 40s-50s cars:59 Chevy, Cadillac Fleetwood 60 Special, 57 T-Bird & Mercedes 300SL Some pre-war cars:Airflow, '39 Lincoln-Zephyr, Auburn and a Cadillac A couple stainless steel Ford one-offs:36 Ford & '66 Continental Some concept cars:AMX, Dodge Avenger, and Jeep Compass An 80s-90s exhibit... And a couple early Baker electrics and an EV-1.

Doubtful it is a few thousand. Sales of Jetta Hybrid were abysmal.

Look I went all out and explained my point of view on the Regal GS. I love the car's handling, looks, and interior.. just think the engine could be more powerful. As a daily driver it would certainly suffice. Possibly more so than even my Impala, which is fast on its own with an earlier version of the 3.6L. In a smaller car.. hell in the Camaro RS.. it works.. is a quick lil whip.. but I just think that if the GS is the TOP.. the TOP performance vehicle in the Buick line it should be afforded the TT3.6L. The Kia is not my thing. I find it weird looking, derivative, its a Hyundai, which I hate almost as much as Toyota, if not equally.. and if I wanted a NEW RWD Sedan for almost $40K I'd just go get a Charger RT.. if NEW wasn't a necessity.. I'd go get a used '14-16 CTS-VSport.. a used '16-17 Chevy SS.. a used '13 CTS-V.. So many options.

Now that I have the bloody internet back, I can give my answer. I would either go an Audi S3 Prestige or Genesis G70 2.0T Prestige.

Watching what GM is doing now, it starts to make sense that Buick simply becomes a china brand and caddy simply just goes away. In a future where electric cars and scooters become your main focal point- there’s no point in keeping the shiny things around...... I keep preaching that the car is dead....and at some point-the SUV as well. Trucks live on due to work demands. But between the cost and the lack of interest in vehicles in general- Uber, electric and public transportation is your future.........

The I6 is a good idea and congrats to Land Rover for installing a very modern I6. Too bad GM ditched the Atlas I6 after the Morain OH plant shuttered in 2008. An I6 would be a great base engine for the trucks and RWD Cadillac/Camaro/Corvette.

Saw Mitsu Lancer with a Plymouth 'GTX" badge on the back.

Makes me wonder if GM would not take the smart Business sense of killing off Buick in the US. Leave it GMC, Chevrolet and Cadillac which would make more sense to me than wasting dollars on Buick name plate.