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AH5 Seat adjuster, driver 8-way power -- -- -- S S
From http://eogld.ecomm.gm.com/NASApp/domestic/vehiclesel.jsp?year=2008®ionID=1&di- visionID=3
Caddy should have learned after the dreadful Cimarron and the not much better Catera.
Now if they would make ABS and folding rear seat standard on this $22,000 car, they'd be getting there.
The Impala did not even offer ESC up through 2007 -- I don't know about 2008.
The 6 way seat hardware/frame is c/o from 2007 and other w cars. In actuality I believe that the Grand Prix and LaCrosse still use the 6 way until the new models. So still a bit of cost savings yet an advantage over the competitors.
I wonder what the new Malibu uses in all those areas? power, rear, abs, esc
Show in November.
The first redesign for the nearly 6-year-old hatchback also will mark the
return of all-wheel-drive and GT variants, which GM discontinued with the
’07 edition.
The new Vibe will arrive at dealers shortly after production begins in
first-quarter 2008.
GM originally planned a second-quarter rollout but moved the timetable
ahead to accommodate plans by Toyota Motor Corp. to bring its ’09 Toyota
Matrix to market sooner. The Vibe and Matrix share a platform.
Beyond reviving GT and AWD models, GM does not provide further details on
the ’09 Vibe. Calls seeking additional comment on the vehicle were not
immediately returned.
The Vibe has not received much attention from GM since it debuted in ’02 as
an ’03 model.
But given current high fuel prices, growing consumer preference to more
economical vehicles and proposed legislation for more stringent fuel
economy standards, the ’09 version appears destined to play a larger role
in GM’s passenger-car portfolio.
The current Vibe achieves a thrifty 33 mpg (7 L/100 km) on the highway.
Sport would come in just behind the 335i and CTS.
I loved driving the C350. I look forward to driving it again. But the 335i
and CTS are just a little better in key areas.
Neither of those sedans – nor lesser competitors like the Acura TL, Audi
A4, Infiniti G35, Jaguar X-type and Lexus IS 350 – can match the
automatic's seven speeds, however.
in a line of gearboxes General Motors sells to another luxury automaker.
GM produces the transmission for the CTS at its plant in Strasbourg,
France, and sells it to BMW for use in the German automaker's best-selling
model, the iconic 3-series. BMW also uses the automatic in its X3 SUV and
the 1-series compact performance car that went on sale in Europe a year ago
and hits U.S. roads in 2008.
GM has a long history of selling automatic transmissions to luxury brands
that need reliable gearboxes for high-powered models but don't have the
resources or inclination to develop their own automatic.
For decades, every car Rolls-Royce and Bentley built used a four-speed
transmission from GM's Hydra-Matic division developed for the company's
pickups and SUVs. The two ultra-luxury marques now buy their transmissions
from German supplier ZF AG. Coincidentally, ZF builds the steering gear in
the 2008 CTS.
1. Cimarron and Catera were not a real Caddy, they were just another bad GM badge engineering products. This rumored baby Caddy is suppose to be RWD and from grounds up a real Cadillac.
2. The CTS is gradually moving upmarket. Since this iteration is already closer to 5/E size than 3/C, I won't be surprised that the next one will be a full 5/E fighter in terms of both size and price.
3. The entry level luxury sedan segment is hot and BMW is printing money with its 3-series. Caddy wants to remain in that market so they need something to fill the void left by the CTS.
4. People who shop for a BMW, MB and Lexus are NOT going to even bother with Buicks and Pontiacs.
My mother-in-law traded her BMW in on a Buick a few years back.
She's pretty exceptional I will admit.
Most people, except exceptionals like steve's MIL, who shop for a BMW, MB and Lexus are NOT going to even bother with Buicks and Pontiacs.
Near lux buyers can choose other GM brands -- after all if GM is insistent on keeping all these brands, then why not use them to offer unique products as opposed to badge engineering? Besides people into the "snob" factor won't consider Cadillac anyway -- BMW and Mercedes are way ahead in that respect.
That argues even more strongly that Cadillac restore itself to its former glory.
No one (okay, almost no one) in their 20s or 30s want to be caught dead in a Buick and guess what, that's the age group Caddy needs to get to ASAP. Get them young and they become loyal customers like how BMW did it with its 3-series. Pontiac just don't have the "prestige" factor to attract luxury brand buyers. Face it or not, the amount of people whose into "snob" factor like you have said will only to get larger and Caddy has to play along in order to become successful.
Today pretty much true, EXCEPT the Enclave is bringing in many who buy Lexus and other upper vehicles. Will it continue with the new LaCrosse? No idea but we will find out.
Again, the Enclave has really changed that perception. I do not have the average age yet but many 30 year olds with family, and money, are buying it. Buick will not compete with Cadillac though. Buick will be more comfort and smoothness while Caddy will be sportier.
Caddy needs a smaller vehicle now to compete with the 3 series and the min price should be just under $30k. CTS will move up in price and will lose volume to the smaller sibling but that is what MB and BMW do.
Actually.... that doesn't sound all that odd..... She's probably getting way too old to drive a BMW, and has entered the prime Buick years of her life now.
How old is she? :P
The Buick is nice for their snowbird trips to and from Lakeland FL.
Part of the reason is they moved from NV back to Yooperville, and it's hard enough finding a GM mechanic in that part of Michigan, much less a Beemer one. The boyfriend did part with his 67ish Pontiac GTO back in NV in favor of one of the Beemers about 15 years ago.
Don't forget Jag in that list. They used the 3spd (& 4spd if I remember correctly) automatics as well. I beleive they use a ZF box now too. :confuse: Also don't forget the old Buick V8 that Rover used up until the late 80s / early 90s.
I guess everyone is a little overly cautious, and rightfully so, seeing that Cadillac seems to have righted itself and is making inroads. We don't want them to make the mistake of having to tap every market or match vehicle-vehicle with the competition. Don't make the same mistakes as before, make the inroads, keep the product fresh, and progress from there. Tortoise and Hare I guess
IMO the hatchback versions of the 3 & C-class kind of diluted those lines a little.
62vetteefp, "GM Is on The Offensive. Will it work?" #4297, 18 Jul 2007 6:45 am
Yep a good reason and now they can zap your stolen vehicle.
-Rocky
1'er? No this is a vehicle to sell in Europe to compete with the 3 series sized vehicles. The US is just a convenient market to increase platform sales. However the plan is to move the CTS upmarket and wedge the BLS into the 3 sized class.
The current BLS is 185" long vs. 3 series 180. width of 69 vs. 70 and height of 58 vs. 57.
-Rocky
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
The 3 series is not that big of a car. It is pretty small on the inside. A lot of people just don't want a car that small. They want to haul around 4 or 5 in comfort and you just can't do it in a 3.
Why can't they price the CTS and BLS about the same but have them do different things. The CTS is your bigger more comfy offering and the BLS is your smaller, faster and sportier offering. Then you can keep all your current CTS buyers who want the space of a 5er, but can't/won't pay for it and compete more directly with the 3. Probably would have to have the BLS start at a lower price, but in the same neighborhood.
Because the Cadillac in the same size will be moree expensive and have more lux features.
Lets say Buick puts out a BLS sized vehicle(future LaCrosse). Basically midsized. BLS charges $34 for a nicely equipped one. Buick LaCrosse (new one) will probably be $28 well equipped. Thats $6k delta. The new RWD G6 will also be around $28K well equipped (but a RWD sporty car vs. LaCrosses FWD smooth lux driver).
Now you may say $6k is not that much but once you go over $29K the volume of that market drops off fast. So the BLS will go to folks that have a bit more money than the ones that stay under $30k.
Because Caddilac will not be building/known for a comfy vehicle. They have decided to go the faster and sporty way.
To me, the CTS will need quite a bit to move it upscale, I'm presuming to 5-series territory. OR is the 2008 (and early version for that matter) considered by GM to be there. If the plan is actually to move it upscale, then the STS, DTS and the like have to move up as well.
As far as CTS vs. 5 that is the question I asked earlier. Will the media compare them or will they use the 3? Obviously I knew it would be the 3 because the OEM's tell the media what the vehicles they are after are.
The CTS has had great reviews. There was an Automobile article that did not rate it as high as others have but I never gotten to read it. I am waiting untill C&D do a comparison.
The new STS will be moving upscale.
GM needs to realign it's Cadillacs with the correct segments. Even here our experts were degrading the CTS because it was so heavy. Yet if you look at the vehicle it compares closely with in dimensions it was just a 100# or so heavier. So when you compare a car too big for it's segment you lose in weight, power, performance and MPG. Those alone should drive GM it make the CTS competitive with the 5 series at a lower price. And the BLS competitive with the 3 series at a lower price. Someone here says that for GM to get folks to look at GM vehicles they need to make them as good or better and sell at a lower price.
Ford and General Motors Corp. are in a dead heat for third place behind Toyota and Honda Motor Co. when it comes to the quality of its older cars and trucks, Ford Americas President Mark Fields told employees in his weekly Webcast on Wednesday.
Fields said the RDA report on 3-year-old models underscores Ford's progress.
The study found that 2007 model year Ford, Lincoln and Mercury cars and trucks had 1,395 quality issues -- known as "things gone wrong" in the industry -- per 1,000 vehicles, compared with 1,381 per 1,000 vehicles for 2007 Toyota, Lexus and Scion cars and trucks.
That was a difference of just 1 percent, within the survey's margin of error.
The industry's quality leader, Honda Motor Co., had 1,334 issues per 1,000 vehicles.
RDA has been conducting the annual survey for Ford since the late 1990s. The firm conducts similar studies for other automakers, and its findings have hewed close to those of the closely watched annual initial quality survey independently conducted by J.D. Power and Associates.
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071012/AUTO01/710120345/1148-
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070621/AUTO01/706210384/1001- /biz
won't help sales though.
Ford and GM must be BETTER than the japanese.
Not just as good.
Honda and Toyota got where they are by being better than the Big 3, not just as good.
If one company is only as good as another,where is the incentive to change?
-Rocky
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
My little Brother won't sew that kind of material anyway - heavy Cordura for making throw bags and such is difficult enough on that machine. Not enough horsepower.
Have you ever had a french stitched seat come apart ? :surprise:
I sure don't know anyone who has. :confuse:
-Rocky
I probably could have kludged it back together with my Speedy Stitcher, but if you've ever used one, you know they aren't very speedy.
But the French stitching does look nice - I'm just not sure I buy the quality of the surface statement. I only do repair sewing maybe a couple of hours a year with a plain or zigzag stitch, but for strength, I hear a welt seam is strong and not that difficult.
-Rocky
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Caddy should tread carefully here. They've been doing well, but don't have the brand equity yet to relive the Cimaron or Catera.
What I want to know is: if Cadillac is going to have a full range of cars from compact to large, what is the point of Buick or Pontiac?
I'm an occasional weaver and the most exciting new fabric out there imo is Gore-tex. And that was invented in 1976. Then there's this Smart Fabric introduced at SEMA a while back for the GTO that sounds interesting (and expensive).
But the old fabrics and threads aren't necessarily unsuitable for their purpose. Even great fabric will separate at the seams if the seam isn't appropriate for the use.
Caddy didn't really say the French stitching was durable - they said it improved the quality of the surface. I think the only benefit is for looks, and like I said, it looks nice. Mine probably would be ripped in 12 years, but I'm no Lemko.
Sure would be nice if some car upholsterer here would unlurk and spill some secrets of the trade.
There is a lot of spacing in the pricing laddar between a luxury brand and a mass-market brand like Chevy. I think in this particular case, GM will offer the BTS which may be priced on the high side (read: 3-series, after Caddy starts getting some snob appeal) and the Pontiac G? alpha sedan which may be priced more along the lines of the Infiniti G35/37. Both are Entry-lux vehicles, but they are pretty decently spaced out in terms of price. For other market segments, the same will hold: a midsize CTS will cost along the lines of an E-Class/5-series whereas the Pontiac G8 will be much less, but offer that same RWD experience with more creature comforts than Chevy. Buick is important because it allows for some uplevel models (when compared to Chevy) that would tarnish Cadillac's image (a FWD Buick Lacrosse-Lexus ES competitor; a FWD Buick Enclave-Lexus RX/Acura MDX competitor).
So, yes the STS priced with the E-class/5-series is not going to sell well; I've been in both and I think the Germans are worth the extra price. A CTS as-is will not sell for more that it is going for now either. And yes a small Cadillac would have to be in the $25,000 range to sell below the CTS. But all that is in 2007. Given the timeframe for releasing the new alphas, I believe GM will continue with its branding strategy so that a smaller product will not only be viable, but highly profitable; you will see the CTS become what is needed to fight the E-class and 5-series.
Last year a CTS was under $30k. This year $33,000 and selling like mad. When they put out the smaller RWD alpha the CTS will get more of it's equipment standard and move up $3000 or so more. Yes they will lose some CTS volume but the BLS will take all the lost volume and get a bunch more. It will be a while though before it gets up into where it starts at $45k like the 5 series. If the BLS is successful it(CTS) could be the next makeover (2012) that gets it over $40k base. Also the next STS will have to be succesful and get its starting price over $50k.
Yes the BLS will be a whole new platform, Alpha.