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Global Cadillac. Case study: Europe.

28K views 76 replies 31 participants last post by  Toto 
#1 · (Edited)
source: http://media.gm.com/media/intl/en/c...l/en/2014/cadillac/05-27-roadshow-berlin.html

22 event locations in Germany, Luxemburg and Switzerland
Cadillac ATS, CTS and SRX are ready to be put to the test
Autohaus Kramm new Cadillac Partner in Berlin
Corvette Stingray to strengthen Cadillac model range going forward
Berlin – With a comprehensive fleet of test cars, including several brand new CTS premium sedans, Cadillac is launching the road show across some of the major European markets in Berlin today. During the next five weeks two teams operating in parallel will stop at 22 locations in 12 cities and 3 countries. These upcoming events are expected to attract 10’000 potential and existing customers, as well as media representatives who will gain an impression of the current Cadillac model range sitting behind the wheel of a brand new CTS premium sedan, an ATS sport limousine or the SRX crossover. The current Cadillac model range is now being complemented by the iconic American sports car, the Corvette Stingray.

The start of the Cadillac road show also marks the expansion of Cadillac’s retailer network in Germany. With Autohaus Kramm, which has been a representative of GM-brands since 1990, Cadillac gets the first new retailer on board since the realignment of its business in Europe and closes a strategically important gap in Berlin.

www.cadillaceurope.com/roadshow/de
 
#2 · (Edited)
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries

Firstly, let me praise Cadillac for using the Sony Center. Crowds are always there.



More pictures at Autohaus Kramm FB:
https://www.facebook.com/autohauskramm/photos_stream

Now let's have a look at Cadillac/Corvette dealership in Berlin (shared with such prestigious brands as Isuzu and Opel)



What the statue of Liberty wrapped in American flag is doing there? Is this a Berlin hot-dog stand or a place where Porsche competition is sold?



Newest Lincoln dealership in China for comparison:



Tesla showroom in Monaco - that's a serious global car giant, where do they have money for such investments from??? :fall::




And I forgot to mention the link to media news article doesn't work and the Cadillac Europe Web page was recently updated in February.
 
#30 ·
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries

Wow, that's really appealing, people who don't even have a clue what a Lincoln is will want to buy whatever this store is selling! Looks very classy, rich and upscale. The cars automatically look more appealing. I'm very impressed.
 
#4 ·
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries

WTF does a Corvette Stingray have to do with the Cadillac BRAND!!!
And that Statue of Liberty draped in the flag is just TACKY.

The more things change, the more things stay the same.
You don't like it, but a lot of people do. Corvette is an Icon and this gen is premium enough to sell alongside Cadillacs so it's a + in my book. I agree the statue of liberty is a hit tacky.

I applaud this move by Caddy. People look genuinely interested in the first picture above. Let's were it goes.
 
#8 ·
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries

Cadillac will be GM's flagship, this is a great way to bring the product to potential customers. They need to find clever ways to get the Europeans to test their cars and lets face it, GM can build the best dealers in Europe and people would still ignore them. This brings the vehicles to the people and like in the picture above, it really gives the vehicles a shot with the consumers. Let's give them some time and see how this turns out. I'm pretty sure they are doing the right thing.

Yes the Corvette logo does have a bowtie, but seriously people don't notice it.

Well said, Mercedes and Smart should not be under the same roof.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries

They need to find clever ways to get the Europeans to test their cars and lets face it, GM can build the best dealers in Europe and people would still ignore them.
.
Try fitting a steering wheel to RH side of the car you cheapskates and then watch Caddys sell themselves, it's not as if a RHD round exact same steering wheel cost GM a million dollars per car more, if every other car maker in Europe can do it whats wrong with Cadillac? Do they not have an Engineer who is capable working position a steering wheel on the RH side of a car? 1/3 of the world is RHD, GM RHD market in Europe nearer to 50%, so General Motors chose to ignore near 50% of its customers in the EU who has the problem. RHD buyers don't buy cars from from any car maker l wonder when the penny will drop at GM?

Great news folk love to see Caddy in Europe, but selling LHD car in the UK is a bit like McDonalds selling a Big Mac with no burgers in the bun in the UK, nobody will buy just a bun, and chances of Cadillac selling a single burgerless Big Mac with out a burger/RHD will always remain ZERO, nearly 50% of GM European buyers buy RHD Vauxhall burgers that are sold in the UK, and McVauxhall give you a RHD burger in the bun, and McCadillac cut corners and just try sell you a LHD bun without a burger in it, fatal mistake if you want to sell just upmarket expensive Caddy buns with no burgers in them their is no market and never ever will be, how many UK Vegans are there that want to pay $20 for an expensive McCaddy LHD bread roll, l would say none..

Mercedes Benz World UK not a LHD Merc anywhere in sight.


Small Brooklands Dealers Merc no can do LHD in the UK


Merc UK dealerHistory lessons


Merc UK Reception


Merc Brooklands dealership test drive area located on millionaires door step Weybridge UK, not a Manchester slum.


Mercedes Brooklands dealership has some guy called Elton do a concert to draw 20,000 punters into the showroom.

Television packed up, no worry you can watch every F1 race live with thousands of others on that giant screen on their stage at you local UK Mercedes Benz dealership. No money to be made on RHD RWD cars?

Looking at this crap rundown Weybridge Mercedes Benz World UK dealers, l would say Mercedes Benz are not making money any in the UK on RHD cars, this dealers sit next to Ashley Park, Burwood Rark & St George Hill that has more billionaires and crap millionaires per mile than anywhere else on the planet, l gotta say Mercedes have got their buyer demographics all wrong the should have located in a Manchester rundown slum, and only sold LHD car to Brits, just think of the money they would have saved? Mmmm sales would have dropped to zero.

They have those crap no good RWD F1 winning cars for you kids to play in at Brooklands, you can't beat a nice Korean made upmarket high profit yield FWD Daewoo Matiz, it a shame they did not have them at Mercedes Benz World Brooklands.


Arty farty Mercedes Benz dealers, l don't know where UK Mercedes dealers get all their money from, l can see why F1 FWD Lincoln don't do Europe.


Customers can stay at Mercedes Benz dealers Brooklands Hotel, whilst they make up their minds on which low rent RWD Mercedes they will buy next. Mercedes can't be making any money when they treat customers so badly in the UK?






I hope "the-penny-drops" finally one day at Cadillac because RHD Europeans will absolutely love them.
 
#9 ·
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries

Have nothing against selling world class beautiful sports car as Corvette together with Cadillac. But Corvette & Cadillac concept is long gone. Recently GM was supposed to keep Chevrolet as performance brand and sell Corvette and Camaro only after axing Korean offerings. Suddenly they bring Corvettes to Cadillac show without any visible information it's a Chevrolet like it was a 'Cadillac Corvette'. This story is not the most parodic GM action in Europe. This shows how bad the situation is.
 
#10 ·
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries

People they brought the Corvette obviously because it is going to the pull. Look at the Facebook gallery and you will see who got all the attention. While people are waiting to see, touch, and sit in the Vette they will wonder around and experience the Cadillacs. Still I do agree with how that dealership looks.....why don't they just start out in a few European cities until they get a footing.
 
#11 ·
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries

Ugh, that dealership does not look like the place for Cadillac to make a first impression. The roadshow is a great idea, but I think they need slick, new dealerships to get the brand going. Once established they can have dealers like this (the Mercedes dealer in Goldens Bridge, NY looks along the line of this Opel/Cadillac dealer)....

Plus GM needs a flagship Cadillac showroom somewhere on this planet to make a statement about what Cadillac is.
 
#34 ·
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries

Cadillac needs a BRAND CENTER. A Cadillac-owned BRAND CENTER.





Wasted time, energy, and money until GM makes a real decision to promote Cadillac as a genuine luxury brand WHICH is never likely to happen as long as Cadillac is a GM product line. Audi/Bentley is the only luxury maker that's been able to operate as a part within a whole of a larger, more plebeian builder and be really successful. BMW/R-R operate alone. Jag/LR operates alone. M-B operates alone.

Unless GM is really willing to invest the $$ to allow Cadillac to operate as her own, independent builder, she'll always be constrained by her sibling GM assembly lines and will, therefore, never be able to play on the same field as her more nimble, flexible, and market-athletic counterparts.

As much as we flag-wavers want to see Cadillac become a real American competitor to the German bar-setters, it won't happen unless Russian tanks again roll across the German plains and the M-B assembly lines are halted long enough for the world's new money to re-develop a taste for mediocre American "luxury".
 
#19 · (Edited)
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries



But they already made this kind of ad that worships American engineering. The problem is they only show it in North America. In Europe there used to be a Cadillac commercial in which the ugliest Cadillac (which wasn't even a Cadillac but a Saab 9-3) was leading bearly visible XLR halo car. The commercial had the most miserable tagline: 'It's not a car, it's a Cadillac'. In Chevrolet Cruze commercial they claimed the dashboard is inspired by Corvette interior design. Do they hire retarded people?
 
#22 ·
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries

Dear Europeans,

I apologize for our rancid President and equally repugnant Cadihack for inflicting visual rabies upon you.

I know you aren't dumb enough to think Cadihacks are any good. They are overpriced and built like a Chevrolet. And they are recalled often.
 
#23 ·
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries

Sad thing is we have several full line GM dealerships in this country that look a million times nicer than that Opel, Isuzu, Peugeot, oh and on the side we shlep a few Cadillacs and Corvettes a year... Give the brands and the new products the respect they deserve and sell them in attractive looking dealerships with knowledgeable staff that will go to the moon and back for their customers! It can be done, it'll take money, but it can be done!
 
#26 ·
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries

As I wrote before the tacky Statue of Liberty like the one at dealership belongs to a Hot Dog stand. I have nothing against American flag nor has any European. But Cadillac & Corvette are supposed to be prestigious global offerings. There's no place for simple association as Cadillac=Elvis=Hot Dogs=stars and stripes. There are acceptable exceptions as the one here:

Hollywood stars always go well with luxury cars.

And here's the proper approach:

Are there no Golf, Tennis tournaments in Europe? I know that costs. So did the Man Utd. sponsorship deal.
 
#28 ·
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries


That's very cool! Simple but elegant!

As for the American flag, from what I can tell, many Europeans are at the very least intrigued by the US in general, but something as blatant as the American flag wrapped around the Statue of Liberty? Sheesh! If that works in the US so be it, but that that just comes across as tacky.
 
#27 ·
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries

Generally pleased with what Cadillac are doing, pleased as punch to see Chevrolet staying in Europe with the cream of the crop cars like lucrative Corvette Stingray. Will they have any other good Chevy's in Europe i.e. Volt, Camaro GMC light duty truck?

Hope Cadillac do a bit of homework in Europe and look at the demographics of where the cluster of millionaire buyers live and locate dealers in them areas, when you look at the UK Cadillac dealer its located at Manchester totally in the wrong location.

Caddy need to get the millionaire demographics right, they only need 2 in the UK West London & North West Surrey areas, to start with.

West London Area: Chelsea - Fulham - Wimbledon area.

North West Surrey Area :Cobham - Esher - Walton-On-Thames - Weybridge - Virginia Water.

It's very frustrating watching Cadillac do Europe. Without any shadow of a doubt Caddy's biggest market in Europe would be the UK, But the sales will remain close to zero with LHD cars, so setting up expensive dealers in prime locations would be a total waste of money. I keep seeing hints that Cadillac might do RHD latter in 2 years time maybe, l guess l have got to be more patient but its frustrating.

Rest of LHD driving Europe that should be buying the other 50% of Cadillacs sale if it was set up right with RHD Caddy for the UK in Europe, if you base it on both GM of Europe & Ford of Europe sales RHD UK buys the lions share of both companies cars sales in Europe.

LHD driving Europe seem to be the only market Cadillac are interested in doing in Europe, RHD UK sales which could potentially be 50% of Caddy sales will stay close to zero sales forever until Cadillac stop trying to sell LHD cars there.

With just LHD driving as Cadillacs only market in Europe, they can write off Southern Europe until the Italian, Spanish & Greek economies are still in a long term recession going nowhere, Russia is in sink mode as well gone anti American, Ford Focus sales have dropped -61% in Russia.
East European market are poor countries won't be able to afford Cadillacs, Scandinavian countries cars sales are very low, which does not leave a leave many left other than Germany & France who are bother very nationalistic both countries top 20 cars are all home grown German/French company cars. That leaves the few counties Switzerland thats full of cash rich tax avoiders, & Monaco that could buy Caddy's.

Cadillac need a small high performance fuel efficient diesel in the ATS & CTS if they ever want to sell them in big numbers, again you see reports saying they will be coming in a couple of years, again its frustrating but l have got to learn be patient. I hope Cadillac will copy Audi in Europe and maybe use some bits out of the Opel parts bin, which would help cut down on the logistics nightmare of shipping spares in from the USA. The Opel 2.0L diesel fitted in the Insignia would give both the ATS & CTS a massive boost in sales in the EU, the lions share of BMW sales are 2.0L diesels fitted in the BMW 3 Series 320D & BMW 520D, this is what Europeans want & buy, the big engine in the Corvettes are just fine, but will get clobbered with high taxes, but thats what their buyers want in a Corvette, they maybe could offer hybrid like the McLaren P1 or Porsche 918 Spyder in the future long term with the excellent Corvette value for money it could be a winner.

I am glad Chevy are still kept on in Europe with awesome Corvettes & they will be sold along side Caddy's. Europe is not gonna be a easy ride like China that is a open market who are not nationalistic & buy anything from anyone accept maybe the Japanese who upset them, UK is the most open market in Europe which Cadillac have chosen to ignore with the lack of RHD, which would have been the biggest buyer of its cars in the EU, sadly Caddy sales will remain at zero in that market, until they maybe offer RHD in a couple of years time.
 
#31 · (Edited)
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries

East European market are poor countries won't be able to afford Cadillacs
You received from me 'thanks' for Your last comprehensive comment but You obviously don't know much about central-Eastern European market. Probably You base Your opinion on cheap labour from this part of Europe migrating to UK every year. I recommend every Brit visiting either Czech Republic or Poland, Slovakia, Hungary. I see more new-generation Mercedes, Audi, BMW cars/suvs there than in Benelux countries. Customers there are strongly influenced by German buying habits (and German propaganda of best cars in the world) but at the same time they are not Germans. So it's more likely to come across Mustang, Camaro, Cadillac, Infiniti, Lexus there than in Germany. And one more thing - more expensive than Cadillac Bentley, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Lotus and even Morgan are all present there. Finally they all have separate dealers (no Ferrari is sold together with Fiat and no Bentley is sold next to Audi).


That's very cool! Simple but elegant!
Cool indeed. But why this simplicity and elegance can't be transferred to Europe???
It wasn't that difficult in Russia, China and Middle East. All I can say is, GM better not try to sell Cadillacs in Europe if they can't/don't want to succeed.




 
#44 ·
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries

Statue of Liberty wrapped in a flag? When it comes to German tackiness, nobody beats my "hometown" dealership in Mörfelden, American Vans:

http://www.american-vans.com/index.html

Yes folks, The stars and stripes and a geographical outline of...CANADA!
Wow....I'm at a loss for words. I understand not "getting" certain things, but that seems like a huge ovesight to me.

I can't read German, and can't seem to get the page to translate properly, but are van imports a big business in Germany?
 
#42 ·
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries

I said this in another thread forever ago, but if Chevrolet is pulling out of Western Europe, then GM Europe should approach any of the stand-alone stores and entice them to convert to either Cadillac and/or Corvette/Chevy SportsCar brands. GM should throw a few dollars at them and make the investment. To be successful, they have unique, well appointed and elegant/fashionable showrooms to make a real go of it. You can't sell a luxury or sports-car product out of a hut alongside 12 other brands and expect people to take you seriously. Part of building a brand image isn't just about styling or commercials; its about the entire experience from start to finish.

As an aside, since Chevrolet is killing all "mainstream" products in Western Europe, they should seriously consider making the Corvette a stand alone brand again (if only for some international markets) or have dedicated "Chevrolet SportsCar" (or "Chevrolet Specialty Vehicle") dealerships to sell products like the Corvette, Camaro, SS sedan, etc through.

Just my two cents, of course.
 
#49 ·
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries

http://www.cadillaceurope.com/roadshow/de/cars#

The page started to work and GM keeps on embarrassing itself.
The twin-turbo V6 is not available in Europe. They write about 2.0L engine and below they show the picture of TT.



Everybody who sees it, will be confused.
Besides they claimed the road show will take place in 3 countries. I only see 2. Can't they count?
 
#50 ·
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries

http://www.cadillaceurope.com/roadshow/de/cars#

the page started to work and gm keeps on embarrassing itself.
The twin-turbo v6 is not available in europe. They write about 2.0l engine and below they show the picture of tt.



everybody who sees it, will be confused.
Besides they claimed the road show will take place in 3 countries. I only see 2. Can't they count?
lol :d
 
#54 ·
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries

Well said. I was told that here in Finland, there will no longer be any dealerships selling Corvettes, Camaro's and Cadilllacs. They told me we'll have to go to Sweden, I can't believe what a horrible decision that is. So GM is picking and choosing what European countries they will sell these American cars. And the decision to not engineer RHD, especially for the Corvette and Camaro is just plain stupid. Gotta give Ford props for doing it right and launching the Mustang in both RHD and LHD for Europe. When is GM going to learn.?
Quote from other discussion. GMi must finally ask GM representatives why some countries are equal and some 'less equal' for them.
 
#56 · (Edited)
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries

Attention all!

GM has just find a way how to save a few pennies on struggling European market!
They haven't created a 'Cadillac Europe' FB. What for? Now they post information about Cadillac on Chevrolet Europe FB! BRILLIANT

 
#64 ·
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries

Attention all!

GM has just find a way how to save a few pennies on struggling European market!
They haven't created a 'Cadillac Europe' FB. What for? Now they post information about Cadillac on Chevrolet Europe FB! BRILLIANT

UUUUUGGGHHHHH!!!!!!

That is TERRIBLE!!!! It's not even on the Cadillac Facebook page!!!
That being said, UBER + Cadillac is an AWESOME idea for Le Mans!!!!! That's exactly the type of partnership Cadillac needs!! And this should be expanded worldwide, if not the US!!!

The Cadillac FB page has this though...

 
#57 · (Edited)
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries

And some people here wonder why almost nobody buys Cadillac in Europe. They don't offer competitive product (engines), very small number of dealerships around, their online page is a mess, etc.
Too bad...ATS and CTS looks to be a very good cars.
 
#58 ·
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries

To me, this doesn't seem like rocket science. Cadillac already has a pretty good chassis and exterior/interior design.

1) Add very small displacement diesel engines
2) Make the cars LHD where needed
3) Enlist high quality dealerships

Am I missing something?
 
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#59 ·
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries

To me, this doesn't seem like rocket science. Cadillac already has a pretty good chassis and exterior/interior design.

1) Add very small displacement diesel engines
2) Make the cars LHD where needed
3) Enlist high quality dealerships

Am I missing something?
Nope. Not missing a damn thing. GM is the one missing a lot of damned things... perpetually.
 
#67 ·
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries

Mr. Uwe Ellinghaus answered Jalopnik readers' questions yesterday.

http://jalopnik.com/ask-cadillacs-chief-marketing-officer-anything-you-want-1613984596/all

I was one of the lucky beggars who got a reply from him. Not very comprehensive but still. I am sorry for my grammar but I was texting & driving (never done it before and promise not to do it again, luckily my A5 is my first car with auto-tranny). And I don't own an SRX but in fact my ex co-worker does and was once very upset with Cadillac service in Spain.



Now we know that even if he doesn't read GMi, we can be sure he's aware of the problem. Hopefully he will keep his promise. I wish him and Cadillac luck. They need it, especially in foreign markets.
 
#68 · (Edited)
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries

The promises keep on coming. Better try on taking Infiniti in the 500 per year range, rather than the 100,000 per year of the Germans.

Cadillac will be ready for a full-on European assault by 2019, according to the company's new boss Johan de Nysschen
De Nysschen also stated that right-hand-drive Cadillacs were crucial: "The UK is an important luxury market for us".
He also wants to expand the company's SUV line-up, including a small 4x4 that will square up to the Audi Q3 and Mercedes-Benz GLA.
source:
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/paris-motor-show/cadillac-target-audi-and-mercedes-europe-2019
 
#69 ·
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries

The promises keep on coming. Better try on taking Infiniti in the 500 per year range, rather than the 100,000 per year of the Germans.
I like the way this guy talks, but I'm waiting to see the point where GM pulls his plug... There's hope in the horizon if the latest stuff re the CT6 is real and not PR crap, but still, seeing is believing when it comes to Cadillac and in particular Cadillac Europe.
 
#70 ·
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries

While I like that Cadillac is doing this sort of thing, they need to have the right products in order to get people not just interested, but ready to buy. No diesels, no RHD (doesn't affect these three countries). So at this point it's still gonna be "nice" and then they go buy a diesel 3-Series.
 
#71 ·
Re: Cadillac launching European Road show in...3 countries

I am afraid that even if Cadillac had the basics everybody demands (service, spare-parts access, dealerships), it would be muuuuch easier to sell those 'affordable-premium' vehicles as small crossovers as SAAB in Europe. Therefore I think Cadillac should aspire to be a more affordable Bentley than try to play with the big boys in their own game. It's better to search for a luxury niche than lose to ubiquitous monopolists.
 
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