QOTD: What's Your Killer App?
The internet was awash with reviews of the Cadillac XT6 on Monday, with our own Tim Healey being of the mind that it is “pleasant yet forgettable.” In a sea of three-row crossovers, any new machine — no matter the brand — needs to have a killer app in order to stand out.
What form does that take for you? Prodigious power? Let-them-eat-cake seats? I think there’s one item in particular that would allow the XT6 to pole vault most of its competition … and Cadillac already has it in its parts bin.
Super Cruise, GM’s excellent foray into the world of semi-autonomous driving, is a piece of kit that works exactly as advertised in terms of shepherding a vehicle into its lane while significantly reducing driver fatigue. On the CT6 sedan, it was tremendous.
Trouble is, fewer people buy sedans than crossovers, meaning the technology isn’t being experienced by the masses. The segment in which the XT6 competes is brutally cutthroat, so a killer app is needed to stand out. Super Cruise would have provided that for XT6, just like enormous horsepower figures will do the trick for Aviator later this year.
To be fair, the chief engineer for XT6 told your author in DC that they are working on Super Cruise for this application and will roll it out in due course. Until then, we’ll wait for the quarterly sales numbers to see how XT6 does in the marketplace. Note well: he also told us that Super Cruise cannot be retrofitted.
What’s your killer app in a new car? Y’know — the one which makes you forsake all other competitors in its segment? Power, space, price … you tell us.
[Image: General Motors]
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MUCH MORE TIRE SIDEWALL ON NEARLY ALL VEHICLES (excepting obvious niche segments such as high/ultra high performance coupes/sedans). The trend towards 20", 22" and even 19" and 18" wheels (on certain vehicles, even 18" wheels are total overkill and done just for aesthetics), AND RUN FLAT TIRES, is killing ride quality, hitting consumers with horrific wheel and tire replacement costs (while brutalizing their ride quality), and is beyond ridiculous. In fact, going back to 18", 17", 16" and even 15" wheels (particularly on compact and subcompact vehicles) with nice, plump, thick sidewall will dramatically smooth out ride quality, help suppress road noise (assuming proper, quality tires), and save the consumer a bundle in the process.
Small wheels and independent arm rests attached to each chair.
Yes, independent arm rests attached to captains and solo chairs. Also, make it easy to delete OEM installed stereo and speakers, give a credit for said delete, and make it easy for consumers to install stereo and speakers of their choice. SO many stock stereos/speakers SUCK that it's an total, industry wide fail to foist such garbage on "valuable and desired" consumers.
Power. I really like power. I chose a Durango SRT because power. Its not a rocket ship but I love to drive it every day, each time I get in it I feel like its a treat. When I buy a vehicle that is priced above average I like to feel like it has something above average about the powertrain. Power is my first choice, but exceptional fuel economy with average performance also feels like a win.