[t-rex]

While I applaud GM's confidence in believing in could succeed in Europe, it failed miserably in accounting for European taste.

Bravada's right though. Cadillac's only hope in Europe is selling small-volume glitzy luxobarges, since there's no other company (Chrysler excepted) selling cars like that in Europe. And if that's going to be the case, let private importers bother selling them instead of setting up a GM sales operation.

Trying to mimic European sensibilities with an American car is a set-up for failure. Imagine a BMW with tailfins. Or a Mercedes with a pillowy split-bench seat. Picture an Audi, arguably the world's leader in interior ergonomics, with one of GM's infamous Little Tykes dashboards. Okay we all know Caddy and Lincoln have gone well past the fender-skirts and coach-lights era, but they're still brash, quintessentially American designs.

Cadillac will always have a "Teddy Boy" Elvis-and-tailfins image in Europeans' minds. It has nothing to do with how good the CTS or any other Caddy is. They simply don't appeal to Europeans. It's as simple as that.

Fiat haven't been able to sell Lancias outside of Italy for fifteen years now. ASEAN customers won't go near a Lexus because to buyers there, luxury is a strictly European thing, and something Japanese just won't cut it. It's all but impossible to sell a Spaniard or Argentinian a Japanese car. The new crop of Alfas are brilliant, but I doubt highly that many Americans (other than me or nadepalma) will be lining up to buy one. The Japanese don't want ANYBODY else's cars except BMW, Benz, and Mini.

Simply put, different people around the world shy away from certain types of cars, and it's only a few cars that are successful global, namely the German luxo-marques.

If GM are serious about exporting Cadillac, they need to not waste time in places like Europe and Australia. Focus on markets like Russia, China, or maybe Korea and Singapore, where Caddy's brash styling and ostentatious image may find more welcome buyers.