ccap41

^ I see more what you're talking about now, my bad man.

Ohhhhh, That makes sense. I was using the "share" links. From now on take it from the top of the page then?

You keep repeating this nonsense as if it’s true. Lincoln is not creating some one-off ultra-expensive magical platform that will sweep in and save the day for Lincoln. That does sound like Cadillac’s failed plan, based on sales and the topic of this thread, but it is NOT Lincolns.No, what Ford is creating via improvements in flexible manufacturing, is a platform that is FLEXIBLE to any direction they want to go in, for both brands, to accommodate FWD or RWD. At least that is the Rumor and leave it at that. And that would only be small fraction of the monies allocated for their Phase II development that will propagate over the next 5-6 years. Phase I completed recently with the rollout of the new MKX. Otherwise, believe WTF you want. Let's see if I got this right: -The platform is not "magical" but will apparently support RWD, AWD, and FWD applications. Uh... Sounds vaguely Gandalf-ish to me -Ford is NOT emulating Cadillac's supposed "failed strategy" of trickle-down chassis tech, but this platform will support both Lincoln and Ford products. Golly :/ -Ford is NOT emulating Cadillac's supposed strategy, and you know this based on what you then say "at least that is the rumor and leave it at that." Well, THAT has the ring of authority, right there. -Then, after blowing your whole argument out of the water ALL BY YOURSELF with that "rumor" disclaimer you go on to describe all the (Monopoly?) money Ford is going to spend on PHASE II of the project. Holy. Freaking. Crap. You write some incredibly stupid things. But this may well be the capper. Are you serious? Every automaker ever does that. If Ford is copying GM in anything it isn't the "trickle down effect". MB? BMW? Audi? Everybody pushes their high end tech into their top tier products to showcase them. C'mon 'Bong.. I know you aren't a Ford guy but saying they are copying the "trickle down effect" is ludacris and you know it. Ford doesn't do it. Yet. :D They don't? You mean to tell me the first EcoBoost was a 1.0l in the Fiesta? or was it in their largest, "fanciest"(I don't consider it fancy but you know it was the top of the line vehicle at the time) Ford Taurus SHO? Then their most popular trucks and now they have the 3.5eb in anything they can cram it in. It is just how every automaker works. Not just GM.

Are you serious? Every automaker ever does that. If Ford is copying GM in anything it isn't the "trickle down effect". MB? BMW? Audi? Everybody pushes their high end tech into their top tier products to showcase them. C'mon 'Bong.. I know you aren't a Ford guy but saying they are copying the "trickle down effect" is ludacris and you know it.

Sounds like a Ricer to me.. I'm all for making a sweet sleeper but I would want a little different base vehicle.. Those Cobalt Turbos(HHR SS) are pretty gnarly little vehicles. A good friend of mine has an HHR SS and he's just put an intake one it for the "fun noises" but it really is a fun little car. He wanted to do more with it but the mileage is over 100k(now that he's has a little more money to play around with) and he doesn't want exhaust to sound 'rice' and stock turbo cars REALLY need to open the exhaust up to make good power. When I was doing contract work for Ontario Power Generation's nuke plants one of the guys who worked there had a black Cobalt SS Turbo SEDAN. The only giveaway was some vaguely BBS-style wheels. He surprised quite a few folks on the 401 in that thing. Hell, he gave me a decent run for my money in my Camaro. Oh they can be sleepers from the factory, like the guy you said because it was a sedan and my buddy's HHR..because it's an HHR (lol). I think GM ofered a "stage 2" kit that had bigger injectors, intake and a tune(I think) and it brought it up to 300/300 hp/tq and those weren't heavy cars. 300hp would go a long way in those.

They think they are real real fast cars..and they need to go real real fast right now! Honestly, I don't know why people ride bumpers so often w/o passing. If I'm up on somebody, I'm looking to pass. Otherwise there is no reason to be that close. And I don't know why more people almost refuse to pass but they'd rather be on my bumper? I don't understand that. I pass all the time if the person in ront of me is going too slow or even if they just aren't using cruise and going all sorts of different speeds. I don't hesitate to pass if I don't like the vehicle in front of me. I don't force the issue with oncoming traffic but if it's clear..I just go on past.. Too many times somebody will be on my bumper when there is zero oncoming traffic. Grinds my gears.

Sounds like a Ricer to me.. I'm all for making a sweet sleeper but I would want a little different base vehicle.. Those Cobalt Turbos(HHR SS) are pretty gnarly little vehicles. A good friend of mine has an HHR SS and he's just put an intake one it for the "fun noises" but it really is a fun little car. He wanted to do more with it but the mileage is over 100k(now that he's has a little more money to play around with) and he doesn't want exhaust to sound 'rice' and stock turbo cars REALLY need to open the exhaust up to make good power.

There is no doubt in my mind I would have bought an ATS for 22k! I know a lot of people aren't a huge fan of their styling but I think they are the second best looking in their class to the C Class(I know a lot of people find that boring as well...) What strategy is Ford copying?

+1 I saw the thead title..and who started it.. ugh. He never stops.

Mike Wood’s Duramax-powered ’04 Ford Mustang The thought of a big-cubic-inch diesel engine in a light car seems to excite just about everyone, but perhaps the most impressive swap of the decade has been Mike Wood’s Duramax-powered Mustang. When we featured the car in 2008, it was running low 10s in the quarter-mile and achieving more than 30 mpg at Hot Rod magazine’s Drag Week—and that was just the start. Later, a Gear Vendors Overdrive was added to the 4L80E transmission, the engine was hopped up a bit more and given larger doses of nitrous, and the entire combination was fine-tuned. Then Mike went racing. Although not as publicized as they perhaps should have been, the numbers for Mike’s Duramax-motivated Mustang were astounding. It hit 45.9 mpg in a fuel-economy test (with the transmission in double overdrive), went mid-9s on the dragstrip, and ran 202 mph in the standing mile. Mike’s Mustang also made the cover of Hot Rod on a subsequent Drag Week and is one of few diesels ever to do so. Mike also proved that GM’s 4L80E automatic transmission can handle a diesel’s torque. While there have been swaps with more color and chrome during the decade, few have ever been more capable than Mike’s Durastang. Read more: http://www.trucktrend.com/features/1507-the-top-15-trendsetters-of-diesel-power/#ixzz3cr63AnHN Well, I was over at TruckTrend for some reason and I came across an article titled "The Top 15 Trendsetters of Diesel Power". This was mixed in there and I thought it was awesome. I'm really curious about the gearing as he said he took it to the track and could be driven around getting 45.9mpg. Just one impressive build I thought I'd share. There is probably more on te web about the car and actual build I'll try and find, for those who are curious.

Don't use the shortened links. It has to be the full youtube.com I try that... but i'm mostly just tired. I tried that approach for years, working hard through college and grad school, the first decade of my career...stayed hungry and strived to achieve. At some point, burnout and exhaustion set in along w cynicism and self loathing and the realization that corporate life is all $h!, just varying degrees of effed up ness at each dysfunctional organization. The challenge is to stay conscious through each day amidst the mind numbing tedium and then knock myself out with powerful meds at night... Well thanks for brightening my day you little ray of sunshine you! Did I take the wrong link then? And do I follow the instructions from the post above yours?

Is the little 3.2 any good? I haven't heard anything about it. I mean I doubt they would make a bad engine but it seems odd they chose to do an I-5. right now it is only in the Transit, correct?

Top of the page bump..

I'm not sure what the Escalade has to do with the 7-Series or CT6's CAFE scores.What I DO know is that GM was producing half-ton pickups that were producing 25mpg highway with port-injected smallblocks and (if memory serves) four-speed automatics. And that was two truck generations ago. They have the tech in hand, it's just that the customers at the time didn't demand it. Overall corporate CAFE score. The Escalade sells really well and that is actually hurting their score. Not like it is going anywhere but they just need to make the big girl drink a little less. Or, make it bigger! No way was GM making a v8 half ton TWO generations ago that was getting 25mpg. With the bragging rights that they would tout in their commercials there is no way they wouldn't utilize it. When gas was $4/gallon down here(US) the consumer didn't want a truck that got 25mpg???? The Avalanche could do 21 - 22 on the highway back with a 6-speed, so I imagine a fairly basic Silverado 1500 V8 could do at least that and probably better. I probably should have clarified that the Silverado/Sierra in question was a hybrid. And it was the second-generation of GM's hybrid tech (they actually kicked things off with a mild hybrid version of the truck previous to that one). Point being: making a 5500-pound Escalade meet CAFE standards is going to be difficult, but quite doable. Ohhhhhh that does make more sense.. Didn't they have hybrid Tahoes also? I assume people just werent buying them because it seems like a great way to be able to keep massive vehicles around when the regulations get really strict. Supposedly Ford is working on a hybrid powertrain for their F150..

http://youtu.be/8O7ix9x_PKg http://youtu.be/FkZQ9eeq5Iw How do you imbed a video..?

I'm not sure what the Escalade has to do with the 7-Series or CT6's CAFE scores.What I DO know is that GM was producing half-ton pickups that were producing 25mpg highway with port-injected smallblocks and (if memory serves) four-speed automatics. And that was two truck generations ago. They have the tech in hand, it's just that the customers at the time didn't demand it. Overall corporate CAFE score. The Escalade sells really well and that is actually hurting their score. Not like it is going anywhere but they just need to make the big girl drink a little less. Or, make it bigger! No way was GM making a v8 half ton TWO generations ago that was getting 25mpg. With the bragging rights that they would tout in their commercials there is no way they wouldn't utilize it. When gas was $4/gallon down here(US) the consumer didn't want a truck that got 25mpg???? The Avalanche could do 21 - 22 on the highway back with a 6-speed, so I imagine a fairly basic Silverado 1500 V8 could do at least that and probably better. So you're saying they just went away from fuel economy because people didn't want it when gas was(and still is) $3-$4/a gallon? I know some don't care about gas prices but to think they would have went away from it starting 2 generations ago.. is extremely tough to believe. Also 21-22mpg with a 6 spd isn't quite the same as a 4 spd. Those older 4spds, which were so common for such a long time before 6 was the next 'norm', were all torque converter slip and lot a lot of power through them. And having only 4 forward gears.. no way were those churning out 25mpg at anything above 55mph(not sure when it gots to 4th gear but most seem to be around this point).

It depends on the quality and type of film but most films have an upper end life of 5 years. The only other con I can think of is that they are more easily damaged than paint (but only if you don't use PPF on it). Plus you can simply replace a "piece" right? like if I got chips on the hood or front bumper.. just replace them..?

Oh definitely. I've never driven a hybrid for any real amount of time but I can't imagine they drive as well as a straight gasoline engine. Hopefully all of these new hybrids at leas drive like real cars. If Caddy can get it into their lower models to get a jump on the competition that'd be great. The big MB already have hybrids, S Class and E Class, I don't know about BMW or Audi but none of them have hybrid C/3/4 right? I know it's easier said than done but if Cadillac could squeeze a hybrid powertrain into the ATS they'd be the only one in the class with one. Okay, I lied.. BMW has an "ActiveHybrid" 3 Series.. Theirs is more of a performance form though.

I love the idea of a wrap but with it very close in cost to a paint job.. I'd still wrap it and save the little difference. I like the idea that it protects the factory paint as well. so to go back to factory is possible whereas with paint..no. How long do the wraps last before there is peeling or fading or anything that's negative?

A buddy of mine got his a few years back but didn't stick it out. If you go that route it will be some time before you make money, but there is definitely money to be made. Just don't get impatient and give up on it if you do. My friend did it for 8 months I believe and basically just stopped.. Lucky dick. A guy I work with just got married..to a pharmacist!

I haven't been watcing any practice or qualifying sessions. I don't think they are even televised here.. I'd love to watch but I don't even think I can here. What channel are they on?

Pshhh who cares about making it into a sedan. Look at that thing! Leave it as it.. Give the ole S Class Coupe some competition. Make sure there is a big V8 under the hood.. Okay I guess with the talk of CAFE I could deal with a smaller twin turbo V8 or even a silky smooth twin turbo V6(but still gobs of power).

I'm not sure what the Escalade has to do with the 7-Series or CT6's CAFE scores.What I DO know is that GM was producing half-ton pickups that were producing 25mpg highway with port-injected smallblocks and (if memory serves) four-speed automatics. And that was two truck generations ago. They have the tech in hand, it's just that the customers at the time didn't demand it. Overall corporate CAFE score. The Escalade sells really well and that is actually hurting their score. Not like it is going anywhere but they just need to make the big girl drink a little less. Or, make it bigger! No way was GM making a v8 half ton TWO generations ago that was getting 25mpg. With the bragging rights that they would tout in their commercials there is no way they wouldn't utilize it. When gas was $4/gallon down here(US) the consumer didn't want a truck that got 25mpg????

This is a gorgeous car. And other than the mirrors I don't see what is unrealistic about it either. Maybe no bumper..? but there aren't really bumpers on cars at all anymore are there?

I think the only people who care about that aspect are Cadillac fans.. because whoever buys a 7 Series wants the car for what it is.. not for how much it weighs. Actually, the people who care are about this are enthusiasts. The people who will be wowed by the difference in weight of a 3600 lb 204 inch luxo barge are the actual people that Cadillac is able to give drives in their CT6 vs the 7series. As always I love how U assume that U kno the minds of luxury buyers without being a luxury buyer. That being said... the engine line up is a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 producing 445 hp and 480 lb-ft for the 750i xDrive, while the 740i uses a 320-hp, 3.0-liter turbocharged I6. The CT6 will employ a 400 hp (most likely more by time of production) 400 lb-ft for the Platinum and a 335HP 3.6L NA V6 for the base model. Considering the minimum 4100-4900lbs the 7series will now lug around I think if physics and truth gave anything to do with it the Cadillac will be on top. The luxury of it is where the proof will be with either. I've driven and ridden in the current 7series always feeling like they were nice, but easily conquered. The look of the car is bland.. still.. and while the CT6 looks like a beefed up version of the CTS.. which IMO is gorgeous.. this new 7series looks like a beefed up version of a car further down the ladder. Not the 5 series.. but the 3. Interior??? That remains to be seen. We got a look at a pre-production interior for the CT6.. I was impressed. Enthusiasts aren't commuting around in a 7 Series.. They would gladly buy something smaller that is built around the "Enthusiast". And anybody can be a luxury buyer so to exclude somebody without knowing anything isn't very accurate. it's like assuming an enthusiast will be buying and driving a CT6 or 7 Series or S Class daily because they are "driver's cars". If they are buying these cars it isn't because of how sporty and athletic they drive(because none of them are at 204in wheelbase). It's for how luxurious and tech packed they are and can get after it if they want to. I have nothing against the CT6, btw. I think it looks great even if it looks similar to the CTS. I just don't care about how little it weighs nor will its customers. But like Drew said it helps them squeeze extra range out of the hybrids and gas models, the power goes further, suspension tuning can be done supporting less weight. But the buyer will literally just want it to drive fantastic. And, to me, all of the cars in this class probably drive superbly. I doubt any of them actually drive like an "averave car". I mean how many years as the S Class pushed 5000lbs and nobody gives a crap..? The S-Class pushing 5000 lbs is irrelevant in years prior. CAFE is coming.. and weight needs to go down for the years coming. Fuel efficiency will become a luxury feature in and of itself. People in this income bracket do care about fuel efficiency if for no other reason than they don't want to have to constantly get out of the car to fill it up. Foregone conclusion is that they don't, but that is silly.. as being wealthy demands that U stay wealthy. Watching money being pumped into your tank is depressing when not recreational. A daily commute that costs U $60 every 3 days is not attractive to anyone. Anyway.. One feature I do think is novel, but cool as hell is the 7Series ability to remotely park itself. Props for that $h!.. and every maker should be looking to do the same. Its just cool. I also like the Gesture UI. As long as it works it will be a very cool feature indeed. These are the only two real things I see as beating the CT6 in tech.. It will depend how available it is tho.. as if this is a feature (the two of them) that is only available in a extremely upper package.. then its pie in the sky. For instance if its a part of a $9995 package then I could see some completely leaving it off the menu car when they buy I completely agree that the manufacturers care about weight for the same reason you said, CAFE. And I said it in another thread that I still don't think the buyer of these cars will care about 1mpg. 3, 4, 5 mpg? Absolutely. For the exact reason you said. Wealthy for a reason and no need to waste money on fuel, of all things.