1989 Cadillac Allante Convertible Only 58000 Miles Low Reserve on 2040-cars

Auto blog

GM shows off 'digital vehicle platform' enabling more in-car tech and OTA updates

It appears to have dropped the sobriquet "Global B," but General Motors' new electrical architecture has bowed in drawings and video. This is the "digital vehicle platform" GM president Mark Reuss spoke to Reuters about in 2015, saying it would move a great deal of a vehicle's computer work to the cloud and enable over-the-air updates. Reuss took the microphone for the debut, too, saying, "Our new digital vehicle platform and its eventual successors will underpin all our future innovations across a wide range of technological advancements, including EVs and expanded automated driving." The system will go into production later this year, appearing in dealerships first either on the 2020 Cadillac CT5 or the mid-engined 2020 Chevrolet Corvette. Yes, these are the same electronics cited for delaying the launch of the C8 Corvette over excessive draw, security and getting the more-than-100 computer modules to communicate seamlessly. When Car and Driver asked about that, GM replied with "No comment." Volkswagen's having the same issues with the Mk8 Golf right now, though, so GM isn't alone, and this will be the new normal among OEMs for a while. What's certifiable is that the new architecture is robust enough to handle 4.5 terabytes of data per hour, which is five times what GM's current wiring can handle. And thanks to Ethernet connections of 100 Mbps, 1 Gbs and 10 Gbs, communication within and without the vehicle happens much faster. The advances mean better screen resolutions, better battery management for hybrids and electric vehicles, the capability for over-the-air updates and "functionality upgrades throughout the lifespan of the vehicle." Cadillac's Super Cruise has already been lined up as a leading candidate for constant improvements in the driving assistance suite, a key part of GM's "vision for a world with zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion." And whenever GM decides to take the plunge, it will mean a 48-volt electrical system. More than 300 specialists worked on the digital platform, and security was a huge part of the task. We've already heard that GM consulted with Boeing and military contractors on how to prevent hacking. The carmaker has an internal Product Cybersecurity group that reached out to the research community, and created a "bug bounty" program to crowdsource uncovering any flaws.

Mixed sales results, but automaker stocks rise on need for cars in Houston

DETROIT — The Big Three Detroit automakers on Friday reported better-than-expected August sales and issued optimistic outlooks for demand as residents of the Houston area replace flood-damaged cars and trucks after Hurricane Harvey, sending their stocks higher. General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler posted mixed August U.S. sales, with GM up 7.5 percent and Ford and Fiat Chrysler down. Japanese automaker Toyota improved sales by nearly 7 percent, while Honda fell 2.4 percent. Still, analysts focused on the potential for Detroit automakers to cut inventories and stabilize used vehicle prices as residents of Houston, the fourth largest city in the United States, are forced to replace tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, of vehicles after the devastation from Hurricane Harvey. Mark LaNeve, Ford's U.S. sales chief, told analysts on Friday that following Hurricane Katrina in 2005 "we saw a very dramatic snapback" in demand. That said, Ford sales fell 2.1 percent in August. It sold 209,897 vehicles in the United States, compared with 214,482 a year earlier. Sales were down 1.9 percent in the Ford division and off 5.8 percent at Lincoln. Demand was down for cars, crossovers and SUVs. It was not clear how many vehicles in the Houston area will be scrapped, LaNeve said, saying he had seen estimates ranging from 200,000 to 400,000 to 1 million. Ford's Houston dealers may have lost fewer than 5,000 vehicles in inventory, he said. Ford is the No. 1 automaker in the Houston market, with 18 percent share, according to IHS Markit. The company plans to ship used vehicles to Houston dealers and has "every indication we would have to add some production" of new vehicles to meet demand, LaNeve said. Investor concerns about inventories of unsold vehicles and falling used car prices have weighed on Detroit automakers' shares most of this year. Now, automakers can anticipate a jolt of demand from a big market that is a stronghold for Detroit brand trucks and SUVs. "It's got to be a positive for the industry," LaNeve said. Investors appeared to agree. GM shares rose as much as 3.3 percent to their highest since early March. Ford increased 2.8 percent at $11.34, and Fiat Chrysler's U.S.-traded shares were up 5.2 percent $15.91, hitting their highest in more than five years. GM reported a 7.5 percent increase in U.S. auto sales in August, helped by robust sales of crossovers across its four brands.

2020 Cadillac CT5 pricing is out, and it's cheaper than the Germans

We know pretty much everything there is to know about the 2020 Cadillac CT5 sport sedan, and today Cadillac tells us its price. Cadillac isn’t giving us everything, though: all we get for now is pricing for the four-cylinder models. The cheapest CT5 youÂ’ll be able to lay your hands on starts at $37,890. That chunk of change nets you a CT5 Luxury with rear-wheel drive. The base four-cylinder is a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine making 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. If we peruse current Cadillac CTS and ATS pricing, this puts the CT5 under even the base price for a 2019 ATS. The current CTS is way above the CT5, starting at just under $48,000. So in comparison to the cars itÂ’s half replacing, the CT5 price already looks much more attractive. Cadillac has two trim upgrades from the base Luxury trim. A CT5 Premium Luxury will run you $41,690, while the Sport is an even pricier $42,690. You get some additional features for your money, with the Sport being more performance-oriented for those wanting it. All CT5 Sports will be equipped with upgraded Brembo brakes, different 19-inch wheels, sport seats, sport steering wheel with magnesium paddle shifters and unique trim inside and out to differentiate itself from the Luxury.  All-wheel drive is also available for any of the trim levels. In Sport and Luxury trims, all-wheel drive is a $2,600 premium, but youÂ’ll have to fork out $3,090 more in the Premium Luxury trim to get power going to all four wheels. Cadillac says the Cold Climate Package is included automatically with all-wheel drive, and that includes heated front seats plus a heated steering wheel. The base price for the CT5 undercuts the base price of others in its segment like the new 3 Series ($41,245), A4 ($40,195) and C-Class ($41,400). It falls short of beating the Genesis G70 out, though, as that fantastic little car starts at $35,895. WeÂ’ll note that the CT5 is slightly larger than all of these vehicles, but close enough that folks should be cross-shopping them. As of today, we can safely say the CT5 is looking like a solid value versus its competition. WeÂ’ll see how our thoughts evolve after driving it for the first time, and after pricing for the V6 rolls in.