Lamenting the decline of the car

[lio45]

Originally Posted by canucklehead2

Musk said next factory could/would be in Canada or Mexico. Thoughts? I have 3 perfect Alberta sites selected... One ideal... halfway between Okotoks and High River at Aldersyde where TC energy is building a 100 mw battery storage and solar farm at the abandoned CanMag plant that sunk $250M in 1991 $ of Alberta oil cash.

Originally Posted by canucklehead2

Southern Alberta is sunny and windy as shit and needs new economy jobs.

If Musk cares about solar potential, Mexico >> Alberta.

Alberta only seems sunny if you limit yourself to Canada. (Bavaria also looks like it has great solar potential, on a map of Germany only, where the max of the local scale is red ...)

[Architype]

Originally Posted by lio45

If Musk cares about solar potential, Mexico >> Alberta.

Alberta only seems sunny if you limit yourself to Canada. (Bavaria also looks like it has great solar potential, on a map of Germany only, where the max of the local scale is red ...)

Looks like the SW U.S. is just as good, but Mexico would be the choice for Musk if that is of any benefit. In Canada we may have to rely upon wind, that is as in wind-up vehicles.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by Architype

Looks like the SW U.S. is just as good, but Mexico would be the choice for Musk if that is of any benefit. In Canada we may have to rely upon wind, that is as in wind-up vehicles.

Lacking solar potential is less of an issue in a country with an 80% non-emitting grid. That said, I doubt clean energy or solar potential is that much of a driver in where Tesla sites their factories. Aside from Musk's personal politics, I think access to markets is a consideration. Mexico having trade deals with Mercosur and being close to California and Texas, probably favours them.

[WarrenC12]

If it's vehicle manufacturing it would probably go into SW Ontario where all of the skilled workers are. The rest of us will pay for it via tax incentives though.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

Mexico having trade deals with Mercosur and being close to California and Texas, probably favours them.

Being close to places where they already have factories?

Texas is massive too, I don't know what the max potential output is there, but you'd think they would max that out before another factory. China is getting expanded, and Germany just opened.

The next factory will be a few years off at least, I would guess.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Being close to places where they already have factories?

Close doesn't count when it comes to trade treaties.

They need to assemble in Mexico to be able to export to Mercosur. However, being relatively close to Texas, Nevada and California will help them generally operate easier.

Tesla hasn't opened a single vehicle assembly plant in the Northern US. And Musk is quite vocal about California's rather than stringent regulatory environment. Canada is closer to California than most of the states Tesla is building plants in. So I really wouldn't hold my breath....

If we want to attract EV assembly, we need an aggressive strategy from the feds and key provinces do develop the entire battery supply chain. There's elements of that today. But it's way too slow and timid.

[Innsertnamehere]

the only way I could see Tesla coming to Canada will be through a "quick approvals" override directly from the provincial government to usher it through the normal process. You would need a provincial government willing to override regular approvals processes.

Ontario has shown lots of willingness in the past for that sort of thing, and I'm sure given Ford's eagerness on the automotive front right now, would be more than happy to issue an instant legislative override for a theoretical Tesla Gigafactory somewhere in Ontario.

I think it'll likely just end up in the US still though.

[thurmas]

https://www.kbb.com/car-news/529668-autosave-v1/

Report: GM Car Sales Nearly Double

Americans buy more SUVs than cars and trucks combined. But 2022, with its soaring gas prices, soaring car prices, and soaring borrowing costs, has Americans rethinking their automotive needs.

General Motors, America’s largest automaker, sold almost twice as many cars in the first quarter of 2022 as it did in the first quarter of last year. Not vehicles. Cars. Old-fashioned sedans and coupes are back in style.

Sedans Have Had a Rough Year
The classic family sedan has seemed to be on life support in recent years. Ford has abandoned the sedan market completely in the U.S. Chrysler has announced the end of the line for its 300 sedan, and corporate sibling Dodge has announced the end of its Charger and Challenger. The Volkswagen Passat is on the way out, as is its Arteon sedan (though it may get an electric replacement), and the Nissan Maxima will retire after the 2023 model year.

In that climate, the Chevy Malibu seems an unlikely candidate for a massive sales surge — but that’s exactly what has happened. GM Authority reports that Malibu sales increased a jaw-dropping 563% year-over-year in the second quarter.

Not Just the Malibu
It wasn’t the only GM car to see a sales jump. Chevy sold 63% more Camaros and 8% more Corvettes than a year ago, despite significant supply chain challenges slowing Corvette production. Both of Cadillac’s sedans, the CT4 and CT5, also saw sales jump.

Only two cars saw their sales decrease. Bolt electric vehicle (EV) sales dropped 76%. GM paused Bolt sales last year after a series of recalls due to battery fires, and though the company says the problem has been fixed, car buyers have been slow to embrace the model. The tiny Chevy Spark also saw its sales decline dramatically after GM announced that it would discontinue the budget model. Americans bought just 47 sparks between April and June.

[thewave46]

While I am happy for the Malibu and sedan surge, I am leery of calling it for a return to sedans.

Why? The Malibu only sold ~40k units in 2021 due to GM focusing on producing other models due to supply chain issues.

My guess is that the relative value of purchasing a car is because automakers have tried to push the limits of how much they can raise the price of much more popular SUVs. A Malibu still starts for ~$25k pre-tax and likely is easier to drive off the lot quickly than many other vehicles. A base Civic (not really base in terms of options, but whatever) goes for a similar price.

Second, as the article mentions, a number of competitors have dropped out.

If the Malibu can hold its sales gains year over year, maybe I see it. I could see higher interest rates making very expensive pickup trucks a much more dear monthly payment, not to mention the cost of fuelling the thing at $1.50/L with memories of $2/L not long past.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by thurmas

https://www.kbb.com/car-news/529668-autosave-v1/

Report: GM Car Sales Nearly Double

Americans buy more SUVs than cars and trucks combined. But 2022, with its soaring gas prices, soaring car prices, and soaring borrowing costs, has Americans rethinking their automotive needs.

General Motors, America’s largest automaker, sold almost twice as many cars in the first quarter of 2022 as it did in the first quarter of last year. Not vehicles. Cars. Old-fashioned sedans and coupes are back in style.

Sedans Have Had a Rough Year
The classic family sedan has seemed to be on life support in recent years. Ford has abandoned the sedan market completely in the U.S. Chrysler has announced the end of the line for its 300 sedan, and corporate sibling Dodge has announced the end of its Charger and Challenger. The Volkswagen Passat is on the way out, as is its Arteon sedan (though it may get an electric replacement), and the Nissan Maxima will retire after the 2023 model year.

In that climate, the Chevy Malibu seems an unlikely candidate for a massive sales surge — but that’s exactly what has happened. GM Authority reports that Malibu sales increased a jaw-dropping 563% year-over-year in the second quarter.

Not Just the Malibu
It wasn’t the only GM car to see a sales jump. Chevy sold 63% more Camaros and 8% more Corvettes than a year ago, despite significant supply chain challenges slowing Corvette production. Both of Cadillac’s sedans, the CT4 and CT5, also saw sales jump.

Only two cars saw their sales decrease. Bolt electric vehicle (EV) sales dropped 76%. GM paused Bolt sales last year after a series of recalls due to battery fires, and though the company says the problem has been fixed, car buyers have been slow to embrace the model. The tiny Chevy Spark also saw its sales decline dramatically after GM announced that it would discontinue the budget model. Americans bought just 47 sparks between April and June.

Story of the North American automakers in a nutshell. They're always caught flatfooted when gas prices rise by offering fuel-guzzling vehicles.

[megadude]

Some interesting things I've noticed over the past few months.

5. This fun little vehicle is a regular in my bro's neighbourhood in DT St. Cathartines. It has various messages on there with the one standing out the most saying something negative about gas. Can't remember exactly.

Posted about this on another thread but going to add here too since this was also in Niagara and the same kind of vehicle. This white one was in Welland while the guy driving the red one I saw driving a blue one in St. Catharines earlier. He has two and according to my bro, that's what he does all day. Drives around for no reason. The blue one said FBI Female Body Inspector.





And some more interesting things I saw over the past three months or so:


Free bibles. I wonder if anyone took up the lady on her offer. She was actually sitting in a lawn chair beside the car. This was in Oakville. And sticking with the religious theme, this house has a sign in front since August saying JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON. Yes, a Christmas sign. In Elmvale.

At first I thought this device was a tire boot for parking at the GO station lot for too long, but that would only get a you a ticket. Then I realized it's an anti theft device. They put that on every time while there. And like me, they park well back of other cars because these days that doesn't mean you have to park at the very back of the lot. It's amazing I see people with $100k cars park sandwiched in between other cars when you can guarantee not getting dinged by a door by parking a 30 to 60 second walk farther away.

Saw this ancient MR2 and 911 20 feet away from each other at an apartment building in Niagara. The MR2 in particular is so rare.

I got a rental to drive to Hamilton, Niagara, Haldimand and Norfolk. He gave me a Charger and I don't have to pay for gas as it's expensed. You'd think I'd be excited but I sighed. At this point, when I'm giong to be doing six hours of driving, I'd rather a CUV/SUV/mini van over a Ferrari let alone a Charger because comfort is the name of the game. And I was right. After five minutes I was dreaming about the last rental they gave me - a Dodge Caravan. Anyone else feel like that now?

Saw this sick WRX in Welland. Modelled after the legendary Impreza WRC made famous by the legendary Colin McRae. The guy who would have won more than one WC if he would just pace himself and preserve leads in rallies instead of driving balls to the wall 100% of the time, often ending in crashes. This is only the second time I've seen someone put their name on the back window rally car style. That was also a Francophone name, but had a Quebec flag. It was in Montreal afterall. Reminds of me people who had a Honda CBR bike and they'd get the Repsol version from Moto GP, made famous by five time champ Mick Doohan. Have seen that twice. Both times in Brampton.

And only three days after I saw the world rally Impreza, I see a Jetta in Oakville with the WRC logo on the door.

PS. I tried to quote my own post from the previous page but ended up pressing edit and deleting everything from that post other than the tiny red car. So I tried to make it look like I quoted it here but it looks off, as you can see.


















https://www.redbull.com/ca-en/wrc-ra...t-ever-drivers


https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/...5d532f9c21bf07

[whatnext]

WTF Toyota?! How is this mess any more upscale than a Camry? They need to fire their chief designer.

• Video Link

[theman23]

Originally Posted by whatnext

WTF Toyota?! How is this mess any more upscale than a Camry? They need to fire their chief designer.

• Video Link

I think someone said Toyota realized that North Americans don’t buy cars anymore unless they can squint their eyes and picture then going off road, which sounds about right.

[jonny24]

...it just looks like a car to me. I'm not seeing "quasi-CUV" when I look at that.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by jonny24

...it just looks like a car to me. I'm not seeing "quasi-CUV" when I look at that.

It's not the CUV stance that's offensive, it is the styling. Search for the two-tone version online, it is a bucket of vomit. And then there's the cheap-ass interior. What the hell is wrong with Toyota/Lexus designers that every interior looks vastly cheaper and uncoordinated compared to their German and Korean rivals?

[theman23]

Originally Posted by jonny24

...it just looks like a car to me. I'm not seeing "quasi-CUV" when I look at that.

The raised ride height and plastic cladding are there for a reason.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by theman23

The raised ride height and plastic cladding are there for a reason.

Nothing says off-road like plastic cladding.

[OldDartmouthMark]

It just looks like a car to me, but (slightly) increased ground clearance and AWD will be useful in the winter, or for some slightly rougher dirt roads, like maybe going to the cottage, etc. Let's be honest, how many 4X4 looking things are actually taken off-road? Most SUVs don't see anything rougher than a pothole, but I've often heard drivers say they like being able to see over traffic (that is, until every vehicle on the road is an SUV or truck, then you're just up higher looking at the back of the vehicle in front of you) - they don't mind the trade-off of higher centre of gravity for being up high (or they don't know what centre of gravity is...).

It does win the prize for most complicated drivetrain, if you choose the 2.4 turbocharged hybrid version.

I actually don't mind the car once you put it in perspective - most vehicles on the road now are butt-ugly anyhow, and I don't see this one as being much worse. It's nice to see a sedan as opposed to yet another trucky-wannabe look-alike SUV/CUV/crossover, or whatever.

[urbandreamer]

It looks like an AMC Eagle.

[SpongeG]

Dodge is bringing back the Hornet as a compact SUV


dodgegarage.com