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  • cdnpinheadcdnpinhead Member Posts: 5,621
    ". . .people (and Doc). . ."

    Is Doc some sort of new lifeform? :D
    '08 Acura TSX, '17 Subaru Forester
  • blkhemiblkhemi Member Posts: 1,717
    Toyota does not lead with efficiency mileage wise nor do they lead with manufacturering efficiency.

    Honda is the greenest car company sold in the U.S.
  • cdnpinheadcdnpinhead Member Posts: 5,621
    "Should Toyota risk their reputation to be the first. . ."

    The shibboleth having to do with Asians preferring to refine, as opposed to innovate, comes to mind.

    A (way) long time ago, an early Honda motorcycle engine was analyzed as being "built like a watch and not a copy of anything."

    The "built like a watch" piece fits most Asian companies to this day.

    The other piece? Not so much.

    What? Take a Risk? Lose face? Mr. Honda went for it, face be damned. Some of these other guys I'm not so sure about.
    '08 Acura TSX, '17 Subaru Forester
  • drfilldrfill Member Posts: 2,484
    Is Doc some sort of new lifeform?

    SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

    Ever heard of the Patriot Act! Jeez!
    :mad:

    DrFill
  • drfilldrfill Member Posts: 2,484
    Hemi, babe, your better than that!

    I could be pretty efficient/green too, if I COULDN'T build a truck. :blush:

    I guess the Harbor Report doesn't ring a bell with you over there? I think Toyota's doing pretty good.

    DrFill
  • bristol2bristol2 Member Posts: 736
    I could be pretty efficient/green too, if I COULDN'T build a truck.

    Ah maybe so, but they can build a JET! :)
  • drfilldrfill Member Posts: 2,484
    Your missing the point. BMW is not a luxury car, in the strictest sense, but they are virtually untouchable, beyond reproach, in the luxury car market.

    Pretty good for a company that is not about the luxury. ;)

    They're doin' there thing. They'll be alright.

    You really have to learn to share the spotlight with others.

    Like me! :D

    DrFill
  • sysweisyswei Member Posts: 1,804
    2) Lexus sells more cars per dealership in Russia and China than it does in the U.S. Surprise you? It did me. "We're huge in Russia," Farley says. "China, too. They love our cars." The same can't be said for Europe, though. "We don't have the diesels for France, Germany, Italy," Farley admits. "Just making a transmission for a diesel engine can take ten years to recoup the costs, yet that's what European buyers want." When I asked if Europe really matters that much, given the Lexus success in Asia, Farley didn't hesitate: "It is a status thing. If you want to be taken seriously as an automaker, you've got to do well in Europe." Then he cracked a sly smile: "We have some things coming that I think will impress you."

    3) Jim asked me if I'd driven a few new GM models -- namely, the Cadillac CTS, the Chevrolet Malibu, and the Buick Enclave crossover. "Yes to all three," I replied. "And they are all really, really good." Jim stared at me a minute, then smiled again. "Damn! I was afraid of that!" He knows full well that GM is going all-out to resurrect itself, and he has nothing but the highest admiration for the strides inspired by GM vice chairman Bob Lutz. "He's tough," Farley admits. "He's pushing us hard." Farley, unlike many wags in the biz, does not think GM is dead and gone.


    more here
  • blkhemiblkhemi Member Posts: 1,717
    Yes the pseudo-truck Ridgeline affords Honda to retain the greenest stats, but it is what it is.
  • blkhemiblkhemi Member Posts: 1,717
    "Ah maybe so, but they can build a JET!"

    You've got that right!! And they build some mean F1 engines also.
  • sysweisyswei Member Posts: 1,804
    here

    quotes:

    Lexus, the top-selling luxury brand in the U.S., is studying high- performance hybrids to appeal to buyers who want something sporty while being environmentally friendly.

    Lexus may build such gasoline-electric models to reach ``enthusiast groups'' outside its core market, General Manager Jim Farley said in an interview yesterday.

    More-powerful models may help Toyota meet a goal of extending its hybrid dominance in the U.S...

    ``The benefit of electric drives is immediately available torque,'' said Eric Fedewa, an analyst at CSM Worldwide Inc. in Northville, Michigan. ``The Lexus hybrids have been tuned for performance to some extent, but there's potential for a true high-performance hybrid. That could be an exciting vehicle.''

    Lexus also is studying ``a hybrid that's engineered for really high mileage and really low emissions,'' Farley said, without elaborating.

    ...Lexus is watching to see how consumers react to General Motors Corp.'s proposed Volt plug-in hybrid, intended to go 40 miles solely on electricity before the engine engages, and Tesla Motors Inc.'s battery-powered sports car that promises 245 miles of all-electric range, Farley said.

    A rechargeable Lexus hybrid with extended electric range is possible, though an improved, ``super-efficient'' version of Toyota's current hybrid system may be more likely, he said.
  • drfilldrfill Member Posts: 2,484
    GM has plenty of fire in the furnace. I don't know if the people are interested in hearing GM "Cry Wolf" again. :blush:

    Eyesore a Lucurne today. Is it me, or is it a dead ringer for the new Malibu? Is that a badge job? :confuse:

    I can't shovel the dirt on Ford's grave fast enough, doh. They have nothing going on!

    They aren't even thinking about having something go on. :sick:

    DrFill
  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    Ah maybe so, but they can build a JET!

    And a damn good lawn mower, too! :shades:

    TagMan
  • drfilldrfill Member Posts: 2,484
    Toyota builds a richteous forklift. :)

    And I can make a mean paper airplane that can shoot a Honda out of the sky! :blush:

    But you ain't heard that from me.....SHHHH!

    DrFill
  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    Actually, I agree with blkhemi on this. Honda is clearly the green company between Toyota and Honda.

    Proof of this is that Toyota has joined the Dealer's Alliance lobbying position in Washington, DC to stop improvements in CAFE requirements. Thats right, in those smoke-filled back rooms Toyota is hard at work to hold back improvements in fuel efficiency!!!... so they can sell more of their gas-guzzling trucks and use the Prius as a front for publicity purposes.

    Honda, on the other hand is genuine green.

    TagMan
  • houdini1houdini1 Member Posts: 8,356
    Doc please, go take your meds.....NOW!!

    2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460

  • houdini1houdini1 Member Posts: 8,356
    Glad to see Honda getting so much respect! Bodes well for my Acura RL. :shades:

    2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460

  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    OK, time to be honest about the Ridgeline. Honda made a great truck and RUINED it with a bed that slopes on the sides. Essentially that's what's so very wrong with the thing. It's too freaky. The Ridgeline could have been sensational if they had just gone ahead and given it a normal truck bed. It's that simple.

    And that tragic.

    TagMan
  • lexusguylexusguy Member Posts: 6,419
    Glad to see Honda getting so much respect! Bodes well for my Acura RL

    Actually, the new Accord does not bode well for the RL at all. Its bigger and roomier than the RL, and its interior is more than a little similar. Its more interesting to look at, and the V6 should be just as fast as the RL. If people thought the RL was a gussied up Accord before...
  • houdini1houdini1 Member Posts: 8,356
    You hit the nail on the head. That could have been a great truck (truckette) if it was not so ugly!!

    2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460

  • houdini1houdini1 Member Posts: 8,356
    My (golf car) RL is a 2002, not the gussied up accord. I don't think it ever shared a platform with the accord. It has actually been a great car and bullet proof.

    2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460

  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    Actually, the new Accord does not bode well for the RL at all. Its bigger and roomier than the RL, and its interior is more than a little similar. Its more interesting to look at, and the V6 should be just as fast as the RL. If people thought the RL was a gussied up Accord before...

    This is another example of how contrasting Acuras to Hondas makes buyers compelled to buy the Hondas. It's backwards.

    The more typical scenario should be like when Toyotas are contrasted to Lexus, and then the buyers are more compelled to want the Lexus.

    Hondas are just too good a buy compared to Acuras, and the Acuras should deliver much more of the upscale improvements that one should expect of a luxury vehicle.

    TagMan
  • deweydewey Member Posts: 5,251
    Oh what was that you said about BMW :mad:

    Oh how I hate being the bearer of bad news but here it is:
    Your 02 Acura RL shares a dated platform with an Accord and in fact is nothing more than a gussied up Accord.
    I am honored to be of service to forum members especially among those who erroneously thought they bought a luxury car.

    Enjoy your overpriced Acura RL Accord :P
  • deweydewey Member Posts: 5,251
    Your missing the point. BMW is not a luxury car, in the strictest sense, but they are virtually untouchable, beyond reproach, in the luxury car market.
    Pretty good for a company that is not about the luxury


    The words above Doc are true words of wisdom. You have captured the very essence of BMW. BMW is a premium automotive group that produces cars with above average driving dynamics. Bling is not the essence of a BMW nor should it ever be.
  • deweydewey Member Posts: 5,251
    To fuel its volume-growth plan, BMW said it will expand its model lineup to include more high-end vehicles, such as a large, Gran Turismo sedan based on the CS concept shown in Shanghai this year, and a sport-utility vehicle for its British Mini brand. But, in a reversal, the company said it was calling off plans for what it had called a space-functional concept vehicle, a project that many traditional BMW owners feared would lead to a minivan.

    Does that mean the BMW V5 model will be cancelled?

    I certainly hope so!
  • merthedesbenzmerthedesbenz Member Posts: 4
    Any takes on this idea by Audi? Also is there any information out on the web in regard of the A8 Four Cylinder?
  • drfilldrfill Member Posts: 2,484
    Tag, babe, your better than that! :lemon:

    Your better than that!

    DrFill
  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    I guess you don't like those harsh truthful words about Toyota! It's an absolute fact!! Toyota is truly part of that group. They have even gone so far as to recently sue the State of California in an attempt to overthrow some of the state's environmental regulations with regards to automobiles.

    Toyota should be better than that, Doc... They should be better than that!

    If you are going to call them green, then they don't need to join the American carmaker's efforts at putting pressure on Congress, claming that it's too difficult to achieve higher CAFE requirements and lower emmissions... It's totally hypocritical for a company that can make a hybrid clean-exhaust car like the hybrid Camry and the Prius. Like I said, what they REALLY want is to sell more gas-guzzling highly-profitable trucks. And like it or not they have joined the Dealer's Alliance in an attempt to thwart environmentally-friendly legislation.

    Honda, however, is not part of that group... So you just go ahead and convince yourself that Toyota is a green company.

    However, if we're talking truth here... Honda is the green company... Far beyond Toyota's hypocrisy.

    And that's "an inconvenient truth"!

    TagMan
  • deweydewey Member Posts: 5,251
    In fact the most greenest auto company in the world is Porsche.

    The criteria for the greenest auto company should be the one with the lowest CO2 emissions per horsepower and based on that criteria Porsche wins.

    Porsche’s contribution to CO2 emissions in traffic less than 0.1 per cent. “
    ”Porsche has the lowest CO2 emissions per horsepower.“
    ”Porsche will reduce CO2 emissions by more than 20 per cent by the year 2012.“
    ”Porsche is introducing the hybrid engine: less than 9 litres fuel consumption on 100 km for a Cayenne.“

    Save Mother Earth and buy a Porsche. Now that is one very "Convenient Truth". :shades:

    link title
  • deweydewey Member Posts: 5,251
    A 4 cylinder Audi A8?

    All I know is that there are two 4 cylinder engines mated together to make a V8 in the A8.
  • bristol2bristol2 Member Posts: 736
    The criteria for the greenest auto company should be the one with the lowest CO2 emissions per horsepower

    Why? :confuse:

    Why would that be the only criteria? There are many other factors that influence a car company's green or non green status. Gas consumption per horsepower would be an interesting one for Porsche...
  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    There are many other factors that influence a car company's green or non green status.

    I agree with that statement.

    As much as I love the idea that Porsche is an environmentally-friendly company that produces environmentally-friendly vehicles, there are many things to consider...

    How much effort does a company put into R&D towards highly fuel-efficient vehicles with low emissions? How much re-cycled/re-cyclable material is used in the manufacturing process? What is the manufacturer's CAFE? How many gas-guzzlers do they sell?
    How much emissions per horsepower? What is the average emissions per a manufacturer's total vehicle sales? Do they actually market a fuel-efficient or "clean" vehicle at all? How safe are their vehicles? What is their lobbying position behind the scenes?... in other words what does the company REALLY stand for?

    As Bristol2 posted, there are lots of factors, and lots more than I posted.

    TagMan
  • deweydewey Member Posts: 5,251
    Why?

    My logic is flawed if the highest hp cars in general will produce the lowest C02 per hp. But if that is not the case then Porsche will have the greatest potential to become the greenest auto company with their new betrothed partner VW.

    Porsche's lowest CO2 emission per hp does not mean much in itself because they will still produce far more emissions per car than other companies because of their high HP engines.

    BUT what if they applied their know-how in producing the lowest emissions per hp to the lowest HP VW engines. Then VW-Porsche could easily become the greenest auto company in the world.
  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    Then VW-Porsche could easily become the greenest auto company in the world.

    As an owner of two of the most fun-to-drive cars that VW and Porsche produce, I can't help but endorse the idea that the VW-Porsche company will emerge as the best manufacturer of cars in the world... whether green or not. LOL. :)

    TagMan
  • bristol2bristol2 Member Posts: 736
    BUT what if they applied their know-how in producing the lowest emissions per hp to the lowest HP VW engines. Then VW-Porsche could easily become the greenest auto company in the world.

    I can buy that.

    But that is different than saying hp/ CO2 emissions is the criteria.
  • louisweilouiswei Member Posts: 3,715
    If we are talking about lowest CO2 per HP then I am willing to bet that Bugatti is the greenest auto maker...

    :P

    Edit: Is Bugatti part of the VW group?
  • 2001gs4302001gs430 Member Posts: 767
    Toyota hydrogen car goes 560km on one tank

    link title
  • louisweilouiswei Member Posts: 3,715
    And the best thing is...

    This is accomplished by a SUV! :surprise: (It's a Toyota Kluger, same as the Highlander here)

    image

    Source: Hydrogen Hybrid Toyota drives from Osaka to Tokyo on one tank
  • houdini1houdini1 Member Posts: 8,356
    Sorry, but you are wrong as usual. The original Legend/RL did not share a platform with the accord. Honda jumped on the bandwagon later.

    The original luxury RL platform was shared downward to the accord. So the economy accord actually rides on a luxury platform not the other way around. Want some salt and pepper?

    2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460

  • 2001gs4302001gs430 Member Posts: 767
    Now that is impressive. Wonder how the competitions stack up against this. Oh, wait they are just trying to catch up in gasoline/hybrid game. ;)
  • deweydewey Member Posts: 5,251
    The original Legend/RL did not share a platform with the accord. Honda jumped on the bandwagon later.

    The original luxury RL platform was shared downward to the accord. So the economy accord actually rides on a luxury platform not the other way around. Want some salt and pepper


    If RL downward platform sharing excites you more than upward sharing so be it! It's still platform sharing.

    Pass the salt and pepper please. :shades:
  • deweydewey Member Posts: 5,251
    can't help but endorse the idea that the VW-Porsche company will emerge as the best manufacturer of cars in the world.

    Unless BMW goes bankrupt that aint gonna happen :P
  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    Unless BMW goes bankrupt that aint gonna happen

    I recall a particular opinion that said they were practically on the verge of going BK. ;)

    But, no it isn't going to happen. Thank goodness BMW has reversed its plan for a BMW "R"-class vehicle.

    BTW, the 1-series is probably going to end up being the hottest BMW intro EVER in BMW history!!!

    TagMan
  • houdini1houdini1 Member Posts: 8,356
    Goodness, that's 350 miles on one tank. The article also said there was a lot of bumper to bumper traffic and the air conditioners were on all the time.

    What company was this? Toyota you say? Imagine that! I can't wait for the price of oil to start dropping! Better get out of those energy stocks now guys!

    2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460

  • sysweisyswei Member Posts: 1,804
    They need to push hydrogen range up to 1000 mi before I'd buy one. 350 just won't cut it if the nearest hydrogen station is 400 miles away, he he.
  • louisweilouiswei Member Posts: 3,715
    Actually if you read the article, it says the range is 480 miles. Still a long way from 1000 mi though.
  • drfilldrfill Member Posts: 2,484
    You know Toyota joined the Dealer's Alliance for one reason, and one reason only. To support the Big 3, who would be hurt a 1000 times more than Toyota on any EPA/envionmental legislation.

    Do you really think Toyota would have any problems passing any silly environmental tests? Toyota is right behind Honda, and Honda doesn't sell trucks! This is just good 'ole brown-nosin'! It's a lot easier to totally take the other guy's market from 'em, if you can hold the Domestics hand during this difficult time (this time being Bush still within shouting distance of Washington). ;)

    I thought you could see through that? That's an easy one, Tag! Come on, baby!

    Your better than that! Lunchtime shots are for the young, Tag! :surprise:

    Toyota doesn't need more money. They don't need the Big 3. They don't need to pander to the US Gubment, either.

    They just need to Rock On! And build me a shiny new Supra, if they have a second to make the remake a legend. :shades:

    DrFill
  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    They don't need the Big 3

    That's right, Doc! They are lobbying for their OWN interests... the lower the CAFE, the easier it is to sell more gas-guzzling highly-profitable Tundra trucks! It's business, baby! And Toyota knows business.

    TagMan
  • drfilldrfill Member Posts: 2,484
    Toyota's having CAFE troubles?

    Now that news! Where's your link? :surprise:

    Last I checked, Toyota was a close second, behind truckless Honda, and ahead of truckless Hyundai.

    I hope there's a point somewhere in our future. :confuse:

    DrFill
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