Drew Dowdell

Yup, up and out of the way. Lift height is programmable too.

Details emerged Wednesday of the labor agreement between the United Auto Workers and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. The overall contract is similar to the one agreed to by Ford last month. The four year contract includes: Signing bonus of $9,000 for full-time employees, $3,500 for temporary workers. Full-time workers can now reach the top pay bracket in four years rather than the current eight. FCA will create 7,900 jobs through 2023 which includes the 6,500 jobs already announced for a new plant in Detroit. $9 Billion in U.S. manufacturing investments. Dissolution of the jointly-run National Training Center, the focal point of a federal corruption investigation. An increase in profit sharing from $800 per percent of N.A. profit margin to $900 per percent. "In-progression" employees will now get the same healthcare as senior hourly employees. FCA will also offer $60,000 retirement packages to eligable workers in Belvidere Assembly, Marysville Axle, Mount Elliot, and a parts-distribution center in Wisconsin. UAW leaders from the various plants are meeting in Detroit to review the deal and decide whether to send it to the rank-and-file membership as a whole for ratification. If approved for voting, it will likely start on Friday and take a week to complete. FCA is the final of the domestic auto manufacturers to complete their deal with the UAW. View full article

Gas 350 (3-speed automatic) would be the only combo. '81 V8-6-4 (disabling the solenoids can cause transmission issues). I'd rather find a working 8-6-4 and keep it clean with frequent oil changes.

Well the inevitable finally happened, Buick has confirmed that the Regal will not be returning to the U.S. after the 2020 model year. After that, Buick will be an all-SUV brand. The move comes as light-truck sales take 70% of the U.S. market and 90% of all Buick sales. While the Regal retreats from these shores, it will still continue to be sold in China where demand remains strong. As of the end of Q3 this year, Buick moved only 8,849 units of Regal year to date. That's down 19.6% from the year prior. Regal's demise was hinted at during the Los Angeles Auto Show where no Regals were on display. The Buick Lacrosse sedan and Buick Cascada convertible were canceled earlier this year. Starting next year, the Buick Encore GX will join the lineup, a slightly larger iteration of the Buick Encore, but on a new platform and using a new 3-cylinder engine. View full article

One of the best. Less road noise and better ride than the Pilot. Nicer interior than Enclave or Traverse. Bigger and more up to date than the Durango. Highlander is new and I haven't driven the new one yet. The one downside I've found to this one is fuel economy. In my mostly suburban driving I'm getting in the high teens and I'm pretty gentle on the throttle. It doesn't have the trick cylinder shutoff that the GM twins and Pilot have.

Well, it's going back today. Get your final questions in.

Updated with MB numbers.

Mercedes-Benz Passenger Vehicles Nov-19 Nov-18 Monthly % YTD 2019 YTD 2018 Yearly % A-CLASS 1,544 - - 16,475 - - B-CLASS* 0 0 0.0% 9 134 -93.3% CLA 1,641 1,832 -10.4% 11,056 20,848 -47.0% C-CLASS 4,469 5,777 -22.6% 45,740 53,610 -14.7% E-CLASS/CLS 3,689 5,181 -28.8% 36,770 41,380 -11.1% S-CLASS 1,452 1,672 -13.2% 11,441 13,492 -15.2% SLC 62 149 -58.4% 1,693 1,841 -8.0% SL 100 181 -44.8% 1,550 1,968 -21.2% AMG GT 534 103 418.4% 3,763 1,389 170.9% GLA 2,461 2,411 2.1% 20,041 21,739 -7.8% GLC 7,515 6,199 21.2% 67,214 62,433 7.7% GLE 6,052 3,988 51.8% 44,193 42,276 4.5% GLS 2,893 2,761 4.8% 19,323 19,308 0.1% G-CLASS 1,309 768 70.4% 6,532 3,525 85.3% TOTAL 33,721 31,022 8.7% 285,800 283,943 0.7% Vans1 3,542 1,857 90.7% 36,650 34,062 7.6% MBUSA Combined Total Nov-19 Nov-18 Monthly % YTD 2019 YTD 2018 Yearly % GRAND TOTAL 37,263 32,879 13.3% 322,450 318,005 1.4% *Model has been discontinued in the U.S. market. 1 Mercedes-Benz, Freightliner Sprinter and Metris Vans are sold and marketed in the U.S. by Mercedes-Benz USA and Daimler Vans USA, respectively.

I used to play in highschool. It's more an ornament now than anything.

I like this era Eldorado too.. but the engines scare me. Put my 307 in an Eldorado and I'd be there all day. I like all three and think they all did well representing their various brands, though the Riv is my least favorite of the three as I feel it looks very feminine. I always consider the Seville to be the 4th brother of this trio since it is so closely related, and count it among my favorites too.

It's still a vehicle with an average sticker price in the high $30k range. It's never going to to outsell the Sportage, though it did outsell the soul.

Had a friend over and put the tree up. Happy holidays everyone.

The exteriors are fine, just the interiors are out of date with terrible infotainment systems.

Wait, how did they sell 31 CX-30s already when it just debuted in the US on the 21st?

Solid gains indeed... and they're not even selling an SUV yet.

ONE person went home with a new Touareg

Best November sales in 15 years Eleventh consecutive month of year over year growth for the brand XC90 continues to lead in both volume and growth; up 40.9 percent over November 2018 7.2 percent total US sales growth year to date ROCKLEIGH, NJ (November 3, 2019) Today, Volvo Car USA reports the best November sales since 2004 with 8181 units sold, an almost 18 percent year-over-year increase. Year-to-date Volvo Car USA continues to show strength in the luxury segment with 95,874 units sold, an increase of 7.2 percent versus 89,437 sold in 2018. Anders Gustafsson, President and CEO of Volvo Car USA, said, “ Refreshed and recharged the XC90 stakes it’s claim as the volume leader with 3522 units sold, up 40.9 percent over November 2018.”

Quarterly: Ford Motor Company - Not Reported General Motors Co. - Not Reported Tesla - Not Reported FCA US LLC - Not Reported Monthly: Audi of America - Up 20.7% for the month, Down 1.1% for the year BMW of North America - Up 7.6% for the month, Up 1.7% for the year Genesis Motor America - Up 419.7% for the month, Up 96.0% for the year Honda Motor Co. - Up 11.1% for the month, Up 1.5% for the year Hyundai Motor America - Up 6.2% for the month, Up 3.6% for the year Infiniti USA - Down 34.0% for the month, Down 13.8% for the year Jaguar Land Rover North America - Kia Motors America - Up 12.0% for the month, Up 4.0% for the year Mazda North American Operations - Up 18.0% for the month, Down 8.2% for the year Mercedes-Benz USA - Up 13.3% for the month, Up 1.4% for the year Mitsubishi Motors North America - Up 6.5% for the month, Up 1.9% for the year Nissan Group - Down 15.9% for the month, Down 7.8% for the year Porsche Cars North America Inc. - Up 11.5% for the month, Up 7.0% for the year Subaru of America, Inc. - Up 0.2% for the month, Up 3.6% for the year Toyota Motor North America - Up 9.2% for the month, Down 1.4% for the year Volkswagen of America - Up 9.1% for the month, Up 4.2% for the year Volvo Cars of North America, LLC - Up 18% for the month, Up 7.2% for the year Brands (Quarterly): Alfa Romeo - Not Reported Buick - Not Reported Cadillac - Not Reported Chevrolet - Not Reported Chrysler - Not Reported Dodge - Not Reported Ford - Not Reported Fiat - Not Reported GMC - Not Reported Jeep - Not Reported Lincoln - Not Reported Ram Trucks - Not Reported Tesla - Not Reported Brands (Monthly): Acura - Down 0.9% Audi - Up 20.7% BMW - Up 7.6% Genesis - Up 419.7% Honda - Up 7.9% Hyundai - Up 8.4% Infiniti - Down 34.0% Jaguar - Kia - Up 10.9% Land Rover - Lexus - Up 13.8% Mazda - Up 18.0% Mercedes-Benz - Up 8.7% Mercedes-Benz Vans - Up 90.7% MINI - Down 6.4% Mitsubishi - Down 7.9% Nissan - Down 13.3% Porsche - Up 11.5% Smart - No Longer Reported Subaru - Up 0.3% Toyota - Up 8.4% Volkswagen - Up 9.1% Volvo - Up 18% View full article

Volkswagen of America November 2019 Sales Nov. 19 Nov. 18 Yr/Yr% change Nov. 19 YTD Nov. 18 YTD Yr/Yr% change Golf 318 300 6.0% 5,330 6,361 -16% GTI 768 1,045 -27% 10,907 15,639 -30% Golf R 356 116 207% 3,829 3,380 13% e-Golf 366 230 59% 4,599 1,132 306% Golf SportWagen 945 797 19% 10,064 13,334 -25% Total Golf Family 2,753 2,488 11% 34,729 39,846 -13% Jetta Sedan 8,966 9,207 -2.6% 92,289 80,473 15% Jetta SportWagen (now Golf SportWagen) - - N/A - 71 N/A Total Jetta 8,966 9,207 -2.6% 92,289 80,544 15% Beetle Coupe 383 338 13% 7,380 8,181 -10% Beetle Convertible 407 210 94% 9,123 5,313 72% Total Beetle 790 548 44% 16,503 13,494 22% Passat 228 2,156 -89% 13,409 38,285 -65% CC 4 5 -20% 56 444 -87% Arteon 317 - N/A 2,166 - N/A Tiguan Limited 1 273 -100% 390 13,357 -97% Tiguan 8,402 6,794 24% 101,642 81,123 25% Total Tiguan 8,403 7,067 19% 102,032 94,480 8% Touareg 1 85 -99% 153 1,964 -92% Atlas 7,756 5,233 48% 74,108 52,960 40% Total Car 13,058 14,404 -9.3% 159,152 172,613 -7.8% Total SUV 16,160 12,385 30% 176,293 149,404 18% TOTAL 29,218 26,789 9.1% 335,445 322,017 4.2%

Model November Sales Year-to-Date 2019 2018 2019 2018 ALL 911 979 1,056 8,602 8,858 ALL 718 247 422 3,689 5,039 ALL PANAMERA 657 800 6,033 7,710 ALL CAYENNE 1,972 1,294 17,519 9,350 ALL MACAN 2,471 2,101 20,992 22,159 GRAND TOTALS 6,326 5,673 56,835 53,116