Cadillac XTS and Buick Regal Confirmed!

[YupYupYup]

It is now more than official that the Cadillac XTS, a "stretched" ultra luxury vehicle, will start production in December 2011. The Buick Regal, from the Opel Insignia, will start in August of the same year.

The new Cadillac XTS will be the largest four-door sedan in the luxury brand's lineup, replacing the slow-selling DTS, one industry source said. It will compete with other high-end cars from BMW, Audi and Lexus. Production is slated to start in December 2011.

The Buick Regal, to start in Oshawa in August 2011, is a mid-sized family car essentially identical to GM's Opel Insignia model. The Chevrolet Camaro, which Oshawa factory workers began building in March, is an updated take on the classic 1960s muscle car. GM said last week it has filled about half the 25,000 orders taken for the vehicle and can't keep up with demand.

Cadillac XTS and Buick Regal production from The National Post (great paper)

[BigAls87Z28]

Well thats great news. Oshawa gets another car!! And one with a familiar name.

[plane]

2013 is too long to wait for a new Impala.
If you can't replace it before then, at least give it a 6 speed transmission and a direct injected engine.

[ChevyRules]

Ugh, FWD XTS. Screw you GM for ruining Cadillac again.....

[YupYupYup]

Originally Posted by ChevyRules

Ugh, FWD XTS. Screw you GM for ruining Cadillac again.....

Think "X", as in ALL-WHEEL DRIVE.

[danup]

Originally Posted by ChevyRules

Ugh, FWD XTS. Screw you GM for ruining Cadillac again.....

I'm sorry, but why on earth is there this idea that an essentially boat-sized video must have sporting pretensions? Obviously GM can't (and won't) turn the XTS into the DTS, floaty and numb and without real luxury inside and out, but it's absurd to require RWD, even in Sporty New Cadillac, for a vehicle that is going to be tuned primarily for ultra-lux feel.

I'll get worried if and when GM gives Caddy a FWD car smaller than (or the same size as) the CTS (in the states.) Those cars need the sporting cred, and more importantly the differentiation from Buick and Chevy. But mommy-crossovers and enormous sedans are not mission-critically RWD.

[mgescuro]

1) Prestige needs to be the primary focus of this car. Prove the world that Cadillac is relevant.
2) Bigger isn't always better. Make it bigger, but build it smartly and efficiently packaged. Don't make it bigger just to be bigger. You don't want it to be a foot longer than an S-Class yet have less room than an S-Class.
3) Explore what makes XJ, S, 7, and A8 so successful. Options. Customizations. Technology. Innovations. Everything that USED to be associated with Cadillac.
4) And for ****'s sake... DON'T CALL IT XTS!!!

As for Regal... the sooner it gets to market.... the better.

[ChevyRules]

Originally Posted by danup

I'm sorry, but why on earth is there this idea that an essentially boat-sized video must have sporting pretensions? Obviously GM can't (and won't) turn the XTS into the DTS, floaty and numb and without real luxury inside and out, but it's absurd to require RWD, even in Sporty New Cadillac, for a vehicle that is going to be tuned primarily for ultra-lux feel.

I'll get worried if and when GM gives Caddy a FWD car smaller than (or the same size as) the CTS (in the states.) Those cars need the sporting cred, and more importantly the differentiation from Buick and Chevy. But mommy-crossovers and enormous sedans are not mission-critically RWD.

The XTS should be the Lucerne. The 7/S/A8 competitor from Caddy needs to be RWD. Why? Because despite being big vehicles, these manufactures still advertise them as sporty vehicles. We have BMW gloating about how fast the new 7 series goes 0-60. We have an AMG S class. How is Cadillac going to compete with that on a FWD platform that probably won't have a 50/50 weight distribution. Its only hope is that it is AWD only. But, if the reason why we are getting the XTS is CAFE( which I believe NSAP stated), having it AWD only will probably sink it down to what the FE would have been for a XTS on Premium Zeta. So I bet it will be FWD standard........

[danup]

Originally Posted by mgescuro

1) Prestige needs to be the primary focus of this car. Prove the world that Cadillac is relevant.
2) Bigger isn't always better. Make it bigger, but build it smartly and efficiently packaged. Don't make it bigger just to be bigger. You don't want it to be a foot longer than an S-Class yet have less room than an S-Class.
3) Explore what makes XJ, S, 7, and A8 so successful. Options. Customizations. Technology. Innovations. Everything that USED to be associated with Cadillac.
4) And for ****'s sake... DON'T CALL IT XTS!!!

None of these things require rear wheel drive or a unique platform. Efficient packaging is certainly a FWD hallmark. Make the interior beautiful. Make the car handle securely and engagingly without turning it into a pretend sports car (the MKS and the new-SRX reviews are a good benchmark, I think.) Give it some gewgaws that no other car has.

As for the naming, the minute they gave up on names that was a lost cause. My mom shopped crossovers for the past month and never once got "SRX" right. XTS is as fine a name as anything else, within these limited circumstances.

On a related topic, I'm not sure why they're bothering with a new Impala. I'm excited about the new Taurus but I don't think there's enough room in the non-lux full-size market to justify GM jumping in.

[ChevyRules]

Originally Posted by danup

On a related topic, I'm not sure why they're bothering with a new Impala. I'm excited about the new Taurus but I don't think there's enough room in the non-lux full-size market to justify GM jumping in.

They probably jumped the gun on saying the Impy will be on EPII because rather A) the supplier info this paper got is old info( as that was the "old" plan) B) Seeing the Impala being built in Oshawa and made the assumption that it would be on EPII.

According to NSAP, the "current" plan is for the Impy to die in 2013 for a resurrection in 2015 or so and be riding on Alpha( or a version of it as the Alpha we keep on hearing about is expensive due to Caddy developing it).

[jmlee0695]

Originally Posted by mgescuro

1) Prestige needs to be the primary focus of this car. Prove the world that Cadillac is relevant.
2) Bigger isn't always better. Make it bigger, but build it smartly and efficiently packaged. Don't make it bigger just to be bigger. You don't want it to be a foot longer than an S-Class yet have less room than an S-Class.
3) Explore what makes XJ, S, 7, and A8 so successful. Options. Customizations. Technology. Innovations. Everything that USED to be associated with Cadillac.
4) And for ****'s sake... DON'T CALL IT XTS!!!

As for Regal... the sooner it gets to market.... the better.

I'm sure GM will be doing alot of research on making this new XTS, and whats wrong with the name, GM invented it?

[ChevyRules]

Originally Posted by jmlee0695

I'm sure GM will be doing alot of research on making this new XTS, and whats wrong with the name, GM invented it?

What is wrong with having an opinion of not liking a name?

And regarding the part of your post I edited out, this thread isn't the place to bring it up.

[johnstarnes]

I think that this is great news that we won't have to wait until 2014 after all for a DTS replacement! I just hope it has an impeccable interior, a Converj-inspired exterior, and world class mechanicals to add to the momentum Cadillac has created with the CTS and its variants. I hope that in that same time frame we see a production Converj too, one with a powerful Voltec powerplant and awesome looks intact!

[gagt02]

I just can't agree with caddy having their FLAGSHIP sedan, built on the same basic FWD platform as a chevy car or buick. I don't like the XTS name either. wtf.

[johnstarnes]

I look forward to our first real glimpses of the XTS and Impala, even if only initially as concept cars. I hope that both are stunners.