[blkwrxsti]

Originally Posted by PAULSTS1

WILL GM EVER LEARN? RE-BADGING THE VOLT TO ALL DIVISIONS!

This is exactly what GM doesn't need to do. When they had Oldsmobile, it was the testing ground for Cadillac technology. After the technology was proven it was later introduced into a premium car (Toronado, then Eldorado). The Volt or whatever name GM decides on should be introduced as a Buick (as earlier stated by wescoent) then as popularity increases and market conditions allow, a more full featured Hybrid can be released to Cadillac as a premium Alpha. This car would be smaller than a CTS, but would sell for around the same dollar amount, with Hybrid technology and state of the art, light body construction, i.e. a new kind of Cadillac, not just a small car!

The thought about a small Cadillac just for being small, makes me cringe, I don't see it as a good marketing choice. Read articles: Cadillac is thought of World Wide as a large, grand car, build something else, you have a "White Elephant." Something that must be given away, and will not sell. Don't fool yourselves, many people in this forum are for it, but these same people have said time and time again, "they won't buy Cadillac." They hate the dealerships, the service records, and the offerings. These are the types that expect "perfection" in an imperfect world, and just have a lot of time on their hands to talk about things, there will be no pay days with them, only banter!

In closing, I don't think the Volt should be sold by Chevrolet, or Cadillac now. It's would be better offered through Buick, and after refinement, maybe after greater exposure, a more advanced offering someday can be offered by Cadillac.

I agree with you that badge engineering is a dead end, but three things in your post bothered me:

The assumption that Cadillacs should always be BIG. That's what got Cadillac to where it is, change or die - as they say. This thing will be exclusive, very quiet, and the owner will never have to touch a gas pump. That's the sweetspot of Luxury now, not having 2.5 tons of steel around you. Your reference to the Alpha is already a good example of this trend, as is the Audi line, the expected Lexus Prius, etc.

The implication that GM should seek to hide the Volt from perfectionists, because then the initial car would be more of a success (maybe, but it would be at the expense of improving the car and potentially increasing their first-mover advantage). I also don't buy the idea that people buying the first electric vehicle will not be demanding, just because they're buying it from Chevy - and Chevy is not as well equipped to deal with them.

Giving a tech laden car to Buick? Once volumes get up there and the Chinese demand Volts, then give it to Buick, otherwise this is a recipe for failure. The simple act of calling this car a Buick will take it off most people's shopping lists. The tech-savvy bleeding-edge crowd won't be caught dead driving a Buick, while the typical Buick owner would worry that the high voltage electronics could short out his pacemaker, or try to put gas in the battery port...