Now that we've finally settled back into our routines at the office, we thought we'd look back on the latest Detroit Extravaganza and put together a few comments on some of the highlights and stars of the show.
Here are twelve amongst many other that stood out from the crowd. Luc Gagné , Michel Deslauriers and Matt St-Pierre got together and put the following comments on paper, based on whether we thought the vehicle was a hit or a miss.
2012 Audi A6
Matt: Hit. Can't afford an A8 but want everything that an A8 is without the sticker shock? Ladies and gents, I give you the A6. There once was a time when the A6 was the ugly duckling of the family. Those days are over! Audi's current design language is all about class, elegance and “Look at me! I'm better than you!” People want this. Excellent powertrains, Quattro, top-seed interior and a four-ring logo can only all equal one thing: this is a rockin' hot car.
Mike: Hit and miss. The new A6 looks more expensive than it is, offers your typical Audi high-quality cabin and will probably be available with more bells and whistles than you really need. Style-wise, however, the A6 could be mistaken for an A8 (good), but also for a smaller, less-expensive A4 (not so good). Adding a hybrid model makes sense for the brand’s greenness factor, but very few people actually buy them.
Luc: Hit. Quattro. Power. Room. Style. The new A6 offers a host of attractive attributes. Audi designers even dared to make it look as stylish and commanding as the A8, save for a few lines. What's more, if you don't like the 300-horsepower V6, the brand will eventually release a hybrid variant. You'd better start saving a few bucks!
2012 Buick Verano
Matt: Miss. The Verano will cut into the Cruze's glow as a unique novel product from the General. I thought that badge engineering was a thing of the past and that GM was not going to dilute some of its new excellent products. I guess I was wrong. In more ways than one, the Verano will surely be a good car but the story will once again be: Should I spend the extra $3k for a grille, different wheel and a few supplemental horses?
Mike: Miss, but not because it will be a bad car. I just don’t think North America is ready for a compact 4-cylinder Buick, even with a heated steering wheel. And in Canada, it will share floor space with other GM products like LTZ versions of the Cruze and Malibu. The Verano has a better chance at stealing sales away from other GM products than stealing sales from the competition. All this doesn’t really matter, though, because the Verano should be very profitable in China.
Luc: Hit. The Verano fits nicely in Buick's rejuvenation plan. It won't eat away at the Cruze's sales, even though both cars ride on the same platform, because Chevrolet and Buick customers are totally different. It has to do with age and attitude. Of course, their bodywork, powertrains and driving dynamics are pretty different as well.
Here are twelve amongst many other that stood out from the crowd. Luc Gagné , Michel Deslauriers and Matt St-Pierre got together and put the following comments on paper, based on whether we thought the vehicle was a hit or a miss.
2012 Audi A6
 |
| Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com |
Matt: Hit. Can't afford an A8 but want everything that an A8 is without the sticker shock? Ladies and gents, I give you the A6. There once was a time when the A6 was the ugly duckling of the family. Those days are over! Audi's current design language is all about class, elegance and “Look at me! I'm better than you!” People want this. Excellent powertrains, Quattro, top-seed interior and a four-ring logo can only all equal one thing: this is a rockin' hot car.
Mike: Hit and miss. The new A6 looks more expensive than it is, offers your typical Audi high-quality cabin and will probably be available with more bells and whistles than you really need. Style-wise, however, the A6 could be mistaken for an A8 (good), but also for a smaller, less-expensive A4 (not so good). Adding a hybrid model makes sense for the brand’s greenness factor, but very few people actually buy them.
Luc: Hit. Quattro. Power. Room. Style. The new A6 offers a host of attractive attributes. Audi designers even dared to make it look as stylish and commanding as the A8, save for a few lines. What's more, if you don't like the 300-horsepower V6, the brand will eventually release a hybrid variant. You'd better start saving a few bucks!
2012 Buick Verano
 |
| Photo: Luc Gagné/Auto123.com |
Matt: Miss. The Verano will cut into the Cruze's glow as a unique novel product from the General. I thought that badge engineering was a thing of the past and that GM was not going to dilute some of its new excellent products. I guess I was wrong. In more ways than one, the Verano will surely be a good car but the story will once again be: Should I spend the extra $3k for a grille, different wheel and a few supplemental horses?
Mike: Miss, but not because it will be a bad car. I just don’t think North America is ready for a compact 4-cylinder Buick, even with a heated steering wheel. And in Canada, it will share floor space with other GM products like LTZ versions of the Cruze and Malibu. The Verano has a better chance at stealing sales away from other GM products than stealing sales from the competition. All this doesn’t really matter, though, because the Verano should be very profitable in China.
Luc: Hit. The Verano fits nicely in Buick's rejuvenation plan. It won't eat away at the Cruze's sales, even though both cars ride on the same platform, because Chevrolet and Buick customers are totally different. It has to do with age and attitude. Of course, their bodywork, powertrains and driving dynamics are pretty different as well.