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Showing content with the highest reputation on 09/07/2023 in all areas
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Only the Enclave is US build. Envision, Encore GX, and Envista are China built. OG Encore is out of production but was S. Korea built. But also @David: There are 4+ Buicks sold in China for every one Buick sold in the US. They do that by being an American brand and having that image. They get to sell a million + Buicks in China because of the image. So losing that image by closing in the US would cost more than any expense in keeping Buick alive here for 150k cars a year. That, and I think the Envista is going to sell like gangbusters. It will appeal to economy car / kia soul drivers who want something a little nicer.2 points
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How can you look at at 47% quarter increase and a 68% YTD increase and come out with the idea that Buick needs to close? 1. They won't close Buick because it being a US brand makes it a status symbol in China. 2. The R&D for Buick is cheap. Take a Chevy they're already building, give it curvier sheet metal which is easy to do with computers these days, nicer leather, laminate the windows, and add active noise cancellation, and they can mark it up $5k. 3. It's likely that any of the EV Buicks will end up being built in the US due to the way the tax incentives for EVs works, so for EVs at least, the China question becomes moot. The only point I'd cede on this is that the Envision should probably be built in the US. It is a platform mate to the US-built Cadillac XT4 and they share engines and transmissions. Since the XT4 isn't exactly lighting up the sales charts, they could probably use the spare capacity to Kansas City to build Envisions, even if the sheetmetal gets stamped in China and shipped over.2 points
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I just wanted to let you know that @Anthony Fongaro has joined the team and will be starting to contribute news to the site starting this week. Anthony and I have known each other for a number of years, and like me, he is a member of several automotive media press guilds such as Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA), Automotive Press Association (APA), and International Motor Press Association (IMPA). Anthony hails from the Greater Chicagoland area and also writes for The Gentleman Racer and his own social media Anthony on Autos. If you recognize him, it is because he has written a few articles for us back in late 2019. I've posted some of his prior articles below. Please welcome Anthony and be nice.2 points
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It costs them literally nothing extra to stick some Envisions they're already building on a boat. The shipping is built into the MSRP and destination charge. They've gotta keep building them for China, so there's no harm in sending a few over here, plus it gives GMC dealers a few vehicles to cover price points below the Terrain, which is now $29,900. Because that isn't the case. They are selling over a million a year in China. Tossing a couple thousand on a boat twice a week doesn't cost anything. Ford killed off the Fusion for dumb reasons, but one of those was that there were far too many product option. The Fusion had 4 different engines, 2 hybrids, FWD or AWD. And they weren't getting volume advantages by building them all in one plant. The Euro Fusions were built in Europe. The US Fusions in North America. The China Fusions in China. The Buicks have one or two engine options each and each model is built in one plant for the whole globe.1 point
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Pretty much you can kiss the era of fully Loaded $25K autos goodbye. Inflation and world increase in everything is pushing prices to the new level of $30K auto as entry level and fully loaded as $35K to $40K. The only way to keep pace is to increase ones skills so that you can increase ones pay. Sadly, we will see many fall behind and have to rely on public transit as price increases continue to cause everything to be more expensive. I know many boomers that think the prices are crazy and want everything to go back to the 1960's/70's/80's in price and that will never happen. I know one who is capable of working but she thinks she is entitled to be retired on top of never having planned for retirement so survives on $1,000 a month from Social Security and has an auto and she is complaining about $5 gas but drives an old 1984 Camaro Z28 and will only put in Chevron gas. Choices we make will play a roll in the quality of life one lives.1 point
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You can hardly find ANY vehicle for under 25k, let alone the newest technology in the segment.1 point
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Just popping in to give SMK his daily dose of "being wrong" x2. One, The Century Sedan is still being sold along side the SUV. This is not a replacement. Two, it is using the TNGA platform, which is used in FWD, RWD, and AWD applications, from the Prius to the upcoming Land Cruiser. This is not "$170k for a FWD platform".1 point
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$170k for a FWD platform with a hybrid V6. What a ripoff, at least the old Century Sedan had a V12 and it was something special for the time. Probably should have made this EV since they are only making 3-400 a year and an EV powertrain would make it seem more futuristic, and smoother and quieter which you want from a chauffeur driving car. I guess the Japanese government and some CEOs will buy it regardless just to be seen in a Japanese car, and not a Mercedes, Bentley or Rolls.1 point
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Cherokee is kinda a false statistic. Stellantis intentionally over produced it by a LOT because it’s going out of production but the EV that is replacing it won’t go into production in the next model year. Basically they built up stock levels to hold dealers over for longer. I think the same goes for the Ford Edge which is already out of production until the next model comes which we haven’t even seen the new US version yet. Picture the new Nautilus with Ford bling.1 point
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My parents certainly did not send me to Catholic grade school to hear and learn jokes like this in the 7th grade: Q: Why is $h!t tapered at the end? A: So your butt won't slam shut.1 point
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Escalade minus the fancy suspension = my truck. And yeah, it’s fantastic for long distances. I’ve done 19 hours in it. Now, handling is ass. I’ve looked into stiffer anti-roll bars. Take it into a corner hard and it leans hard. Magnaride can improve on that but only if GM calibrates it that way. But chewing up 19 hours of interstate is what it’s built for and does well. The long wheelbase really helps too. Tahoes and shorty Escalades aren’t as comfortable long haul for that reason. I have the same WB as the ESV.1 point
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Sinatra and a big ol Cadillac El Dorado is what I would pair him up with.1 point
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Does Toyota EVER create something in their OWN image when entering a new luxury segment? Or do they ALWAYS have to copy somebody else's style? This one looks like a Rolls Royce Cullinan Although I must say, the Toyota looks to be more refined as a design. But that aint sayin' much. This is yet another reason as to why I hate Toyota. They are afraid to use their own design languaga and would rather play it safe with someone else's hit and copy that. Toyota has been its best styling wise, when they have been PROUD of their OWN history and presented their OWN style behind the cars they design and sell.1 point
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What? People don't believe in stereotyping ... or even profiling? When you are in a blue state, you can usually find places to deposit recyclables fairly easily. The more progressive they are, the easier it will be. When you are in a red state, good luck with that.1 point
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In my previous article, I praised four-door coupes. I love how they look in exchange for lost practicality while making up for the latter with charm and class. This is fine because they’re usually based on regular coupes or sedans. Great. Unfortunately, BMW had to mess things up. They had the excellent X5 and thought to themselves with a German accent: “We need to appeal to even fewer people. What if… we make the X5 ugly and harder to see out of?” Hence, the BMW X6 was born. Excellent, thank you, BMW. It sold well and now Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Acura at one point, and even Lamborghini have SUVs with raked rooflines. There must be a reason why I like sedan to coupe to four-door coupes compared to these SUV-coupes, right? When BMW first introduced the X6, Top Gear had Jeremy Clarkson review it on their show. He said the same things I was thinking. The X6 is a worse version of the X5 that isn’t good off-road. Now, I know that they set up some things to make the review of the X6 more scathing, but two points hit home. It’s an uglier version of the X5 that isn’t as good and has worse visibility. You would think that a power-house journalist like Clarkson, combined with that review, would have BMW scared that their new vehicle would go down in history as one of those “one-hit wonders.” Nope. That didn’t happen. Instead, BMW sold enough to “justify” a few different events. Mercedes-Benz got onto the bandwagon. They created the GLE coupe as well as the GLC coupe. It was the same concept as the X6: Make the SUVs uglier, less space, and “look like a coupe.” Out of all the Japanese manufacturers, Acura went in with the ZDX, one of the ugliest SUVs to walk the earth. It was based on the MDX and was given a body that no one wanted. If you’ve seen more than two ZDXs in the flesh, leave a comment below. BMW then created a smaller of the X6, dubbed the X4, to go against Mercedes’s GLC coupe. Audi jumped in the fray with their Q8 SUV. The Germans really like making niches that no one asked for. Now, Porsche has created the Cayenne coupe. Excellent. At this point, I usually try to give some good points to balance the article. I’ll try my best to get a few in here. Since these are all SUVs, most have standard or optional all-wheel drive to help in the Midwest or states that get a good amount of snow. They also have high ground clearance and tall driving positions like a regular SUV so you can see over cars. You must remember that these are close to or the same as their regular SUV counterparts. The X6 gets a fire-breathing X6M version with over 500 HP from a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8. Unnecessary but fantastic. I understand that style is in the eye of the beholder, which is why people go after these vehicles. If you can’t tell, I am not a fan of these, which BMW labels “Sports-Activity Coupes.” Do you want a SAC in your life? I know I don’t. The regular SUVs they are based on are usually more handsome, have more space, and cost a good amount less. There are powerful versions and hybrid versions, so people have a choice. Why were these created? Because why not. Would I recommend an X6 over an X5? No. Never. Will people still buy? Sure. These help companies like Porsche continue to make sports cars. Regular SUVs do the same. Wait… should you get a regular SUV over the limited hatchbacks and wagons we have available in the United States? I think… you should read my next article to find out. What are your thoughts? Do you own or like SUV coupes? Are you like me and think they’re pointless? Leave a comment below and like/interact with Cheers and Gears on social media!1 point
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