Now....
1) If only GM had the budget to pull it off.
2) If only U were Rick Wagoner/Bob Lutz and could get the GM board to stop being so effing cheap
3) The list is AWESOME, but U modeled it after Mercedes and seemingly Bentley, which is waaaay to ambitious at this time. Something like this undertaking would not be able to be accomplished for at least 10 years even if Toyota's pockets were funding it.
4) The Core of your list is where they should start. The "fluff" is what makes me say #3...
A more GM Board Friendly Line-Up
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CARS
BTS/BTS4/BTS-V -- B-Series Touring Sedan (Global)
-- $30,000-50,000
-- Compact Sedan
-- RWD / AWD
-- Engine: Diesel, EcoTec, HF w/ DI
-- HP: 140-420HP
-- Main Competitor(s): BMW 3, Mercedes C, Audi A4,
Lexus IS,
Infiniti G, Jaguar X-Type
GREAT IDEA (Lutz are U reading?) This is absolutely necessary and the pricing keeps it from bringing the Cadillac name down. I, too, believe the CTS is way too large to compete with the 3series. It blows me away that they Brass at GM thinks people even think of them as competitors.
BTE/BTE4 -- B-Series Touring Estate (Global)
-- $30,000-40,000
-- Compact Wagon
-- RWD / AWD
-- Engine: Diesel, EcoTec, HF w/ DI
-- HP: 140-420HP
-- Main Competitor(s): BMW 3 Touring, Mercedes C, Audi A4 Avant
The only thing I disagree with is the GLOBAL part of the listing. Wagons are a Euro thing, and only a small part of segment sale sin the U.S. As gas prices go up who knows, but to make this list sell-able to the BOARD.. AXE this car for U.S. duty
CTS/CTS4/CTS-V -- C-Series Touring Sedan (Global)
-- $39,000-62,000
-- Mid-Sized Sedan
-- RWD / AWD
-- Engine: Diesel, HF w/ DI, UltraV8
-- HP: 180-520HP
-- Main Competitor(s): BMW 5, Mercedes E, Audi A6, Lexus GS, Infiniti M, Jaguar XF
CTC/CTC4/CTC Cabriolet/CTC4 Cabriolet/CTC-V -- C-Series Touring Coupe (Global)
-- $43,000-68,000
-- Mid-Sized Coupe and 2+2 convertible
-- RWD / AWD
-- Engine: Diesel, HF w/ DI, UltraV8
-- HP: 180-520HP
-- Main Competitor(s): BMW 6, Mercedes CLK, Audi A5
CTE/CTE4/CTE-V -- C-Series Touring Estate (Global)
-- $50,000-60,000
-- Mid-sized Wagon
-- RWD / AWD
-- Engine: Diesel, HF w/ DI, UltraV8
-- HP: 180-520HP
-- Main Competitor(s): BMW 5, Mercedes E, Audi A6 Avant
I am a fan of this idea on the Wagon tho. Even tho it contradicts my comments above about the Bseries wagon.
STS/STS4/STS-V -- S-Series Touring Sedan (Global)
-- $65,000-100,000
-- Full-sized Coupe-like Sedan
-- RWD / AWD
-- Engine: Diesel, UltraV8
-- HP: 280-625HP
-- Main Competitor(s): Mercedes CLS, Maserati Quattroporte
FTS/FTS4/FTS-V -- F-Series Touring Sedan (Global)
-- $70,000-100,000
-- Full-sized Sedan
-- RWD / AWD
-- Engine: Diesel, HF w/ DI, UltraV8
-- HP: 280-625HP
-- Main Competitor(s): BMW 7, Mercedes S (Low end), Audi A8, Jaguar XJ, Lexus LS, VW Phaeton, Infiniti Q
I really think the Fseries and S series should just be combined. THe STS-L/SLS name is similar in fact to the 7series L, for instance, philosophy.
ULS/UTS/ULS4/UTS4/UTS-V -- U-Series Luxury/Touring Sedan (Global)
-- $120,000-200,000
-- Full-Sized Personal Limo Sedan
-- RWD / AWD
-- Engine: UltraV8, Northstar XV12 (or comparable)
-- HP: 450-700HP
-- Main Competitor(s): Mercedes S (high end), Bentley Flying Spur
LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!
GLR/GLR-V -- G-Series Luxury Roadster (Global)
-- $40,000-50,000
-- Compact Luxury Roadster
-- RWD
-- Engine: HF w/ DI, UltraV8
-- HP: 255-380HP
-- Main Competitor(s): Mercedes SLK, Porsche Boxster
Why has this not been already done using the Kappa platform??? It could be slightly stretched and be so completely different that it would be impossible to even associate it with the Solstice/Sky/GT
XLR/XLR-V -- X-Series Luxury Roadster (Global)
-- $80,000-110,000
-- Mid-sized Luxury Roadster
-- RWD
-- Engine: UltraV8
-- HP: 380-625HP
-- Main Competitor(s): Mercedes SL, Jaguar XK, Porsche 911, Lexus SC
Beautiful car already...just needs fleshing out, more modernized cabin, and more powerful engines. Soften the edges slightly Ala new CTS.
CROSSOVER/SUV
BRX/BRX4 -- B-Series Reconfigurable Crossover (Global)
-- $32,000-40,000
-- 5-seat, compact crossover
-- RWD / AWD
-- Engine: Diesel, EcoTec, HF w/ DI
-- HP: 140-280HP
-- Main Competitor(s):
BMW X3, Mercedes GLK, Audi Q5
SRX/SRX4 -- S-Series Reconfigurable Crossover (Global)
--$40,000-52,000
-- 5/7-seat, mid-sized crossover
-- RWD / AWD
-- Engine: Diesel, HF w/ DI, UltraV8
-- HP: 210-380HP
-- Main Competitor(s): BMW X5, Mercedes R, Mercedes ML, Audi Q7, Lexus GX, Lexus RX
Escalade/Escalade4/ESV/ESV4/EXT/EXT4 -- (Global - Escalade & Escalade4 Only)
-- $58,000-100,000
-- 6/8-seat, full-sized sport-utility vehicle
-- RWD / AWD / 4WD option
-- Engine: UltraV8
-- HP: 420HP
-- Main Competitor(s): Land Rover Range Rover, Mercedes GL, Lexus LX, Lincoln Navigator
SUVs are all perfect. Redo Cabin slightly in the Escalade using real wood and leather everywhere and we are good to go...