riviera74
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Posts posted by riviera74
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Dumping/Retiring Buick would be a serious mistake for one reason: CHINA. As for GMC, ditching that brand would send those truck/SUV sales to FORD.
Instead, I would push Cadillac upmarket so that there is actual room for Buick and GMC. GM used to do that between 1920 and about 1980. It was highly successful. If the work is put in, that strategy can work again, with fewer makes and models this time.
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The Cadillac XT5 and XT6 need upgrades to make them more Cadillac. NO excuses, GM.
As for the Nautilus, too bad it is being built in China rather than the USA. I know Buick was saved by Chinese sales. How many Lincolns are sold in China vs. North America?
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Buick does need new product pronto. It is nice that Buick nearly doubled sames in 2022. But the industry keeps moving every year. The Enclave NEEDS Mazda's CX-90 interior STAT (or at least very close to that), and so does the Envision. As for the Envista crossover coupe, I will pass. I do NOT like crossover coupes, regardless of make. What's the point of having a crossover if you are reducing storage space in the back?
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Given that this is Hyundai/KIA luxury version, I wonder what the long-term reliability of the Genesis products connected to this endeavor.
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15 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:
Not to sound too melodramatic, but this touches my soul.
Compare that 1977 GP to the 1978-87 models: which one is better?
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On 4/3/2023 at 5:44 PM, David said:
GM is having a great 1st quarter.
U.S. Q1 Sales: Off to a Great Start (gm.com)
General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) and its dealers delivered 603,208 vehicles in the U.S., up 18%, in the first quarter of 2023, growing market share by an estimated 1.5 points, the largest of any automaker.
Good news all around. Right product at the right time, especially for Envision and TrailBlazer (and Buick more generally).
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5 hours ago, David said:
Todays press release for the EV9 is pretty much a release of what I covered here in the story, but they did add the following to the press release.
EV9 Availability
The EV9 is expected to debut in the U.S. in Q4 2023, and it is expected to be assembled in West Point, Ga., beginning in 2024, making it the first Kia EV to be assembled locally.* Pricing, timing for U.S. market availability, specific trim details, and EPA-rated AER for the EV9 are subject to future announcements.This pretty much tells us that in Q4 of 2023 we will get pricing on their first made in America EV.
I thought they would assemble it in South Korea. Good thing they are building it here instead.
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I wonder if there will be a Genesis version of this EV9 anytime soon after the KIA EV9 is released.
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On 4/1/2023 at 1:48 PM, David said:
At the local Fred Meyers today.
Would take this over the Italian stuff.
Someone traded it in at my local Cadillac Dealership.
Race cars and near-race cars do not make good daily drivers.
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2 hours ago, David said:
Very interesting information:
Everything you need to know about the IRS's new EV tax credit guidance | Electrek
Very interesting read for those wondering about prices on EVs.
Wright's Law Spells Doom For Legacy Auto Around The World - CleanTechnica
Wright's Law is nice. Call me when a Good Reliable EV can go for less than a current ICE car at current prices (without EV tax credits). I can wait until 2030.
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12 hours ago, trinacriabob said:
I don't know. It's got ~2000 written all over it and the front and rear fascia cosmetics are not convincing enough.
Looks underwhelming to me. If Ford was serious about this 20 years ago, Ford would have put the Marauder on a modern platform, not the ancient Panther one. That would have made the car more maneuverable and lighter on its feet.
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2 hours ago, David said:
WOW, JD Powers says the Kia is the most reliable Mid-Size Sedan.
Most Reliable Midsize Car Isn't a Honda or Toyota, Says JD Power (motorbiscuit.com)
Too Funny, but even Tesla is now saying they do not need the Truck. Europe and Asia has pretty much killed it as is due to it not conforming to pedestrian safety, so this really only leaves the U.S. market for a truck that will be 6 figures and at this point, many better options are out or coming out before this truck hits the market.
The whole story is based on information from Tesla. LOL
Why We No Longer Need The Tesla Cybertruck Anymore In 2023 (hotcars.com)
Who will buy a Tesla pickup truck when Ford and GM have that on near total lockdown?
As for KIA being the most reliable sedan, I have a bridge to sell you if you actually believe that. Also, how is KIA doing in terms of reliability after five years?
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50 minutes ago, regfootball said:
Yeah. That confused me too. GM:Why do you think you can do software BETTER than Apple or Google?!
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This is the REAL problem with GM and Chrysler: NO clear differentiation between luxury and common. Ford does a somewhat better job of this.
That CT6 needed to directly match the E-class/5 series from an interior standpoint or just get out of the way. The rules have changed and GM did not learn this when they lost their luxury leadership in the 80s. The 1990 Lexus LS400 sealed Cadillac's fate not long after.
As for Chrysler, they refuse to go big on luxury or go home. This a worse situation than Cadillac.
While EV may well be the future, we still need quality ICE powertrains for the rest of the decade. Not everybody will go EV until it is essentially proven AND actually affordable. EVs may not have the market share required to go replace all ICE cars before 2030 at the earliest. How many regular people (NOT early adopters!) will embrace and BUY EVs before then?
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40 minutes ago, smk4565 said:
I would imagine once they engineer the inline 6 for the Charger, to do it in the 300 and do the emissions certification or whatever they need to do would only add pennies on the dollar. But how many people would buy a 400 or 500 hp Chrysler 300? But if it doesn't cost them anything, then why not.
I think the ship has long sailed on making Chrysler a luxury brand, or even a relevant brand. You could put the Grand Wagoneer interior in a 300 with the 500 hp hurricane I-6 and charge $50,000 for it, and it wouldn't sell. We saw Lincoln try with the Continental and that bombed, CT6 bombed. Big sedans aren't a market, sedans in general aren't much of a market. And if it were an EV Chrysler, it would have to be superior in every way to a Tesla and cheaper than a Tesla to get people to even consider it, because Chrysler is the past, Tesla is the future.
I applaud the inline 6 because a lot of automakers should have done the same to their RWD cars and trucks (FORD and GM needed the I6 over their base 4cyl and 6cyl current engines). As for a large sedan, that is the past unfortunately. Stellantis should at least try an EV Chrysler, but it would have to top out where the (alleged) 30K Tesla begins.
Chrysler can have a future, if Stellantis would allow one for Chrysler.
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Malibu can say good bye. No one will miss it. Does anyone really miss a GM small car?
As for the V-series, I am not sure which crossover could be made for a V-series. It seems that it would best belong in the CT4 and CT5, at least for now. As for the new EVs, we can wait and see.
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1 hour ago, David said:
OUCH and the Ford recalls keep coming. This time, a retainer bolt on the inside of the steering box fails and causes the steering box to lock up. All 2023 Broncos are on a do not deliver, do not drive list awaiting replacement parts.
Ford Issues 2023 Bronco ‘Do Not Deliver-Do Not Drive’ Order (msn.com)
Recalls are annoying. Crashes and casualties are worse. Ford could have waited a few months to weed out all the bugs to avoid recalls.
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8 hours ago, David said:
Very cool, Cadillac is leading the luxury segment in selling XT4 class SUVs.
Cadillac XT4 Sales Outpace BMW, Mercedes, Acura In Q4 2022 (gmauthority.com)
I find it interesting that in this shrinking segment, the Acura RDX has arguably fallen off a cliff, while the Envision and the XT4 are fighting to be second to the best-selling Lexus NX.
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Am I the only one who thinks the new Celestiq looks like it came straight from a 1980s hatchback? I am sure that the tech is great, but I hope Cadillac will put that tech into a more conventional looking vehicle. I cannot stand the overall shape of the Celestiq. Then again, who is the target audience for this 2020s version of a 1980s hatchback?
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Given what happened to Chrysler after 1998, why would FORD partner up with Mercedes?
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Looking at some of those historic pictures of the Crown, it does have a Lexus LS look to them, particularly from 1990 until today.
Is the Crown supposed to be a lower-priced LS or is it just replacing the Avalon, or is there more to this car?
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Yes they need more batteries. I wonder how GM is going to produce that many batteries at a reasonable cost to meet all the new government requirements.
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Since GM and the rest of the industry is all-in on Electric Vehicles, EVs have to carry their own weight and slash manufacturing costs anywhere they can. IOW, it is as if GM wants to return the the salad days of 1945-1985ish days of the B Body, only for EVs.
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One thing that I find weird is that the Germans are almost given a pass on quality/reliability issues, whereas if it were Ford or GM, they would get crushed over that very same issue.
As for the customer regret list, I completely concur with the QX50 on this list. Infiniti is barely an upgraded Nissan; at least with Lexus, there is value in buying MOST of those vehicles over a common Toyota.
As for the Luxury sales list, I cannot believe that Tesla is outselling Cadillac by over 3 to 1. Also, BMW then MB then Lexus? Is this an image thing? German cars cost two arms and a leg after about five years for any repair.
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Random Thoughts Thread
in The Lounge
Posted
Australia is essentially one giant desert. Reptiles mostly dominate a continent where mammals dominate elsewhere. You could move a Komodo Dragon from Indonesia to Australia and it would thrive. If you hate snakes, DO NOT go to Australia.