General Motors Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said at the Paris Motor Show today the high-speed ride, steering and handling of the new Opel Antara is “easily comparable” to that of a BMW X5 and “better than an X3.” He also said the Antara — which will be sold as the Saturn Vue in the United States — will match the X5 in terms of performance, except for the V8 version. Lutz also commented on GM’s diesel engine plans for the United States, and the difficulties in attaining emissions certification. Both videos after the jump…
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09/28, 5:04 PM
posted by:
joseph
Didn’t Putz compare the handling of a Front Wheel Drive Pontiac to a BMW at one point? Looks like he’s at it again.
09/28, 5:27 PM
posted by:
bacalao
yeahhhh…. right…… now im guessing hes gonna say that the saturn sky is comparable to the z4… and hes gonna vcompare a cadillac deville to a 7 series too???
09/28, 5:30 PM
posted by:
Big Boy Combo
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
oops I just did a Pasadena mudslide
is he high on crack or something, ha can’t really believe that?
09/28, 5:30 PM
posted by:
Big Boy Combo
Lutz your credibility is now shot to pieces
09/28, 5:31 PM
posted by:
Big Boy Combo
He’s so hot for an old dude, thought only gay guys looked that good
09/28, 5:32 PM
posted by:
Big Boy Combo
well its not hard to be better than the X3 and you can compare anything to anything, it is how they compare that matters
09/28, 5:35 PM
posted by:
Kennyboy
Did he just mention a V6 diesal for the US and a new 4 and a half liter V8?
Cool!
09/28, 6:15 PM
posted by:
Andre Neves
Yeah, before I baught my ‘06 Mitsubishi Evolution IX MR a couple months ago, I was considering getting a Chevy Cobalt SS. The SS outhandled the Evo, out accelerated it, and has many more WRC titles to it’s name. But, I went with the Evo for some reason. Even though GM products kick ass.
09/28, 6:30 PM
posted by:
Bimmer
What kind of drugs is Bob Nuts on?
09/28, 6:31 PM
posted by:
1c3d0g
I think Bob is stretching the truth a little bit, as the X5 is a formidable competitor.
09/28, 6:39 PM
posted by:
Hidden_Hunter
you can compare anything with anything else, that doesn’t make it good.
I could say that VHS is comparable to DVD because they both do the same thing, only one does a vastly better job
09/28, 7:08 PM
posted by:
Northeasterner
He can say whatever he wants, nobody’s listening anyway.
09/28, 7:41 PM
posted by:
John Landers
Bob has gone senile. Perhaps he’s had a stroke.
09/28, 7:43 PM
posted by:
Renton
As the owner of an X5, I have to say that Bob Lutz is losing it. I don’t think Mercedes makes an SUV as good as the X5, much less Saturn/Opel.
I like Bob Lutz too, he is just doing his job.
09/28, 8:02 PM
posted by:
Madcapp
That’s a textbook example of grey-head, old, disconnected from reality, thought that is going to guarantee the demise of GM.
09/28, 8:28 PM
posted by:
Stuart
Renton – seems you been smoking what bob lutz has. The new Mercedes ML is actually a better alround car then the BMW X5. I will admit the X5 is older by 5 years but the Mercedes is the best SUV in its segment right now till probably the new X5 comes along.
p.s. I thought this guy was doing a good job but now it seems like the retirement couldn’t come soon enough.
09/28, 8:34 PM
posted by:
LamborghiniZ
Hahahaha Bob has really lost it now.
09/28, 9:37 PM
posted by:
C-Hole
Haha… Putz. As in not Lutz. Haha.
09/28, 10:05 PM
posted by:
PeteyPete
I’ll reserve judgement until I drive both…but I’d say that matching BMW’s X5 would be a tall order for a car that probably costs half as much. That said, I’d bet the people here making disparaging remarks about Lutz or the car he’s referring to have probably never driven (or even sat) in an X5, and I know they haven’t driven the Antara b/c it isn’t yet available, so how do you know he’s wrong, a putz, or crazy?
09/28, 10:15 PM
posted by:
Veda
What are you talking about Stuart? I had a ML burned down in front of me for no apparent reason. Luckily insurance was the one that took the hit. The X5 isn’t any better either as the ride is so hard it makes me wonder why anyone would buy it for freeway use. Maybe it’s the display of wealth factor….
09/29, 12:48 AM
posted by:
nowei
You’d think that the head of GM could find some better SUVs from his own company to go head-to-head with the best/only (SUV) BMW’s got to offer. Although I’ll just assume his comments are only meant for the European market. Also, I didn’t actually bother to watch the video.
/no
09/29, 1:01 AM
posted by:
Thomas
Not bloody likely…
09/29, 9:40 AM
posted by:
BrokenCadillac...
And the 3 series has nothing on the Chevy Aveo…
Somebody give this guy a dope-slap upside the head for me.
09/29, 9:47 AM
posted by:
buenos
Wow.. I just had a flashback to the 70’s when Ford was comparing a Granada to a Mercedes… then the acid wore off…
Poor Bob. Saddled with a car company where the engineering is done by accountants and the building of the vehicles is done by barely trained UAW (or CAW here in Canada) monkeys.
09/29, 9:50 AM
posted by:
Renton
Stuar t– the “old” X5 is light years better than the “old” ML. It is not even close. Now the new ML must be very good, but it would only be fair to compare that to the new X5, which will be soon. I don’t think the old X5 is showing too much of its age anyway.
Veda– the X5 is one of the best freeway cruisers. I has a very comfortable ride without the Sport Package, everyone who is in mine raves about its long distance capability.
As far as the display of wealth factor comment goes……. that is the first time I ever heard an X5 placed in that catagory. Maybe where you live.
09/29, 9:55 AM
posted by:
BrokenCadillac...
Ya, but Renton, the X5 is no Saturn Vue bud…
09/29, 10:16 AM
posted by:
lewissalem
Hold on a second….. hahahha ahah ahhaah ahhahaaha.. Ok. now I feel better.
Seriously though, lets DELIVER on the product promises first and let us decide. While I’m happy to see GM trying to improve it’s product line, this is only the first step.
09/29, 10:28 AM
posted by:
56oval
Isn’t it funny how you never hear BMW compare any of their cars to a GM….
09/29, 11:23 AM
posted by:
BrokenCadillac...
Nobody compares their cars to GM because frankly, GM isn’t a marque to aim for. Save for the corvette, and there is nothing class leading in the GM stable that other brands would desire to emulate. This has been my argument all along, GM isn’t a goto manufacturer if you are looking to compete against the best in the industry. Because they are FAR from it.
09/29, 1:50 PM
posted by:
Stuart
Renton im comparingg the new Mercedes to the current X5.
Comparing BMW to GM is like comparing Bill Gates (BMW) to a beggar (GM). GM face it your ****
09/29, 3:35 PM
posted by:
Z06ified
I don’t think Bob is out of line with his comments. The new Antara was shown at the NY Auto show last spring as the Saturn PreVue. I had the benefit of seeing the PreVue in person, and that SUV is REALLY nice. Better looking and better interior than an X5, and if it is engineered to drive as good as it is designed, I could easily see it being an equivalent drive to an X5.
Those of you thinking it is like the current Saturn Vue, think again. The Antaras/PreVue is light years ahead of the current Vue. In fact, they really shouldn’t call it a Vue. Saturn Antaras works, and conveys an all new vehicle, which it is.
09/29, 5:30 PM
posted by:
John Landers
A Saturn is what a BMW is called after it drove into a wall and caught fire.
10/01, 9:19 AM
posted by:
Stuart
John couldn’t have put it better myself