caddycruiser

Again agreed, because if the '05 had the level of fit & finish of the new '07 (i.e., smaller door gaps and eliminating that hideous gap b/w the grille and bumper), I think it'd still be unmatched. The '07 certainly is one damn classy truck--it just seems to lack a little of the character that the current ones have, at least outside (inside in a totally different world, NO question, however).

One question about the car--nearly every one I've seen in pictures so far suffers from sort of a bunched up/big wrinkles in the fabric behind the doors. Just doesn't look like the material was cut too precisely--any comments? Here's a few examples: Now I have seen some that look to fit a little better and not have as bad of wrinkles, but this just made me wonder.

Yeah, not as minute as the typical Onstar/XM/Sirius antennas, but on a large SUV, for example, not THAT noticeable, at least when you have a roof rack: Give it a couple years, and they'll probably be able to combine this into the same small antenna as Sat. Radio/Onstar, etc.

Nah, just a little confused http://www.cheersandgears.com/public/style_emoticons//AH-HA_wink.gif

Nope, not even that--it's just the regular old XLR we've all seen for over a year now (note the polished wheels and regular grille), plus the fact that the image is a very well circulated GM Media shot. Matter of fact, here's the first two shots seen behind the lady in the video:

What, in that screen shot above? That's just an XLR on the left and the Chevy SS concept from a couple years ago on the right. Nothing new. EDIT: Watched the whole video closely again, and the ONLY things in that clip are the SRX, the XLR, and then the Chevy SS concept. Not sure how you didn't see the same exact vehicles on the Cadillac.com website, but everything seen is old news.

Looks a bit blobby Buick to me....could have been a bit crisper, IMHO, but then maybe it would have stepped too much on the Caddy's toes. Oh well, it's still gorgeous--and all the improvements seem to be VERY worthwhile, as seen from a current GMT-800 owner's perspective. http://www.cheersandgears.com/public/style_emoticons//AH-HA_wink.gif

For comparison's sake: Though I love the interior and all the mechanical improvments, there's still something about the current design that catches my eye more--sharper, crisper, more balanced lines, I think. The new one isn't ugly by any means, but there's still "something". The fit & finish on the current trucks can really be awful (have you EVER seen one that actually had the front bumper up where it should be and not hanging crooked with a huge gap at the top?), and the interiors, while still the most comfortable in the class, sucked big time from a style and materials standpoint. At least the new trucks more than fix all of that. Actually, the more I read on the specs of these trucks, it seems like they REALLY did make changes and improvements to things a real-world owner would like--for example, re-engineering the back hatch so that it opens and closes much easier, even without power assist. Same thing with the new rack & pinion steering that will, hopefully, cure the current truck's tendency for slight wander on center. And again, same with the brakes, which have always been a major sore spot on the current models. Too bad they didn't come up with a better solution for the 3rd seat.... B)

Here you go, fresh from the GM Media site: ADVISORY: 2007 GMC Yukon Unveiling -- Live Webcast October 5, 2005, 9 a.m. PDT (12 noon EDT) General Motors debuts its all-new GMC Yukon and Yukon Denali full-size SUVs at the California International Auto Show in Anaheim, Calif. WHEN: October 5, 2005, 9 a.m. PDT (12 noon EDT) WEBCAST: 2007 Yukon and Yukon Denali Unveiling WHO: John Larson, General Manager, Buick-Pontiac-GMC Mary Sipes, Vehicle Line Director, Full-size Utilities

Yep, should be tomorrow--at least that's what they said on Friday's edition of GMTV, so I'll be watching tomorrow's report http://www.cheersandgears.com/public/style_emoticons//AH-HA_wink.gif Pictures should all be out again, just like they were with the Tahoe. I'm not expecting any suprises at all, just the Tahoe we've already seen, the Yukon given a big Envoy look for the GMC and maybe a few different interior trim pieces, and the Escalade being unique and very top drawer, but nothing we haven't already read about. I just want to see the new front end and the vents in the fenders... Oh yeah, and it's all at the Anaheim auto show, which starts tomorrow. I guess there's no real excitement around the net yet, since the Tahoe answered most every question.

Oh, get off yourselves people. No one is copying Cadillac, it just happens that both brands (mainly Cadillac/Mercury) are going after a very similar ultra-contemporary, sharp-edged look--but they're in different ends of the market and none step on the others toes one bit. This would be the same stupid argument as saying "Well that new Hyundai Sonata looks a lot like the Accord--Honda should sue". In a marketplace, there's bound to be similarities, sometimes a lot of them, between products (every car made has to have wheels, for example http://www.cheersandgears.com/public/style_emoticons//AH-HA_wink.gif ), and this falls into that category.

The Jag isn't a very good comparison--it has a lot of the same problems, even if a tad more "finished".

Well, kind of, but those really don't count--upgrading or changing the powetrain when a vehicle is mid-life is normal. Engineering a TOTALLY new vehicle, meant to have a new powertrain to go with it, but then not having the powertrain or certain components of it ready until ALWAYS the next, or 2nd, model year is what seems genuinely "GM". Not saying it's a real black mark against GM, but that comparison is a litttle off.

Wow, I'm just amazed...never seen these things before.... :lol: Stuff other makes have had for YEARS! DTS: Not 100% sure, but this airbag technology can't be THAT new. XLR: Come on, Lexus to name just one, put this on their RX which starts in the $30k's....a few years back. DTS & STS: Intellibeam--actually a recent thing, but Jeep already had it first on the '05 Grand Cherokee. XLR: "Stealth" XM antenna...again, not 100% sure, but this can't be all that new. STS & DTS: Aux. audio jack....hmm, Honda, BMW, etc., etc. already had this in various models.

WEIRDEST one: An '04 base GT Grand Prix (hubcaps and all) stretched fairely long and painted like a Nascar--always in the driveway of a house not far from me, and also not far from the Dover, DE track, so I wonder about it. Saw another one just like it, but a different Nascar #, speeding down the highway once. Like these: And the website for them: Racing Limos Here's an interesting one: And a strange one: And a REALLY strange one (that was on Ebay a while back):

True, just don't go sit in a new Titan/Armada/QX56 because the exact opposite seems to be true....you might get a good laugh, or even be appalled, by what you see and touch--I CERTAINLY was after driving in our '02 Chevy Avalanche to the '04 Baltimore auto show, seeing a new Titan and Armada and then opening the door.... :o They still, two years later, seem sub-prototype in the look and feel of not only their materials, but also of their overall build quality. A lot of the cars are great though. Too bad some of that didn't go to the trucks.

True--only problem I see, with the newly expanded use of "piano black" trim is how it acts just like black paint on the outside of a car: keep it spotless and untouched and it looks amazing, but touch it once or twice (like you would to change the radio or A/C) and it gets fingerprinted up like hell, no to mention scratchy looking. Also strange is how, now that Toyota used the extremely glossy black finish around the center stack on some Sienna models for two years, the number of complaints over how fingerprinted and easily marked up it gets has led them to ditch it for '06, silver painted areas now taking over. Lacrosse specific though, the buttons are all too small and clustered in a way unlike any other GM car I've seen, which seemed really weird at first, and is definately not a good thing. The first Lacrosse I sat in already had the darkest, Black/Ebony interior and even then, somehow, the center stack piece stuck out like a sore thumb to me. Not to mention the fact that I was NOT impressed at all by ANY of the interior materials, save for maybe the leather--solidly assembled, but even the Grand Prix's interior had a nicer design and materials that felt markedly better. Couldn't pinpoint it exactly, but something said "incomplete" all over the Lacrosse--certain details feel like they're still under development. The root cause of the problems with the Lacrosse's insides are too hard and "basic" looking and feeling materials, and just a major lack of overall "zing" like you get from even the gloss of the wood in the ES, slightly more expensive vehicle or not. Actually, I think even just updating the center area with one of the new GM stereo systems and a better climate control panel, both with some chrome bits and bigger buttons, would improve things.

I see the resemblance, loud and clear, but the vehicles occupy quite different levels in the market, so it's not really an exact copy--the Ford/Mercury are more "family" and max out around $35k, while the Caddy can hit around $60k (not to say that it's actually worth that much, but....). But yeah, uncanny resemblance.

Not bad, and quite an improvement around the center stack, but I'll never understand why people think adding stick-on wood pieces to areas like the door pull surrounds or a strip around the vent in that pic looks good. Center stack--VERY good, and much better than the strange black Added "extra" pieces--stupid. If the part doesn't naturally seem like something that could have or would have been molded out of wood, fake or real, in the first place, you shouldn't go sticking it on. Actually, some silver pieces in addition to the wood, like used in the ES's interior (seen above), would look even better, IMHO, and not give "wood overload".

Maybe they realized, regardless of the looks of them, they were just too big and bulky for the purpose they actually served. Here's how I think the truck market will look over the next year or so: 1) Silverado/Sierra - most refined, fuel efficient, and the best interior; most carlike 2) F-series - next to best interior, but not seeming as fresh next to the GM twins, whether from a refinement, comfort, or power standpoint 3) Ram - HUGE and with brute force power across the line, but an new interior that's still less than stellar; "sportiest" of the bunch 4) Titan - Large and nicely styled outside, strong power, but interior materials and overall build quality worst of group; still a lack of choice in model/capability 5) Tundra - Expected to offer models as "big" as the Dodge, with new power and truck-ness, plus a new interior that, if like the Tacoma but better, will run neck and neck with the new GM's

If you're talking about these: I'd say the actually were quite correct http://www.cheersandgears.com/public/style_emoticons//AH-HA_wink.gif

GOOD! Not that I dislike the new Tahoe nose, but I really liked the fact that the Avalanche had it's own unique, and more appropriately aggressive front end from the beginning (if you forget the lousy Silverado nose on the WBH models).

I'd say they will be for '07, but that's just a good guess, since both the Equinox and Malibu (same or very similar mirror design) just got them this year--and it made a BIG difference. Maybe the Pontiac designers think the black matte ones look better on their car?

Where the heck are these pics coming from--first the Ion and then the CTS? I understand if you can't answer, but still....I am curious...

This seems to be a confusion with a lot of people, and even a lot of professional's are getting it wrong, mainly because of the way GM worded all the press releases--unless you REALLY search for mention of the 4-spd, you would think that the 6-spd will be in place across the board. I certainly thought that for almost the first day, until I read everything through a few times, knowing what to look for. Lutz did confirm, though, recently in his Podcast that even though only the 6.2L will be getting it from intro, once they get the production of the 6.2L fully up and running to planned capacity, it will take over for the 4-spd completely, and be in place across the line. Think of it as a situation like the Olds Intrigue or the CTS not getting their "proper" engine until the second model year--kind of a common thing for GM over the years.