mrraider

Are there any rear wheel drive cars with electronic parking brake?

Toys4RJill

I believe the LS460 does have it and so does the S class, it is nothing all that special or significant that a Buick comes equipped with it, GM has this feature almost 15 years ago with their Cadillac models so it could of been added to the ATS.

But to fit in the segment, you want the car to be similar to the competiton, the ATS/IS/3 series are supposed to enbody a certain driving feel as well as driving engagement.

TangoRed

Plenty. Almost all of the D-class luxury cars (S-class, for example) do. I don't know of any in the entry level sports sedan class (A4/S4 has one, but is AWD) that do though.

dc893

What fun is an electric parking brake anyway?

mmarshall

Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it.

All of the GM divisions charge $995 extra for that White Diamond paint color (and $695 for the Crystal Red Tintcoat)...not just Cadillac. I agree that they are basically the same colors as the Lexus Pearl White and Matador Red (and Chrysler's Inferno Red). A number of upscale/luxury vehicles, BTW, offer that Pearl White color....not just Lexus. In fact, Cadillac, Infiniti, and Audi were the manufacturers that originally perfected that color.

mmarshall

Those of us with large, heavy legs and feet that have to deal with a tiny, awkward, hard-to-reach foot pedal under the left dash (or a console-mounted pull-up lever that often gets in your way) already know the answer to that question.

However, I agree that sometimes a manual pull-up lever makes sense, like with rally-cars that slide and drift around dirt-corners. But, obviously, most driving isn't done that way...especially with everyday commuting.

mmarshall

Yes, there's at least some truth to that, but I don't entirely agree. E-Parking brakes are simply more costly to design and install. I do agree, though, that they are potentially more risky and likely to fail.....which means an overide mechanism.

I'm always open to those who disagree with my opinions and conclusions, and respect their views. But I have to add two things. First, if someone is going to disagree with me, fine, but they need to know the context that I make my statements in. Some posters (that doesn't necessarily include you) think they understand the point I'm trying to make, but (apparantly) do not. Second, if someone think that my reviews are done poorly, they are certainly free to write and post their own (as me, Mike, and others here on CAR CHAT do)......or to do like Hoovey and post some good autoblog reviews. There are a LOT of new cars out there each year just waiting for someone to look at them. In fact, one of many reasons why I started doing reviews myself (over 40 years ago) that I wasn't impressed with some of the stuff I read in newspapers and auto-magazines. And, today, I do many of them, (not all) by specific request...often CL-member request.

In some ways, no, but both, in turbo form, also share the ATS's 2.0T engine and transmissions (in a transverse FWD layout, of course). The Regal GS , like the ATS, has gotten a reputation as a drivers' car, and it sells in only a slightly lower price class than al but upmarket versions of the ATS. The Verano....I agree, even with the turbo, is less of a drivers' car overall....but its handling, for a FWD non-enthuisiast car, is surprisingly good.

mrraider

My s60 has it. The Buick regal and Verano have it, whatever segment they are in. But those are all FWD.

mmarshall

Excellent point. Volvo also markets this car (especially in TV commercials) as a Drivers' Car competing with the 3-series. In fact, I probably should have listed it in the review as a ATS competitor, but it just doesn't sell in very strong numbers here in America. Neither again, of course, does the Jaguar.......which, if my memory is correct, also has an E-brake.

Toys4RJill

Actually, the Verano uses a different Ecotec version II engine while the Caddy uses a new for 2013 Ecotec version III engine. There are a significant number of enhancements that were made to the ATS engine that the Verano and Regal do not get. One of the differences is the exhaust manifold as well as a higher compression ratio among others.

So for the record, the Verano and ATS do not share the same 2.0 turbo.

pbm317

North/South is Longitudinally mounted, not transverse

SteVTEC

That's one of the biggest reasons I might buyout the lease on my E93. I do like the new F30 3-series and the sedan especially has a lot more room in back than the E90, but the newer designs just don't "speak to me" like the now previous generation models, due in large part to the completely numb electric steering. The intimate feel with the road has been lost. The F10 5-series with EPS that I've driven felt no different to drive than my folk's 2012 Camry, which is sad. Night and day difference between cars like those and the E9x 3-series.

Part of it is the evolution of the automobile. Even Porsche is using EPS now. So yes it's not so much that BMW is going backwards, but rather that Cadillac is doing such a great job of building highly competitive entries. The whole segment is. So all options will be on the table.

mmarshall

Thanks A typo on my part (it happens occasionally). I did mean longitudinally.

mmarshall

What I meant was that it was basically the same (but not necessarily identical) engine and block. Yes, you're correct on the Ecotec II/III designations. Some of that, though, is simple mounting requirements. Longitudinal north/south engine-mounts do require some differences in the engine design vs. transverse east/west designs.

Just for the record (and this is simply my personal opinion, not necessarily fact), I don't think that a car in the ATS class (or the Impala or the Regal, for that matter) should be stuck with four-cylinder engines at all, turbo or not. V6s should, IMO, standard in all three of these cars (The Verano's smaller engine-compartment mught not allow a V6 fit in well). I understand the reason for some of these small turbo fours (the upcoming CAFE regs). So, I guess you could blame at least some of it on Big Brother......but that's a subject for another thread, and I won't get into that deeply here. There's also the question, as a CL member pointed out in another thread, of 3.6L V6 engine-production availability......it is currently being used as an option in a number of GM vehicles as it is, placing demands on production-availability.

mrraider

The 2.0 is also going to have production demands. The LTG will replace teh LHU in the Regal in 2014, and teh Verano in 2015. The Malibu and new CTS also are using the LTG. GM should be able to spit out enough engines. They are the single largest powetrain maker in ther world. Period. Availability is no excuse.