PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

Land Rover just cut near 700 lbs off the new Range Rover.
Jaguar XJ is bigger but lighter than the XF due to its aluminum chassis.
Toyota has done well making the new Camry and Avalon weigh less than the previous generation.


I'm afraid that most BMW models are too porky nowadays. Cadillac has no idea how to make its cars smaller, and would rather make a new lower entry-level model than make the CTS go on a diet. Why are most muscle cars like the Challenger and Camaro near 4000 lbs, without fuel or driver?

How about Lexus? Did the new GS, ES, and IS gain significant weight?


DISCUSS.

SteVTEC

There's certainly some porky BMWs, like our E70 X5d at 5200lbs, but I don't think you can generalize the BMW lineup as being too heavy. The F30 320/328i are 3300lbs, which considering their more than ample passenger space is pretty good I think. A Honda Accord is maybe 100lbs less. The 528i is 3800lbs which is definitely pretty heavy, but the Lexus GS is the same weight. The next-gen X5 coming out soon is supposed to be a few hundred pounds lighter. Same with the next M3/M4. My convertible is definitely a porker at 4000lbs.

mmarshall

Three things today are working to keep average automotive weights up. First, the government keeps requiring more and more standard equipment (and new safety standards) on new cars. Second, what the government doesn't actually require, the public itself wants ....more and more mechanical and electronic comfort/convievience equipment. Third, strong but lightweight materials like aluminum, carbon-fiber, titanium, etc.... are expensive, and many vehicles have to be developed and produced on a budget.

Look at it this way..........if many cars had not been so radically downsized in the 70s and 80s, just think of what many of them would weigh today.

And, last, consider that many of us porky Americans (me included) certainly don't do much to keep the weight of the car down when we ourselves get in.

bagwell

I show the ATS at 3400 lbs, the 328i M6 at 3406 pounds per Motor Trend and the Honda Accord sedan M6 at 3192 lbs


yep, this is why I'm looking forward to MB CLA, Audi A/S3 sedan...smaller, lighter.

geko29

....and front-drive

TangoRed

BMW is actively working on the next-gen 7-series that will using a variety of low-weight materials, so they're already on that train.

The CTS is getting bigger to better align with the E-class/5-series so it will stop being such a 'tweener and to give the ATS some breathing room. Didn't expect much weight savings as a result.

bagwell

I'll take it over the oil burner

Wiley9

I'm no transportation policy expert here, but something makes me think that it's not the weight of the safety requirements that keeps blimping out cars these days. It's us! We just want them to be bigger. Just look at the average house size and how that's changed over time. Or look at the size of a "small" soda in a fast food joint. Or in automotive terms, look at the size of a Honda Accord across the last 35 years. It's not that there's no market for smaller vehicles, but the baseline has been growing larger and larger everyday...just like our rear ends! ;-)

spwolf

well, lets be honest here, equipped the same way with same engines, 5 series is 200lbs heavier than GS.

Loaded GS350 is 3800lbs but mid-specced 535i is almost 200lbs heavier. And A6 is even slightly heavier due to AWD.

Same goes for 335i... 335i Sport is 3580lbs... its 15lbs lighter than IS F-Sport and heavier than CTS by 40lbs. And you can also see why it is lighter by few lbs when you get inside and see all those non-luxury plastics.

When it comes to SUVs, thats where most can be shaved, but thats probably due to cars completely changing the platform for something lighter and probably less truck like.

In cheaper cars, there were some weight savings to be made as they recently started using more high tensile steel and some aluminium, but more expensive luxury cars always used it.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

4GS gained virtually nothing in weight over it's predecessor. Some E60's to F10's gained near 400lbs.

Ford has vowed to shed weight from their vehicles as well. They are shooting for 700lbs for the next F-150.

SteVTEC

The F10 is definitely heavier overall than the E60, but if you're talking about 400 lb differences then you're definitely talking about different models and levels of equipment. Part of the problem is that the F10 is based off of the 7 platform now, so yeah....

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Of course. Speaking in generalities

Aron9000

I agree that its ridiculous how much cars weigh now days.



You look at one of these old Cadillacs that are longer than a Suburban and think, that thing is so damn heavy. By modern standards its pretty light at 4200lbs. A new suburban is 5600lbs just for comparison. A new Camaro convertible is 4100lbs, which is freaking absurd.

mmarshall

Today's cars, in size, are nothing compared to the full-size cars I grew up with (and learned to drive).

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

good stuff.

i expect that to change as they along with everyone suffer the reality of regulation, higher gas prices, and more regulation and fines.

i can't really make sense of what you're saying here. they didn't make the ATS because they couldn't put the CTS on a diet, the ATS and CTS are smaller and bigger respectively than the CTS they replace.

and check out this:
http://www.gizmag.com/2014-cadillac-...to-show/26835/
so respectfully, i'd say you're uh, mistaken.

because they're targeted to a lower price point and last i checked, steel is still cheaper than aluminum and other technology and methodologies for weight reduction.

gs, es, is are all very competitive and impressively light for all they pack in.

very good point. i do like how the latest accord though appears to me to be externally smaller than the old one, but the interior is fantastically efficient and abundant on space.

200lbs isn't a whole lot, but it's not nothing either. i have no doubt bmw will remedy this.