riviera74

Exactly! The interior is identical to last year's model. A new engine and transmission alone does not a good MCE make. Interior improvements on this Impala, STAT!

Maybe the UAW should focus on converting foreign-owned plants to UAW plants instead and grow their membership that way. Then again, that would actually make sense. UAW has seldom made any sense since at least 1980. GM needs fewer plans working at capacity, not more plants running at 50% or lower capacity. More sales and more profits first last and always.

While it is unfortunate that the eAssist models have smaller gas tanks, that is the point with a gas-electric hybrid. I doubt that a Prius's gas tank is actually as large as a Corolla's, for example.

While it made more sense to buy a Park Avenue (or even a LeSabre) in 1991, a lot of Baby Boomers went for the ES250. Why do you think that the ES350 & RX350 are best sellers in their class? Toyota/Lexus won that war a long time ago mostly because of GM errors and the slow response of the Germans, not much else.

You think that's bad. Hop into a 1977 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham or a same model year Buick Park Avenue! The Lucerne is almost sane by mid-1970s standards.

How is the Cruze selling compared to direct competitors such as Civic and Corolla and Elantra and Focus?

How about a Zeta-based RWD Impala, since GM is bringing the Caprice in as a police vehicle?

Just because they made plans does not mean they will execute them: e.g. Chi, Ultra V8 etc. I could make the case that the SRX ought to be a Buick, but that is what the Encore is for since there is a massive hole in Buick's lineup. No such hole for Cadillac. Cadillac's hole is a RWD large sedan (i.e. a flagship). Escalade will not sell outside of North America, and since international sales do matter for GM, an XJ/7/S-class fighter is mandatory.

Can GM build a really good 3 cylinder engine though? That is the question. Once upon a time, their 4cyl engines were awful in the USA. Since the Ecotec family came out of Russellheim, they are much better. Can they build a very good 3cyl? I don't know.

I have a question: how can GM improve the ATS and the CTS to be best in class to a point where otherwise non-Cadillac owners switch to Cadillac?

OK, thanks. When does the Gen V small block come out?

So is the LS3 engine being used right now? If so, which cars? If not, how soon will it be on the road in a GM car?

As for your Intrigue question, the price is great given the mileage. Just Buy it.

While the LFX 3.6L DI-VVT V6 sounds fantastic, a V8 derivative should be simple to do. A better question is why GM should actually do that given their very good existing Vortec V8 line. In other words, does Cadillac need a spiritual successor to the Northstar V8, or is it merely to keep up with MB, BMW, Lexus et. al.?

But then the buyer would be stuck w/ an ordinary compact. The Prius gives one status and bragging rights....I've certainly gotten an earful over the years from Prius-owner friends and coworkers..a Corolla just says that one is a cheapskate or can't afford better, a Prius says one is smart and green..at least that is the perception in society at large. Yes, that perception exists. It also proves that a fool and his $$$ are soon and easily parted. Status and bragging rights do nothing for your personal bottom line. A planetary eCVT is way simpler than any traditional torque-converter automatic transmission. Please explain what a planetary eCVT is and a conventional chain-driven CVT is.

Is the asbestos hype overdone? Yes. Then again, how many lawsuits exist against asbestos clients are pending now? As for the original post, Pep Boys is not going to patch a tire that they will never sell. It is unfortunate, but their business model does not include that service.

Ideally, CAFE would be abolished entirely. But it is true that CAFE can be dealt with in creative ways. BMW pays CAFE fines all the time for years because they drank fuel. Cadillac should not be concerned with fuel economy; GM should push that to Chevrolet instead. Thanks to volume, Chevy should take the CAFE hit and spare Cadillac (and spare the Corvette naturally).

The SRX isn't quite the RX350. At least not in terms of sales, at least not yet. But it is making a lot of inroads. The biggest problem with the SRX isn't that its FWD. Its that it is about 300~400 lbs heavier than it ought to be. This lead to acceleration that is sufficiently lethargic that even the soccer moms felt it. Ditching the 3.0 for the 3.6 helped. This car really needs the LF3 (3.0 Bi-turbo) more than any other right now. I agree about the weight issue. Most cars could stand to lose 500 lbs. easily. The TT3L V6 should be the upgraded optional engine.

...and honestly, I believe a good part of the great asbestos panic is lawyer-created paranoia. My grandfather was awash in asbestos all his professional life as an electrician in the shipyards. He helped build the USS New Jersey. Lived to be 96 or 97. The doctors on his deathbed even admitted he still had asbestos in his lungs, which was making it hard for him to breathe in his reduced state of health. Mesothelioma is no joke. While it is a good thing that your grandfather lived to be nearly 100, most people in that kind of environment have their lives cut short.

Sounds like they are hiding behind an excuse to me. Trial attorneys have never destroyed an entire industry (other than asbestos).

I could see Ford ending Lincoln, especially if they refuse to provide Lincoln with models worth buying (e.g. Ford Australia cars as Lincolns). Why is Cadillac still around? Simple: Is GM supposed to be just Chevrolet/Buick/GMC? At least Cadillac has an identity separate and distinct from Chevy and Buick. Lincoln has not had such an identity in at least 30-40 years. Lincoln should not aspire to be Acura or Volvo since neither one has a good reason to survive either.

Wow, they really think that. They would rather have a Charger than a Caprice? Why is that? How soon will you test drive the Caprice?

Yes, hybrids cost more, but they also cost a lot more to make and sell than its compact car equivalent. Toyota has NEVER discounted its Prius in the past decade, not even once. Why not save the $7500-$10000 and by a Corolla or Matrix? Limited supplies mean no discounts on the vehicle at all, especially on hybrids. I personally am not a fan of compacts, but you still get a better return with a conventional compact than with a hybrid. Besides, hybrids have to go back to the dealer for repairs and maintenance. Conventional cars do not.

A planetary eCVT is way simpler than any traditional torque-converter automatic transmission. Two questions then: Why is Nissan the only one selling cars with a CVT? And why would anyone want a CVT of any kind in the first place?

Basing the ERX (nee SRX) on the XTS platform will bring back only lost sales . I know it was unique, but the first-generation SRX did not sell . The current one sells very well because that is what the market wants. As for your URX, I would leave it on GM's next truck platform since that is the most profitable.