Robert Hall

I wonder if GM will offer the 3.6 in the trucks eventually.

Money pit. Depends if you want to burn $1000 to start with and maybe another $5000 or more to make it drivable.

Why?

Why not? What they are doing currently isn't working...time to try something different.

Different brand alignment in different markets.

For 2010, it was ~313k F150s and ~214k Super Dutys according to pickuptrucks.com. The Super Duty number is roughly 3 times the volume of Silverado HDs (75k). So it sounds like F150 sales are up for 2011 and down by over 90% for SDs, which doesn't seem plausable..(though I was surprised by the numbers for the SDs--I guessed they sold 50k a year, not 4 times that..) 2010 truck numbers

I wonder what the sales ratio of F150s to Super Duty models (F250-F550) is...100 to 1? 50 to 1? The F150 has the biggest volume of the F-series models, and may likely be the biggest selling Ford NA model.

Yeah, the cupola is ornamental..it's about 60 feet up..there are a few hay lofts up above the 2nd floor. 1st floor has horse stalls. Ladders built in that go way up, some of which I clambered around on as a kid. It's an 1888 vintage Amish-built barn (the house is sandstone, 1859 vintage, the guest house/log cabin is approx. 1830) (barn and house have a modern t-lock shingle roofs over the vintage slate roofs). All the 'vintage iron' is the barn and the two red garages (approx 1900 vintage 'carriage houses'). My late father's cars, my brother's cars, my Mustangs.... 4 '80s Mustangs, '69 Mustang, 3 '67-68 Cougars, '68 Camaro SS 396, '69 Ford Fairlane, a '62 John Deere tractor and my Mom's modern vehicles.. However, when my folks bought the place in 1968, there were several rusty '50s vintage Hudsons and Packards sitting around in the barnyard...I've seen old photos of them before my Dad had them hauled off.. Everytime I go back there I'm always struck by how dark it gets at night and how quiet it is...can see stars in the sky. I've been a city/suburban dweller for so long, rural is always a sharp contrast.

Yeah, the little video gaming twerps probably only know about FWD 4cyl kiddie cars...

Actually, the segment has been relatively stable. It has never been a huge segment and it will never be, but it is a stable segment. Economic downturn or not, the clientele for V12s are not impacted as much as the middle and upper middle class. The middle and upper middle class do not buy V12s. The more over the top the flagship is, the better it will fulfill its mission of bringing prestige and recognition to the brand. Of course, grabbing a few big spenders along the way doesn't hurt. But, selling itself is secondary to helping sell the Bi-turbo V6 or V8 Omegas, not to mention CTS, XTS, SRX and ATS cars. If you want middle class business, lower the entry price of ATS or simply show them the way to the Buick dealership. In fact, a 14-liter V16 made using the equivalent of two pushrod LS7 V8s mated with a new block making about 1010hp / 940 lb-ft will be even better from a prestige standpoint. The problem of course is that there is no transmission for it and rear drive is no longer viable for putting all that power down. I don't know, I just find it ludicrous that the bigger the engine the more prestigious Mr. 70-year-old-CEO finds his car. Ironically, the only individual I've personally known that had a V12 car was a 50-something yr old tech company CEO/chairman of the board--a BMW 750iL. Sweet car, rode in it a few times back in '02. The company's 30yr old founder and CTO drove an Audi TT roadster. The other 2 tech company CEOs (40-somethings) that I've known drove Priuses. Anyway, I'd be really surprised if GM developed an exclusive DOHC V8 or V12 for a Cadillac flagship...if it can't be shared with the trucks, it isn't happening seems to be the MO at GM as far as larger engines, unfortunately.

Sounds like a fun weekend. Paso Robles is on my 'to-visit' list for when I'm in CA, there is a winery there with my name that I want to visit (I've had a few of their wines).

Back in AZ tonight after a long weekend in E Oh-W Pa...a few pics from the family farm: The barn, as seen from the front porch: Rental Impala at the end of the driveway (approx. 3/4 mile from the house) Road on the left, driveway on the right amidst trees, house barely visible in middle closer view, similar angle Really, really green there. And rainy and muddy.

Problem is, some of those 12 year olds will eventually be successful CEOs, drug dealers, ballers, rappers, etc...they are going to go to Bentley, BMW, or Mercedes to get their V12 if Cadillac isn't in the game...

Realistically competition will probably be upper level Jetta...maybe a3..mkz maybe

Interesting to see talk of a new platform..wonder about the size GM has in mind and possible usage outside Cadillac

Been hot and humid in e Ohio the last few days...then stormy yesterday afternoon...so green here in the hills...nice break from az

That is one strange looking car..was beside a bright blue on in traffic today, w/ a dk red Leaf on the other side of me. I've been seeing a lot of Leafs and Jukes this summer, even a couple NVs and Murano CCs..

Fascinating stuff... I recall an article from a few years ago about a dealership in Cyprus that was closed in '74 when a conflict happened...still in preserved form years later, with new '74 Lancias and Alfas in the garage...

Now that's a first - critics harping on GM not offering a rebadge Well, while the the Regal GS has the OPCs looks, Buick diluted the hardware for the US market (4cyl and FWD instead of V6 and AWD)...

Well, it's like with Corvettes...it's the older guys that can afford to buy expensive toys. Better to see them driving one than some subliterate rapper felon or Justin Beiber.

I wouldn't waste time or money on the dent or the paint or any other cosmetic details. It's the mechanical aspects that count if you want to use it as a reliable driver. (that's how I am w/ my Jeep--only spend money on functional issues---at 11 years/130k miles it's past the point of caring about as far as the cosmetics).

I could see an electric or hybrid version working in cities as well, as part of a green initiative. I've seen tiny Japanese trucks (Diahatsus, etc) used on college campuses, and I've noticed a few w/ city maintenance logos in Scottsdale and downtown Phoenix (which has a fleet of Prii and hybrid Escapes--small electric trucks would fit well w/ their fleet). Not every municipality needs obese gas guzzling full size trucks for every use case.

You are pinning Cadillac's future on the XTS? I don't see an oversized Lexus ES350 as the answer to their problems. Well, the XTS will give them a model to compete w/ the MKS, RL, ES, S80, and 9-5.

Rad...the homebrew I'm waiting to see someone build would involve taking a used CTS sedan, two Northstar V8s, an Escalade ESV and a talented body man and engine builder to build a Sixteen facimile...

Maybe a very minimal yard service with one small mower that trims postage-stamp yards in subdivisions in the burbs could use this. Or someone in a city that carries around cones and barrels or other stuff. Around here in the PHX, I see the yard crews using mostly older full size pickups (usually Silverados)--usually crew cabs or extended cabs--towing enclosed or wire mesh sided trailers w/ their equipment..that's how the Yard Men roll (the crew that does my lawn every two Saturdays--they went from an older Silverado to maybe a 5 yr old Ram Crew Cab last year).