smk4565

It is fantastic. I like the front end a lot. Big cars are declining so it won't set sales records like the 1986 version, but this Taurus is far superior to the Impala, Lucerne, Maxima, and the Charger/300 unless you are only looking at rear drive.

Lexus GS and IS are DI also, that is why they make 304 hp, and the ES, RX and Camry are 268-270. The BMW sixes with 250 hp (X3, X5, 330i) have it also, the 328i does not. Any turbo BMW has it. GM wants to make it seem like they were first to use direct injection but it was has been around for 3-4 years. What I want to know is if the Lexus HS250h is a Corolla in disguise, if so that is really lame. However, a Buick done like that could work, because they aren't trying to compete with Mercedes.

The LS460 V8 is direct injection, that came out for the 07 model year, the 2006 Lexus GS300 had a direct injection V6. The current GS460 makes 340ish hp because it is not DI like the LS motor is. It's not a two-mode, but they have a hybrid system, and the Lexus hybrids do fairly well in mileage. Hard to judge them because there are no other luxury hybrids but the Escalade with 20 mpg.

But does it sell and is there demand for a performance Buick? An average handling rear drive car would be far superior; people that want performance or handling can choose from a dozen rear drivers that will do it better.

I don't think they will do a Super model, it will torque steer too much, 280 hp is pushing it for front drive. Unless they do a turbo 3 liter V6 and all wheel drive, like the Ford Ecoboost cars. I am not sure why awd isn't available with the 3.6 liter, but to do a Super they'd have to make it awd.

Because it is Lexus LS460 exhaust pipes and a BMW 5-series tail lights. Everyone here criticizes BMW styling (I myself don't like it) yet that is what Buick copied.

Saab is a lost cause, better to spend that money on Chevy and Buick. The Malibu Hybrid just finished last place in a Car and Driver comparison, they need to constantly update Chevys to keep pace with the Japanese, and a resurging Ford.

Fiesta is way better, GM is somewhat clueless when it comes to small vehicles.

Say goodbye to the Aura (probably the whole brand). Aura and Regal are identical in dimensions.

This is the best Buick ever built, but I think it will fall short of sales expectations, unless the CX model has a low base price and they can steal some Impala or Lucerne sales. The problem with trying to be Lexus, is Lexus does Lexus better than anyone else can. Buick should be American and create their own identity. Lincoln is at least trying to do this, their product looks unique and American. This car is kind of like the Genesis in how it looks like they just took design cues from a lot of other cars. Weight is too high on this car. GM needs to build lighter weight cars, that is why they get beat in fuel economy. Most Fords are a lot lighter, that is why the MKZ beats LaCrosse in mileage, 2010 Fusion 4-cylinder is best in class, Fusion hybrid is best in class, Escape hybrid is the most fuel efficient suv, etc.

Cadillac has nothing that goes against an LS460, Buick never will. GM doesn't have an 8-speed or a direct injection DOHC V8 or a chassis for it, the only piece they have is the 2-mode hybrid, which has yet to be used on a car. Lexus had all that 2 years ago, GM should have been working on that stuff, but they wasted money on Saturn, Saab, Hummer, and full size SUVs.

The SRX is still larger than the RX350, but they went the wrong direction with it. They will lose current SRX owners, and won't steal any away from Lexus, Lexus retains customers like crazy. The air vents in the SRX, Equinox and LaCrosse are too similar. It's not a Cadillac if there are all kinds of similarities with Chevy and Buick. Cadillacs have to offer value to make people want to spend $50,000 on a new one, rather than just waiting for a 1-2 year old used model that sells for $25k.

Best Buick ever, but they'll never hit 70,000 units a year. Headlights from the Accord, 5-series tail lights, Lexus LS exhaust pipes, and a Malibu-like side profile is just taking what others already did and merging it, that is out of the Hyundai playbook. Wood trim looks really fake, although the dash materials and leatherette with the stitching look nice. I like the contour line along the side of the car, that is unique and looks good, but I hate the venti-ports on top of the hood and don't like that it is over 4,000 pounds. Can GM make anything that isn't obese? A question I have about the 3.0 V6, is why peak torque is hit at 5900 rpm, when BMW's 3 liter hits it around 2800 rpm.

If GM's 388k sales of midsizers is 25% of the market, then the Camry which sells around 450,000 a year must be 30% share off one vehicle. Likewise for the Accord. GM's brands have been losing buyers for years because of lackluster product. The brand loyalty argument of, "we can't kill Buick GM will lose 150,000 sales a year" but Buick has lost 700,000 annual sales since 1988. The customers are leaving anyway. Market share also does not equal profit, it is something GM has relied on because they had to stay big to pay all the legacy costs and keep union members working, because otherwise they pay them anyway to sit in the jobs bank. The decision to what models to cut are easy: All Saabs All Hummers G3, G5, G6 G-bodies W-bodies Saturn brand (Astra to Pontiac, Aura/Insignia becomes Regal, Sky moves to Chevy or Buick, theta crossover to Buick) Yukon, Yukon XL and Denali Canyon/Sierra/Savana are sold as work trucks (fleet/business) only, regular trims cut Escalade EXT STS Add: Fiesta/Fit rivaling Aveo replacement Cruze Malibu (updated interior, 2-mode hybrid option) Chevy minivan Zeta Impala (G8 can die if they do this) Buick Delta II sedan Cadillac Alpha sedan/coupe/convertible CTS sedan/coupe/wagon to Sigma III and add $12k to price Cadillac flagship XLR, start over from scratch on C7 platform

Maybe, but the SRX looks like crap.

The smaller of the 2 W-bodies is 198 inches long, that is 7-series size. The G8 is over 196 inches long, midsize is near 190 like the Fusion, Camry, Aura, CTS, 5-series, Lexus GS, etc. The Accord is now classified as a full size car, and it is 194 inches long. GM doesn't have small to midsize products that consumers want. The Malibu is their only credible offering, and it is an average seller.

I like the MKS looks, but don't like how big the car is. It is near DTS size and weight, which is just too big to be at all sporting, even with Ecoboost. Center stack is too much black plastic. I am looking forward to seeing this styling theme put on the MKZ. This styling with ecoboost in a midsize package would be pretty appealing.

Chevy can't be #1 when they have to compete against Pontiac, Saturn and GMC. The Cobalt and G5 combined are blown away in sales by the Corolla or Civic, same with the Epsilon trio compared to the Carmy. Chevy needs better cars, but GM spent 2006-08 on GMT900s, Lambdas, Zeta and updated G-body and W-body cars, all of which are big and not going after the heart of the market.

I agree that Buick should do a front drive crossover based on the Equniox. They don't need the Saab version, or the brand. If Cadillac starts making low $30s Chevy based vehicles, then GM doesn't really need Buick. They can just have Chevy-Cadillac and get rid of everything else. I'd rather see Buick as a step above the LTZ Chevys, maybe not quite as nice as Lincoln or Acura, but they could price lower than those brands. Cadillac should focus on $40k and up rear drive. Cadillac can't talk about how they are competing with BMW and Mercedes if they have front drivers on Chevy platforms in the mix. Getting volume isn't the key, what Cadillac has to do is make people want to pay $5000 extra to have the wreath and crest on their hood. Mercedes can get $60,000 for a V6 sedan because the 3-point start carries that much weight, and they got there by years of engineering and reputation building.

Those materials were bad, even Lutz says they screwed up and made an interior that didn't look expensive, even though it cost a good bit for the materials. It looked like a wagon because it was 195 inches long, had a big C pillar and was somewhat low and narrow, with a car looking front end.

This thing won't outsell the RX350 because it doesn't have the Lexus reputation. Since they aren't offering any premium chassis or engines or anything, and GM has a dozen SUVs already for similar price, I am guessing the SRX will need cash back and incentives to move product. Sales volume doesn't equal profit, this is another GM lackluster product that ages fast and fades. Just as the GMT360s did. The Lexus ES350 outsells the CTS, maybe they should make the CTS front drive also and soften the suspension.

Buick doesn't need a Riviera, it won't sell. The most cost effective lineup (that fits what Buick buyers want) is 3 front drivers based on Chevys, like what Lincoln did with the MKZ and MKS, but with a compact added. What I wonder is would people spend $45,000+ on a 3-series if it shared a platform with a Camaro or Mustang. I would guess not, therefore Cadillac shouldn't share a platform with the Camaro either. Unless the Camaro bases around $30k and becomes a more expensive car, which won't happen.

It is pretty much identical in size to the Aura, same 2.4 engine, the Chinese version has a 2.8 V6 I think as an option (it is whatever Opel uses). This car will replace the Aura when Saturn dies, thus compete with higher end Malibu/Camry/Sonata.

Short term sales bump, but does nothing for them in the long haul. The Cimarron added sales and was profitable too and damaged the brand for 25 year. The SRX isn't nearly as bad and won't damage Cadillac, but at the same time it won't improve their image at all. The STS and DTS are dragging Cadillac's image down, Escalade has a positive image with some demographics and negative with others. Only the CTS is working to improve their reputation. Luxury brands need an image and have to represent something. Lexus represents reliability, BMW driving machine, Mercedes engineering, Cadillac stands for nothing, no focus.

Yep. Euro-looking Saturns aren't selling so great, I don't know if Euro-looking Buicks will do any better. Buick has pushed American image and look for years, now they want to pull a 180 on that, doesn't make a lot of sense.