jrockb4

Hmmm, did Chrysler get caught with their proverbial hands in the cookie jar? http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?A...333/1148/AUTO01 It would seem that DCX has been making a lot of cars and just stocking them, while this is common for many manufacturers, it can not be a good long term strategy. I think GM and Ford have worked to reduce inventories, and right size their corporations.

AWESOME!!!!!!!!

While that is important, I think to a large degree the press and the hype that goes with it is more important to GM right now. Just like all the hybrid hype, even though many are not coming close to paying off the extra costs through fuel savings. I am even hearing non car people talk about GM's vehicles that will run on corn lol. They just need to keep the marketing blitz up, make sure there is a spread on e85 with every SUV or truck review.

Wasn't the last Z06 engine hand built? If we equate the price increase between the base C6 and the Z06 at $25k, then why can't the CTS-V have that engine for around $55k? I can not belive that the number of CTS-V's sold is that great, I would suspect that it would be less than 5 a day. Is the next CTS going to be bigger, smaller or the same size? This is important as if I remember correctly, the Northstar is too big for the CTS.

Pontiac will always have badged engineered cars, it is just what degree they are differentiated that is the question. GM can not afford to build unique cars for Pontiac only.

How difficult can the powertrains be? All parts are there, I think the biggest thing is just the platform and interior. They don't need to overthink it, they have new V6's and great V8's with the new trannys on the way!

When I was in the last Astra the interior was quite a bit nicer than any of the small GM cars here in the US. I would hope and expect that this one has continued to raise the bar. I wonder what models we would get and if they will just take the 2.0 Turbo and give us a redline model right from the beginning. Or is we would get the twintop here it would keep GM at the lead of affordable hardtop convertibles like the new VE EOS and Volvo C70. Here is a link with vidoes of all three: http://www.autoblog.com/2006/02/03/video-o...dtop-in-action/

I truly love the SRX Northstar I have now, that is great news and may be cause for me to buy a new one!!!! While the interior is not luxury, it still looks great!!!!!!!!

If done right, this can be a big winner. But only if done right, I would love to see a high power model with AWD. Can the platform support AWD?

Many here may hate this idea, but I think it is good for now. If done right this can be a hi-po pocket rocket niche for Pontiac. No base model, just hot and hotter. Start with 205 and offer a 240 hp model.

http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?A...UTO01/602090391 While I will give Chrysler credit for being profitable and gaining market share, could they be sprouting a leak? They do seem to have some fairly exciting new products coming (I like the Caliber, Nitro and some of the things coming from Jeep), but you have to wonder if they can keep up the momentum.

Brazil recently announce that through the use of ethanol they were in a position to all but eliminate the use of imported crude. They use sugar cane for the ethanol there. Here are a couple of articles. GM is a leader in this area. Get out of the oil company pockets and make an investment as see what can happen!!!!! http://www.gasandoil.com/goc/news/ntl52722.htm http://cornandsoybeandigest.com/mag/soybea...booming_brazil/

That is a result of the large number of languages that make up the European market.

I think some it it has to do with the prices that the vehicle is sold at. In the US the Deltas are entry or just above entry level cars, in the UK and Europe they are quite a bit further up the food chain if I am not mistaken. I know car prices in the UK are traditionally rather high. For example a Vectra in the UK starts at about $28k. And the Astra starts at just under $20k with a 1.6l engine.

There is only one country in the developed world that does not see medical care as a right, not a priviledge. That is an added burden to our industries. I am not for socialism as a whole, but I do not think that a pure capitalistic society is the answer. As this auto workers and others become unemployed, where do you think your tax money goes? Medicaid, unemployment, criminal justice system?

Man this is just what I was thinking!!! I have seen things like this in other countries and it works, but this would take some creative and forward thinking people to actually serve in Congress Too bad the auto industry does not have the money to hire Abramoff lol. I still think that the big issue for the domestics is the $1500/vehicle deficit that pensions and health care put on each vehicle. What could GM and Ford do as far as engineering and materials were concerned if they had that $1500?

I say vive us both a bigger 6 sizes Eldo and a smaller G35 fighter something else (could not think of a name).

I like, I like!!!!!!

Maybe they can get an injunction like the compay did against RIM for the Blackberry!!! Wouldn't that be a kick in the head. I would want the full R&D costs plus a couple of grand per vehicle lol.

They started showing up at the dealers here in Dallas last weekend, 2 of the lots I say had well over 10 of them as of last Saturday (Jan 7). They were advertising them and told me they actually sold a couple over the weekend.

That math works with almost every hybrid out there lol People who think they are saving money, really are no it almost every circumstance, they are just giving to the auto maker, rather than the oil company!!!! Right now it is all a perception thing, I think that is what GM kept telling people and the press. No one listened, that is why they are so late to the game. They kept hoping everyone would wake up. Everyone know at the current state of technology a good turbo diesel will beat a hybrid for cost of ownership everytime. That is why the Europeans are laughing at us.

My personal opinion is that Cady needs a true LS/A8/7 Series/S Class fighter. Offer the DTS, keep it fwd, move the STS up to the size of the competition, Enlarge the CTS only a little and add a 3 series sized entry car. By end of decade offer a couple of Coupe/Converts and a $150k+ flagship.

Hmm, interesting. I wonder to what degree though. Many MB parts are trickiling down to the DCX lineup and doing wonders for Chrysler and Dodge. GM has to be able to figure out a way to do that without diminishing Cadillac. It just makes the cost equation that much better. I also believe that Cadillac needs to introduce all of the high tech gadgets on teh Caddies at least a year before other cars get them (a la Infiniti). The reason I asked the What's Next Question, is because it is said that it is much easier to go from Bad to Good, than from good to Great!. Caddy is good, but they need to improve the current lineup (interiors, perfect handling, upgrade powertrains, refresh styling (continiuous teweaking)) to just keep up. They need to do a great job at those things if they want to vault to the top. I agree that Caddy is good right now and they spent a lot of money to get there, but in the current auto industry you can not spend and forget, you must have some thing that turns heads and keeps everyone's attention every year or at least every other year!!! Don't want us to come back in five years, talking about how Caddy was strong in the early part of the decade, but died as a result of neglect.

We have all seen the goods from the NAIAS, what should we expect from the General and others at New York? Maybe one of the other Lambda CUV's? New Full size trucks? Any ideas?

No one is prouder of the turn around that Cadillac has made than I am. Hell I even drive an Allante But what I want to know is, what is next for Cadillac after the Escalade redo this year? Is it a new CTS? SRX? New models? What? I do not want Caddy to fall into neglect, while GM is trying to right the rest of the ship. I figure they are good for the next year to 18 months, but after that they will need to keep the block busters coming. The SRX (Which I also own) is beginning to fall behind, the CTS line was never expanded and the Northstar needs to continue to be improved.