Your predictions for 2014-15

[Payman]

I'll continue my list:

6. Mazda/Volvo
7. Volkswagen/Audi/Porsche/Lambo/Bugatti/Bentley
8. BMW/RR/Mini
9. Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/Fiat/Maserati/Ferrari
10. Mercedes Benz/Cadillac/AMG
11. Suzuki/Chevrolet/Buick
12. Subaru
13. Geely/Chery whatever

[hotrodalex]

10. Mercedes Benz/Cadillac/AMG

?????

[NomisR]

Why would Daimler buy Cadillac from GM?  It would make more sense for them to buy something like Chevy

[the Teuton]

And Subaru will be absorbed by Toyota, thus making ultimately fast and reliable but incredibly boring cars.

[Raza]

And Subaru will be absorbed by Toyota, thus making ultimately fast and reliable but incredibly boring cars.

And how is that a departure from Subaru now?

[Payman]

And how is that a departure from Subaru now?

zzzzzzzingggg!!!

[the Teuton]

[sandertheshark]

This thread is dumb. The world is going to end in 2012

Considering the direction the automotive industry is on, I certainly hope so.

[Nethead]

This thread is dumb. The world is going to end in 2012

NACar:  Those of us still here will miss you, NahDude --you've made many really informed and well-considered postings.  'Mind if we use some of your material in arguments in 2013 and continuing?  We'll give you proper credit in footnotes and bibliographies, of course, and I'm already composing a highly complimentary eulogy posting for December 13th of that year.

And then we'll PARTY!!! 

[Nethead]

In 5 years, I predict the top 5 nameplates in sales in North America will be:

1. Toyota/Lexus
2. Ford/Lincoln
3. Hyundai/Kia/Genesis
4. Honda/Acura
5. Nissan/Infiniti

It'll be fun to bump this thread in May of 2014... 

'Sounds plausible.  If you discard sales of vehicles discounted more than fifteen percent of their MSRPs, this might actually be the final rankings of 2009.

I'd stick Ford between Honda and Nissan, but otherwise yeah.

Also quite plausible.

1. Ford
2. Hyundai/Kia
3. Toyota Lexus
4. Honda Acura
5. GM

The Nethead here can't see Hyundai/Kia ever catching up to Toyota/Lexus or Honda/Acura.  Ford's out-of-contention for number one because Ford is in an environment that's dependent on many of the same suppliers that are already seriously suffering from the bankruptcies of Chrysler and GM.  On its own, GM wouldn't be in the top five--but they have the advantage that they can wrangle all US & Canadian government fleet purchase contracts be awarded to GM (Chrysler might very well benefit from this, too).  I mean, it would be really bad business for the US & Canadian governments to award a fleet purchase contract to Ford, say, thereby creating competition for the two companies that the governments aready own, right?  Awarding fleet purchase contracts to GM and Chrysler is using taxpayer money to pay off debts owed by these two companies to the taxpayers--now that's as slick a scam as has ever been implemented!!!

I predict the C7 Corvette won't be all-new, but rather a rehashed C6 with less power.

Yeah, probably so.  Although the Solstice platform is very available now, which might get a look by the beancounters and bureaucrats pulling the strings behind the scenes at GM who figure they can axe the 'Vette and resurrect the Solstice as the Stingray with '63 styling cues (handy with legislation requiring higher, more pedestrian-friendly front bumpers any day now).  Done well, this could be a big hit.

1.Chevrolet
2.GMC
3.Cadillac
4.Buick
5.Saab

Maybe?

Anything is possible.  But not this.

[Vinsanity]

I predict the C7 Corvette won't be all-new, but rather a rehashed C6 with less power.

Yeah, probably so.  Although the Solstice platform is very available now, which might get a look by the beancounters and bureaucrats pulling the strings behind the scenes at GM who figure they can axe the 'Vette and resurrect the Solstice as the Stingray with '63 styling cues (handy with legislation requiring higher, more pedestrian-friendly front bumpers any day now).  Done well, this could be a big hit.

As much as I like the idea of a small-block V8 shoehorned into the engine bay of the Kappa platform, they have got to do something about the fuel tank and trunk fighting for the same space.

[TBR]

As much as I like the idea of a small-block V8 shoehorned into the engine bay of the Kappa platform, they have got to do something about the fuel tank and trunk fighting for the same space.

Don't forget about the convertible top too.

[Nethead]

As much as I like the idea of a small-block V8 shoehorned into the engine bay of the Kappa platform, they have got to do something about the fuel tank and trunk fighting for the same space.

Yeah, there are lots of developed-too-quickly-to-really-do-it-right shortcomings in the Kappa platform, but all they gotta do is cut open some MX5s and see how to get it right.  If they had done that in the first place, the Kappa coulda been right all along--but better late than never...

A shoe-horned V8 would be a serious killer, of course, but maybe the wrong move--Corvettes have very powerful V8s yet their sales are off by a third--a whole shift was discontinued at the 'Vette factory last year.  Something new in the powerplant arena may be called for if the Stingray (ditch "Corvette"--go with "Stingray") is to survive in these tough times.  GM cancelled all development of modern V8s last year, so maybe a trick four or six has better long-term prospects--select an engine that GM is sure they will still be building five years down the road, at least--assuming GM will be building anything five years down the road, of course.  I don't think the marketplace is ready for a diesel Stingray, but anything else is pretty much game for consideration...

[SVT666]

Yeah, there are lots of developed-too-quickly-to-really-do-it-right shortcomings in the Kappa platform, but all they gotta do is cut open some MX5s and see how to get it right.  If they had done that in the first place, the Kappa coulda been right all along--but better late than never...

A shoe-horned V8 would be a serious killer, of course, but maybe the wrong move--Corvettes have very powerful V8s yet their sales are off by a third--a whole shift was discontinued at the 'Vette factory last year.  Something new in the powerplant arena may be called for if the Stingray (ditch "Corvette"--go with "Stingray") is to survive in these tough times.  GM cancelled all development of modern V8s last year, so maybe a trick four or six has better long-term prospects--select an engine that GM is sure they will still be building five years down the road, at least--assuming GM will be building anything five years down the road, of course.  I don't think the marketplace is ready for a diesel Stingray, but anything else is pretty much game for consideration...

The powerplant has nothing to do with the sales drop off.  Every car on the market has had sales drop off the edge of a cliff lately.  It has to do with the fact that Corvettes are toys.  They are indulgences.  They have a price tag north $45,000, and we're in a recession.

[hotrodalex]

Why would you ever drop the Corvette name? It's one of the few names GM can keep for longer than 2 generations.

[S204STi]

And how is that a departure from Subaru now?

lollerskates

[Nethead]

The powerplant has nothing to do with the sales drop off.  Every car on the market has had sales drop off the edge of a cliff lately.  It has to do with the fact that Corvettes are toys.  They are indulgences.  They have a price tag north $45,000, and we're in a recession.

HEMI666:  That's not the point--directly.  What  IS  the point is that big, powerful V8s weren't enough to prevent Corvette sales from sliding by a full third just like about everything else--most of "everything else" doesn't even offer V8s, or does so in only a small percentage of the models sold. 

hotrodalex:  Since you ain't gonna just drop an LS into a body-kitted Solstice and screech "YeeeHAAAAHHHHH!", you probably ain't gonna convince anyone you've got a new Corvette here, y' know? 

Go with "Stingray" to show you ain't trying to build just another front-engined RWD leaf-springed Corvette--been there, done that since probably before you were born.  Go with turbo V6s (and maybe a base model with a turbo four, but that would be risky unless the final product can convincingly trounce an MX5) and leave the V8s to the Corvette legacy.  The V6s fit the Solstice platform with fewer changes necessary, which GM can't afford anyhoooo.

[CALL_911]

And how is that a departure from Subaru now?

fast.

There aren't very many fast Subarus.