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The BMW Z4 was introduced around September of 2002.
GM isn't banking on the Solstice for sales and dollars.
They are working on the new 2007 pickups and SUV along with other new products for bigger sales and more dollars.
GM should put the 4.2 liter 275 hp I-6 in the new 2007 pickups and SUVs.
The Chrysler 300 has staying power. Its styling, retro (1998 Chrysler Chronos concept car and 1957 Chrysler 300), is bold and is what they needed because they were stagnating with the previous fwd 300.
The new Dodge Magnum has generated more sales and excitement about a STATION WAGON than just about any other station wagon ever sold here in North America.
Jaguar likes to say that, but the truth is that the Jag 3.0 engine is EXTREMELY close to the Duratec 3.0, and while the 4.2 doesnt share quite as many bits as the 3.0, its still very closely related to the Lincoln LS V8. Displacement is identical, and power is very close. They've replaced parts with "Jag spec" parts that are largely the same, but it allows them to say that a huge percentage of the V8 is Jaguar specific when it really isnt. The V8 Vantage shows what the engine can actually do when somebody REALLY works it over. The fact that the Jag version is THAT close to the Lincoln proves they didnt really do much of anything to it.
Jaguar's V-8 is NOT a Ford V-8.
It came out in the 1997 Jaguar XK8 with a 4.0 liter displacement.
The 4.2 liter V-8, which came out for the revised 2003 S-Type and XK8 and the aluminum 2004 XJ, doesn't have the potential timing chain tensioner or nikasil problems of the 4.0 liter V-8 from the 1997-2000 XK8.
check this link
Jaguar's V-8
As for 425hp. When gas hits $3 a gallon, let's see how appealing these gas guzzlers are. Detroit is making the same mistake they made in the '70s when the price of gas skyrocketed, trying to sell the same old land yachts to a public that needed economy. These guys will never learn.
GM's timing is exquisite, by the way, bringing out a whole new line of huge SUVs and trucks now as the price of gas soars. And with a straight face, Lutz says these are going to sell well. Detroit has a death wish and it's going to come true.
The bent/cracked rim thing is pretty much the price for such footwear also. The wholesale eating of tires seems to be a big problem too, especially when luxury car buyers opt for a "sport" package and then find out that their tires aren't going to last anywhere near what they did previously. On sports cars its even worse, just ask any Nissan 350Z or 911 owner.
M
There is little synergy or evolution between the M and the C. The letters stuck on the end are basically meaningless. The two models look nothing like each other, and probably appeal to different demographics. How often does a particular Acura, BMW, Benz, etc. from model year to model year appeal to a different type of customer?
Is the 300C destined to be another "flavor of the month" car? Hard to say. But I don't believe future versions of the 300 will necessarily look like mafia staff cars with pushrods with fat power bands. This car happened to hit a perfect niche, and appeals to the traditional domestic customer who typically would not cross-shop this car against imports. It's image is that of a macho, take-no-prisoners, all-American, meat-and-potatoes sedan that is currently kicking the tails of the more "effeminate" and less-endowed Ford 500 and anything GM has to offer.
I don't know what else can be said about GM at this point. Push back a convertible until Sept, like someone else said, is a less than smart move, but reportedly they're having problems with the top. The same thing has been said about the G6 convertible. Top problems. Time for GM to get Porsche (Car Top Systems) or Toyota (SC430) to do their tops if the good old boys in Detroit's supplier community can't do them.
M
Plus GM just killed the new Zeta RWD platform that would have given them something to combat the new Mopars with. Talk about a kick in the gut. They did this to concetrate on the next generation large trucks/SUV. I can understand this decision to a point, those trucks are such big money makers, but how much longer do these vehicles have when gas prices are seemingly never going back down?
M
The reason why I think is because it DOESNT just try to copy what Toyota and Honda are doing. Toyota, Honda, and Nissan have nothing like the 300. You can never be the best just by copying the top players. It appears Chrysler has figured that out, but Ford and GM still have not. It will be interesting to see what Chrysler rolls out in the future. With the exception of the 300..and I guess Pacifica, the rest of their line-up basically sucks. Will lightning strike twice? Or will they continue to have the 300 and then a fleet of rental cars?
The SRX is the only real competitive x-over any of the big 3 have, and unfortunately it falls into the STS trap of "we can get Mercedes money for this, right guys?" Actually... doesnt the '06 M-class cost LESS than an SRX?
-Edit: Yes, it does. The Mercedes MSRPs lower, and a fully loaded ML500 with everything except the AMG sport package costs about $1000 less than a loaded SRX V8. Brilliant.
I've never compared prices for the SRX, but I knew they weren't cheap. Cadillac seems to feel like their image and repuation has been repaired to the point of not needing to undercut their competitors in price. Not!
M
It's definitely macho, though, and for guys who are afraid they might be called girlie men by driving a Ford 500 or a sensible shoes Honda Civic DX, get a Hemi and be a real man. Grr. Remember, REAL MEN DON'T NEED BRAKES!
The only ones I know of are the A6 (standard) and 5 series (optional). Lexus, Infiniti, Acrua - no folding seat.
Not having a folding rear seat is pretty much a deal breaker for me. I just drove the A6 and was under-impressed, and the reliability (coupled with the expense) of the 5 series makes me a bit concerned.
I don't want an SUV (have driven a 96 Bronco for the past 10 years - want something different now), and I'd rather poke myself in the eye with a hot stick than get an Accord.
Mmmm. Seems to me that Honda made a good living copying BMW styling cues and Lexus cloned Mercedes.
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Did anyone own an older BMW 535i 5-speed? Say 89-95. I would like to buy one for a driver, back and forth to work kind of a car. Any reason I should stay clear of it? They seem cheap enough that I wouldn't have to worry about door dings or any of the small stuff.
Thanks
Phil
How does it compromise the body rigidity, exactly? It seems to me that, as long as the seat is in the vertical position, it would be the same. If the seat has the ability to move, does that affect rigidity since the sides of the car are not affixed to the sides of the rear seat?
The 89-95 BMW 5 series is a great sedan. The 89-93 535i has a great 3.4 liter 208 hp I-6.
They can engineer around this and put folding seats in but then they give up some of the luxury feel of the seat back.
It's all based on cost benefit too. Not enough people are asking for it so it's not being engineered in. Too bad because it's a nice thing to have.
Capt. Phil
Expect really low gas mileage (10-12 mpg)... and expensive prices for parts.. fairly maintenance intensive, as well...
Great cars to drive, though... and I think they are great looking..
regards,
kyfdx
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I will stay clear of the V8, thanks. I like the old straight 6. It seems like a relatively simple engine.
Capt. Phil
I was curious about this, so I did the research. As pearl said the Buick will win, at least in a 0-60 test, but not by all that much. You have the advantage in engine power, 290 hp @ 6000 rpm and 300 ft-lbs @ 4000 rpm, vs. 240 hp @ 5200 rpm and 280 ft-lbs @ 3600 rpm for the Buick. Unfortunately, that difference is offset by 328lbs. of weight in the Lexus.
He'll get to 60 about a half tick before you will (6.6 vs. 7.1). On the other hand, he drives a Buick regal thats currently worth about pocket change, and you drive an LS400, so I'd feel pretty good about that If you're that concerned about beating him, trade for a GS400, and you will.
How do you know which LS400 he has??? He could have a 1990-1994 or a 1995 to 1997 model. In which case the Regal supercharged would dust it in every which way possible.
Thank you
5 = 4,571
E = 3,731
STS = 3,541
GS = 3,198
M = 2,288
RL = 1,304
March 2005 Sales
5 = 3,949
E = 3,608
GS = 3,209
STS = 2,954
M = 2,253
A6 = 1,681
RL = 1,376
I also presume STS incentives are doing the trick?
Are there incentives on the STS? All I've seen is 5.9% financing.
5, E, and STS are selling surprisingly well. Why is 5 selling so well??
(I also think Lincoln LS sales are surprisingly high--jrock, do you have this?).
More surprises: STS and GS selling better than M.
No surprise: RL coming in last. Acura, however, must be shocked, shocked, especially after C&D included it in the 10 Best Cars in the World shortly after its introduction (but before the M and GS debuted).
The average buyer has heard about Mercedes and Cadillacs all their life. During the 80's, BMW established such an image of being upwardly mobile that they are just as easily recognizable. I would bet that most people who buy a Jag like the look and the name, but don't care too much about performance (unless they shop for the R versions)--my wife is one; she loves the look of the S and I would have felt guilty not getting one if the rear seat had had more room.
With Lexus being (relatively) much newer and Infiniti being just as new but out of the spotlight in recent years (until the G35, then the FX, and now the M). These are just below many people's radar.
Maybe that is a local incentive.
The M will do fine over time - it will probably increase sales just like the G which started out slowly but has increased in sales every year since. In order for Infiniti to compete with Lexus they need a winning Q45. The LS has been such a fine (and good selling) automobile - it carries the entire Lexus fleet. So even though many believe the G is superior to the ES and the M is superior to the GS - no one believes the Q is superior to the LS. Infiniti needs to win the flagship car competition and enjoy the spillover effect on their other models. Plus they need a catchy slogan. The "relentless pursuit of perfection" or the "ultimate driving machine" are ingrained in many minds here.
The GS has a history of starting out strong and then fading away. There was such a pent up demand for the car (it was due last year) that sales will be strong for awhile. There was NO demand for the M so I'm pretty sure Infiniti is happy with their sales so far. Will be interesting to see how these sales figures change over the next year or two.
I think it's also more relevant to compare RL sales to the 6-cylinder versions of the M, GS, STS, and 5. That would still likely put the RL in last place (since something like 75% of luxury cars are sold with a 6-cylinder), but this car really doesn't compete with 8 cylinder models.
Regardless, RL sales will likely end the model year somewhere between 15,000 and 16,000 sales, which I believe will be below their stated target of 20,000.
While a majority of MB and BMW customers would probably thumb their noses at Japan, you can only punish your customers so much before they start leaving. I've known more than a few people who were stranded in Benz and BMW and traded them for reliable Acura and Lexus.
Keep in mind that the G and ES are not really competitiors. The G competes with the IS300. Infiniti tried mostly in vain to compete with the ES with the '96 I30. Unfortunately they never realized that the ES is not a Camry with a fancy coat of paint, and thats always what the I was, which is what killed it. It most likely would've died anyway. The I30 was a product made during Infiniti's "lost years" where the company literally had no focus and couldnt decide what kind of cars to make, so they just put out barely modified Maximas and Pathfinders.
Lexus is certainly well aware of the GS's tradition of being a flash in the pan. Thats why this time they are planning continual upgrades during several model years rather than leaving it alone for 8 years like last time.
The M appears to be hitting the right niches, and most importantly, crossing over different segments. They are obviously appealing to younger customers who rate power and performance near the top, while also conquering older, more conservative customers with the non-sport versions of the M35 and M45. And delivering an AWD model that gives up little in terms of performance is allowing them to cover all the bases.
The current issue of Motor Trend shows a rendering of the upcoming Infiniti CX35, which will go head-to-head with the RDX, Cadillac BRX, and Benz MLK in MY2008. Infiniti and Nissan are clearly on a roll.