SOT: G8 GT Starts At $29.9K

Because it was butt ugly, it looks like a Mazda or some such shit... ZERO visual appeal and about $10K over priced...

Not if it is only offered with four doors and a slushbox. It will make he GTO look successful.

Anything with RWD and a V-8 automatically (pun intended) gets my attention when looking for a new car. In today's market though horsepower is not the main reason most buyers pick a sedan. I think we here in this newsgroup seem to believe we represent the majority of buyers when this is not the case. We, collectively here, like horsepower and torque and put more weight on it when evaluating a vehicle. Most of the public doesn't and tend to look at other things like ergonomics, perceived material quality, manufacturer reputation, options etc. when choosing a car. Horsepower is a concern but as long as the car has a decent amount of pep (and most cars today do) it falls far down on their list of requirements.

Personally, I think the GTO failed because of the bland styling. It might have been priced too high initially and was, therefore, competing with some very good sedans. The Big Three has to remember that when they price a sedan near $35k-$40k the competition gets incredibly stiff. When I can buy the new Mercedes C class for under $32k and the sport model C class for $37k the Big Three had better bring their "A" game to the showroom floor in the $35k and up sedan market. Just bringing horsepower won't win them very many sales. BTW, you can get a "C" class Mercedes with a six speed manual transmission.

That is because the Germans understand one basic idea that the big three constantly struggle with, no true performance car built for a true driving enthusiast would ever be built and sold with a slushbox only, period.

"Butt ugly", IMO, is being over critical. Now, I could agree with someone who thinks they're plain, or even bland.

I don't know about that. The Chrysler's LX sedans had controversial styling when they debuted, were only offered with a slush box and their sales where pretty good. Now if GM's slick-looking G8 has better dynamics and offers another 60 HP...

Patrick

Michael Johnson wrote in news:4JKdnZm_TI-HNJLanZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

Wow - too much information, but yes, I can still handle that chore.

Cool. We are in agreement and the Universe is again in harmony.

Michael Johnson wrote in news:wtGdnSwd9ZEXN5LanZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

Well, I guess I will have to defer to you because you're the one who's got the education in that field. That being said, if you're right, then Houston, we have a problem.

snipped-for-privacy@aol.com wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@v29g2000prd.googlegroups.com:

All things considered, slushboxes aren't all that slushy these days.

Michael Johnson wrote in news:S4ydnRmG95r2LZLanZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

Most buyers have a ton of reasons why they'd pick whatever. And the same is most likely true for each of us.

Bingo!

To a degree. But some of us have other criteria to be concerned with - such as a wife, kids, economics, etc.

I will have to disagree. I think people are _very_ concerned with ergonomics, safety, the "green" factor (it's in vogue), etc.

competing

This makes the most sense to me...

Right. It's a very tight market even above $30k.

And this is a great example of the buying public not being fully aware of their options. Call it bad marketing on MB's (and others' part), but there are some very cool cars available that one might not have thought about selling around $33k or so.

"My Name Is Nobody" wrote in news:xKOPi.360$W22.10@trndny04:

The Big Three aren't really concerned with "true performance cars" (except for Chevy's Corvette). They're in business first and foremost to make money.

If I am lucky, I'll be dead before it happens to me.

We are like an old married couple. Just because we disagree doesn't mean we're getting a divorce. ;)

The pessimist in me says Pontiac will not launch this car the right way. They screwed up the marketing strategy for the GTO in a big way. IMO, that car should have done well. It had much of the substance I think it needed to be successful but they styled it too bland and used a chassis that was cobbled together from an aging Aussy design. I'm sure it cost a small fortune to convert the relatively small number of chassis' they used from right hand to left hand drive.

The fact they are not offering a manual right from the start in the G8 tells me they haven't thought this car through enough. From what I have seen of its styling there isn't anything about it that makes me say "I have to get me one of those." It looks to be an average sports sedan in a sea of great sports sedans. Maybe the magazine testers can shed some light on whether it is something special.

I think these buyers don't care much about sportiness. It is ergonomics, safety, economy, reliability etc. IMO, these buyers are what Toyota has locked up the past 10-15 years.

Green is in as long as it is affordable and inexpensive to operate.

If I were buying a sedan today the Mercedes dealer would be my first stop. The new C class they debuted recently is one sweet looking vehicle. One thing that always impresses me with Mercedes was there leather seats. I think they are an indicator of just how much thought they put into every car they make. I have seen Mercedes with close to

200k miles and the leather on the driver's seat won't have a crease or crack to be found. At 100k the leather seats in a typical American made car is cracking and starting to fall apart. Plus, there is nothing like the sound a Mercedes makes when you close a door. It's like hearing the door of a bank vault shut.

Not lately. Maybe they should be concerned with making true performance cars if they plan to market them as such. ;)

yeah that's what the sales guy tried to tell me about Fords new truck transmission a few years ago, I almost fell for I until I test drove one... Even in "tow-haul" mode It was still a slushbox.

Compared to old slushboxes maybe, the new mustang automatic, is nice, but compared to the manual transmission they are still slushboxs.

.

So are the Germans for Christ sake...

Michael Johnson wrote in news:jbydnYzZu6at9YzanZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

passengers.

And neither signed a prenup... ;)

Michael Johnson wrote in news:tNOdnbAJrtfL8IzanZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

You've convinced me. When the auto show comes to town, I will be seriously looking at the MBs.

I will probably be replacing the old Explorer early next year and the Mercedes C class is at the top of my list. No cars from the Big Three are on it though. Volkswagen, Infinity, Lexus, Acura, Volvo and BMW all have cars I want to check out that are roughly comparable to the Mercedes C class. IMO, none of the Big Three have any that do with the exception of the Chrysler 300 only because Mercedes had a big hand in its engineering and it utilizes their components. Even it is too dated now to consider, IMO.

AMG C63...