NINETY EIGHT REGENCY

Happy birthday!

Lineup lighter for Chicago show For second year in Second City, event is less eventful Rick Kranz Automotive News -- February 8, 2010 - 12:01 am ET For the second straight year, the Chicago Auto Show will suffer the effects of a tough economy and scaled-back spending. Chicago has never had every automaker, but some noticeable names are missing this year. Hyundai, Volkswagen, Nissan and Chrysler Group will not have press conferences or debuts. But Toyota, Ford and Chevrolet are expected to use Chicago to roll out several updates of current models that will land in dealerships in the coming months. Chevrolet plans to introduce its next-generation Silverado heavy-duty pickup, Ford is expected to show a reskinned Edge crossover, and Toyota will unveil a freshened Avalon mid-sized sedan. Additionally, Honda will roll out a concept version of the next-generation Odyssey minivan. Kia will show off a plug-in hybrid. The two-day press preview begins Wednesday, Feb. 10. Here are the primary world debuts scheduled. WORLD DEBUTS Production • 2011 Chevrolet Silverado HD pickup • 2011 Ford Edge • 2011 Ford Transit Connect, electric • 2011 Toyota Avalon Concepts • Honda Odyssey • Kia Ray CHEVROLET "HD" stands for "heavy duty." The 2011 Silverado HD 2500/3500-series pickup family is expected to ride on a re-engineered chassis and offer a more fuel-efficient, higher-torque diesel engine. Judging from spy photographs, the exterior will feature new sheet metal from the windshield forward, along with a new grille and front fascia. Sales of new Chevrolet and GMC heavy-duty pickups will begin this fall. But the 2011 GMC Sierra 2500/3500 heavy-duty pickups will not be displayed in Chicago. The timing for the next-generation Chevy and GMC heavy-duty pickups coincides with moves by the competition. The redesigned heavy-duty 2010 Ram pickup, formerly the Dodge Ram, went on sale last fall. The re-engineered, restyled 2011 Ford F-series Super Duty goes on sale this spring. FORD Lincoln used the Detroit show to unveil the reskinned 2011 MKX crossover, so the expectation is that the 2011 Ford Edge will be unveiled in Chicago. Using the MKX as a guide, the Edge's sheet metal will be new from the windshield forward, as will the rear tailgate and taillights. A freshened interior is likely, too. Ford has talked about the electric Transit Connect commercial van going on sale this year, so the Chicago show is likely for the unveiling. Ford currently sells an electric Transit Connect in Europe. HONDA Honda will debut a concept version of the next-generation Odyssey. The redesigned minivan goes on sale in the summer or fall. In a news release, Honda said the new Odyssey will provide enhancements in innovation, quality and safety and greater fuel efficiency. This is an important vehicle for Honda, especially when it comes to bragging rights. The Odyssey was the best-selling minivan in 2008 and 2009. Last year Honda sold 100,133 Odysseys, down from 135,493 a year earlier but topping the Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan by 9,467 units. Toyota's redesigned 2011 Sienna minivan also goes on sale this month. KIA Kia will unveil a concept that shows how the automaker's design direction could be applied to a two-mode hybrid. Kia earned plenty of accolades last year for the design of the Soul crossover and Forte Koup, and this hybrid concept should follow that path. The concept, called Ray, was styled by Kia Design Centre America in Irvine, Calif. TOYOTA The Avalon will be freshened for the 2011 model year. Sales begin this spring. Minor exterior changes are expected. But the Avalon's interior has been redesigned, and higher-quality materials will be used to create a more luxurious feel and appearance. Sales of the Avalon need a jump start. Toyota sold 95,318 in 2005, but sales have tumbled each year since. Last year, Avalon sales slid 37 percent from 2008, to 26,935 units. Read more: http://www.autonews.com/article/20100208/RETAIL03/302089977/1113#ixzz0exWA66K3

He was on Autoline Daily the other day. It is quite interesting..

1 AND 3

Loved this post. For years the media and all these "appliance owners" bashed GM and Ford and swore up and down GM and Ford were building junk, and Consumer Reports had people believing that stuff. The truth is coming out. Notice no GM fan has had to do anything but sit back and watch what happens now. Now people are running to GM and Ford owners and saying tell me about that Chevrolet Malibu or Ford Fusion. The sad part is these people would not go near a GM car for decades and not all GM cars were bad. Go find any GM car with a 3800 V6 and see what the owners tell you. The automotive writers aided in this too. They would test drive a GM or Ford and find the smallest thing they would over look in a Toyota. See, Toyota had this coming for a long time. I am not going to laugh or throw it in their face. They wanted to be GM and now they are acting like old GM. Honda and BMW are next with a reality check coming.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRv5JJQvReA

Happy Birthday ! I hope it brings everything you desire..

I am sorry and I know you are uneasy right now, but I wish and pray and hope for the best of you. The industry is changing and consolidating so fast. I hope you will get news to put your mind at ease..

VW Golf retains top sales spot in Europe; Ford Fiesta climbs to No. 2 Automotive News Europe -- January 17, 2010 21:00 CET TURIN -- The Volkswagen Golf finished 2009 as Europe's best-selling model, retaining the No. 1 spot for the second year in a row. Meanwhile, the Ford Fiesta passed the Peugeot 207 and Renault Clio, -- its main rivals in the subcompact class -- to finish the year in second place. (See table, below) The Fiesta is the newest of the strong-selling subcompacts, having debuted in 2008. All three cars benefited from car scrapping subsidies offered in the major European markets. The thousands of euros in government-sponsored incentives turned used-car buyers into new-car buyers as they traded-in their old cars for newer, more fuel-efficient models such as the Fiesta and Clio. Sales of the sixth-generation Golf, which debuted in 2008, increased 23.9 percent to 571,838 units in 2009, according to UK-based market researchers JATO Consult. Sales of the Fiesta rose 44 percent to 472,091 units last year, according to sales data from all of Europe plus Turkey. The 207, Clio and VW Polo rounded out Europe's top five. Like Ford, Fiat and Opel/Vauxhall also had two cars in the top 10. The Golf has been Europe's top-selling car five times since 2000. (See table, below) The Ford Fiesta was a big winner in 2009. EUROPE'S 10 BEST-SELLING CARS 2009 (% CHG VS. 2008) 1. VW GOLF 571,838 +23.9% 2. FORD FIESTA 472,091 +44.0% 3. PEUGEOT 207 367,160 -9.7% 4. RENAULT CLIO 312,925 -6.8% 5. VW POLO 282,780 +2.4% 6. OPEL/VAUXHALL CORSA 351,807 -2.5% 7. FORD FOCUS 309,134 -15.1% 8. FIAT PANDA 298,914 +33.8% 9. FIAT PUNTO 323,536 +15.9% 10. OPEL/VAUXHALL ASTRA 275,638 -14.1% Source: JATO Consult The Peugeot 207 was one of the best sellers in Europe during the past decade. EUROPE'S TOP-SELLING CAR (2000 TO 2009) 2009 Volkswagen Golf 2008 Volkswagen Golf 2007 Peugeot 207 2006 Opel/Vauxhall Astra 2005 Opel/Vauxhall Astra 2004 Volkswagen Golf 2003 Peugeot 206 2002 Peugeot 206 2001 Volkswagen Golf 2000 Volkswagen Golf Source: JATO Consult Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100117/ANE/100119861/1193#ixzz0cyitKGox

I had to sit and think about this. I have no issues with the car. It looks nice, I like the digital/lcd instrumentation and the length of the car. I do not care for the seat control placement or the no bench seat, but other than that, it is fine. I thought about this in detail.. This car is not Cadillacs flagship. Cadillac is up to something. They are not telling. Here is my thinking.. CTS will get larger next time around to increase interior room and put it more on par with E Class and BMW 5 series. It is the right length now, but interior room is not on par with them. This car is like a Lexus ES 330 or something midlevel like that. Some or most of those cars are front wheel drive. Buick is an Acura fighter( or trying to be one). That may be the reason why they are on the same platform. That is why no Buick will be bigger than LaCrosse so they will not compete with Cadillac. Buick's image is being reestablished. GM may need time to develop a true flagship car. I would not be shocked if it and the next Holden Caprice and Statesman and some Chevrolet shared the same platform with modifications. A true flagship would have a longer wheelbase and length. This car is doing what CTS did when it first came out.. that is to find its segment. GM is watching the market and this car really replaces the STS more than it does DTS. GM is watching gas prices and the market. This car plays it safe if fuel prices go up and more, GM is covered. If they stay where they are and GM is released from its current situation, they you could create a true flagship. Cadillac would not make a flagship smaller than a Mercedes Benz S Class or BMW 7 Series. This car is as long the 7 Series and Lexus LS. ATS is the 3 Series fighter. This car is designed for a global market not just America. This car will replace SLS in China. This car competes directly with Lincoln MKS. There will be a flagship model battle coming between Lincoln and Cadillac in the future. They both know they need a rear drive long wheelbase flagship. Think about it.. this car is a hybrid too. A flagship would cost a lot of money and be bigger and heavier. You have to have something to appeal to the masses that brings in the cash to make other models. This is Cadillacs Impala.... Watch what happens...

Report: Asian automakers closing in on 50% share of U.S. auto sales While it may come as no surprise that Asian car companies are constantly gaining market share in the U.S. market, the actual numbers are quite amazing. Ten years ago, companies like Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Hyundai and the rest accounted for a little more than one-quarter of total light-vehicle sales in the States. By 2005, that figure stood at 36.6 percent. By 2007? 41.9 percent. In 2009, Asian automakers sold a full 47.9 percent of the cars and light trucks we Americans bought. These numbers come from the latest report by Ward's Auto. Perhaps predictably, that same dispatch tells us that American automakers were hurt the most by those Asian gains. General Motors, Ford and Chrysler were once part of an American auto industry that accounted for nearly 70 percent of sales in 1999. The Detroit Three had just a 44.8 percent market share a decade later. The European automakers have also gained a bit in the U.S. over the past decade. Still, they only account for 7.3 percent of the market right now. If the Japanese and Korean manufacturers post gains for 2010 that are similar to the 2009 increases, they will pass the 50 percent mark for the first time in history. Individually, companies like Toyota have fared the best, nearly doubling their slice of the American pie, going from 8.7 to 17 percent since 1999. While Ford shared the biggest gain last year compared to 2008, they were also one of the decade's biggest losers, dropping 8.3 percent. Maybe last year's gain is a sign of recovery for the domestic automakers, but the troubles at GM and Chrysler don't bode well for the group. Check out the full breakdown by clicking the Ward's source link below. [source: Ward's Automotive] link: http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/14/report-asian-automakers-closing-in-on-50-share-of-u-s-auto-sa/

The Impala actually is close in size length wise. The car would have to be wider. I think GM is trying to stretch Chevrolet's reach in the market.

A Chevrolet luxury car: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8eKsCHX3pw&feature=player_embedded#

Just a little humor for those who do not care for the XTS: The Cadillac Style jingle of the late 1980's and early 1990's when most Cadillacs were front wheel drive: the commercial: The jingle words: The only way to travel is Cadillac Style. Some people want more, not just a little bit. This is your life, your the only one who's livin' it. Let's go, let's live, let's love every mile The only way to travel is Cadillac Style. Cadillac, Cadillac, Cadillac Style. [saxophone solo] Cadillac, Cadillac, Cadillac Style. Some people want more, not just a little bit. This is your life, your the only one who's livin' it. Let's go, let's live, let's love every mile The only way to travel is Cadillac Style. Cadillac, Cadillac, Cadillac Style. The jingle Reworded to fit XTS: Cadillac Style: The only way to travel is with XTS now. Some people want an Olds, not just a Buick. This is GM's new line, V6 and front drive is the only way they are selling it. Let's go, let's live, the Chinese will love this style The new way to travel is Cadillac XTS Style. Cadillac, Cadillac, Cadillac XTS Style. [saxophone solo] Cadillac, Cadillac, Cadillac XTS Style. The people on Cheers and Gears want more, GM says they will not get it. This is GM's line, they are sticking with it. Let go, let GM live, its front wheel drive for every mile The only way to travel is Cadillac XTS Style. Cadillac, Cadillac, Cadillac Style.

I was reading about the Aurora and I thought that was sad... My first Ninety Eight was like that... I understand your frustration... As for the 98: The master cylinder can be fixed and replaced. The other thing... something needs cleaning and is clogged...

PCS is updating us on the progress.... Keep watching... I wonder what they would call this car if it came here? Chevrolet Caprice Brougham LS? If The Calais came it would be fine too. Now wouldn't this car complete against Impala and Malibu? This is why there is a gap between Chevrolet and Buick at GM.

What Car and Driver had to say about XTS.

Although the XTS is sized around the Merc S-Class, it won’t necessarily be the flagship of Cadillac new range. Most immediately it will replace both the DTS and STS, but in pricing and positioning it still leaves room above for a super-luxury Cadillac saloon in the mould of the V16-powered Sixeen concept of a few years back. “A real luxury flagship is still on our wishlist,” says Clay Dean, Cadillac design chief.

GM needs plan to boost Equinox output, Reuss says Chrissie Thompson Automotive News -- January 11, 2010 - 10:08 am ET DETROIT -- General Motors Co. will devise a plan this quarter to produce more Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain crossovers, Mark Reuss, president of GM North America, said today. The CAMI plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, is already working on three shifts. But the two crossovers are in short supply -- seven days for the Equinox and 13 for the Terrain, says GM. Today at the auto show, Reuss said he is looking at four ways to increase CAMI capacity. But long term, GM may reopen plants, he said. “I want our assets utilized,” Reuss said. “We sit with assets that aren't utilized. That's a problem.” He declined to say which plants GM was considering opening, but he did mention GM's plant in Spring Hill, Tenn. “We’ve got a damn good plant in Spring Hill sitting idle,” he said. He added that production of the Buick LaCrosse sedan and Cadillac SRX crossover also is limited by capacity problems. Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100111/OEM01/100119975/1261##ixzz0cMJEVfMY

What plans you have plans to do cosmetic exterior and interior work?

This is great news! I look forward to the other progress you make on your vehicle. I really look forward to this.

Congrats to you. I really mean that. It is hard to find that someone. I admire what you have and I am glad you will be married and more. You enjoy the happiness you two will cherish and have cherished.

Congrats to you! I hope the repairs and appearance are to your satisfaction. I am happy for you..

Glad to hear you are making progress and things are working out for you. Let us about your Impala experience. I hope the repairs are up to your satisfaction.

I was wondering if you all still did this. It was great to see and read too. Well stated. What got me this year was that one thread I started about something GM did in 2009 and it kept generating posts. It has been nice to be back.