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Sedans Midsize Sedans 2.0
13232 messages, Last post on Nov 26, 2009 at 10:26 PM
You are in the Sedans Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens
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Replying to: elroy5 (Apr 15, 2007 7:03 pm) If you haven't tried it, you might be very pleasantly surprized. My brother got a new Sonata the end of Feb. He was amazed at the stability control and traction control on two different snowy days. He wasn't sure what was happening, at first, just that the car did what he was intending it to do.
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Replying to: bhmr59 (Apr 15, 2007 7:11 pm) |
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Of course the Buick LaCrosse qualifies. It certainly isn't a luxury car, and GM placed it as the replacement for the Regal. Cost-wise, it's right where the Accord and others are as well. Small car? No. Large? Not really. Luxury? Nope. Sporty? Gotta be kidding. That basically leaves 20-30K family sedan, which is what this group seems to be about. |
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Replying to: backy (Apr 14, 2007 7:43 pm)
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Replying to: punkr77 (Apr 15, 2007 11:17 pm) |
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Replying to: elroy5 (Apr 15, 2007 4:42 pm) Autocross is typically a "course" configured with a bunch of traffic cones in a parking lot. Emphasis is much more on driver skill and car control than overall top speed, as cars rarely get above 2nd gear. HPDE stands for high performance driving event, which used to be called "hot lapping days" at local road courses. In California, this means Willow Springs (and 'Streets), Buttonwillow, Laguna Seca, Sears Point, etc. The Contour with slightly upgraded brakes and R-compound tires was amazingly competitive in its class. Incidentally, the early 90s Accords do well in autocross type events, especially with a warmed over suspension. Anything off road will have a very different suspension, there might be some confusion between rally-cross (auto-cross in the mud) or true rally stage races and the on-pavement events. That said, stock road going versions of the WRX/STI and EVO (the Subie and Mitsu) are very popular at these events beginning in the late 90s when the Civic and Sentra started to lose their sport compact following. Like I said earlier, if BMW can have the ride/handling balance they had in 1992/3, why can't other automakers figure out how to do that now?
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Replying to: lilengineerboy (Apr 16, 2007 5:49 am) Their job is not to figure that out. Their job is to build cars that consumers want to buy. When the top 3 selling vehicles (in 2006) are F-150, Siverado, and Camry and the top 8 include another truck, Corolla, and Impala...this does not lead one to believe that consumers are looking for BMW-like vehicles, does it?
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Replying to: jeffyscott (Apr 16, 2007 6:26 am) This is an interesting use of the word "want." I think their task is to make vehicles people feel they "need." I don't want a new CamCord particularly, I want something fun to drive that can go around corners well and doesn't physically beat me up on the freeway. I need a car with 4 doors, 5 seatbelts, and 3 pedals (well, okay the 3 pedals is a want, but I won't buy an auto). Also, I would argue that their job isn't to make cars people want, rather their job, especially to their shareholders, is to be profitable. BMW seems to be able to do that with a very low volume. 
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Replying to: lilengineerboy (Apr 16, 2007 6:54 am)  . Let me put it this way...their job is to build cars that people will buy at a price that generates a profit. Is BMW low volume in Europe? Toyota seems to be very profitable at high volume and has the biggest selling mid-size car, despite the fact that you (or I) will not buy one. |
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Replying to: jeffyscott (Apr 16, 2007 7:51 am) This is likely due to the fact that Toyota doesn't try to sell "clearance rack" vehicles, which many automakers have been guilty of, less so recently. They build (arguably maybe, lately) high-quality cars for the most part, and don't have to sell them at major discounts. People like high-quality, and apparently are willing to pay a little more for it. I imagine when Honda comes out with is new Accord, prices will be right back at sticker (as opposed to right now where people are getting real steals of $1,000-$1,500 below invoice since the current Accord is in its last few months of life). Honda also builds high(er) quality vehicles than much of its competition, and people are willing to pay more for it (and when the higher sale price outweighs the higher build price due to better quality, more profit is had). |
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