CADILLAC BUILDING ULTRA-LUX CAR!

[nsap]

DETROIT - Cadillac has confirmed it will build an ultraluxury sedan, but don't expect to see the car until late in the decade.

"Cadillac is very interested in the elite premium, 7-series, S-class segment," said Mark LaNeve, Cadillac's marketing general manager, at the Detroit auto show.

"We need an elite premium (model in the) V-8, V-12 ultraluxury category."

At the Automotive News World Congress two weeks ago, LaNeve said: "The question is not if we should do ultralux products. It's how, what and when - so stay tuned."

Robert Lutz, vice chairman for product development, told AutoWeek that a range of models would start around $80,000 and top out at $300,000. AutoWeek is a sister publication to Automotive News.

The XLR, which has a retractable hardtop, is the brand's most expensive car. It starts at $76,200, including the destination charge.

Read More

[LegendNH]

if that isn't the entire article could you please post the entire thing? I don't want to pay just to read one article

[alvbazan]

Old news, read this dated Dec 15th 2003:

08:30 Dec. 15, 2003)
A Cadillac Cunningham? Lutz aiming to place Cadillac on top of luxury heap


By AUTOWEEK



Lutz's dream cars, the stillborn Cunningham C7 super coupe and the ultraluxury Cadillac Sixteen concept, above, may yet spawn the American-built supercar for which Lutz lusts.
ONE OF GENERAL Motors vice chairman Bob Lutz’s goals is to return Cadillac to the top of the luxury car heap. Not necessarily in terms of sales, Lutz told AutoWeek, but certainly in terms of prestige.

The beginning of the ascent, according to Lutz, could be a car codenamed ULS, or Ultra Luxury Sedan. GM is looking at developing a big sedan that would come in three model ranges: a V8, a high-performance V8, and a V12. Lutz said prices would start around $80,000, moving up to $120,000 and, at the top, $300,000, where a salesman would come to your office to help you pick out the wood, leather and other options.

Lutz’s desire to create a world-class American supercar is no secret. Past projects include the ill-fated effort to build a V12-powered Cunningham C7 grand tourer, and last January’s Detroit show stopper, the 1000-hp V16-engined Cadillac Sixteen.

Lutz said he believes only Cadillac and Lexus are poised to continue to be true luxury brands. Because all Mercedes and BMWs must wear the luxury badge, customers are beginning to no longer associate true luxury with those brands, Lutz says. That’s why Mercedes had to invent Maybach, he notes.

In addition, Lutz says, only GM and Toyota can afford to spread the engineering costs for luxury cars across an entire range of vehicles.

Lutz foresees a rising Cadillac fighting it out with Lexus for high-end buyers—not in total sales, but in terms of cachet. Lutz says he’d be happy if Cadillac general manager Mark LaNeve never again had to talk about being the luxury car sales leader. Instead, Lutz wants LaNeve talking about selling the best luxury cars. —ROGER HART & WES RAYNAL

Full Article

[TaHoE]

Not olds news, the old news was that is was rumored or an idea. Now its confirmed. And trust me none of us want to pay for AutoNews' monopoly of GM information, so I guess you'll have to wait 'cause we are not allowed to direct copy and paste entire articles, especially from pay-per-view news sources.

[nsap]

Originally posted by LegendNH@Jan 25 2004, 09:34 PM
if that isn't the entire article could you please post the entire thing? I don't want to pay just to read one article

Consider yourself lucky to see the article period, and there is only 2 tiny paragraphs that are not shown...

[Smilingoat]

life just got better.

[usa1]

$80K to $300K? That's quite a price spread. I can't think of another model with that large a spread.

Mark

[mgescuro]

Originally posted by usa1@Jan 26 2004, 01:24 AM
$80K to $300K? That's quite a price spread. I can't think of another model with that large a spread.

The spread would be similar to the one of the S-Class to the Maybach 57.
Essentially the same car... just a LOT more luxurious.

[Tim_M]

Is this one model or several? I agree that 80K to 300K sounds like too much of a range. I would imagine that they are examining their options, and they are trying to decide roughly where the vehicle should compete. If they say 7 series or S-Class, then it's 80K-120K.

If they are thinking about going after Maybach or Rolls, the higher range is likely.


Both could happen.

My guess is that the 300K supercar could be built off of the "S-Class" equivalent platform, with no shared styling or interior, and a choice between 16 or 12 cylinder models, as opposed to 8 or 12.

GM probably doesn't know EXACTLY what they will do at this point, but I'm glad that Cadillac is determined to re-take the high ground. They have not played in that market since the 50s.

[TaHoE]

TIM M, you are probably right. They will do what Mercedes Benz did with their S-Class and Maybach, seperate them, but not THAT much. Is easy to tell that the Maybach is a guzzied iup S-Class with super luxurious options, but its still the same Mercedes Benz.

[coolcaddy]

Originally posted by Tim_M@Jan 26 2004, 01:36 AM
GM probably doesn't know EXACTLY what they will do at this point, but I'm glad that Cadillac is determined to re-take the high ground.  They have not played in that market since the 50s.

Actually, Cadillac has never played anywhere near $300K territory at all. Perhaps the most expensive production Cadillac in its day was the 1937 Fleetwood Special Town Sedan model, which cost about $95K in today's money. The 1958 Eldorado Brougham cost about $83K in today's money.

...of course, I say all this not to nit-pick, but to show off my vast wealth of knowledge on the subject and to maintain the precarious perception that I actually know what I'm talking about. B)

One can make a very good argument that Cadillacs of the golden age were just is fine as, and in many ways superior to, their far more expensive counterparts. Even if Cadillac never fielded a car that expensive, I think most people understand that Cadillac once locked horns with names like Rolls Royce, at least in the sense that those with great wealth chose Cadillac even though they could have any car they wanted.

Anyway, I'm stoked. I'm really looking forward to the day that Cadillac takes on the big boys again.

[tgagneguam]

Originally posted by coolcaddy+Jan 26 2004, 03:24 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (coolcaddy @ Jan 26 2004, 03:24 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Tim_M@Jan 26 2004, 01:36 AM
GM probably doesn't know EXACTLY what they will do at this point, but I'm glad that Cadillac is determined to re-take the high ground.* They have not played in that market since the 50s.

Actually, Cadillac has never played anywhere near $300K territory at all. Perhaps the most expensive production Cadillac in its day was the 1937 Fleetwood Special Town Sedan model, which cost about $95K in today's money. The 1958 Eldorado Brougham cost about $83K in today's money.

...of course, I say all this not to nit-pick, but to show off my vast wealth of knowledge on the subject and to maintain the precarious perception that I actually know what I'm talking about. B)

One can make a very good argument that Cadillacs of the golden age were just is fine as, and in many ways superior to, their far more expensive counterparts. Even if Cadillac never fielded a car that expensive, I think most people understand that Cadillac once locked horns with names like Rolls Royce, at least in the sense that those with great wealth chose Cadillac even though they could have any car they wanted.

Anyway, I'm stoked. I'm really looking forward to the day that Cadillac takes on the big boys again. [/b][/quote]
Yes, I couldn't agree more. And I actually think that the timing of this vehicle (late decade) is perfect. By then, Cadillac will have had enough time to solidify their renaissance throughout their entire lineup, we will [hopefully] be witnessing the dawn of the second-generation turnaround vehicles (CTS, Escalade), and they will [hopefully] have proven *consistently* that their long-term quality/reliability/dependability exceeds most or all of the luxury imports. With all that accomplished, it will be quite easy and appropriate to convince people in significant numbers to fork over 80-300 large for a Cadillac. Heck, Mercedes is still able to peddle their expensive goods while their quality of late has been below average!


"...of course, I say all this not to nit-pick, but to show off my vast wealth of knowledge on the subject and to maintain the precarious perception that I actually know what I'm talking about. B) "

That's pretty funny!

[babershah]

WOW Great news from GM, this will be a nice addition.
People at the auto shows will now be amazed by likes of Cadillac's
ultra luxury sedan instead of seeing a Rolls Royce or Maybach all the time

A V-12 is definetly good, anything lower I think would not be good, Horsepower should be the 500-600 range. With more according to price

$80,000-$300,000 is high pricing but Cadillac is truly fighting the fight against Mercedes Benz and BMW (with Rolls Royce)
This car will be popular with the president I think the limo is getting old and Howard Dean could be riding in this car by 2007-2008!!

[coolcaddy]

Originally posted by nsap+Jan 25 2004, 11:54 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (nsap @ Jan 25 2004, 11:54 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-LegendNH@Jan 25 2004, 09:34 PM
if that isn't the entire article could you please post the entire thing? I don't want to pay just to read one article

Consider yourself lucky to see the article period, and there is only 2 tiny paragraphs that are not shown... [/b][/quote]
This article just popped up on AutoWeek. Is this the same as the one that was restricted before?

Cadillac confirms it will build ultraluxury sedan later this decade
By K.C. CRAIN | Automotive News

DETROIT - Cadillac has confirmed it will build an ultraluxury sedan, but don't expect to see the car until late in the decade.

"Cadillac is very interested in the elite premium, 7-series, S-class segment," said Mark LaNeve, Cadillac's marketing general manager, at the Detroit auto show.

"We need an elite premium (model in the) V-8, V-12 ultraluxury category."

At the Automotive News World Congress two weeks ago, LaNeve said: "The question is not if we should do ultralux products. It's how, what and when - so stay tuned."

more...

[mgescuro]

Originally posted by babershah@Jan 26 2004, 03:50 PM
$80,000-$300,000 is high pricing but Cadillac is truly fighting the fight against Mercedes Benz and BMW (with Rolls Royce)
This car will be popular with the president I think the limo is getting old and Howard Dean could be riding in this car by 2007-2008!!

At $300,000, Cadillac will be undercutting the Phantom by about $20,000. :lol: If you can call that "undercutting."

The presidential limo is an armored 2000 (2001?) DTS. It's quite a competent vehicle and not at all old.

Wouldn't mind seeing the president in an armored Escalade-V limo. heh hehheh