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smk4565

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Everything posted by smk4565

  1. smk4565
    Then why do we have to have a 2.0T in a Cadillac CT6? Why not make a 3.0tt V6 the base model, and a 4.0tt V8 optional? Why a 2.5 liter 4-cylinder in the ATS? That 2.4 liter eAssist engine in the Lacrosse, when the Avalon, Cadenza Maxima and Azera have a standard V6? Every GM sedan is basically designed with one eye on CAFE so they can sell more Silverados and Tahoes because that is where the profit is made. Which is why CAFE is stupid to begin with, and you can make cars larger and get around CAFE, which makes no sense. If you want better gas mileage, put a $1,000 gas guzzler tax on any vehicle under 30 mpg combined, $2,000 gas guzzler tax on any vehicle under 25 mpg combined, $3,000 on anything under 20 mpg combined, $4,000 on anything under 15 mpg combined. Then you place a $1,000 tax credit on any car above 40 mpg combined, and $2,000 on any car above 50 mpg combined. And watch fuel economy soar, and sale of fuel efficient vehicles soar.
  2. smk4565
    Buick can't go really high up market with sedans or coupes with $50k+ Aviners or Rivieras, etc. Cadillac struggles to sell 2,000 CTS a month at that price, a Buick would sell worse, and a large car would sell worse than a mid-size. $25-45,000 is the Buick sweetspot. What I'd do, as I put in another thread is call the next Verano the Regal, which would be 185 inches long, 1.5 liter and 2.0 liter turbo 4 engines. Optional all wheel drive. Priced at $24k base so it is well above the Cruze, but still cheaper than the current Regal that doesn't sell well. The Envision would share chassis, engines, etc with this Regal. The next Malibu is to be 193 inches long, perfect size for the LaCrosse and you could price it around $30k, undercutting the Azera, Maxima and Cadenza which are also about 193 inches long, and still priced well enough above the Malibu. 2.0T standard here, I'd V6 as well, all wheel drive option. Sedan #3 is the Park Avenue, which would be 201 inches long like an Impala or XTS is now. This you could price around $38k, a $10k premium over a base Impala. V6 and all wheel drive, maybe a turbo 4/hybrid option also. This would compete with ES350 and MKZ, although be larger than those cars, and help fill the void left by the XTS. Then you have the Cascada convertible on the Delta platform, and I would do a Riviera priced about $34k with very limited options because above $40k there are too many luxury coupes to pick from, including ATS, so you want to stay away from that. Riviera should be mid-size, a little larger than Camaro, luxury focused, maybe the 3.6 V6 is the stand alone engine, because this is a low volume car I'd think, and probably older buyers who would want a V6 over a turbo 4.
  3. smk4565
    I think Malibu, Impala, LaCrosse, and Regal will all be on the same platform. Hopefully the XTS is dead at the end of this cycle. I don't think they'll do a Grand National, because GM doesn't have 40% market share like back in the 80s. So I suspect they won't want in house competition for the Camaro or ATS. Plus I think a GNX would be low volume, and the cost to get it crash tested and emissions certified, etc probably makes it not worth it. It would be nice for them to do a Riviera coupe, they could even be off the next generation Epsilon platform, and share powertrain with the Regal or LaCrosse.
  4. smk4565
    Maybe they'll put a 700 hp Ferrari V12 in it, and it will weigh 2,500 lbs, cost $40,000 and go 0-60 in 2.5 seconds.
  5. smk4565
    There is a whole lot of "grow in size" going on with their lineup.
  6. smk4565
    Can't put a V8 in a car that small. Remember the Miata is 1,000 lbs lighter than a Corvette. Even if a V8 fit under the hood, which I'd doubt it does, then the weight would have to go way up, the price would go way up, because you need bigger brakes, bigger transmission, structural enhancements, etc. Interestingly enough, the Hemi V8 doesn't even fit in the Viper.
  7. smk4565
    It is possible of course, I was being a bit sarcastic about CAFE, but that is often a reason as to why they don't do things. GM sells 500,000 pickups that get poor mileage, yet they can't put a V8 in a Cadillac (other than CTS-V) because of CAFE. But then what about a Buick GNX, a Cadillac XT5 V-series, an Escalade V-series, an Impala SS, etc. You can't really build a business case for all these variants, and you probably can't even put 400 hp into a Terrain or similar FWD crossover. They could put a Corvette engine into a Colorado, but then what would that cost, like $50,000+ ? Does anyone want a $50,000 Colorado? And doesn't that steal thunder from the Silverado, their real cash cow?
  8. smk4565
    Oh yeah, Chrysler quality was industry leading when they were owned by Cerebus. And the Dart, Cherokee, Renegade and 200 are on Fiat platforms, the Ram and Jeep V6 turbodiesel is because of Fiat. I think FCA is a bit of a mess as well, but Chrysler would be out of business right now with Fiat. And Fiat might be out of business by now without Chrysler, somehow they are keeping each other alive.
  9. smk4565
    I think it should play the Spaceballs clip when you put it into ludicrous mode. I'd like to see the Model S in ludicrous mode drag race an Aventador or GT-R.
  10. smk4565
    Buick Envision is 183.7 inches long on the D2XX platform, I bet the Equinox moves to that, I think the size could even drop to 180 inches, which is still longer than an Escape or CR-V. The C1XX platform short wheelbase will be XT5, and new Chevy, and the current Lambda trio moves to long wheelbase C1XX. Question is does the GMC Terrain move to D2XX or C1XX? Or does GMC bring back the Envoy as their C1XX, while Terrain goes to D2XX. Personally I think if Buick is going to have Gamma and D2 crossovers, GMC should get a short wheelbase C1 crossover, while Buick does not, to try to reduce overlap in the showroom.
  11. smk4565
    Who cares about quality, it will have passion and soul because it is Italian. I think Fiat needs more models, obviously they need a 500L convertible, a 500X 4-door crossover coupe Abarth and a 500L-XL that is a long wheelbase, 3 row 500L, better make a coupe version of that too.
  12. smk4565
    If you want a roomy 3rd row buy this: Most of these crossovers never have anybody in the back seat anyway. They probably could get a small 3rd row into a mid-size SUV, but then who needs a Traverse or Tahoe, when the mid-size SUV has 3 rows.
  13. smk4565
    Equinox will become Cruze based, share the 1.5 liter turbo as the base, maybe the Malibu's 2.0 turbo optional. This could be 180 inches long, in line with an Escape and CR-V. I smell a Trailblazer return for a real mid-size (around 191 inches long) 5-seat crossover.
  14. smk4565
    CAFE says NO! to a GMC Cyclone or Typhoon. I would like to see a Riviera, but won't it have to have a base 2.5 liter 4-cylinder as not to upstage the ATS? Unless they finally drop that engine from the ATS, then the Riviera can have a 2.0T. I think the 3.6 V6 would be good for the Riviera, I see that as appealing to an older buyer that wants a smooth cruiser, and is probably not interested in a 4-cylinder.
  15. smk4565
    The CLS does look good, in either generation. But it was also the original, and they have an E-class as a sedan so they can make the CLS dramatic. What I hate is stuff like the Chrysler 200 every run of the mill family sedan trying to look like a 4-door coupe, but they still want to be a sedan. And 4-door crossover coupes are the worst, I saw a BMW X4 today, what a ugly vehicle. Go buy a 3-series sedan if you want a 4-door BMW.
  16. smk4565
    RWD doesn't hurt gas mileage or CAFE. Weight, aerodynamics, gearing, engine efficiency etc. Hurt or help fuel economy. Case in point by looking at four common 6-cylinders: RWD BMW 335i gets 21/32 mpg FWD Camry gets 21/21 mpg RWD Charger gets 19/31 mpg FWD Impala gets 18/28 mpg I think What GM is planning is a car and crossover off Gamma and Delta, use Epsilon for middle and full size sedan, Lambda for middle and large crossover. So Chevy gets 8 products out of 4 platforms.
  17. smk4565
    Right now a Trax is $20k, an Equinox $22k, and Traverse $31k. Downsizing the Equinox I think would make sense, it is bigger than a Rav4 or CR-V. They could still charge $22k, but that makes the Equinox and Trax really close in rise and price then. Then you have a 5 seat Equinox at $22k, and a 5 seat short Traverse for $27k? They are jamming a lot in close together. I'm sure a new middle crossover will sell well, but will probably cannibalize a lot of sales out of the Equinox and Traverse.
  18. smk4565
    I hope they get a crossover coupe. Those are even better than 4-door coupes!
  19. smk4565
    Perhaps more of a brakes, suspension tuning and appearance package is available. But no new engine. A way to get V-sport looks without the twin turbo motor.
  20. smk4565
    Easier to make the Buick Malibu the new LaCrosse at $32k, and a Park Avenue at $39k, than to push the LaCrosse up there. CTS didn't do so great going from 3-series price to 5-series price. The current Regal/Insignia is probably short lived, I imagine Buick is going to go to a 3 car line up based off Cruze, Malibu, Impala, and a 3 CUV lineup based on Trax, Equinox and Traverse as these platforms all get streamlined. Unless the Buick Malibu is going to be $27k and the Buick Impala $31k again, to keep the Buick price premium over a Chevy at $4,000. I see larger sedans as a dying breed though, a $33k mid-size (193 inch long) sedan would match up really well against Cadenza, Avalon, MKZ, and ES350.
  21. smk4565
    I still think the full size Buick (ie the Buick Impala) should be a Park Avenue, not a LaCrosse. I think you would have an easier time with a $38k base price on a Park Avenue, rather than a LaCrosse, because the LaCrosse is like $31k now, they have to get it farther away from the Impala, and when the XTS dies, Buick can sort of fill the void.
  22. smk4565
    On second thought, I would rename the Verano to Regal, and keep the LaCrosse name for the 193 inch long car. The Regal name has heritage, and dopes will think they are getting what used to be a $30k Regal for just $25k and will think it is great value. But in reality, the Regal will just be a fancy Cruze.
  23. smk4565
    What about 500 hp V8 in a small CUV? It's coming.
  24. smk4565
    Buick needs a Riviera, the brand is boring. A 2-door a bit bigger than Camaro, turbo 4 and V6 engines, maybe like $35-45k price range, that could be a nice personal luxury coupe, problem is the pricing is pretty close to ATS coupe, but if you keep the focus on luxury, and not performance, you can differentiate and keep the price down. I also think the XTS should die, and become a Park Avenue, at a $40,000 price point (only $5,000 less than XTS, decontent it a bit). Make the next Verano (which I assume will grow in size as all cars do) $25,000 base, and then you merge Regal and LaCrosse into one car ( I don't care what name they use) at like 193 inches long, $32,000 base. Then you have a 3 sedan lineup that is about $8,000 more than the Chevy counterparts. You get the XTS out of Cadillac so they can be upscalde Cadillac, not "traditional" Cadillac. And you keep Buick's focus on quite luxury, 200-300 hp engines, you aren't building a sports car, you are going after people that bought CamCords, Rav4s and CR-V's in the past that are happy with mediocre performance but want a smooth ride and luxury and some technology that is better than what a Chevy/Ford would have.
  25. smk4565
    The old Rogue was pretty small, I was behind a new one the other day and it seemed like a midsize, it just looked big.
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