Drew Dowdell

Why did GM kill the Avalanche and ditch QuadraSteer on GMC trucks? Low take rate on the Quadrasteer... The avalanche? Because they're idiots.

So why do Europeans in general (and Germans in particular) prefer wagons over crossovers? They don't see the benefits of SUVs. Cons for SUVs in Europe: 1. Less stable at very high speed driving. The autobahn is well known for it's lack of speed limits in some places, but other countries have very high speed limits too. France's top speed limit is over 80mph. 2. Lower fuel economy v. wagons. Pros for Wagons and hatchbacks in Europe: 1. 90% of the utility of a crossover... sometimes better utility than certain crossovers. 2. sedan like handling 3. better fuel economy than a crossover The fuel economy thing is probably the biggest factor. Even with a diesel, a FWD Opel Astra Wagon 1.6 CDi gets much better fuel economy (3.8 liters / 100km)* than a FWD Opel Mokka 1.6 CDi with the same engine and transmission (5.1 liters / 100km)*. *lower is better, converted to the US measurement it is roughly 51mpg v. 46mpg. Yet both vehicles have roughly the same utility. Europeans in general are highly conscious of fuel consumption due to the high cost of fuel, but Germans in particular are very financially frugal (even credit cards are looked down on there, the way they do mortgages on houses is very different too) Another factor is winter driving. In most parts Germany specifically and in all of the Nordic countries, you are required to run snow tires on your car during certain months of the year, so having AWD is less of a "thing" for them. If I could get by in a RWD CTS with snow tires, than a FWD Astra wagon would do at least as well. Many people in the US seem to think that if they spend $2,000 on AWD, then they can "save" having to spend $500 on snow tires... and people automatically equate AWD with SUV even though that isn't the case. And since AWD is a negative on fuel consumption, they value saving fuel over some marginal increase in snow going ability. Aside from freaks like Dfelt who are too tall , the vast majority of crossover drivers in the US would be better served by a wagon..... but because SUVs/CUVs are status symbols, wagons have become unpopular. That said, I would totally buy a wagon, but even I can't sell it to my other half.....

When do you take delivery?

At the rate we're going, I'm not going to get to do any skiing here on the east coast Careful what you say.. last year the north east got BLASTED! I'd like a little more snow than we got here in the STL area. While the rest of the US got hit hard at times we only really had 1 snow. and I didn't get to ski any of it because of my crazy travel schedule

Escalade just barely tickles $100k... if you buy an ESV Platinum. The Grand Wagoneer will need to start in the $50k range (base price of the Yukon XL is $51,260) and then maybe option up to $100k for the PHEV Summit Extended length.

At the rate we're going, I'm not going to get to do any skiing here on the east coast

Well, you happen to be wrong about the German attitudes towards road trips and such.... and the reason for their preferences for wagons.

I just have to LOL at this...

What shrinking product? Except for the compact crossover segment which is relatively new, almost all segments have grown substantially. Tempo -> Contour -> Fusion (which is as large as the old Taurus) The Civic of today is larger than the Accord of 25 years ago. I'd also wager that a lot of the sales of these compact crossovers are coming at the expense of small economy car sales rather than people downsizing from a Suburban.

The B-O-F factor is moot anyway as there are no B-o-F cars left in production. Approximately Zero S-Class/Continental/CT6/A6/LaCrosse owners are going to go anywhere near the limit of their cars. Most drivers, even ones with lots of money, cannot handle a Corolla at 7/10ths much less one of these high performance machines.... So if Lincoln can pry some old blue-hair out of her E-class, it's not going to be for how fast the Contiental can or cannot go around the Nurburgring.

Lovely!

I just finished the bulk of my holiday baking (8 dozen cookies, 4 loaves of cheese bread) .... and I just realized I don't have anything to store them in...

I spotted a pair of M-Body Chrysler New Yorker 5th Aves today. I actually pulled into the lot to take a look. One is an '82 with leather interior one is an '86 with cloth interior. Both from the same estate. Paint is a little rough on both as it was clearly an elderly driver parking by braille, but otherwise they look extremely clean. The '82's interior looks just about perfect, the '86 has a few small holes in the cloth seats. A friend of mine like these a lot so I sent the info to him

Then why do you keep saying that Cadillac has only one crossover? In fact, if we use the German methodology of "counting" models, Cadillac has three. I guess probably because it suits your bias of stomping on anything Cadillac. I guess he works for Land Rover now?

Subaru is like 50% wagons I suppose I should point out that I am just guessing.

TourX.... pronounced TourCross. and yes, I would be interested in a Regal TourCross

I agree on all counts. Oh please tell me they aren't making an electric version of that!

I don't believe that at all. The S-Class with airmatic has a cloud like ride. It is well controlled, but it isn't "sporting". I wouldn't consider an S-Class's chassis or suspension to be "mailed in". Sporty ride is just one goal to aim for. There are other alternative goals out there as well.

The reason they are grouped together is because there is no longer a definitive line between what is an SUV and what is a CUV. Body on Frame makes an SUV? Well then does that mean the Grand Cherokee, Durango, and Land Rover Range Rover are crossovers? Is it the direction the engine is facing with longitudinal being an SUV.... does that mean the GLK/GLC and X3 are SUVs then? Maybe if it is on a shared car platform or not makes it a crossover? That would make the Traverse an SUV and an Explorer a crossover. We can't really stick most of them into the anachronistic segments we once had.

I'd then ask, what makes a chassis "advanced"? All it needs to be is stiff and light. Suspension tuning will take care of the rest for whichever way you want it to go.

The thing is, Lincoln isn't even going for sporty. Which is fine. There is a dearth of soft riding cars on the market right now for those of us who like them.