Cadillac BLS Already Flopped?

[CTGentleman]

Cadillac BLS a Bust in Europe?
6/15/2006 | Autoblog.com



Despite lowering expectations for its Euro-only BLS sedan all the way down to around 7,000 to 10,000 units annually, it appears Cadillac was still a bit too optimistic with the car's chances for success in the old country. The FWD sedan that's based on the Saab 9-3 and built alongside the Swede in the company's Trollhatan factory has sold a little over 400 units after being on sale since April, with the month of May being its first full sales month. Trollhatan has slowed its production of the car down to 30 units a week. When the BLS launched the factory was producing that many cars per day. At this pace GM/Saab is on track to produce only 1,560 cars a year, a number well off any of GM's original targets.

Despite the slow start, the BLS is still the best selling Cadillac in Europe so far this year. The BLS has also been fairly well received by the European automotive press and dealers are reporting many requests for test drives, so don't count out Cadillac's chances for success in Europe just yet.

Autoblog

[paul8488]

Originally Posted by CTGentleman

Despite the slow start, the BLS is still the best selling Cadillac in Europe so far this year. The BLS has also been fairly well received by the European automotive press and dealers are reporting many requests for test drives, so don't count out Cadillac's chances for success in Europe just yet.

That is a SUPER slow start, but I'm surprised that the press has been kind to it. Still, it's sales that count, and it's not making many!

[mgescuro]

VERY slow start. What's going on? It didn't take Lexus a long time to establish a foothold in Europe.

Maybe if GM didn't sell Cadillacs next to Chevy's and ACTULLY MADE CADILLAC A PRESTIGE BRAND... they wouldn't be perceived as being a "cheap American" car.

[Bravada]

With press being really VERY KIND to the BLS (probably thanks to GM's very generous spending on ads, I've seen them in every car magazine for the last few months), this is a truly dismal result. Watch out for production ramp up after GM starts dumping this into corporate fleets - there might even be more RHD than LHD BLS's built for that reason :p

So, who was first to say it will be a flop and a giant waste of GM's precious cash?

[jon21]

crap- thats really sucks.

[Kowalski]

Originally Posted by Bravada

Watch out for production ramp up after GM starts dumping this into corporate fleets - there might even be more RHD than LHD BLS's built for that reason :p

I can't wait to get a BLS as a courtesy car, next time when I leave my broken Vectra at the Vauxhall dealer.

They already gave me a 9-3 1.9 Turbodiesel as a courtesy car, when the gearbox gone. Saab 9-3 as a courtesy car...Nice. Of course, it was the base model, but a Saab as courtesy car...now that's what I call service!

[paul8488]

Kowalski and Bravada, less yapping and more buying! The three of us can like double the monthly sales of this car on our own!

Speaking of Saab, is the 1.8L 122 hp version doable, or is it a slug?

[Randle2I]

There may be more to this story than meets the eye. The Chrysler Pacifica got off to a slow start because dealers where loading them down with options, same thing with the Honda Ridgline. Both of those vehicles are doing well now. The Pontiac G6 got off to a slow start because engine options where scarce and it's not doing to bad now.

Cadillac isn't a premium brand in Europe and while the BLS may be the success that they're hoping for in the future we should hold off a bit before calling it a flop. Although it's start is dismal.

[61BelAir]

I'm not surprised as anything American overseas is looked down at regardless of whether its good or not. This goes back to the Mercedes Benz/Smart car ad that had a thread that said something to the effect of: German - Design
Swiss - Engineering, American - nothing.......it may have not been exactly as I wrote, but you get the point.

[Kowalski]

Originally Posted by paul8488

Speaking of Saab, is the 1.8L 122 hp version doable, or is it a slug?

Forget it. It's rubbish!

[paul8488]

1.9 is good though? I like to pretend I'm actually going to buy a new car sometimes.

[Bravada]

AFAIK, all engine options are available now, and the ones most advertised in Poland is the base 1.9 diesel version, so I guess dealers have them (and are eager to get them off the lots). The problem is not with this car ebing American, the problem is that in the same showroom you can get the original 9-3 at the same price and a very similar Vectra for a lot less. There is simply no reason for anybody to yearn for that car.

[baloo]

I've been saying this all along. The BLS is bound to fail because it's a high-priced dud in an overcrowded and highly competitive market segment.

If you're an upstart with no reputation, you have to give people something to make it worthwhile to take the risk. You have to be better than the competition or cheaper, and the BLS is neither.

[paul8488]

Randle, I'd say there's a slow start and then there's a slooooooooooooooow start. I suspected most were right when they said this car wasn't a good idea, though I did hope they would have been proved wrong. It's onyl a few months, but it looks grim.

[Mikkoo]

First off the BLS needed to be RWD. And you can't hide the fact that's it's a Saab 9-3 under different clothing. It's not fooling the discerning European shopper. Kind of reminds me of the Cadillac Catera, which was a rebadged Opel Omega.
I'd give it a full year though before jumping to too many conclusions on this being a complete flop. Early indications sure point in that direction however. I thought I'd see one running around the Helsinki area, but not yet. Plenty of Chrysler 300C cars. Seems that the locals really love the bold Bentley look.