Karl on Cars
Cadillac
October 20, 2009
"Oh...um...sorry to bother you...disembodied OnStar voice. Hope I didn't interrupt any truly important calls."
That's my first reaction whenever I hear that OnStar "ding" followed by "OnStar Ready" in a GM vehicle. And that's why my apprehension level goes up when I see that OnStar button under the rearview mirror.
See, I like to think of myself as relatively self-sufficient. Sure, I'll ask for help but I have to really need it first. However, on a semi-regular basis, when I'm in an OnStar-equipped car I find myself unintentionally activating the system, which in turn causes tremendous guilt because I feel I'm bothering an OnStar employee who could be helping another driver, maybe even someone with a true emergency.
I'll give you a few examples:
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- Karl Brauer October 20, 2009, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Buick, Cadillac, Car Audio and Technology, Chevrolet, GMC, Safety Systems, Talk Back Tuesday
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- OnStar GM
September 15, 2009
General Motors introduced its latest sales incentive/ad campaign yesterday -- a 60-day money-back guarantee with a "May the Best Car Win" attitude.
If you saw the new commercial about this program (in heavy rotation during the NFL season kick-off on Sunday) you saw (and heard) a plain-talking GM Chairman, Ed Whitacre, talking about how "Before I started this job, I admit, I had some doubts." But Mr. Whitacre likes what he found at GM, and he thinks "Car for car, when compared to the competition, we win."
There are two key elements to this latest ad campaign:
1. Are GM's cars really as good or better than the competition?
2. Can GM convince a substantial amount of potential customers its cars are as good or better than the competition?
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- Karl Brauer September 15, 2009, 3:00 AM
- Categories:
- Buick, Cadillac, Car Buying Advice, Chevrolet, GMC, Talk Back Tuesday
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- GM 60-Day Guarantee May the Best Car Win
March 31, 2009
It doesn't get much more turbulent in the automobile industry than the last 24 hours, and a little birdie told me there's plenty more coming in the next couple weeks, not to mention the next 24 hours...
But for now let's focus on what we know.
We know Rick Wagoner is gone. It doesn't matter if you agree or disagree with how he ran GM. It doesn't matter if you think his dismissal was prudent change or simple posturing (one guess as to what I think). The bottom line is he's viewed as the man at the wheel when GM steered into the sun, and the president's administration wanted a "fresh" approach.
We know Obama wasn't satisfied with either Chrysler or GM's viability plans and has asked for a "do over" from both. The president seems fired up by the idea of a Chrysler/Fiat merger (more fired up than he should be?), but he was nebulous about GM's next steps. It seems "go futher" and "work harder" on restructuring is the only concrete takeaway.
We know the president left open the concept of bankruptcy as a possible pathway to viability in his speech. After the speech GM's new CEO, Fritz Henderson, reiterated the bankruptcy option and spoke of likely government aid to expedite bankruptcy proceedings.
Finally, we know the government is now guaranteeing the warranties on all domestic automobiles. This is good because it means current and potential new domestic car owners can be comfortable knowing the government has backed up their vehicles (versus leaving them "out to dry" on warranty work).
Add these indisputable facts up and I think we all know something else: A GM bankruptcy is inevitable.
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- Karl Brauer March 31, 2009, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Automotive News, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, GMC, Hummer, Pontiac, Saturn, Talk Back Tuesday
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- GM Bankruptcy Automobile
November 25, 2008
I just read this New York Times article
about the financial problem enveloping the domestic automakers. It discusses many of the challenges facing them, all of which we've heard before (slowing sales, costly production, too many dealers and brands, etc.).
But the author also takes a close look at what bankruptcy would mean for GM and the other domestics. In short, "Bankruptcy sucks as a way to achieve real business resolution." As an example the story offers Delphi, a company 4 years into the process of bankruptcy with no clear end in sight. GM's size, and challenges, are far larger than Delphi's, and the complexities involved in using bankruptcy to solve GM's problems are difficult to even fathom.
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- Karl Brauer November 25, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Automotive News, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Domestic Automakers GM Bankrupt
July 22, 2008
I spent last week vacationing in the Denver area, but on two separate occasions my vacation was interrupted when work came a callin' in the form of disguised test mules (or prototype vehicles) undergoing high altitude testing.
On Tuesday of last week I spotted a taped-up 2009 Mercedes-Benz CLK driving on the C-470 loop from south Denver to I70 (where it promptly headed up into the mountains while I head down into Wheat Ridge). It was being tailed by a C320 and both cars wore numerous antennas to record sensor data.
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- Karl Brauer July 22, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Cadillac, Future Vehicles, Mercedes-Benz, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Future Vehicle, Spy Photography, Talk Back Tuesday
June 10, 2008
If you saw last Friday's blog you know that the Jaguar XF Supercharged comes standard with 20-inch wheels, and in my opinion those wheels reduce ride quality to an unacceptable level. The car's confidence around corners is undeniably enhanced by such large orbs, and many would say it's appearance benefits as well. Yet I would argue the car could/should handle exceptionally without wheels of this diameter. As for style, the large circles are actually too large in my not-so-humble opinion, further compromising the XF's already questionable looks.
However, in a world where entire TV shows can be named after automotive wheels it may be heresy to suggest a uniqe whip could actually be...too large? But I'm suggesting it all the same. The Jaguar XF by no means owns this "excessive rim" status. The new Dodge Challenger with 20-inch wheels? Too big! Makes the car sit too high, giving it more of a "monster truck" versus "performance car" stance.
Same goes for the 20-inch wheels on high-end luxury sedans like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the 22-inch rims on Cadillac Escalades both of them make the vehicles in question look like one of those circus clowns on stilts IMHO. Conversely, the 20s on the Rolls-Royce Phantom neither look too big (likey because it has such large proportions to begin with) nor upset the ulta-luxury sedan's ride quality. Consider the Rolls the rare exception, as I'd argue it's nearly impossible to put 20-inch wheels (or larger) on a vehicle without drastically sacrficing ride quality.
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- Karl Brauer June 10, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Cadillac, Dodge, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Talk Back Tuesday
February 25, 2008
"Why doesn't Ford bring back the Zephyr?"
I can't believe anyone ever actually said this, but lo and behold that paragon of 1970s Mercury style and performance did return in 2006 -- as a Lincoln. Actually, the Zephyr was originally a 1930s-era Lincoln before it was a '70s Mercury, but how many people know (or care) about that? Should Ford have revived this nameplate? I guess its staying power (Lincoln changed that model's name to MKZ after one year) is answer enough.
I was recently thinking about dead nameplates that should not come back after someone brought up Edsel in conversation. I'm assuming Ford will never revive that nameplate, and I don't expect to see the words "Aztek," "Chevette" or "Volare" on a future model, either. But then again, who would have predicted the rise of "Aspen" from the automotive underworld. Which brings up today's burning question:
What dead vehicle nameplates do you most fear the return of? In my opinion there are two reasons for a nameplate to never come back: (A) it's associated with a horrendous vehicle (Aztek) or (B) it was a horrendous name itself, regardless of the vehicle it was affixed to (Probe).
Here are my Top 5:
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- Karl Brauer February 25, 2008, 7:00 AM
- Categories:
- Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Toyota
January 30, 2008
More seat time in the 2008 Cadillac CTS has only cemented my choice of assigning it the bulk of my voting points for the 2008 North American Car of the Year title. Of course the Chevrolet Malibu won, and given its "everyman" nature (and pricing) I can't really argue the point.
But this Cadillac CTS is still the car that most impressed me as an all-new model for 2008 (plus it's not a knock-off of an existing model, ala Saturn Aura). Probably the smartest thing Cadillac did was to tap the same German supplier that BMW uses for suspension and steering components. That ZF Sachs underpins the CTS is obvious every time you turn the wheel and feel that Germanic, BMW-like weightiness imbuing the car with un-Cadillac-like confidence and poise.
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- Karl Brauer January 30, 2008, 7:00 AM
- Categories:
- Cadillac
December 13, 2007
The first round of 2008 North American Car and Truck of the Year votes are in...
Car Finalists:
1. Cadillac CTS 2. Chevrolet Malibu 3. Honda Accord
Truck Finalists:
1. Buick Enclave 2. Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid 3. Mazda CX-9
The final winnners will be announced the morning of January 13th as part of the kickoff for the 2008 North American International Auto Show (also known as the Detroit Auto Show). I just sent my second-round ballot in, so my part in voting for the car and truck winners is over. I won't know the results before that January 13th announcement, though obviously I know who I voted for.
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- Karl Brauer December 13, 2007, 7:00 AM
- Categories:
- Auto Shows, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Honda, Mazda, Vehicle Awards
December 6, 2007
I'm going to let you all in on a little secret. It's not much of a secret, as some of you might have already figured this out. But I'll pass the information along just the same.
As you probably know, residual value on domestic nameplates is generally lower than on the equivalent foreign model. Check our used car pricing guide and compare a 2005 Honda Accord LX sedan ($12,816) with a 2005 Chevrolet Malibu LS sedan ($8,908) if you need further proof.
Does this mean domestic cars are "worse" than foreign cars? There's a question that could generate plenty of comments -- depending on how I answer. But instead let's focus on an undeniable fact:
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- Karl Brauer December 6, 2007, 7:00 AM
- Categories:
- Cadillac, Chevrolet, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges
October 8, 2007
With three new entry luxury models in the house it seemed only fitting to carve out a few hours and carve up the local roadways in back-to-back drives. With the help of fellow editors Erin Riches and James Riswick we headed into the Santa Monica Mountains with a Cadillac CTS, Infiniti G35 and Mercedes-Benz C350, all 2008 models with automatic transmissions and sport packages. While much of the route was on twisty roads, there was enough high-speed cruising on PCH to test the "luxury" side of this equation. Here's what I learned:
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- Karl Brauer October 8, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Cadillac, Infiniti, Mercedes-Benz
September 6, 2007
I have a scary proclamation to make, but that's never stopped me before:
Cars are losing their "fun-to-drive" factor.
There -- I said it, and I feel better. Actually I feel better in having finally faced an undeniable fact, but worse that this is a fact of today's automotive reality. Yet after recent stints in the latest Dodge Viper and BMW 5 Series (to name just two) I can't deny the trend.
Sure, the Viper is still quick, loud, brash and bold -- but it ISN'T more fun to drive than before. In fact it's less. The steering response is too slow, the shift action is too clunky (yes, even for a "raw, manly car" like the Viper), and the driving position is not only uncomfortable but uncooperative when driving fast, which is supposedly the whole point of the car. And while the 5 Series is still luxurious, refined and stable around corners, it's also less entertaining on a twisty road than it used to be (I blame active steering primarily).
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- Karl Brauer September 6, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- BMW, Cadillac, Dodge, Driving, Porsche, Toyota
September 3, 2007
It's inevitable when you attend a press event. You talk to the manufacturer reps and the vehicle engineers and the marketing folks and they all have this "buzz" about how tremendously fabulous their latest creation is. You can't really blame them. The engineers have likely poured a good bit of their heart an soul into the vehicle, executives really want/need the car to do well in the marketplace, and the PR folks...well...it's their job to be excited about things.
But every so often you attend an event where all of these items are in play -- as well as a sincere sense of genuine enthusiasm for the product. You come to realize that these folks aren't just excited because they're supposed to be, but because the vehicle they're introducing really does represent a competitive and compelling offering in the market.
You can probably guess where the all-new 2008 Cadillac CTS shakes out in this system.
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- Karl Brauer September 3, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Cadillac
August 30, 2007
Got to drive the all-new 2008 Cadillac CTS on Laguna Seca Raceway near Monterey yesterday afternoon. It's no Nurburgring, but Laguna Seca remains one of my all-time favorite tracks. Slicing through the corkscrew and barreling over the blind hill on the front-straight are occurances that defy description -- they simply must be experienced.
And when it comes to sorting out a new model's handling dynamics I can't think of a better track...
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- Karl Brauer August 30, 2007, 6:43 AM
- Categories:
- Cadillac
August 17, 2007
I already covered the 2008 Lincoln Navigator a few weeks ago, but I just drove the "L" version and realized this car is more than simply a Cadillac Escalade ESV competitor. It's really (along with the Ford Expedition EL) a replacement for the Excursion. That particular Ford vehicle was lambasted by everyone from environmentalists to safety advocates (not surprising considering the curb weight of more than 7,000 pounds and real-world mileage around 12 mpg).
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- Karl Brauer August 17, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Cadillac, Ford, Fuel Efficiency, Lincoln
December 18, 2006
When Cadillac began it's Zeppelin-ized "Been a Long Time Since Rock 'n Roll" campaign a few years back I'm pretty sure they didn't want that phrase to reference their vehicles' structural integrity. But after 100 miles in the XLR-V it's the only way I can describe the sensations traveling through the seat, steering wheel and console. Let's not forget that this is basically a luxurious (and heavy) Corvette. As such, it felt best when hustling along Mulholland, though the steering was on the heavy side and the suspension felt borderline too stiff (it didn't quite upset the chassis over harsh mid-corner bumpers, but close...). With the top down and the thundering, supercharged V8 making 443 horsepower it certainly got the job done.
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- Karl Brauer December 18, 2006, 8:54 AM
- Categories:
- Cadillac
November 29, 2006
Yesterday I got a sneak peek at the Platinum Series Cadillac models. Their official debut is today at the L.A. Auto Show
, and I must say they look good (and this from a guy who's not really into "bling"). The most important point of these cars is that they give Cadillac an additional level of personalization...
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- Karl Brauer November 29, 2006, 8:04 AM
- Categories:
- Auto Shows, Cadillac
September 27, 2006
Our latest long-term vehicle entered the fleet last Friday -- a 2007 Cadillac SRX. We got the V6 version with rear-wheel drive, monster sunroof, and navigation system. No 3rd row seat and, thankfully, no 20-inch wheels (I've pretty much had it with silly wheel sizes, especially on SUVs -- but that's just me). While some of you may wonder why we would add the SRX to our fleet (it's not like it was just redesigned), you might not know that the interior of the vehicle was completely redone for '07...
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- Karl Brauer September 27, 2006, 8:02 AM
- Categories:
- Cadillac
June 22, 2006
Having just driven our brand-spankin'-new RAV4, and our new R500, in the past few days I am acutely aware of new-car smell. And not just new-car smell as a general concept but the variations in new-car smell based on both brand and interior materials.
Now, the tricky thing about your sense of smell is that it can become highly associated with thoughts, memories and emotions. So the question becomes -- Do my feelings about certain new car smells reflect my feelings about the cars themselves, or can I successfully separate my feelings about a car and my feelings about a car's smell? I'd like to think that even "stinky" cars can score well with me from a purely automotive sense, and I'd hope that just because a given car smells good it doesn't make me give the car undue credit in terms of design, functionality and value. With those concepts laid before you I offer the following opinions of how various new cars smell:
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- Karl Brauer June 22, 2006, 8:26 AM
- Categories:
- BMW, Cadillac, Ford, MINI, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota
June 13, 2006
I just got a drive in the 2006 Cadillac STS-V and I was left with two overwhelming impressions. It's really fast, and it's really fat! I know that second trait doesn't particularly mesh with the image of a high-performance sport sedan playing in the BMW M5's segment, and that's probably why I wouldn't suggest cross-shopping these models. The STS-V has more interior space than the M5, and its ride quality and interior design make it feel more luxurious overall (though the interior materials still don't line up with BMW's...)...
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- Karl Brauer June 13, 2006, 8:25 AM
- Categories:
- Cadillac
May 2, 2006
Latest news from the grapevine says the upgraded CTS-V
won't happen. We had originally reported the possibility of a mid-cycle update, including suspension tuning, revised bodywork and a 505 horsepower V8 pulled directly from the current Corvette Z06. Now we're hearing those plans have been scrapped. Apparently the cost-benefit ratio doesn't make sense, particulary with an all-new CTS so close to production...
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- Karl Brauer May 2, 2006, 4:53 PM
- Categories:
- Cadillac
