G. David Felt

I would not bet on that. Cadillac is picking up steam and doing better than many would think in China. Latest info on Cadillac in China:

Shanghai China GM Advanced Technical Center Driving the Company to Zero Emissions According to the latest press release, GM is on track to release from 2016 to 2021 10 new energy vehicles. A mix of EV and Plug-in hybrids with GM doubling this from 2021 to 2023 adding in all new Zero tailpipe emission auto's. This effort is being led Executive VP and President of GM China Matt Tsien. The Shanghai R&D site will help led GM Globally due to their battery development and large new battery production site. The Shanghai Battery Assembly Plant is a mirror of the Brownstown Battery Assembly Plant in the US and will help fulfill GM's push for Zero emissions globally ensuring a clean green planet for generations to come. GM has released in China the Cadillac CT6 Plug-in, Buick Velite 5 extended range EV and the Baojun E100 their lowest cost electric vehicle with a top price of $7999.99 for a fully loaded 2 person auto. The two versions of E100 are priced at 46,800 and 59,800 yuan. The E100 has a 200 km range or 125 miles on a charge, a perfect inner city commuter car. The E100 has a maximum speed of 100 km or about 60 mph and they come with a 3yr / 60,000 km bumper to bumper warranty and an 8 yr / 120,000 km powertrain warranty. Those who purchase an E100 will get a free 220V home charger installed and the company will pay for the electricity bill till the end of December 31st. GM Media Press Release GM Media Press Release E100

FNR-X Concept - China only or preview to American Market Version? Based on both stories, the FNR concept car WOWed the Chinese market in 2015 and yet never made it to market. Fast forward 2 years to April 2017 and you go from a car to a CUV in the FNR-X concept that Chevrolet says will led the push on Plug-In hybrids for the Chinese market. The plug-in hybrid system seems to be taken from the Chevrolet VOLT and applied to a slightly larger CUV form. The release from GM states that the FNR-X has the ability to from from V mode (Versatility) to S mode (Sport). This also affects the ground clearance and suspension tune allowing the driver to choose type of ride they want. The auto comes with everything OLED lighting to digital display using low power consumption products throughout the whole auto. The aerodynamic performance of this auto is further enhanced using a series of front and rear spoilers, side skirts that move in accordance to the driving mode selected. The CUV has a next generation HUD system. The interior rear seat is a split folding seat system to maximize hauling capability. The FNR-X incorporates the latest safety systems from Chevrolet. The auto site reviews say this compares to the C-HR's in regards to the tall nose, rising beltline, slanted front and rear glass. Access into and out of the auto is enhanced due to the Suicide doors. Chevrolet says this is focused on the Chinese market only and will not come to the US. Yet they did say that some things learned from the chinese concept will be applied to a Global based version. The question to be asked is it is now a year later with no concept shown for a Volt based version of a CUV for the Global or US market and no other options than the Bolt for the US. GM where is the EV and Plug-in concepts or production versions that have been promised? Worth the read is the Car & Driver story where they interview former GM design Chief Ed Welburn and his prediction and take on this CUV. He states it has a very SAAB like vibe to it. Do you think this will sell in the US as a CUV commuter auto? Could this also provide a compact EV Pickup truck that could service the inner city and suburban households? Automotive Story Car & Driver Story GM Media Press release

Very cool video:

This weeks issue of Mad Money with Cramer has a valid question: Will China put tariffs on their largest employer and one of their largest production product lines APPLE? It is an interesting Trillion dollar question. https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/19/cramer-the-trillion-dollar-question-on-us-china-trade-is-about-apple.html So according to this site that I follow: https://www.globalpetrolprices.com/China/gasoline_prices/ Chinese are paying 7.57 yuan per liter for gas on average. That equals to 1.17 US as of today's currency exchange. At 3.785 liters per gallon that equals = $4.42 per gallon which as you say is on par with a higher gas cost than here. I do wonder how this will play out in the auto industry. I honestly do not see a reduction as they seem to be in the golden age of auto's compared to the US.

Gonna be an interesting view come this fall for elections and how costs will affect people here. Could really change the way people buy things as they might just think twice about where they spend money. Course this has got to be hurting Walmart the seller of almost all things Chinese. Think this will hurt the poor the most.

With today's ability to mold plastics, one would think inspiration from the past would take hold to bring design / style elements into modern cars.

New England Journal of Medicine now recommends that men start getting every 5 years a colonoscopy starting at age 45. Used to be age 50, but due to increases in cancer, they now have recommended that doctors have their men patientes get this starting earlier. American Cancer Society is telling everyone now. https://www.cancer.org/healthy/find-cancer-early/cancer-screening-guidelines/american-cancer-society-guidelines-for-the-early-detection-of-cancer.html So, yes I have hit the big 50 and just had my yearly physical. Great shape, but have to do this procedure. So anyone have some words of wisdom that has had this done before? ?

Awesome, so maybe I just forgot, but does this guy just buy cars, drive them for a short amount of time and then unload them? Sounds like a nice life to be able to buy cars on a wim and dump them when your bored with them.

Sergio the MORON has missed his profit window due to Alfa waste. Jeep should focus on their existing products now and get everything Plug-In Hybrid or EV.

Just a matter of time before the Gov did this. I am surprised more nanny defeat devices have not made it on the market.

https://insideevs.com/chevy-offers-loaner-bolt-to-couple-who-lost-tesla-model-s-to-fire/ This is an interesting story on insideevs about a Tesla S that catches fire and burns down and Chevrolet coming to the assist of loaning them a Bolt to continue to drive around till things get resolved. On street person recorded this and posted it: Some funny tweets on this:

https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/general-motors/2018/06/18/gm-lansing-cadillac-plant-invest-sedans/709883002/ Seems GM is not going to do what Ford is doing, Sedans will stay as a part of their portfolio and they are by 2021 going to have two new sedans in the Cadillac portfolio with a $175 million investment at the Lansing Grand River Plant. They say Cadillac has increased sales in China by 51% over 2016 surpassing the amount of Cadillacs sold in the US when compared to China. For 2018, Cadillac sales in the US increased 8.1% and 22.5% in China to 96,321 sales in China for the first quarter. They confirm what many of us knew that XT6 will come out in 2019 as a 2020 model and of course the XT4 this fall. XTS will end production in Oshawa, Ontario after this year.

88.61 MPH might not seem like fast or very exciting, but for a boat flying over water and going 12 mph faster than the previous record, a fast electric boat is amazing to see. Nice sound, faster than most. Full story can be read here: http://www.thedrive.com/tech/21587/jaguar-breaks-world-electric-boat-speed-record

Really cool update, seems the Detroit station will become the hub for all things autonomous driving R&D and other sites have been updated. Good Read here: http://www.thedrive.com/news/21621/ford-reveals-plans-for-detroits-corktown-campus-and-michigan-central-station

Very cool, always great to get to drive special auto's.

Considering the stupid displacement tax they have, I would totally think they would keep the 2.0T 4 banger going for China.

http://media.daimler.com/marsMediaSite/en/instance/ko.xhtml?oid=32692930&ls=L3NlYXJjaHJlc3VsdC9zZWFyY2hyZXN1bHQueGh0bWw_c2VhcmNoU3RyaW5nPTIwMTcrbWVyY2VkZXMtYmVueitzYWxlcyZzZWFyY2hJZD0xJnNlYXJjaFR5cGU9ZGV0YWlsZWQmYm9yZGVycz10cnVlJnJlc3VsdEluZm9UeXBlSWQ9NDA2MjYmdmlld1R5cGU9bGlzdCZzb3J0RGVmaW5pdGlvbj1QVUJMSVNIRURfQVQtMiZ0aHVtYlNjYWxlSW5kZXg9MCZyb3dDb3VudHNJbmRleD01&rs=1 This is the global report of which in 2017 the E-Class sold 350,000 units world wide of which China and India more than doubled E-Class Sales of the extended length version to services and Europe picked up on buying the extended length E-Class again in services. Services is hidden code for Taxis / limo driving. Did they sell a ton of E-Class? YES Did it outsell CT6? YES Is it sold heavily into fleets? YES Comparing CT6 to E-Class is an Apple to Orange comparison if you go by price or total sales as CT6 is not fleet sold that anyone is aware of. E-Class is FLEET SOLD. So do you want the girl that is passed around to everyone or the Princess? I take the Princess, aka CT6.

That is one Sexy Lady! Thanks for posting it!

I would like to add the Extended Length that they build for China to the US market for Luxury level cars. That would so get me back into a car. CT6 - L V-Sport

Does that say Plymouth? Hard to read.

Some companies I guess are better at Secrets than others.

Anyone ready to sign up for Space Force USA? https://nypost.com/2018/06/18/trump-calls-for-new-space-force-as-part-of-us-military/ Guess Project Thor could come back too! https://www.minuteman-militia.com/2018/01/11/did-the-u-s-just-launch-project-thor-as-the-secret-zuma-payload-that-spacex-just-put-into-orbit/ Here we are all debating if Diesel is dead. LOL

Hopefully they are more successful with Corsair than GM was. Gotta love the return to names!

So based on 2017 sales, 15,888 of the total S-Class were sold in the US and a total of 79,400 sedans, coupes and convertibles world wide. Seems like the convertible makes up about 10% world wide at best. The report states they sold 600 of the Pullman S-Class version, , 10% of convertibles / coupes and the rest are 4 door sedans. So that would make about 1,588 or the Convertibles or about 132 units a month. https://www.daimler.com/documents/investors/reports/annual-report/daimler/daimler-ir-annual-report-2017.pdf Not totally sold that the 8 Series will be profitable let alone worth the R&D, but guess if they build it off a Class 6 line, then maybe.