...and the thought its FWD/AWD drivetrain will hurt Cadillacs perception with >buying consumers< ( Im not talking about magazines or enthusists ) .

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/23/t...mw-1-series-o/

Hmmm, wonder if that thought is shared throughout luxury makes . Maybe not to that degree , but I bet more than anyone would guess .

 

Wow

This is why I don't think it matters if AWD is FWD or RWD biased. 99.999% don't care and think AWD is AWD.

 

Most car buyers know nothing about what they're buying. Thats why moron dealers can tell them any and everything and they'll believe it.

 

Not shocked at all.

 

It's the 10% or 20% who know what it is who are the opinion makers. The rest, blindy follow with their checkbooks.

 

The typical Bimmer 1-series owner?



Who knew?

 

Just based on size..it would be reasonable at first glance to think it is FWD.

 

It's because the 1 series sucks so bad they assume it is FWD.

 

Plus, RWD lets you get the proportions that are important for luxury vehicles. Tons of front overhang and windshield base in front of the front axle line just doesn't have the right look to most luxury buyers.

The FWD/AWD strategy would doom Cadillac to Lincoln's fate. Nearly everyone knows that a Lincoln is a Ford with extra stuff on it.

I think Lexus gets away with this, because it's only the base model. If they tried to make their LS460 replacement out of an upsized Avalon, what do you think the reaction would be? My thought is "derision".

I know why the XTS is what it is, and I have no doubt it will be nicely appointed and have elements unique to Cadillac, but....


My other thought is that if Honda had been able to properly invest in one or two RWD models for Acura, they'd be a whole lot more successful right about now. The RL just isn't selling. And the XTS is following the RL market (above the TL). It'd be a lot better if the XTS started in the low 30s, underneath the CTS, but I don't think that's the plan.

Finally, these 1-series buyers are don't know which wheels move them down the road are buying the 1 due to the image or perhaps the driving experience. Neither image nor driving experience would be where it is without the RWD.

 

This is akin to saying that most people don't know how much their car weighs, so why worry about it?

It assumes you get the same outcome, regardless of the engineering details. People use a lot of technology where they don't know the engineering details, but where those details are central to the usefulness of that technology.

Do you need to know the search algorithms that yahoo and google use to know which search engine you like better? Hint: yahoo's is so successful that they're abandoning it and planning to put Microsoft's under the covers.

 

That's perfect.

 

The one automaker that has seemed to avoid the FWD stigma is Audi. Even though all of its cars are either FWD or FWD-based AWD, they seem to rise above it and get placed on almost the same level as BMW. I'm not saying Caddy or Lincoln could pull off the same feat though ...

 

I think the FWD/AWD is something Audi has had to overcome. You don't see it too much in the U.S. press, but Autocar has been saying for years that Audis' steering feel is not very good. Most of that is due to FWD.

Even now, I don't believe Audi is thought of as being equivalent to the others. It's maybe a 1/4 or 1/8 step down. That could be just me, however.

Finally, the latest AWD Audis differ little in layout from an AWD based on a a RWD. The engine has been moved rear-ward a few inches and the AWD models are rear-biased. That has allowed them to get better weight distribution and trim the front overhang. Most people buying an Audi probably won't know that. They'll just know that it looks and drives better.

 

Ouch.

 

Confirmed for production as 2012 model...
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/24/r...or-production/