emh

Just saw the news... The reason given for dropping the new V8 is "decline in demand for the V8" --- well, duh... that's because Cadillac has the least powerful V8 among its competitors and has no desirable car with a V8 option. People who want a premium V8 are buying other brands Two things give me some hope: 1. The fact that GM isn't blaming the demise on CAFE, which seems to imply the decision was something specific to this engine (maybe it wasn't going to be competitive with upcoming engines in the segment) 2. "There are a lot of options to cover that premium V8 segment" The "lot of options" better be along the lines of: 1. Some other 400+hp DOHC V8 2. Hybrid powertrains competitive with V8 3. V10 or V12 etc. and not tweaked V6es -- while high-powered V6s can cover a lot of the midddle of the luxury turf, the high-end absolutely needs V8 or more.

I think you are on to something here

People who want to show off ARE the market for V, M, and AMG cars for the most part. An auto is a good thing as long as the manual also is available. The "hardcore enthusiasts" are buying Boxsters, Corvettes, 911s etc.

makfu, autoeng, Congrats on your new cars! Please put up some pics when you get them.

In addition to the V8, CTS also needs to get some of the techno gadgetry that's available on the 5-series and E-class to be competitive -- adaptive cruise, 20-way power adjustable front seats, HUD, electronic trunk closing, front parking sensors, power rear sunshade etc. At least some of these will make it to the MCE according to rumors.

I agree, but my point is that just because a technology exists doesn't mean it's commercially viable. For a good example, think about super-sonic flight -- technology that has existed for decades but isn't in use in commercial flight today (and the one historical use was a commercial failure).

Why is the Malibu, all new for 2008, scheduled for a redesign in 2011/12 while the already ancient Impala hangs around till the same time? If the Imapala hangs on in current from until 2011, the name will be so tainted and synonymous with outdated technology there will be no choice but to drop the name.

I see... thanks for the link. But you can't really compare a one-off technology demonstration to a production vehicle. A much more compelling case would be to argue why GM doesn't have a competitor to the likes of the Tesla roadster (0-60 in 4s and energy efficiency equivalent to 135mpg according to Wikipedia -- yes that great source of absolutely accurate information). Of course, this applies to all major manufacturers, not just GM.

Uh... it's cheaper. There's no point trying to offer a luxury interior in the same car "a college student drives". I'd much rather see the technology adapted to existing cars in different market segments.

The link you posted goes to a 78kW (~104hp) 200 mile range Mini for $50k. What am I missing?

My thoughts exactly... and it needs to be a very significant MCE too. I'd much rather see 2 well executed Alphas -- a Pontiac at a mainstream price point and a Cadillac at a premium price point. Saturn should be fine with FWD -- all of it's competition is.

That's redundant -- the Tundra is included in the "deeply discounted competitors".

That's good to hear! The STS is a car that can appeal to BMW and MB buyers. My comment about those buyers not considering was specifically about the DTS (which I clearly said in that post).

Yes it does, and this is the biggest hole in Cadillac's lineup (not that there aren't other missing pieces, but this is the most costly one in terms of attracting newer generations of buyers to Cadillac). There's nothing wrong with having a well-designed, well-equipped, sport-luxury sedan/coupe/convertible with an excellent powertrain. Luxury and image is no longer defined by size...

In order for Buick to have any chance of survival, they need to draw a different clientele from Chevy/GMC, and that means it's perfectly okay to forego the buyers who are value-oriented. A big appeal of luxury brands (other than the vehicle itslef) is exclusivity. By definition, you can't appeal to value-oriented buyers and aspire to be a luxury brand.The point someone raised about dealership experience is a good one. That's another aspect Buick really needs to pay attention to if they want to woo luxury buyers.