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Automotive News & Views Can GM make Cadillac the standard of the world Again?
6098 messages, Last post on Aug 14, 2009 at 4:43 PM
You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & claires
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Replying to: merc1 (Jan 19, 2007 9:01 am) "As far as the Allante is concerned, I think that it was overpriced, due in part to the extravagant manufacturing process. But more than anything, the FWD simply was not going to work in something that Cadillac expected to sell to Mercedes SL roadster buyers. Cadillac was able to flim-flam some people with the Seville Turing Sedan (STS) and they experimented with the computer controled suspension. However, as was the case with the 60's era Toronado and Eldorado, FWD has very serious limits with respect to handling on dry pavement. On slippery roads FWD is an other matter." |
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Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jan 19, 2007 8:26 am) But: I got to drive an XLR at a Lexus event, and it made me crazy. As sexy as the design was, the moment I slid into the driver's seat I was frustrated. The interior felt huge and empty and...cheap. It reminded me of my friend's old Z-28. I knew about the exotic Zebra wood, but in the bright sunlight, it looked more like a polycoated piece of plywood from a kit car than a megabuck piece of forbidden rain forest. The car was a nice driver - tight and flat on the smooth roads of the event course, but I didn't feel pampered or cosseted like I did in the Jag's, BMW's and Lexus at the same event. This review from Forbes pretty well summarizes my feelings: while the interior of the XLR might be a shade more luxurious than the Corvette's, it is not even in the same class as a Lexus or Jag. Despite all the lip service being paid to Cadillac's new exterior design cues, it is frustrating to see how much its interiors still lag behind. The dashboard and console wouldn't be let out of the factory in Germany, Japan or England. While there are some nice wooden touches--such as on the steering wheel--the entire passenger side dash is one big swatch of vinyl. Would it have killed them to add a nice wooden strip to class it up a little? While environmentalists might appreciate the gesture, to most anyone else it seems like Cadillac is cheap, or clueless, or both. Similarly, the side control panels are covered in some kind of pseudo-industrial plastic stripping that is just embarrassing. Cadillac has made much of the fact that the gauges were designed by the Italian-luxury jewelry and watch firm Bulgari, and even emblazoned the name 'Bulgari' ostentatiously on the speedometer. While easy enough to read, it doesn't look particularly stylish or special. All of that to say that this is why I'm so hesitant to praise the new CTS in advance. The XLR looked pretty good in the magazine centerfolds, but in real life it was a different woman. We won't even go into the trunk lid (top-cover?) design that dumps rain water in the trunk when you try to put the top down after the rain ends.
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Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jan 19, 2007 9:14 am) The comparison test on the Corvette, Porsche and SL went on to say that the SL had the most stiffest body, with little shake, while the Corvette was not as good.
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I think overuse of wood trim is a sin that too many auto stylists fall into. I can see the conversation now... Manager: We need to bring these interior upscale so what are your plans? Chief Designer: We plan to cover as much of the interior as possible with shiny wood. Manager: Perfect everyone knows shiny wood is high class just look at furniture... Lexus and to a lesser extent Mercedes are serious offenders with regards to this. I am a much bigger fan of small tasteful bits of wood. Unvarnished, non-shinny, natural looking wood is even better. |
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Replying to: lokki (Jan 19, 2007 7:21 am) |
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Replying to: british_rover (Jan 19, 2007 9:29 am) I always pictured that conversation as follows Manager: Ze American market manager inzists on vood on das dashboard. Chief Designer: Jawhol! We have place a piece right in front of za passengefrau where she can see it clearly! Now vat is cuupholder thingy you vant?
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Replying to: british_rover (Jan 19, 2007 9:29 am) I rode in a coworkers 04 Denali yesterday...it's like they didn't even try with that trim. |
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Replying to: lokki (Jan 19, 2007 9:24 am)
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Replying to: sls002 (Jan 19, 2007 9:57 am)
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Replying to: lemko (Jan 19, 2007 10:05 am) The basic difference between the STS and DTS interior is space. The DTS is a bigger, wider body, so it has more shoulder and hip room. The STS is a sports sedan, and not everyone wants a sports sedan. |
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