turbo200

here's to hoping GM starts spending money on the headunits and starts differentiating at LEAST then faceplates more. give us brand specific head units and just more variation in general.

ya know, it was just my opinion that the Sierra wasn't up to the par set by the Ridgeline. Once you spend serious quality time with the Ridgeline [and all Hondas really], you see how precise and great fitting everything is. Everything moves fluidly and has solid feel/sound. The GMC just didn't emit that, but I admit I am using a very high standard. As far as tactile quality, I also still didn't feel like it measured up, but the Sierra is good nonetheless, certainly as good as many consumers would hope for, it's the extra 50% of carbuyers who don't consider GM that would be wowed to find something totally unexpected in the Sierra's interior that I would seek to win over if I ran the company.

OKSTS body may be your taste, being you are more of a traditionalist, but in the context of today's most sought after luxury cars, the cars that are pushing the design envelope whilst remaining a clear evocation of their marque's identity are what sell. I'm not trying to be fancy. S-Class and CLS are the fanciest looking renditions of MB cues ever seen, all while introducing new and revolutionary [to that brand] cues and elements that make them amongst the most sought after luxury cars on the market. Witness the incredible market share gains of the new S-Class, a car that starts at around 80k and doesn't let off well into the triple digits. So the STS fails to meet these standards; the standards of forward, current design. On the inside the STS is a complete failure, nothing more needs to be said about that. The STS was a good car when it was introduced; it wasn't good enough to hit the top of its class then and since that time several worthy entrants have been released that have greatly overshadowed it. Not to mention pricing, at the top end the STS gets expensive, and it is the only truly desirable STS, at that point you get into territory of a lot more incredible cars.

and there will always be new entry level buyers. it leaves room for Caddy to be successful as long as the CTS is good......this doesn't nullify the point of STS, SRX, and all others needing to be as good in execution as the competition in order to keep that great momentum going. Though I know you don't disagree with that either.

you're right, but the Silvy should compare well to the Ridgeline, and should be much improved over the F-150. As it stands, it's not ten times worse than the Ridgeline, but it just doesn't seem like such a quantam leap above what was there before, nor is it as good as the F-series.

From pictures, I honestly believed the Silverado dash was appealing, if just a little uninspired. My first experience with the 900s was at an auto show with Croc, where I found it to be pretty acceptable; Croc was disappointed with it, felt it wasn't that impressive and GM was still behind.After sitting in the Tahoe, I felt as much as GM had advanced, the competition did not stand still. Door panels felt loose not totally sealed right, the gaps seemed large where the roof pillars met the lower expanses of the interior, the pillars were not cloth instead cheap rubber, the seats were hard and unimpressive, the center stack was uninspired looked like a 5 year old dash yet again, the switchgear on the doors looked and felt impressive and solid, but the switchgear on the dash was underwhelming, this was the sat nav model, the HVAC controls were not bad, the actual dash was made up of really underwhelming materials that just felt hollow. This all applies to the Sierra I sat in, except the seats were great this time. Most disappointing was yet again that big GM radio that is in every other GM car, that is just not very stylish or current. Compare it to like the Ridgeline radio design and it's a loser. Ridgeline materials are hard palstic, but the graining is much better than the 900s, and the dash feels solid. It has strength, it doesn't give when you push in making it feel like it can come apart. The plastic has good tactile feel, and if you push on it, it's a pleasing plastic material, but it doesn't feel like I can take it apart. the armrest has a great cloth material, the switchgear doesn't move around in its position, it stays solidly, what a revelation, [admittedly, Honda has some of the best interior materials, so we are comparing the top here, Toyota still has this problem of cheap feeling switchgear]. The switchgear has excellent damping and precision. It all LOOKS unique and modern and stylish in a Honda Ridgeline, the Sierra looked behind the times and bland. It looked high quality and elegant, but behind the times compared to the Ridgeline. Go ahead and spend some quality time in each one. Then you can have real information to back your opinion up. [not referring to OC, to others]

I believe it was an SLT or SLE, it wasn't the one with the Tahoe interior rather the more rectangular looking interior.

It's hot. very.

raises eyebrow.....the contradictory test results are curious, but that picture of the aveo crashing is horrendous. Aveo's interior now sits at the top of its class, but power is on par with others, while mileage falls short. It still is in real world incentivized dollars one of the cheaper ones out there. And in exterior style it outpaces most in this class, except for the Fit which I find has a lot of character, though most here will disagree with me. Aveo needs even more style, because imports have a lot of rep on thier side. Quality is up at GM, they need something else to bring buyers into the showroom. Unfortunately, though the Aveo is conservatively sharp, it is very very bland. Can't wait for the Corsa to get here and kick ass.

Clearly it will wear headlights that resemble the Aura, which in turn resemble the European Astra. In other words, no Brazilian front end, I don't know why there is any debate over this. I think the Astra would be the best looking compact in the US market, sure it's not as dramatic as the Civic, but it's better resolved and with more attractive features, at least for now, will wait to see in flesh for final opinion.

I sat in a Sierra at a dealer. Interior quality is far behind Ridgeline. Much of the switchgear, the corporate radio for instance, feels loose and is surrounded by hard plastic. The door shut with a tinny uncertain feel. Stepping back into my RSX I felt a world's of difference. This is supposed to unseat the F-150? No way, tactile feel alone on F-150 is better, not to mention design. GM needs to stop bragging so much when they don't have the goods to back it. I seem to recall them saying F-series didn't go far enough...

The problem is they don't have desirable designs in their repertoire. Outside of the LX cars, which are obviously not as desirable since the newness has worn off, they don't have attractive cars period. They have managed to make a couple successful designs here and there, new GC is one, but once you get over that, you still have a vehicle that feels and looks, inside at least, like it's a five year old car. Is that a refreshed Durango up there? That looks worlds better than what was there before.

When it is broken it on a model by model basis, it is clear Cadillac is not doing that poorly. DTS is heavily fleeted, CTS is at about 8% fleet and STS must be somewhere around that figure, perhaps much higher than 8%, maybe in the teens. Don't know how MB compares in that arena, however it is clear where Cadillac leaves off in the price scales, MB roars ahead. The point is to see how much MORE Caddy could be doing just by having more models, AND substantially improving on thier main lines and making them true viable competitors, i.e. remaking CTS STS SRX which are in dire need of remakes all of them. Adding the upcoming BRX, CTC, and line above STS [here's hoping], will do great things for the line as well. Cadillac just needs to hurry up and get with the times. GM needs either more money, or more fluid planning. The Kappa platform should have accomodated a small RWD sedan for Caddy long ago to compete with the likes of TSX, in the 28k-up region, and to give CTS breathing room to start around 35k. [And now we here of it coming, but the mistake is no room for a V6....another mistake waiting to happen, unless they can make it light enough, and push Ecotec to 300 hp.] Caddy Kappa roadster with a soft top and a turbo Ecotec pushing 300 hp should also have arrived long ago. STS and SRX are lameducks, they need complete overhauls with less stodgy images next time around. DTS sells but at the cost of image; really an STS or CTS could pick up the slack for this range of cars; Caddy doesn't need it sucking the life out of thier image. They need coupes and convertibles for God's sake; the most stylish types of vehicles and you're going to deprive the luxury make of impractical, irrational purchase luxury cars??! Escalade needs to become an alluminum version of Lambda in its next iteration, something that evokes all of the bold and proud brash attitude a Cadillac should in a slightly sportier more innovative package than what is out there today....or Zeta on stilts.....gotta get you to think out of the box GM. Escalade where it is today, to me, looks like it will be dead in the water in three years, there are simply too many stylish, fun, luxurious, bold choices out there for the luxury dollars, and the current Escalade, as nice as it is, represents old school thinking. Make it a sportier machine with more efficient standards. Do this in a four or five year timespan, get the current one redone soon. Finally they need an ultra luxury coupe and sedan, along the lines of S-Class and new SL [God that car is gorgeous], and then a sedan that would be totally impractical, long, and sleek, with a low roofline, to compete with CLS. That car is too beautiful to not be done in as many renditions as possible. Design design design....there are too many attractive cars coming from other automakers to stand still. The new XK coupe is one of the most impractical cars on the market, and yet I see it everywhere already. It's a thing of beauty, panache, and taste....it represents what the rich and wealthy think is posh and elegant. Cadillac needs to go there. Where it is today is not there at all. On a side note, Escalades seem to be doing pretty well this year, can someone post the comparison with last year's figures?

Liking the looks of the interior on any car is purely subjective and semantics. get over it. Affirming that the materials are of the highest quality nature is not subjective; they may have been costly to use, but whoever approved using these costly rough feeling materials was smoking crack. Flint is spot on with the first half, I don't have time to get into the second half of the article. The trendiest carmakers, the ones that get the most respect and adulation, the ones that end up selling more bottom-feeder cars based on reputation alone, are the ones that produce the most glorious upline cars. S-Class has been beating STS in sales for God's sake! That is a most glorious machine. CLS is one of the most beautiful sedans/coupes/whatever on the road period! ML SUV is still gorgeous and desirable. The next CL coupe is incredible. MB has attacked the upper region price points moreso than anybody in recent times, and their profit margins will show for it. Their reputation, as if it needed to get any better, is at its highest. Everybody in LA thinks that when you've arrived you buy a MB, well not everybody, just lemmings. Not only is this the thinking, but, gasp, they are actually making some of the most stylish designs on the road. Those bastards! Where does this leave Cadillac? In the metaphorical dust. They may not seem too far behind to fans of this board, but they are. Luckily, they have created a lot of good will with the current look. NG CTS should build on that....BUT they need to REACT MORE QUICKLY with more cars, coupes, convertibles, sedans! To take advantage and build the brand's value MORE. They just don't get it apparently. MB is doing huge volume, and despite what everyone here may say about them, they are laughing all the way to the banks. And thier image keeps going up up up. Same is true of BMW, only they've stuck to more traditional routes. Am I saying MB is perfect or free of mistakes? HEll no. Am I saying the R-Class is a work of art? Hell no. But by improving on every line SUBSTANTIALLY and building more niches, carving out more clientele, they are promising themselves a lengthy storied run at the top. Cadillac is far far far behind. They are even behind Acura now. At least in terms of quality product that is helping to build perception. And the Escalade is getting too soft for me again. I like it, but I don't think it will be the massive hit it once was. It's not too late for Sixteen!

two different cars for different markets are shown over at autoblog. one is the astra sedan for europe [and us] and the other is the brazilian market vectra sedan. they are the same cars with slightly different front fascias, the vectra retained the look of the old astra a little and yet changed names to capitalize on success of old vectra [doesn't make sense to me either]. the top car with the aura like front fascia will be what we get

you're absolutely right on the first point. you are right on the second point but design and hitting the market with the products that appeal to all different strokes of upscale people with the right design again, will help curb this.Lutz sure knows how to rile people up with these quotes. It's a nice speech, let me see him put his money where his mouth is. [is that how that saying goes?]

good news, GM has acted quickly to stop kerkorian from making any strong offensive moves. adding protection to the board was necessary, the less allys Kirk has the better

man there is some heavy Mazda hate here, yet they are building some of the most affordable yet exciting cars on the road without sacrificing quality. Mazda has better execution than any GM car on most or all of thier cars. I love the first millenia-like car you posted, i bet that's just Euro's version of our millenia which appropriately for that time from Mazda stunk. However, that curvy nose and rear end are very attractive.

an SMG transmission with a clutchless manual mode would be ideal for the CTS V, as an option. if they really want to be considered amongst the upper ecehelon of luxury class they will need this technology and luxury for their customers. It only makes sense to offer the technology.

beyond being well-built and comfortable, they are superb driver's cars, they have excellent design interior design presence/quality and that's only improving. this new generation of Acuras will continue to build on thier success. I own an RSX-S, it's the best car I've ever driven and the quality, style, and build are always impressive.

I've driven both at length. The cobalt feels more stable, has more damping and solidarity, and the steering feels more precise. The corolla feels better put together, imparts higher quality thanks to more substantial materials used, has a nicer interior design, and is more commodious from the brief amount of time I spent in the back seat of the cobalt. Both are average cars exterior-wise with the Cobalt offering a bit more taut looks in a Civic lookalike package. The difference is Toyota is renowned for selling cars that are appliances, will function until the day you die or get tired of it, and hold thier value/new car feel for a very long time. They don't style thier cars, people buy them. Cobalt could have been more and would have been more saleswise, instead the rental car look has relegated it to that status, even if it sells well retail wise. Although of the compacts, the only cars that I would say don't automatically scream rental car nowadays are the Civic and 3 hatch. Corolla also gets better gas mileage, at least on paper. Corolla sells because of brand recognition, great attributes of durability good resale solid construction, interior accomodations, good value, and of couse efficiency in these high gas priced times. EDIT: engine of the cobalt is stronger, I think, by a healthy margin, not by paper but by actual feel. this is a plus, but corolla gets the job done for what is was designed to do. comparitively there seems to be a big difference, however.

I just answered my own question: Autoweek Miata Hardtop Review Pretty impressive. Of course, I've grown to not expect those levels of execution from GM, hopefully they can help me cure that in the future.

I know the new STS revisions have piqued the interest of most here. The question is why would they show a clay model, and specifically what does it's for 2008 mean? and more specifically, since it was shown to you does that mean we will get to see it at the auto show season this year. and finally, is this all a hoax that we are really going to have to wait until late 2008 for it finally to be in production? not that i don't beleive your word, but GM has a way of letting me down.

G6 and Miata completely different cars. Nothing against what you're saying, but you aren't the market if you would settle for a G6. I agree a retractable hardtop for Miata sounds dumb, but Miata is featherweight, let's see how they execute it. A lot more power and you could have SLK competitor on the cheap. I agree Miata ragtop is already a good solution, I'm pretty much against hardtops, except when they add to the design value, such as in most cases, especially G6 and XLR. To the above, this is certainly not talking about a folding hardtop for Solstice, no way no how. NG Kappa should have softop with more power for Caddy, however. Solstice coupe is a damn good idea just waiting to burn up the charts. Make it with a small backseat and you have a spiritual successor to the Silvia. Make it lightweight, and you'll have a great little car priced cheap that would bring tons of attention to Pontiac.