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Luxury Performance Sedans

10338 messages,  Last post on May 01, 2013 at 3:12 PM

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What is this discussion about? Lexus GS 430, Acura RL, BMW 5 Series, Volvo S80, Audi A6, Infiniti M35, Infiniti M45, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Cadillac STS, Sedan

Messages Page 706 of 1034

#7048 of 10338 Re: Hybrid turbo (bio)diesel [dewey] by markcincinnati

Mar 28, 2006 (11:21 am)

Replying to: dewey (Mar 28, 2006 10:41 am)
In the mid-nineties, I made my first of what became 6 visits to the Audi factory in Ingolstadt. Two of the 6 visits my wife and I made just as people walking up to the gate and asking if we could come in and go on one of the tours of the facilities. One of these tours we even took although it was completely in German. Our tour guide was bi-lingual and would give us the reader's digest version of what he said in German translated into English.
 
Anyway, it must've been 1993 or 1994 that Audi had what appeared to be an A4 Avant (that was the size of the car and the look of the car) it was a TD engine with electric motors for the around town part of the journey.
 
The talk was of a car that was 100% electric but that could seamlessly power up the ICE (diesel in this case) to transfer from battery power to fossil fuel power above certain speeds where diesel mileage could be used for greatest advantage.
 
Diesel fuel and diesel vehicles in the US (of the passenger car variety) struggled for years in some Cadillacs and Oldsmobiles, although some Mercedes Benz cars of the 80's (with diesels) would routinely go 200,000 miles and sip diesel fuel.
 
They were dogs however.
 
One of my buddies picked up a diesel Jetta (1979 vintage?) and we filled it up in Cincinnati and with one additional fill up, as I recall, drove it to Boyne Mountain snow skiing with four of us and our gear in the car.
 
Talk about the little engine that could!
 
Now, we've come to diesels winning Sebring and powering Audi A8L's and achieving 40MPGs in a lux barge.
 
The governor of Montana, as unlikely a VW spokesperson as one could imagine (a Democrat governor in a "Red" state) bought a new Jetta and is powering in with 100% Montana bio-diesel.
 
All we need is a tiny bit cleaner fuel and diesel engines the likes of that can be created by Audi and Mercedes (and probably BMW) -- and we have made a significant dent in our fuel consumption.
 
The LPS cars, "ought" to be the proving grounds for such clean, powerful and economical engines. Who knows if they will be.
 
Audi NOW claims the new Q7 will offer diesel motivation and the tongues are wagging that this may foretell of a wider importation of diesels across the Audi product line providing both strong "S" class performance capabilities and 40% better economy using fuel that TODAY is still a few pennies less per gallon that the Premium swill most of these LPS car demand.
 
Be still my heart.
 
OK, I'm over it.
 
Seems too logical, too easy almost -- we'll probably just make a gazillion batteries to power a gajillion gas/electric hybrids. . .er, "because we can?"

#7049 of 10338 Re: Thouch screens... >:-P [tayl0rd] by hpowders

Mar 28, 2006 (11:44 am)

Replying to: tayl0rd (Mar 28, 2006 10:28 am)
When you put it that way, I guess I was lucky to order the comfort seats!

#7050 of 10338 Re: Hybrid turbo (bio)diesel [dewey] by 2001gs430

Mar 28, 2006 (11:47 am)

Replying to: dewey (Mar 28, 2006 10:41 am)
There is the price premium for a powerful battery and hybrid technology. Plus there is the price premium for a diesel engine . Plus there is the problem of finding fuel at a nearby station.
 
The price premium would disappear with mass production of the new technologies in these vehicle such as what we are seeing today in Toyota hybrid automobiles. Of course, we are not talking about basic transportation vehicles right now.
If the diesel distribution networks improved with the greater awareness of its benefits and higher demand, then this should not be an issue (big IF)

#7051 of 10338 Re: Hybrid turbo (bio)diesel [docnukem] by dewey

Mar 28, 2006 (12:24 pm)

Replying to: docnukem (Mar 28, 2006 11:17 am)
How does the hybrid make the turbo redundant? I would think that the early kick from an electric hybrid motor would offset the lag during turbo spool-up.
 
My point was that both hybrids and turbos are similar in their role of providing torque when needed.
 
But you are correct it would be ideal to have a turbocharger that is good at higher speeds with a hybrid boost at lower speeds (offseting any turbo-lag).
 
Mark and 2001GS430,
 
I agree with both of you, but my argument was about biodiesel not diesel. There are currently very few places up here in Toronto where you can buy biodiesel fuel.
 

#7053 of 10338 Re: BMW....not for the vertically challenged :) [ghstudio] by rayng

Mar 28, 2006 (3:59 pm)

Replying to: ghstudio (Mar 28, 2006 8:07 am)
Drive the M35 with technology package. I think you'll love the steering, stance, and poise of this car. This is is a comfortable, sporty, and fun car. The seat belts, seats, and steering wheel are all adjustable. At 5'0, your wife will find that reaching for the various controls are much easier because the controls located between driver and passenger bulges outward (double wave front dash), thereby reducing the need to lean forward.
 
If you were to consider an Acura, either move up to an RL or wait for the freshened E midyear.

#7054 of 10338 Re: What the affluent buy in China [dewey] by rayng

Mar 28, 2006 (4:03 pm)

Replying to: dewey (Mar 28, 2006 5:20 am)
As a Chinese guy who works with Chinese from China, many of us prefer Mercedes. At least that's what our wives, girlfriends, mistresses ask for.
 
In Hong Kong, limos are rare because the streets are so congested and narrow that it would be nearly impossible to make a right hand turn in a stretched limo.

#7055 of 10338 Re: What the affluent buy in China [rayng] by vchiu

Mar 29, 2006 (4:30 am)

Replying to: rayng (Mar 28, 2006 4:03 pm)
If those luxury people carrier are so successful in China, it is because they're aren't as expensive as imported Luxury Sedan
 
Buying a well engined 7 or S- class as new means an easy 150K USD in China. Guess why people rather prefer 30-40K USD people carrier and luxurily equipped?
 
Buick even dare to offer the GL8 minivan with a 2,5L / 150 HP. You won't find any mention of the weight anywhere because they must be too ashamed of it. Must be a true 2200Kg/4500 Lbs! I let everyone guess how it performs with 7 guys onboard.
  
Back to the LPS with China. BMW is subcontracting their 3 and 5 assembly with Zhonghua, so their 530 is a bit cheaper than if fully imported. I see quite a few in my area. Nothing with stronger Engine, because most Chinese buyer care about the badge, the look and the cabin trim. Driving is secondary. A 550 would cost nearly as much as a base 730 so the 730 will be much more looked for

#7056 of 10338 Re: What the affluent buy in China [vchiu] by bartalk3

Mar 29, 2006 (3:28 pm)

Replying to: vchiu (Mar 29, 2006 4:30 am)
According to a recent article in "Automotive News," a big automotive status symbol in China is a Buick! That goes back decades, perhaps even to the 1920s or 1930s when GM and the U.S. industry was supreme and rich Westerners drove Buicks.

#7057 of 10338 Re: What the affluent buy in China [bartalk3] by vchiu

Mar 29, 2006 (8:32 pm)

Replying to: bartalk3 (Mar 29, 2006 3:28 pm)
> big automotive status symbol in China is a Buick!
 
I realy don't have this feeling here (I am in Shenzhen close to HK. Buick sell well because they offer the more bang for the buck. You can even buy a 4Cyl 2.0L Buick Regal for a cheap price (well I mean given the context). Of course, performance wise, we strayed to a galaxy far, far away from our LPS current subject.
 
In China, there is very little market for LPS. LS (at low price) is the successful one!

Messages Page 706 of 1034

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