Does Cadillac Have A Viable Premium Contender With The CTS

Cadillac CTS Sales Analysis
By PistonsFan

Over the last months we have seen some big drops in monthly sales from the Cadillac brand. I wanted to look deeper into this to see how the CTS has been performing relative to the competition during this recession as well as looking at how Cadillac sales responded to various major events in the auto market and financial markets.

First here is a chart showing Cadillac CTS sales since its MY2008 introduction. Significant events are indicated on the chart.

The next chart compares CTS sales to what I consider to be the benchmark, BMW. Both the 3-series and 5-series are shown on this figure. The CTS is actually a 5-series competitor in terms of size and capability, but it is priced at 3-series levels. This makes any comparison difficult. I also added the Lincoln MKZ even though it is insignificant in my eyes.

It is interesting how closely CTS tracks 5-series. Overall, it appears that the CTS sales trended similarly to the competition. It doesn’t appear that there was any major sales drop induced by the negative publicity surrounding the GM bankruptcy.

Already, it "appears" that the CTS is making a sales comeback now that some lease offers are available. With the introduction of the Coupe and Sportwagon, hopefully the CTS will climb to sales levels "near" the BMW 3-series.

Another interesting question is how the Cadillac "Alpha" ATS will play into all of this. Will the ATS and its variants be able to reach a sales volume similar to the 3-series?

Source: gminsidenews.com Cadillac CTS Sales Analysis

Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept

Bypassing the Hybrid Tourer Concept's rear end that is remarkably similar in design to the Alfa Romeo Brera (...), Subaru's latest prototype model will be displayed to the public for the first time at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show in late October. The gullwing-door model features Subaru's first hybrid drivetrain that combines a 2.0-liter horizontally-opposed direct fuel-injection turbo gasoline engine and the firm's trademark Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system with an electric motor at each axle and a high-performance lithium battery.

Power is primarily provided by the boxer engine that is linked to a new generation Lineatronic CVT (continuously variable transmission). According to Subaru, at start-up and extremely low speeds, the 20kW / 27HP rear electric motor can move the vehicle on its own while during acceleration, it kicks in to give an additional power boost to the gasoline engine.

Specifications


Length x Width x Height: 4,630 x 1,890 x 1,420mm

Engine type: 2.0-liter Horizontally-Opposed direct fuel-injection turbo gasoline engine

Max output of Motor: 10kW (Front) / 20kW (Rear)

Transmission type: Lineartronic

Drive train: Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive with 2 motors assist

Battery type: Lithium-ion battery

Source: CarScoop.blogspot  Subaru Concepts

Lotus planning to take on Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati

Relying on the strong heritage of the past, Lotus plans on taking on Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati

New Lotus CEO Dany Bahar plans to build on the Hethel firm’s strong heritage to bring it back to successes enjoyed in the 1970s.

Bahar, who recently joined the firm from Ferrari, said the Lotus name had massive potential and its strengths lied in its iconic brand, its long history in car-racing and its reputation as a manufacturer of exciting, innovative and light sports cars.

“Lotus was mentioned in the same sentence as Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati in the 1970s-1990s,” he told Malaysian reporters. “Then, it got closed into a corner. We believe it's the right time to bring Lotus back to where it was.

“Success is not to always think in one direction but about innovative technology and super efficiency.”

He added that he would be working on a new business plan to take Lotus back to the top alongside companies such as Ferrari within the next three to five years as a "top priority".

Source: Autocar [via autocar]

Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione proves beauty is only skin deep

Imagine you're a male (Autoblog surveys say most of you are, so this shouldn't be hard). You've been invited to the Playboy Mansion for their annual Halloween party. You arrive, grab a flute of bubbly, get introduced to the crusty remains of Hugh Heffner and after a few minutes lay eyes on the most beautiful specimen of redheaded femininity the world has ever seen. You fight your knees from buckling, walk over and give it the ol' college try. Miraculously, you hit it off. She's entertaining, interesting and a joy to see and be seen with. One thing leads to another and you make your way upstairs into one of Heff's exotically appointed love dens.

You're ready to embark on one of the most pleasurable experiences of your life when... there's no spark. No connection. No chemistry. You use every trick in the book to make things work, but to no avail. Despite her arsenal of attributes, this exquisite example of sensuality just doesn't "do it" for you.

If you can understand that scenario, then you can understand our brief, uninspiring stint with the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione.

The 8C has been around long enough that you already know what matters. It's stunning, perfectly proportioned and should only be available in one color: Competition Red. Beneath its achingly gorgeous carbon fiber exterior you'll find the same platform that underpins the Maserati Gran Turismo, along with a dry-sump 4.7-liter V8 hand assembled by Ferrari. A six-speed sequential gearbox channels the bent eight's 450 horsepower (at 7,000 RPM) and 354 pound-feet of torque (at 4,750 RPM) to a limited slip differential nestled between the rear wheels, delivering a claimed 0-60 MPH sprint of 4.2 seconds and a top speed over 180 MPH.

  Source: Autoblog, for more with images, Read on

Parmigiani Fleuier Honors Bugatti"s Past And Future With Unique Timepieces

You could call Parmigiani Fleurier the Bugatti of watchmakers and hardly be exaggerating. The pinnacle of time-craft, Parmigiani's timepieces are some of the most highly intricate, innovative and sought-after in the field. No wonder Bugatti chose the atelier to fabricate a unique wristwatch to accompany the Veyron. Now that the Veyron's production is drawing to an end and a new model is around the corner, Parmigiani has been back at work to both commemorate Bugatti's past and join it for the future.

Back in 2006, the Swiss watchmaker released the unique Type 370, a wristwatch whose movement was intricately designed to be placed sideways, with the face displaying to the driver's eye without requiring their hand to leave the wheel. Pointless, you might say, but the point is the craftsmanship, and Parmigiani pulled it off flawlessly. Only 200 were to be built specifically to accompany the Bugatti Veyron. And like the Veyron, its production run is now drawing to a close, but not before the last two examples have their chance to stand above the rest.

Parmigiani has crafted two unique examples in 18-karat rose gold and platinum 950, each hand etched by master engraver Philippe Bodenmann, taking a mind-blowing 300 hours to complete the task. Called the Centenaire like the special-edition Veyrons, the last Type 370s also feature calfskin straps furnished by Bugatti's partner Hermes and mark the company's 100th anniversary. But commemorating the past isn't all Parmigiani Fleurier has in store for its partnership with Bugatti.

Now that the Alsatian automaker is preparing for its next feat, Parmigiani is on board with a Tourbillon timepiece to accompany the 16C Galibier concept car, now tipped to have been approved for production. Fine watch connoisseurs know the tourbillon to be one of the most intricate watch mechanisms ever devised. Originally designed to combat the effects of gravity's pull on the mechanism of a pocket-watch, the entire mechanism rotates inside its case, and the gears within it. Parmigiani designed a tourbillon to dock into the dashboard of the Galibier, acting as the car's time display. But the timepiece can also be removed and worn as a pocket watch, attached to a wrist strap or docked into a stand to act as a desk clock.

Whatever production plans Bugatti has for the future, you can bet Parmigiani will be right on its heels. And with no less refined a level of design and craftsmanship, either. Photos in the galleries below.

Source: Autoblog parminigiani fleurier bugatti type 370 centenaire

GM Considering Project-Driveway Like Program For Volt

GM launched a program in the end of 2007 called Project Driveway.  This program allows ordinary people to have full-time use of Chevy Equinox fuel cell vehicles.  About 100 are in operation through the US, even through the vehicle isn’t in production.

According to vice chairman Bob Lutz, apparently GM is considering a similar program for early Chevy Volts.

“We might even do the same thing we did with the Chevrolet Equinox and have Project Driveway and have real Americans driving Volts where they use it as a daily car for a couple of months,” he said.

Lutz also told the reporter the demand for Volts is significant and indicated that over 50,000 people have registered on “websites” as being interested in the car.  Though the reporter did not specify the websites Lutz referred to, he admitted in an email after my request, “he did mention your site.”

The report also indicated that 10,000 Volts would be produced in year one, and 60,000 in year two, plans that have been often been published but never confirmed by GM. This numerical discrepancy has lead some authors to predict demand will far outweigh supply for the early Volts.  Recently, however, Dave Barthmuss from GM was quoted as saying GM would actually build “tens of thousands” of Volts in the first year.

Regardless of the potential for strong demand and limited supply, GM is building up to a Volt advertising blitz the likes of which we have never seen.

Once GM has a few hundred pre-production Volts on hand next year, they plan to “pull out the heavy artillery and get Volt buzz going with media and customer events,” said Lutz.

The marketing drive will begin to ratchet up starting at the LA Auto Show this December.

Can’t wait.

Source: GM-Volt (Autonews sub. req.)

Honda unleashes the goods on VFR 1200F

Honda has unleashed the goods on its new 2010 VFR 1200F, and it's pretty much what we've been expecting. Buried beneath the dual-pane bodywork and vacuum-molded cast aluminum chassis lies a 1,237 cc V4 engine that reportedly puts out 172 hp at 10,000 RPM and 95 lb-ft of torque at a high 8,750 RPM.

A 43-millimeter upside-down fork is fitted up front and adjustable for preload, while a single shock featuring Honda's Pro-Link system and equipped with 25 positions of preload is mounted out back. With a claimed weight of nearly 600 pounds, the new VFR is certainly no lightweight, and the highly anticipated dual-clutch gearbox and cylinder deactivation technologies appear to be additional-cost options.

 Source: Autoblog 2010 honda vfr