WHO WILL BUY THE BMW X1?

Within hours of naming the Audi Q5 the fifth-best looking current Audi, BMW sends out pictures of the X1 Concept, making their smallest "sport-activity vehicle" the worst-looking BMW. The battle with the X6 for that position is fierce, however. 

Moving on, the Q5 won't likely be perceived as a direct competitor for the BMW X1. Isn't that the X3's job? Then again, the X1 will certainly be plentifully-powered, as BMW's tend to be, and is only 4.3 inches shorter than the X3 from bumper-to-bumper. If the X3 is the direct competitor for the upcoming Audi Q5 and Mercedes-Benz GLK, and thus; the Infiniti EX35; Acura RDX; Land Rover LR2 and Volvo XC60, with which vehicles will the BMW X1 compete?

The $39,000 X3 leaves plenty of room beneath. A well-equipped and thoroughly-accessorized Subaru Forester 2.5XT Limited easily tops $34,000. Likewise, consumers who like their Volkswagen Tiguan SEL up-optioned also spend over $35,000 easily. Spend a few minutes with options on a Toyota RAV4 and $34,168 comes up quickly. 

The point of all this? Luxury badges are one thing; luxurious vehicles another. Premium brands move downward as mainstream brands swing upward. Everybody wants what everybody else already has. BMW will put the X1 into production and market it in a segment that's difficult to define. Nevertheless, competitors already exist. Most people just don't know it.

CARS FOR RETIREES

Don't take Car&Driver's list of eight mainstream cars (and two oddball entries) for retirees to be critical at its core. Not all members of the list equate to Town Car status. (LTC phenomenon defined: the only car people leave their wedding in, choose to spend their final years in, and travel to their funeral in.) As The Good Car Guy mentioned in his recent Buick Enclave test drive, a good car is a good car is a good car, and it matters little whether that good car is marketed towards George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, or Billy Bush. A genuinely good car will be loved by all, regardless of their age.

However, some vehicle's are aligned with a certain stigma, sometimes correctly correlating septuagenarian with boring cars. Boring cars aren't welcome at GoodCarBadCar, at least not for long. Some boring cars are destined to be mentioned in this list, gathered by Car&Driver, posted here at GCBC, for your attention. Within this list, The Good Car Guy offers his take on the minimum entry age for each vehicle. Muy importante. Suggested alternatives for those under the minumum age are listed secondarily.

1. Ford Crown Victoria - Buyers must be at least 85 years old. Alternative: Chrysler 300
   
2. Lincoln Town Car - Buyers must be at least 80 years old. Alternative: Audi A6
   
3. Buick Lucerne - Buyers must be at least 63 years old. Alternative: Hyundai Azera
   
4. Nissan Versa - Buyers must be at least 34 years old. Alternative: Honda Fit
   
5. Hyundai Sonata - Buyers must be at least 33 years old. Alternative: Subaru Legacy
   
6. Chevrolet Malibu - Buyers must be at least 33 years old. Alternative: Mazda 6 five-door
   
7. Toyota RAV4 - Buyers must be at least 26 years old. Alternative: Honda Element
   
8. Cadillac STS - Buyers must be at least 34 years old. Alternative: Cadillac CTS
   

FOUR DOOR LAMBORGHINI ESTOQUE IN PICTURES

Along came the Porsche Panamera, Aston Martin Rapide, Bentley Continental Flying Spur Speed, and.... multiple drum rolls pleeeeeeeeez.... the Lamborghini Estoque. 

Sporting four doors, a sporting reputation, and a super-luxury pricetag, this segment is about to be blown wide open by a Lamborghini four-door that is oh-so-very Lamborghini. It's modern, aggressive, and unlike anything else available to mankind. Expect all-wheel drive and a high-octane V10, although Lambo is good at surprises.

L'Auto Journal has pics. Because of poor quality, GoodCarBadCar.net has switched them to B&W and boosted the colour a bit. This'll help show off the lines.

MCCAIN MANSION IN PHOENIX HAS BENTLEY CONTINENTAL FLYING SPUR IN GARAGE

Senator John McCain of Arizona, along with his wife Cindy - the real breadwinner in the family - will be auctioning off their 2.7-acre Phoenix compound soon through The Larsen Company. How does this relate to GoodCarBadCar.net?

Apart from The Good Car Guy's in-depth following of American politics, the brief look at the "first" garage was interesting. Now, it's true that the Senator no longer resides in the house. Perhaps friends or squatters renters have taken up residence at 7110 North Central Ave. Thus, assuming the vehicles in the garage to be the Senator's would be just that, assuming. Because, after all, the Bentley Continental Flying Spur wasn't listed in the Republican presidential candidate's recent rundown of automobiles - eight automobiles.

Watch the CNN video below, obtained through KTVX, and pay close attention at the 1:03 mark. This link will take you to the list of McCain cars, this link to the Bentley Continental Flying Spur site, and this link to the Cars.com price scheme for Bentley. I'll trust Senator McCain on this one as far as now owning a Bentley. More disclosure would, however, be wonderful.

X5, X3, X6, AND NOW THE BMW X1

Up until a few years ago, design mistakes by BMW were few and far between. In truth, BMW wasn't exactly a risk-taking car company in terms of the exterior image. Risks were left up to talented engineers in the research and development branch.

Along came a new design theory, and BMW introduced some flops. Sales haven't been hurt; although plenty of critics point to hypothetical numbers - what sales figures could have been. 

So, when BMW misses the centre of the target; the German luxury automaker basically fires completely off the shooting range. The X1 may be more successful in the metal and in another colour. But for now, oh my... the BMW X1 follows the X3 into small-SUV dreadfulness. Since it's slightly more offensive than the X3 to look at, we can hope it will at least be better to drive. Full gallery is below.

CADILLAC CTS - Driven

Once the standard of the world, Cadillac is now in a fight to be considered a worthy alternative to the best of Germany. When it comes to small-to-midsize sports sedans, the BMW 3-series reigns supreme. Audi's A4 and Mercedes-Benz' C-class are major players, and Japan has gotten in on the act, as well, with the Infiniti G35 and Lexus IS.

Parts of the world see a Cadillacized Saab called the BLS. It's a front-wheel drive sedan or wagon; smaller than any American Cadillac. For those of us in North America, the Escalade-SRX-DTS-XLR-STS train ends at the CTS. Up until now, the CTS has been seen only as a 4-door sedan. Its progenitors include the nightmarish Cimarron, the decent-but-dull Catera, and the first-generation CTS.

CTS 1 brought some credibility to Cadillac; the v performance edition even more so. Although not a very small car, this Cadillac competes ably with the small sedans previously mentioned on price and specification, whilst in many cases providing more occupant space.

At one time not so long ago, the minds of young men (such as myself) linked Cadillac with Lincoln as cars for the rich retirees in Boca Raton. To be a Cadillac executive and understand that your cars had become indelibly connected with Floridian communities for the seniors among us - well, that just had to hurt.

The CTS brought change. First generation styling was not to my liking; many other critics used much harsher language. But the CTS was no Catera. There was life inside this car, a little bit of joie de vivre and je ne sais quoi. To be honest, I hated the way it looked. The CTS-v had instant pull and satisfaction, however, with its Corvette engine and BMW M5-baiting performance.

CTS version 2.0 is upon us, and while at GM's Milford Proving Grounds - at their expense - the CTS was one vehicle that truly excited me. Clearly this vehicle is not a Cadillac to be linked with the Boca Raton rich, if I, the representer of a new generation of first-time car buyers, am excited by its potential.

A rear-wheel drive, 6-speed automatic-transmission CTS with direct injection will propel its 3,874 pounds with 304 horsepower. Rough idling apart, this engine is a monster. Its revtastic nature marries well the quick shifting transmission. The 6-speed is abrupt; firm; and immediate, but never - in no wise - in a negative way. To put it simply, forward progress is enjoyable and effortless; the CTS being fun to provoke, knowing that it will always respond and never flounder in gear confusion.




What about the twisties? Our ride & handling loop was furnished with some low-speed cornering opportunities as well as a couple higher-speed sweepers and plenty of nasty bumps, yumps, and holes mid-turn, as well. It was a challenging course for any car. Some failed to generate high ratings on my internal thrill-o-meter, others thrilled but did not succeed in offering an experience. Having driven four General Motors' vehicles in the morning and ten in the afternoon, my five mile journey in the CTS has to rank in the top two drives of the day, right behind the Chevrolet Corvette.

Consider that this is the smallest car in Cadillac's North American fleet and you'll think the CTS is small. It's not - but it does drive small. The tighter the corner, the more nimble the car felt. Stability on the enduring sweepers, one of which would throw the odd bump in for good measure, felt autobahn-inspired.

Cadillac's are not renowned for direct and accurate steering, but the CTS exemplified how fine steering could - if necessary - hide other transgressions. No, I can't say it was particularly feelsome, but in 2007, a communicative wheel is hard to find. There was never a need for readjusting the line in a corner; not because of 17" wheel impacts or lack of driver confidence or an inability to retain speed. Direct the CTS where you want to go, and it'll take you there. Sure, more communication wouldn't go unwanted, but the CTS is a driver's car nevertheless.

Letdowns? Or shall we say letdown, singular? Interior design is pleasant in apperance, but disappointing to touch. It causes genuine consternation in my automotive heart, knowing that the CTS deserves high praise and terrific recognition in almost every area, yet finding that it lets me down in the one area where the driver spends all his/her time.

Cadillac's CTS has a 3.6L V6 that starts at by achieving 263bhp on the dyno. Selecting that engine option would net you a basic savings of $2,300 USD, but you'd be losing a few features as well. If you want full-bore performance and luxury, a $35,290 Cadillac CTS is a decent bet. Waiting for the CTS-v in its second iteration wouldn't be perceived as such a bad idea either.

BMW NEWS BITES x 4

Toyota, Lexus, Scion, and Daihatsu. Renault, Dacia, Nissan, and Infiniti.

Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo, Land Rover, and Jaguar. Chevrolet, Pontiac, Saturn, Buick, Cadillac, Holden, Hummer, Opel and etc.

Mercedes-Benz, smart, and Maybach. Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep.

Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Maserati, and Ferrari. Volkswagen, SEAT, Audi, Bentley, Skoda, Bugatti, and Lamborghini.

BMW, Rolls-Royce, Mini, and ______.

The space remains blank, but BMW has desires to start up a fourth brand. Competing in the luxury/executive sector, upscale small car market, and ultra-hyper-super luxury segment just isn't enough to keep CEO Norbert Reithofer busy. Although the 1-series & Mini combination makes up a quarter of the group's volume, profit margins are much lower on these two small cars than BMW bosses would like.

Another brand - perhaps stronger on innovation and future tech - while aiding the worldwide cause to lower the impact of congestion and emissions while providing people with a more economical but still BMW-inspired experience? That's many years off, but the yearning is present....

BMW's introduction of the 1-series convertible is so interesting. For a number of years, Europeans have been enjoying the controversially-styled hatchback versions of the 1-series. It'll soon be time for BMW to export the 1 to the world's biggest automotive market, and the practical hatches are thrown by the wayside. Don't blame BMW; blame the American consumership for being averse to a rear cargo door. I don't get it. Anyway, the 1-series will be a revelation, essentially existing as a former 3-series. Ya know, before it got heavy, long, tall and needed a V8 for its performance edition where a 4-cylinder once cut it.....

The Baltimore Police Department is receiving 12 bicycles from BMW. Free of charge. Bicycles are a more useful tool in the fight on crime in the pedestrian-heavy Inner Harbour....

An interesting quote out of London from an analyst at Credit Suisse: "BMW doesn't actually have any trouble sellings its vehicles. BMW's problem is to earn a proper amount of profit and achieve a sensible return on sales from those purchases," so says Arndt Ellinghorst. Thus, BMW will slash 6 billion euros from its expenditures while also attempting to increase productivity by 5%.