Cars, Boats, Motorcycles, RVs, SUVs, Trucks & Crossovers | Vehicles www.mercado5demayo.com

Volkswagens’ plans to deliver a sub-Golf sized car to the U.S. market has stalled as the German automaker considers allowing rival DaimlerChrysler [DCX] to import the car instead and sell it under the Dodge label. VW dealers are naturally unhappy about the move, but much more is at stake than what is evident. Will the Polo still show up? If not, why not?

The world of automobile marketing has changed drastically in the last generation. Gone are brands that are purely set behind national borders and localized brands. Instead, vehicles are being sold that wear one label but are actually built by another manufacturer. Globalism is here and automakers have openly embraced these changes.

Volkswagen’s Polo is a likely entry into the U.S. market as a model that would fit nicely below VW’s Golf in its American line up. Many manufacturers are changing their car lines to allow for smaller cars to become the new entry level vehicles in their fleets. Here are some examples of cars that recently were introduced or soon will find their way into car lines:

Chevrolet: Korean automaker Daewoo, a GM subsidiary, supplies the Aveo for Chevrolet. This bottom rung car is positioned directly below the Cobalt.

Honda: After 35 years, the Civic will no longer be the entry level model for Honda. An even smaller car, the Jazz, will be imported in about one year’s time.

Mercedes: Yes, even a luxury automaker such as Mercedes is contemplating bringing in one or two lines of cars smaller than its current “baby” Mercedes line, the C Class cars.

BMW: Ditto for the another German luxury make.

Dodge: With the Neon replacement Caliber soon to appear, Dodge is still looking at offering a car smaller than the Caliber for their fleet. With DCX’s Mitsubishi relationship scuttled, the Japanese automaker can no longer be relied upon to supply a steady stream of entry level cars for The Chrysler Group.
Read the rest of this entry »

Comments Off

When Saturn exited the midsize car market a few years ago they left with a promise: we’ll be back. After several years of lackluster sales, GM’s Saturn division dropped the unpopular L Series in 2004 with no immediate replacement waiting. Thanks in part to the company’s German division, Opel, Saturn has a new car to capture the imagination of sedan enthusiasts everywhere. The AURA, a five passenger Euro style sedan, is now on display at your local Saturn dealership. Please read on to see what the AURA has in store for buyers just like you.

The L Series wasn’t a bad car, it just got lost in a sea of competition dominated by popular Camrys, versatile Accords, and dependable Taurus’s. Bland styling didn’t help matters either as the car never approached General Motors’ expectations, therefore the automaker decided to drop the model from Saturn’s then spartan line up.

Unfortunately for Saturn dealers, a void in an already small line up was left wide open. True, the all-new RELAY crossover was brought in as the L Series made its exit, but it certainly wasn’t a sedan and it wasn’t meant to replace the L Series. Thankfully, GM did not fill the hole in Saturn’s line with yet another “me too” rebadged Chevy or Pontiac. Instead, the automaker promised to develop a fresh model based on a new GM platform and by incorporating Opel styling and technology. Thus, the seeds of the all new AURA were planted and the harvest has now hit a showroom near you.

So, exactly what do you get with the all new AURA? Well, one thing you won’t get is a four cylinder engine. Unlike the Toyota Camry, the AURA is only offering a pair of six cylinder engines. Likely, this won’t be a problem for most buyers as the two AURA engines are different enough to give customers a real choice: the 3.5L V6 comes equipped with a four speed automatic transmission while the optional 3.6L DOHC V6 is mated to a six speed automatic transmission. Some buyers may be disappointed by the lack of a manual transmission, so GM will have to watch this closely to see if additional sales could be realized by introducing a potent six speed manny tranny.
Read the rest of this entry »

Comments Off

General Motors has been taking a beating for over a year now due to sales dips, make/model image problems, and labor and legacy issues. Truly, if there was a better time to jumpstart the company, I don’t know what it would be. Fortunately, someone in GM’s walnut-trimmed boardroom is getting the message: build what we want and we will buy it. The Buick Enclave, a luxury SUV making the rounds of the U.S. auto shows, appears to be one such winner.

I realize that I am in the minority of car critics, but I think that Buick is on the right track. The Lucerne, a full sized car based on the Cadillac DTS, is a beauty and Buick’s next newest model, the mid sized Lacrosse, is another attractive looking car. Still, Buick’s remaining fleet has been scaled back with only two SUVs and one crossover vehicle, the Terraza, left. At times it isn’t clear what plans GM has for its “near luxury” division, but if the Enclave is one example, then Buick has a promising future.
Read the rest of this entry »

Comments Off

The venerable Buick Park Avenue is no more, having been replaced by the all new Buick Lucerne, a down market version of the Cadillac DTS. With a 275-hp Northstar V8 engine, the Lucerne becomes the first Buick car in nearly ten years to arrive equipped with a V8. The entire Buick line up is in the process of being overhauled, so let’s take a look at this make’s newest flagship and see how it plays a part in GM’s overall strategy.

If you are a fan of the Buick brand you have witnessed your fair share of changes over the past five years. Gone are the Park Avenue, LeSabre, Century, and Regal, and in its place are the Rendezvous, the Rainier, LaCrosse, Terrazza, and the Lucerne. All the changes are the result of General Motors’ broad realignment strategy in the wake of retiring the Oldsmobile brand, lifting Saturn into the fold, and setting strategy to compete against the nonstop onslaught of foreign brands including Toyota, Lexus, Nissan, and Infiniti.

One look at the Buick and you will notice a strong resemblance to the Cadillac DTS. The Buick’s oval grille sets it apart from the Cadillac’s firm nose, but a cursory examination of the body lines tells you that these cars are in fact twins. In the past, Buicks were essentially “stripped down” versions of Cadillacs, while Oldsmobile and Pontiac were more luxurious or sportier versions of Chevrolet models. Clearly, GM is repositioning Buick to have a more distinct “near luxury” look without stepping on Cadillac’s toes, while giving the Buick division a much needed replacement for the aging Park Avenue.

For the car shopper, the Lucerne is value priced, arriving at in showrooms at just under 27K. With a standard 3.8 V6, the automaker can claim decent fuel mileage of 19 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. In these days of hyped up gas prices, favorable fuel economy is a keen marketing tool, but expect many buyers to opt for the ultra powerful Northstar V8 instead. Why? Because, if they want to purchase a Buick, they likely will want the power to go along with the luxury. It remains to be seen how well the V6 operates in a car that is 203 inches long and weighing in at nearly two tons.
Read the rest of this entry »

Comments Off