Resurgent Sedans Muscling Past SUVs

[Ming]

Resurgent sedan muscling past SUV
Royal Ford
The Boston Globe

Almost since the invention of the automobile, the large, elegant sedan dominated the nation's highways, symbolic of America's success and power. But the oil crises of the 1970s put a serious crimp in that gas-guzzling style, and Americans went through the '80s driving smaller, high-mileage cars, often compact and subcompact imports.

In the '90s, when abundant fuel and a good economy might have spawned a comeback of the family sedan, SUVs and pickup trucks became the muscular status symbols of drivers -- and the profit center of US car companies.

Today, tastes are changing again. SUV and minivan buyers are realizing they don't need off-road capabilities, 10 inches of ground clearance, or third-row seating anymore. But they still want all-wheel drive and cargo space. So the US manufacturers are building more powerful, more elegant, and, at the same time, more utilitarian sedans than ever.

Meanwhile, as gas prices rise again and boomers are hauling more groceries than children, sedans are increasingly appealing to a broader population, thanks to better aerodynamics, lower weight, and modern, more economical technology, such as V-8 engines that run on four cylinders when not under heavy demand. Most of these sedans deliver far better gas mileage than your typical SUV -- in the low 20-mile-per gallon range as opposed to the SUVs' 14 to 16 miles per gallon.

Chrysler's hot-selling sedan introduced last spring, the 300 series, helped boost overall sales at the company, despite sagging truck and SUV receipts. Ford Motor Co. -- which has declared 2005 the "year of the car" -- is right on Chrysler's wheels. The company is rolling out sedans from Ford and Mercury, and the industry rumor is that a hot-rod Lincoln is in the works. Buick is counting on a faster, classier sedan, offering a LaCrosse model for 2005 with a 3.6-liter, 240-horsepower engine. Cadillac, with its CTS and STS sedans priced from $30,000 to $50,000-plus, will have to compete with the new Ford Five Hundred and its stable mate, the Mercury Montego. Pontiac has a new model called the G6; the Dodge Charger will be reborn, likely a muscle car version of the Chrysler 300.

These are not the land yachts of the past. They use interior room far better (gone are the long hoods and endless rear decks of 1960s Cadillacs), making them roomier than their predecessors. The Chrysler 300, for instance, is just under 198 inches long, almost a foot longer than a midsize sedan such as the Subaru Legacy. The Ford Five Hundred has a trunk that will hold eight golf bags. It also features high-sitting front seats for the view SUV drivers favored and even higher rear seats -- so-called stadium seating.

Manufacturers are appealing to "a strong section of the population that wants a powerful, comfortable, luxurious ride with some of the attributes of SUVs," said Scott Slagle, senior brand manger for Chrysler passenger cars.

Cadillac's STS is just now appearing, but its slightly smaller predecessor, the CTS, plenty large at more than 190 inches long, accounted for 34,497 sales in the first seven months of 2004. The car the STS will replace, the Seville, generated only 2,569 sales during that period.

Full Article Here

[GM_Guy81]

/me falls asleep.

[VivienM]

Originally posted by Ming@Sep 30 2004, 07:16 PM
Cadillac, with its CTS and STS sedans priced from $30,000 to $50,000-plus, will have to compete with the new Ford Five Hundred and its stable mate, the Mercury Montego.

What has the Ford marketing department been putting in this guy's water supply? The Five Hundred competing with the Cadillac CTS/STS?!?

[Ming]

Hehe I think he's just trying to say that SUV characteristics are influencing the new crop of sedans from the Big 3.

[parakleets]

Hey! Now here is a positive review of American cars. Even the much maligned (within these confines, anyhow) LaCrosse comes off as fresh and powerful.

[marinerbc]

It's about time.

How many people really need 4WD on an every day basis? 5%? 10? I have my doubts about even those numbers. The SUV crowd really wants a "Station Wagon", and there isn't any reason that one couldn't be built using one of the new platforms, and offering an AWD version.

Maybe in 10 years we'll be able to see clearly at an intersection, because there won't be an 8 foot high behemoth parked within 15 feet of the corner blocking visibility.

Soccer moms of the world, your new ride is here. It's called a Sedan/Station Wagon, and it's built right here by GM. Enjoy the ride, and please keep your hands inside at all times.

[marinerbc]

Originally posted by Buick61@Sep 30 2004, 09:30 PM

I'm anxious to see how this 300 will do in the snow.  From all the promo videos I've seen, it is more capable than the Impala, so I'm eager to test it out on the [empty] streets.

While we don't get snow here, in the mountains just north of here there's lots of snow already. I'll see if I can talk a buddy with a 300 into driving me up Mt Prevost to check on one of my geocaches. And I'll be honest about how well it does. Really.

PS Our RWD Olds '88 does great in the snow up there, better than the FWD Cutlass does. Positrac, and all that fuel right over the back wheels I guess.

[Swahili]

Soccer moms of the world, your new ride is here. It's called a Sedan/Station Wagon, and it's built right here by GM.

Maybe I missed something, but which vehicle are you talking about? Or are you talking about GM sedan's in general?

[Michael_S]

I welcome the resurgence of the sedan but would like to see more vehicles with three rows of seats that slot between sedans and minivans in both size and price.

Right now if you want three rows of seats, minivans are your cheapest options. I don't have anything against minivans, but most minivan owners only have small kids sit in the third row anyway. A lot a space and weight is wasted.

Something slightly shorter in height and length with a smaller third row could be more maneuverable, more fun to drive, cheaper, and more economical. So why aren't any automakers offering vehicles like this?



Bring back the Buick Roadmaster!

[Michael_S]

Originally posted by Buick61@Oct 1 2004, 03:11 PM
They do, it's callled the Ford Freestyle. That has seating for up to seven. It's smaller and more maneuverable than a minivan. Price is comparable, and I'm sure they'll have incentives soon. A more luxurious option would be the Chrysler Pacifica, but then you are closing in on Buick Teraza prices.

Or if you want to stay within GM, you could just saw off the back of the roof of a Malibu Maxx and strap in some folding chairs.

The Freestyle is the best option at the moment, but it costs too much and at least on paper doesn't offer much of an edge in economy or performance.


... and a Malibu Maxx with lawn chairs probably doesn't offer the level of crash protection that I had in mind

[MelvinJ]

Originally posted by Michael_S@Oct 1 2004, 03:01 PM
I welcome the resurgence of the sedan but would like to see more vehicles with three rows of seats that slot between sedans and minivans in both size and price.

Right now if you want three rows of seats, minivans are your cheapest options. I don't have anything against minivans, but most minivan owners only have small kids sit in the third row anyway. A lot a space and weight is wasted.

Something slightly shorter in height and length with a smaller third row could be more maneuverable, more fun to drive, cheaper, and more economical. So why aren't any automakers offering vehicles like this?



Bring back the Buick Roadmaster!

I always thought the Opel Zafira was a nice package. They seat 7, but only weigh around 3000 lbs, instead of the upper 3000's like the lightest minivans. I looked at it on the Opel website, but I can't understand a word they are saying there.

[gmsickofan]

Aren't GM's minivans based off of an older Zafira?

[Jay]

Now here is one car that makes the most of its space. I see a lot of them around and think they're quite neat. I've never been in one though I guess they're quite roomy. It seems only middle-aged guys in turbins drive them so far but sooner or later I'm sure it'll be all the rage among soccer moms and nostalgic types alike.

Perhaps a replacement for your PT Cruiser, and no this is not the new HHR by Chevrolet, the venerable London Taxi...

[MelvinJ]

Originally posted by gmsickofan@Oct 1 2004, 03:38 PM
Aren't GM's minivans based off of an older Zafira?

No, the Zafira is a smaller platform.

You may be thinking of the fact that the minivans that came out in 1997 were designed with also selling them in Europe in mind. The Opel Sintra was sold for a few years there. I saw a few engineering test vans around where I live when they were being developed. It was very strange to look in a minivan just like we had and see a 5-speed manual shifter poking out of the floor betweent the seats. The Opel lightning bolt on the grill was pretty cool, though.

[Michael_S]

Originally posted by Jay@Oct 1 2004, 04:23 PM
Now here is one car that makes the most of its space. I see a lot of them around and think they're quite neat. I've never been in one though I guess they're quite roomy. It seems only middle-aged guys in turbins drive them so far but sooner or later I'm sure it'll be all the rage among soccer moms and nostalgic types alike.

Perhaps a replacement for your PT Cruiser, and no this is not the new HHR by Chevrolet, the venerable London Taxi...

The size seems about right, although I had something a little better looking in mind.