Luxury Lounge

anthonyp

It`s enough to make you wonder...Here I have been denied potatoes and white rice, both of which I love , and expect to expire any moment according to the T V...Have you further notice all who have quit smoking are dead...Tony

jcoby

GM is certainly improving, and the 2008 Cadillac CTS has one of the best interiors I have ever seen in a vehicle priced below $50,000.

GM's main problem is that it wasted too much precious time in revamping its vehicles and now there are legions of very satisfied import owners that have no compelling reason to come back to the company just to save a few thousand dollars on the front end, only to loose even more at trade-in time.

The Tundra line is not doing as expected for Toyota in terms of sales figures, along with the bread and butter Camry.

No offense taken, but the Camry is not at all struggling in the sales department. It is not realistic to expect the best-selling sedan in America (YTD) to yield double-digit year-over-year sales increases when the current body style was also available a year ago; the current body style has been out for nearly a year and a half now.

The Camry managed to sell 42,658 vehicles in August 2007, an increase of 1.0 % versus August 2006. Those outstanding Accord deals certainly hurt the Camry, but the car is not struggling by any stretch of the imagination.

The Tundra is not doing too bad either, reporting BEST-EVER August sales of 18,919 - an increase of 69.3% over August 2006.

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jcoby

If you don't mind me asking, why did you choose the Lexus over the Infiniti? What major problem did you have with those subsequent Lexus vehicles?

It is true that the drive is not necessarily "exciting" - it is more calming than anything else. I enjoy "exciting" drives, but the cops don't; no car would be particularly fun to drive on my straight-and-wide, glass-smooth and well-policed daily commute.

I don't need a car anyway, and it was a significant splurge to purchase this vehicle considering how little I drive and the other transportation options that are readily available to me. I really enjoy owning it, though!

jlbl

Would you recommend to a stranger (i.e., me) some good Napa chardonnay?

[This question is not out of the forum topic since I am seriously considering to experiment with many international reds and whites —even Sauternes— in order to find the best crude for the upcoming luxury cars fueled with ethanol. La crème de la crème should be fed with the best available combustible! We can propose Edmunds to form a board of tasters to accomplish the task. There I will be entitled by myself to be the main taster of the board, but I will graciously leave to others the worry to declare the winner of the conquest.]

Again, could you recommend me some good Napa chardonnay among those exported to Europe?

Jose

brightness04

If rising Yen leading to droping Japanese carmaker stock price is proof that "Japanese automakers had benefited greatly these past few years from a weaker yen" then an even steeper drop of BMW stock in the face of rising Yen would be even stronger proof that BMW had benefited greatly these past few years from a weaker yen. What's fair for goose is for gander . . . All the new citations you are trying to introduce now are just a poor attempt at changing the topic.

"Offloaded at US ports" is not the same thing as total cars sold in the US. Japanese carmakers have been vastly increasing US production capacity. Correlation is not the same as causation. What causes Yen rise may well be the same political reason why new production facilities are opened in the US. The two may be happening at the same time, but one is not the cause of the other. In fact, the two may well be two alternative solutions being tried to solve a political problem

Honda’s earnings per share, for example, would fall by about a third should the dollar fall from Y120 to Y100.

It's the silly beggar-thy-neighbor currency devaluation argument again. A higher number in a currency becoming worth less is not much of a gain. We are not exactly driving around with cars made in Zimbabwe nowadays, nor did Yugo become an instant success in the 90's because their currency dropped 10,000 fold in a few years.

brightness04

It (Newton) was too big and too slow to be practical. Newton was 3-4 times as big as (USRobotics/3Com/Palm) Pilot, and was much slower in terms of user interface response due to slow software. Pilot, being small and quick at its core competence, was an instant success, despite being a repackaged miniturized original Mac in terms of its hardware.

brightness04

There was nothing "living" in that crash test. They did not even put a crash dummy in the car to record the declearation experienced by the various parts of the dummy. Considering how little of that car actually gave to absorb the crash energy, I'd guess that anyone sitting in that car would be quite dead in that crash. Various parts of modern cars deform in a crash for a very good reason: they take the deformation so the occupants don't have to.

jcoby

There was much chatter about Toyota's decision to strip some equipment from the Camry hybrid in order to lower the price for the 2008 model year. There was speculation that this was done due to profitability concerns and that Toyota would charge their customers significantly more to add those same features back onto the car that were previously standard during the 2007 model year. Thankfully, that speculation was simply unfounded and prospective Camry Hybrid buyers can breathe a collective sigh of relief. Toyota is charging its customers only $1150 to add all of those features back onto their vehicle for the 2008 model year, a paltry increase of $150 over the $1000 price reduction made possible by the removal of those features from the standard equipment list.

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[You will need to manually go through the "Build Your Toyota" process to see the option package pricing]

Alternatively, you may use this information from Edmunds.com

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blkhemi

Atlas7- You're right. I should've posted those increases done by Lexus, right in the same sentence as those of Audi and MBZ.

Jcoby- I'm sorry you mis-interpeted what I stated. What I meant was that the Tundra wasn't on pace with Toyota's path, meaning that they're wanting the truck to sell it's full 200k unit allotment. At it's current pace, including months past, it's likely not to hit that lofty target, even with Toyota throwing huge amounts of cash on the hood. And it is not due to the truck not being good enough. It is quite good actually.

And regarding the Camry, you're absolutely right. It can't post double-digits increases all the time. But even you must admit that Toyota will have to pull a big one out of the hat with the Camry as Honda has made perfect timing with the Accord. In fact, with the exception with already-released Altima, there is no new direct competitor to the Accord releasing simultaneously. So the ball is definetely in Honda's court with the long awaited redo of the Accord.

But I do expect the Camry to hold it's own.

BTW: This wasn't some kind of "doomsday" or "egg in your face" to any of the listed manufacturers. I just reported what always gets reported in this thread every single month. Some gained and some loss. There is always next month to see what comes about.

tayl0rd

Because I want them.

2001gs430

Well a TCH or a Prius would still keep you in the family. I feel that as long as Lexus offerings are close to what I am looking for (perhaps 80%)then I would definitely pick one of them. My car has 110000Km and still on its original brake pads/rotors. This car has been cheaper/trouble-free to own than my 86 Corolla, save for the tire wear and the premium gas for the V8. Also, it helps my favorable perception of Toyota/Lexus that I made quite a bit of $ owning TM stocks.
I can't even think of a coupe just yet since there maybe occasion that I would need to fit the baby carseat in there. If I ended up with a TCH, the first mod would be a nice stereo system with ML like sound quality. For my next car I am looking for something with min 20 mpg combined, at least 250hp (just to keep up with the RX, but the TCH would be an exception), reliable, comfortable, 4 doors and priced at a level I could take full advantage of business tax deductions (Brightness's influence here). I test drove an 08 G35X a couple months ago; it's nice but I don't like the engine roar or the stereo enough to pull the trigger. I looked at the 3 and the IS and their back seats are tiny. My Lexus sales guy tried to temp me with a demo GS450h with only 9000Km, I was salivating at the vehicle, but the price was still a bit high for the tax stuff. The search continues...

brightness04

For a market participant as big as Toyota is, performance has to be measured in market share terms not just sales numbers. When the market itself grows, it's easy for a dominant player to grow its own unit count at market growth rate, nothing to be boast-worthy; when the market itself shrinks, if the same significant player can avoid shrinking with the market place, that is sign of strength. So far, Toyota, even Tundra and Camry, has shown just that kind of strength in the market place. Tundra is taking market share from GM and Ford, even as the full-size truck market itself shrinks. Camry unit sales is growing even as midsize sedan market itself is shrinking. When a car like Camry, accounting for something like 25-30% of the midsize non-luxury sedan market, growth in unit sales despite the overall shrinking of the market place itself, that really puts the squeeze on the other 70-75% players.

I agree with you that the new Accord, at least on paper (only because we haven't seen the real thing yet), is quite an accomplishment. Especially the 200hp I4 model . . . because most Accords and Camry's are sold with I4. IMHO, I4+hybrid midsize sedan delivering more than 208hp is really coming soon, just like I predicted months earlier. One interesting note though, at 194" in length, the Accord is really approaching full size; in fact, I'd be surprised if the interior volume of the sedan without sunroof fails to meet EPA full-size criteria. Quite an illustrious path for Honda Accord over the past 25 years, from a compact hatchback to full size sedan.

tagman

Regardless of your negative view, the car was nothing short of amazing in that crash test, which was at a significant speed of 70 mph. Considering the car's dimensions, it deserves a lot of credit and recognition for such an achievement, and that's what all the excitement was about!... except from you, of course.

Here's some updated safety info on the Smart... you may find it interesting.

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Remember, I have stated that I am not a fan of this car, nor am I endorsing it in any way. I am just being objective regarding its level of safety, which is quite an achievemnt for such a tiny car.

That's really enough about this car... Count me out on any ongoing debate about the Smart car!... understand?

TagMan

2001gs430

Especially the 200hp I4 model . . . because most Accords and Camry's are sold with I4. IMHO, I4+hybrid midsize sedan delivering more than 208hp is really coming soon, just like I predicted months earlier.

I will take the hybrid in this case if the price delta is less than 3K. The problem is TM does not/can't make them quickly enough to satisfy the demands.

dewey

Regarding the truck-based SUV article the fatality stats speaks for themselves..

1) Collision tests will show that SUVs are safer than smaller cars.

2)But the fatality stats indicates that SUVs are more deadly than smaller cars.

If you read the article you would find out that points 1 and 2 are not contradictions. Please read the article a bit better but in case you dont here is a little hint on why SUVs have higher fatality statistics:

Jettas are safe because they make their drivers feel unsafe. SUVs are unsafe because they make their drivers feel safe. That feeling of safety isn't the solution: it's the problem

Regarding your critique about my reading skills -they are pretty damned good. So good in fact that I can detect that this discussion of yours especially with regards to Yen is nothing more than a lot of amateur psychobabble itself.

Count me out -- I wish not to waste my time any further with this ongoing drivel.

Discussion Ended (Deja Vu--I think I said that before) :surprise:

dewey

Have you looked at the August sales results:

BMW, Audi , MB and Porsche recorded their best Augusts ever.

Apparently I feel that our Luxury Lounge Edmunds forum has been a positive influence on Americans in terms of providing objective information on the virtues of a German luxury car. Let's keep up the good work. :shades:

I hereby exempt myself from any arguments this post may trigger. :P

louiswei

atlas7 is right...

Lexus Division
Lexus passenger cars reported best-ever August sales of 19,789 units, an increase of 7.7 percent over August 2006. Passenger car sales were led by the ES 350 luxury sedan with best-ever August sales of 8,646 units, an increase of 8.4 percent over the year-ago month. The all-new LS luxury sedan reported combined sales of 3,164, an increase of 128.3 percent over last August. Lexus Division light trucks reported August sales totaling 12,410 units. The RX 350 and RX 400h enjoyed combined August sales of 10,032 units, up 2.3 percent over August 2006. The RX 400h hybrid luxury utility vehicle reported sales of 1,172 units for the month.

Source: Toyota Reports August Sales

syswei

I've skipped over about 1500 posts due to summer vacationing, so maybe the answer has been covered, but does anyone know when we might see an S450?

Lexus has again disappointed my by not introducing AWD on the LS for 2008. That leaves the A8 and S550 AWD. But on the MB side, I'd rather have an S450 AWD to save a few bucks on gas and the cost of the car, as I think it would have more than adequate performance for me.

louiswei

Tundra wasn't on pace with Toyota's path, meaning that they're wanting the truck to sell it's full 200k unit allotment. At it's current pace, including months past, it's likely not to hit that lofty target

What are you talking about? Besides not posting misleading information another suggestion is that a little research before posting will go a long way toward the reputation of your post.

Here are the facts...

Tundra sales year to date: 124,909 (Don't forget this number includes the old Tundra sales back in January and February)

Tundra August sales: 18,919

So let's use the "current pace" as you've stated:

18,919 x 4 + 124,909 = 200,585

Looks to me under the "current pace" the Tundra will be able to hit 200,000 units with just a tiny bit to spare.

However, with the pickup market kept shrinking it is possible that Tundra can see its sales reduce in the following month. Which will lead to Toyota not be able to met the 200,000 units goal. But the bottom line is if the Tundra keeps its "current pace" going, it'll have no trouble to hit 200K units.

Source: Toyota Reports August Sales

tagman

There are tons of rumors about an S-Class coming in with less power than the 550. But, it isn't exactly clear as to which one it will be.

Likely the 450, but there is talk of a hybrid or diesel.

The upcoming car show might give us some more definative hints!

TagMan

tagman

If you will recall, the old LS was nearly depleted at the end of it's cycle and then the new LS was introduced.

Ljflx had very smartly pointed out that the the year-to-year data would be very skewed off-the-chart... and it is. It is a new model that offers little in the way of useful statistics... other than to indicate that it is selling well initially.

It is necessary to wait quite a while to see where it all lands for the LS.

TagMan

louiswei

Sorry tagman, I didn't write that statement, it was lifted directly out of Toyota's August Sales reports. Maybe you can send Toyota/Lexus an email to bring them down to Earth.

By the way, which full size luxury sedan is currently leading in sales again?

Is it the 7-series, S-class, A8 or the LS? Hmm...

Oh, by the way, does anyone recall when did the new LS go on sell last year? I remember it's around year end but don't recall the exact month.

tagman

Sorry tagman, I didn't write that statement, it was lifted directly out of Toyota's August Sales reports. Maybe you can send Toyota/Lexus an email to bring them down to Earth.

I'm sorry if I wasn't clear. I know where the statement came from. But there are those on this forum that will interpret it in an improper manner... you know, claiming a gigantic sales increase, when it is actually due to a new model.

TagMan

louiswei

claiming a gigantic sales increase, when it is actually due to a new model.

Believe me, it's a common industry maneuver.

tagman

Believe me, it's a common industry maneuver.

Amen, louiswei... you have good credibility.

TagMan

dewey

Video footage of Bogle presenting the new BMW X6 and explaining why the X6 will soon exist.

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blkhemi

Really nice post. You really shined honest light onto the Toyota issue.

With the Camry and the Tundra, they're going to sell, no matter what. If they dive a percentage point or two, they'll more than likely make it up at some point. And as you put, currently the Camry controls a huge stake in it's category, with plenty of room to spare.

Regarding the Accord, I think Honda is really up to something here. I don't know if you got my post of a few days ago, but the Accord is actually listed by the EPA as a "Large Car", meaning it's in the company of the Avalon, 300/Charger, Azera, Taurus/Sable, and believe it or not- the dreaded Crown Vic/GM. But it is said to have retained it's fun-to-drive behavior, despite all of this and the weight gain it took to get there.

The powertrains, as expected of Honda, as top-notch. The 190hp 4-cyl will likely be the most picked. It is said to have decent punch, much like that of the VW/Audi 2.0T with similar power. And of course if you marry it to a slick shifting 6-speed manual, you'll have one heck of ride.

But I must admit, as good as my '06 EXL 6MT V-6 is, I can't help but wonder how much better the 3.5 will be. With 268hp and defeatable cylinder technology, I'm sure this engine will be nothing short of phenomenal with decent gas mileage to add.

blkhemi

Although I'm sure you waited patiently to type this, where exactly did I "mislead" this time? It couldn't possibly be the 3% sales losses that Toyota posted, right along with the losses of the previous month, could it? I didn't post numbers for one single model, so what are YOU talking about?

All manufacturers have said that the full-size truck market is in trouble.

And you're right, those sales numbers does include that of the old Tundra, hence me not putting in numbers for Tundra in any of my previous post.

I said: "The Tundra is not on the pace of Toyota's path to hit it's full 200k allotment". That means this Tundra, not the one that was for sale in February. And yes it had a decent August. No one is contesting that, until you see those of the General Motors GMT-900.

And you can't possibly think that the Tundra will sale 18k+ units per month, do you? Don't mislead me.

blkhemi

"BMW, Audi, MB and Porsche recorded their best Augusts ever."

Are you crazy? "NOBODY" here wants to here 'bout some lowly old German brands doing the following:

BMW- Continuing to be one of the most profitable brand of any make and posting double digit y-o-y gains.

Audi- Have posted gains for 14 straight months and continuing to do an all-out assault on the American market.

MB- Need I even go here? Despite recovering from quality woes that would've otherwise tanked any other company, the company, again, posts strong gains, with the help of strong demand for most product.

Porsche- We all know the story. No need to intrigue.

Dewey, I sure hope that you did not suck me into following your "misleading" information. You've gotta stop it. :P :shades:

blkhemi

"Lexus had again disappointed my by not introducing AWD on the LS for 2008."

Be careful. Now you're misleading There is always the 600hl.

Seriously, I know for sure that MBZ is bringing the S450 late next year. Whether it'll be AWD right of the gate is debateable, but it's unlike them to leave it solely to the 550. The S430 and S500 both were available with AWD, and MB did fairly well with both, so I'm sure that's the route they'll choose again.

Regarding the A8, their are deals to be had on these cars. The A8(standard) Sport makes a darned fine ride, but I suspect an S450 4Matic with light options to be better and a better buy.

houdini1

Man, that is a lot of cheer leading over not much of anything.

When one of these second tier luxury marques becomes the sales leader in the U.S.A. for ten years running then you might have something to cheer about.

Until then you remind me of the football player who is pounding his chest and jumping up and down because he made a tackle. All while his team in behind 50 to 0 in the fourth quarter. :shades:

tagman

Yes, blkhemi, the German brands seem to be doing quite well.

Of course, I've made my contribution to Porsche earlier this year... making sure that they continue to be the most profitable car company the world has ever seen. And most recently, putting some green into VW's vault.

Oh... I just saw houdini's post. I guess the world's most profitable car company is losing the game from his perspective... I think he needs better season tickets... he is sitting in the nosebleed section and can't see the game very well. :P

TagMan

louiswei

Uhh...

Toyota was saying that they want to sell 200,000 Tundras in the calendar year 2007 and that's including the old and new Tundras.

I don't have a crystal ball so I can't tell you if Tundra will sell 18K units per month for the next 4 months. All I was saying is under the "current pace" which YOU have stated the Tundra will reach 200K units.

louiswei

I think houdini is referring to Lexus. No doubt Toyota has lost its momentum due to the August sales woes but last I checked Lexus has gained over 3% in sales and is still the leading luxury brands.

Lexus has achieved this with a dated SUV/CUV lineup and the horrible GS sales. One can only imagine what would happened with the refreshed '08 GS and the upcoming LX570 and RX350. Rumor has it that Lexus will introduce a compact crossover under the RX to compete with the RDX, X3 and EX. The new RX350 will move up market and become a 7-seater.

I know many German faithfuls don't want to hear this but Lexus' future is very bright. :P

syswei

I know for sure that MBZ is bringing the S450 late next year.

That's a long time to wait, and as you said AWD might be an even longer wait. Maybe the LS460 will have AWD by then.

anthonyp

If you remember, Infinity had an ad campaign that was just very attractive pictures of different outdoor scenes...Lexux had a brocure with the details....The Allante just beat you to death, and I was relatively young back then....I went to the Lexus dealership, and the car ls400 was so superior to everything I had driven in the last few years, that it was an easy decision...I didn`t even drive the Infinity...So I was lucky..

The next Lexus had something wrong with the acelerator and conked out down in Key West...They trucked it to Miami, where the spare tire departed, and even offered to pay for lodging, although I owned a house there..Brought it back replaced the tire....The next one had something go wrong with the gas gauge and they replaced the innards although I had to run the gas out...The breaks also had something wrong with them, and the Rx had the gauges go bad after around seventy thousand miles (my daughter driving it, and still is) The next ls430 electrical linkage to fuel injection system went bad ..This may sound bad, but these events took place over many years, so I give Lexus the highest marks...I was never inconvenienced, and today recommended the dealership to a friend who wants a Lexus, and also the Lexus, although I personally think the bmw is the better value....Remember I am writing from my memory from a long time ago---and the previous cars were all very problimatic and would desert you in a moment, and the dealership just didn`t care, and I mean none of them cared...I give Lexus the credit for changing that entire industry...I see loaners today from Chevvie even...Tony

dewey

Survey shows buyers unaware that MINI D emits less CO2 than hybrids

Research survey gives MINI the green light
09/03/2007

Confusion surrounding alternative fuels and related technologies is leading new car buyers to miss a trick. A recent YouGov Plc survey commissioned by MINI found that diesel-powered cars are thought to be way behind Hybrid models for cleanliness. Yet the 104g/km C02 emitted by the sporty MINI Cooper D is a figure that equals, and in many cases beats other cars using alternative technologies - including hybrids.
In a poll designed to gauge public understanding of CO2-related issues in the car purchase process, just three per cent of the 2,018-strong sample believed that a diesel-fuelled vehicle could be considered a low source of carbon emissions. Yet the new MINI Cooper D's 104 g/km is identical to the hybrid-powered Toyota Prius and lower than the 109 g/km achieved by the Honda Civic Hybrid.

Andy Hearn, General Manager for MINI UK, said: "Buyers looking for the most efficient cars could be missing out on the fun of driving a MINI. By developing sustainable diesel technology, MINI engineers have proved that you can have a low emissions car without compromising on driving characteristics and style."

A quarter of the survey's respondents believed the Honda Civic Hybrid was the lowest carbon-emitting vehicle from a list of five models.* Just two per cent plumped for the MINI Cooper D, perhaps misled by the sporty personality indicated by a Cooper badge. If only they knew.

Along with the rest of the MINI Hatch range, the MINI Cooper D now features a number of engineering enhancements.

Brake Energy Regeneration removes the need for a traditional alternator and reduces drag on the engine, thereby saving fuel. The Auto Start-Stop Function cuts out the engine when the car is brought to a halt and re-engages on depressing the clutch, again increasing fuel efficiency. Switch Point Display indicates to the driver the best gear for frugal driving. These technologies, as well as the Variable Turbine Geometry applied to the MINI Cooper D's turbocharger combine to make a torquey, yet economical and low-emitting sports hatch.

Well, those that know, know. The MINI Cooper D topped the poll for desirability, despite an apparent misunderstanding between car fuel sources and their relative carbon emissions.

So what else did MINI discover? The most important factor in buying a new car remains price. Fuel economy and style/design were placed second and third respectively. Great news for MINI. Taking into account MINI's low whole-life cost and its place at the top of the Lex Vehicle Leasing residual value chart, along with the Cooper D offering a combined fuel consumption of 72.4mpg and a unique design, the car again ticks every box.

houdini1

OK, you sold me. When can I have one? The sooner the better please!!

dewey

Seriously I think the German car marques lucked out relative to non-luxury car marques because luxury sales are booming while non-luxury sales are stagnant in almost every industry including autos.

Walmart has stagnant sales while Tiffany's is growing.

Prices of mansions in the Hamptons are still going up while McMansions in the outskirts of Exurbia are plummeting.

Menu prices are increasing in suave trendy restaurants with four star chefs while McMeal Discounts and Specials are becoming more prevalent and cheaper.

And the same applies to luxury cars. That is why Lexus sales are increasing while mainstream Toyota sales are decreasing.

dewey

That means two sales orders for the Mini D.

I'd place mine ASAP if it ever arrives here---I doubt it

tagman

Walmart has stagnant sales while Tiffany's is growing.

And the same applies to luxury cars. That is why Lexus sales are increasing while mainstream Toyota sales are decreasing.

Dewey, I don't think that this trend will last for all too long.

Eventually some very nice luxurious and semi-luxurious fuel-efficient cars will come to market, and their sales will be explosive.

To put my money where my mouth is, I'm a longer term investor in Wal-Mart than in Tiffany's.

BTW... a number of years ago, my wife gave me a Mini Cooper S for a birthday present. I was estatic, and a good sport, thinking it would be fun, that is until nearly everything starting going wrong with the car. It was an absolute P.O.S. One of the worst cars I ever owned. I didn't keep it for more than 6 months... and it spent a good deal of its life in the shop. Mechanical problems as well as workmanship issues. Door handles that came off, trim that fell off, even the windshield trim blew off on the freeway and was waving in the wind. The clutch was messed up and the tranny had to be replaced. In fact those were done three different times before they "thought" they got it fixed. Well, that's when I said goodbye to that little piece of scrap metal. And, the door handle fell off again when I sold it. Rather embarrassing. I'm not sure it wasn't actually a Yugo in disguise.

TagMan

dewey

Your Mini sounded like a piece of crap. Thanks for the warning and good thing you got rid of it.

I am sure the trend of wealth polarization will not continue forever but this trend does look intact for now. I still remember not so long ago when the Forbes Top 500 wealthy people of the world included some humble folks whose net worths were lower than a billion dollars.

tagman

While I am currently enjoying the latest rendition of the original "pocket rocket", I am truly excited about the upcoming BMW 1-Series, especially the 135i. The 135i will be a HOT screamer if there ever was one.

I hope there is reasonable trunk space and comfortable rear-seat room... otherwise it's no good for me, and I'd have to keep the GTI. But if the cargo capacity is enough and the comfort to the rear is adequate, I'll take a serious look at having a 300 hp twin-turbo six cylinder under the hood of that gorgeous little lightweight beauty. It would be hard to resist. But... a major drawback for me would be the lack of 4-doors.

TagMan

jcoby

Your original post:

The Tundra line is not doing as expected for Toyota in terms of sales figures, along with the bread and butter Camry.

Your reply to my response:

Jcoby- I'm sorry you mis-interpeted what I stated

There was no misinterpretation of your original post because my response to your post was PRIMARILY about the Camry. I simply did not agree with your contention that Camry sales are somehow not meeting expectations. The mention of Tundra sales was important, but clearly secondary to the Camry, based both on the order that I presented the comments in my post and the greater level of coverage I gave to the Camry.

[I was also very careful to include "No offence taken" as a preface to my statement so that you understood that this was a simple and fairly light-hearted disagreement with your statement.]

The fight for America's best-selling sedan will certainly become more interesting (and less of a foregone conclusion). The new Accord is an examplary effort from Honda and will go a long way to narrowing the sales gap with the Camry that only widened after the 2003-2007 Accord came to the American market.

dewey

major drawback for me would be the lack of 4-doors
hope there is reasonable trunk space and comfortable rear-seat room... otherwise it's no good for me,

Your criteria defintely rules out a 135i. It's almost certain that there will be scant trunk and rear seat space in the 135i.

In fact if you want more trunk space, rear seat room and 4 doors then the car in my garage is perfect for you: BMW335i sedan

I remember reading old European reviews about the 130i and surprisingly its performance and handling was not much better than the 330i.

I guess we will have to reserve our judgement until the car arrives in BMW dealer lots.

dewey

Among the luxury sedans that were subject to the latest Side-Impact Crash Tests conducted by the car insurance industry, the 2008 BMW 5 Series came up as the worst performer. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety released results of the series of crash tests on Thursday.

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dewey

Newly independent Chrysler LLC announced the appointment of James Press, Toyota Motor Corp.'s North American operations president and chief operating officer, as vice-chairman and president.

Wall Street Journal

carnaught

Although this is not good news, it's comforting to know that there are attorneys poised to represent the injured even before the fact.

tayl0rd

Speaking of independently owned Chrysler; I wonder if the ME-4-12 will finally come to fruition. :confuse:

louiswei

About the 1-series, I am sure it'll probably out perform its big brother, the 335i. However, I have a few concerns for it and I'll do my best not to be the Debbie Downer...

1. Rear seat room - I am expecting the rear seat of the 1 coupe to be just short of useless. One can go try out the 3 coupe rear seat right now, if that's already not adequate (or just barely) then for sure the 1 coupe won't be.

2. Weight - I think the 135i will weigh over 3200 lbs since the current 130i hatch weighs over 3190 lbs . That's nowhere close being "lightweight". For those who thinks this is going to be the new BMW 2002. Wake up.

3. Price - I am expecting the 135i will be priced around $34K to $35K. Why would I say that? Here's why:

UK 335i price: £31,550 = $63,500
US 335i price: $38,900
Ratio: 0.613

UK 135i price: £29,745 = $59,867
Using the same ratio, the US 135i price would be: $36,699

Since pricing the 135i over $35K will be hard to pull over thus I am expecting it'll be just barely under it. I am thinking something like $34,900. Still, that is kind of high for a little car regardless of its performance.

Source:
BMW 1-Series coupe Euro-pricing slips, foretells U.S. MSRP?
130i M-sport