Cadillac: Supercar, Entry-Lux, FWD Deville

[Butta]

Supercar, Europe on Cadillac Agenda
Ward's Auto World, Apr 1, 2004

Cadillac may not have a supercar in its lineup until 2008, but General Motors Corp.'s luxury division could confirm within the next six months plans to build an entry-luxury model in Europe, Ward's is told.

“The big thing we need to do next is an ultra-luxury product,” says Mark LaNeve, Cadillac general manager. “Or for lack of a better term, a $70,000 to $150,000 sedan. Something that really puts a stake in the ground for what you're capable of from a design and performance standpoint. That's what we're ambitiously lobbying for within the company.”

While it is unclear what platform the supercar would use, LaNeve envisions it equipped with a V-12. “You would hope, but we don't have a car yet,” he says. “So I can't speculate.”

Although a U.S. Cadillac supercar is a ways off, sharing a platform with Saab Automobile and building a Cadillac entry-luxury vehicle in Europe is a possibility, but not guaranteed.

LaNeve downplays Cadillac's European strategy.

“We're very modest in our ambitions and our business plan,” LaNeve says. “We don't have a plan anywhere that gets us above 10,000 units (annual sales) in Europe by the end of the decade. That would be doing a great job.”

Meanwhile, LaNeve says Cadillac has no plans to drop the DeVille from its lineup. The...

Full Article Here

[jro4566]

CIEN CIEN CIEN!

[91fairladyZ]

I was really hoping that the DTS would get all wheel drive instead of just front wheel drive. Dissapointed <_<

[jro4566]

Originally posted by 91fairladyZ@Apr 24 2004, 08:20 PM
I was really hoping that the DTS would get all wheel drive instead of just front wheel drive. Dissapointed <_<

Same here. But still, FWD is great for snow!

[carguy2225]

ALL I CAN SAY IS CIEN BUILD IT AND THEY WILL BUY IT HAHA CADDY BUILD THE CIEN KNOCK OFF MB REAL QUICK WITH THE SLR AND GIVE CHEVY A POSSIBLE SUPERCAR MAYBE THE CHEVELLE COULD BE THE NAME AND NOT JUST REBADGE THE CIEN IF THE NAME IS KEPT AND MAKE IT A REAL CHEVY LIKE THE CORVETTE...CADILLAC SHOULD HAVE A SUPERCAR BY 2006 NOT 2008..AND CHEVY COULD TRANSFORM THEIR IMAGINE FROM JUST A TOYOTA WANNA BE WITH JUST ABOUT EVERY TYPE OF VEHICLE U CAN NAME BUT WHAT TOYOTA DONT HAVE IS A MUSCLE CAR NOR DO THEY HAVE A SUPERCAR LIKE CHEVY HAS JUST 1 OF 2 OF THEM BUT HEY IF CHEVY CAN BUILD A NEW CHEVELLE WITH THE SUPERCAR CADDY BODY WE AS GM CAN DEFINITELY BE INTRIGUED TO SEE A UPCOMING CAMARO IF THEY BUILD THE SUPERCAR...HAHA I LOVE THE NEWS OF A FUTURE SUPERCAR FOR CADDY AND KEEP THE DEVILLE FWD ITS GOT TOO MUCH WEIGHT AND SIZE FOR A REAR WHEEL DRIVE CAR

[Canuck]

Originally posted by carguy2225@Apr 25 2004, 05:59 AM
ALL I CAN SAY IS CIEN BUILD IT ...AND CHEVY COULD TRANSFORM THEIR IMAGINE FROM JUST A TOYOTA WANNA BE WITH JUST ABOUT EVERY TYPE OF VEHICLE U CAN NAME BUT WHAT TOYOTA DONT HAVE IS A MUSCLE CAR NOR DO THEY HAVE A SUPERCAR LIKE CHEVY HAS JUST 1 OF 2 OF THEM BUT HEY IF CHEVY CAN BUILD A NEW CHEVELLE WITH THE SUPERCAR CADDY BODY WE AS GM CAN DEFINITELY BE INTRIGUED TO SEE A UPCOMING CAMARO IF THEY BUILD THE SUPERCAR.

Dude you are spending way too much time sniffing your airfreshner. The Corvette is Chevy's supercar. Chevy should not have a rebadge Cien. Rebadging the Cien would be a HUGE mistake. Chevy does not nor will it ever have a supercar like the Cien.
I will agree the Cien should be built

[Canuck]

Originally posted by carguy2225@Apr 25 2004, 05:59 AM
AND KEEP THE DEVILLE FWD ITS GOT TOO MUCH WEIGHT AND SIZE FOR A REAR WHEEL DRIVE CAR

HUH??!!
What in the world do you mean?
I guess trucks should be switching to FWD because they are too heavy and big for RWD.

[Canuck]

Originally posted by RCtennis3811@Apr 25 2004, 03:50 AM

Same here. But still, FWD is great for snow!

FWD is better but come on this is not the reason to stay FWD. I have driven in icy and snowy conditions since I learned to drive and RWD has never deterred me from going out for a drive in icy/snow etc.
Besides this rationale would mean any northern area should only sell AWD

[idontcareican]

I cant say the last time I saw a DeVille on the road but it was surely a looong time ago. Its like trying to spot big foot. At least you'll know it when you see it. This article is all over the place.

[Carguy]

Originally posted by Canuck+Apr 25 2004, 06:08 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Canuck @ Apr 25 2004, 06:08 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-carguy2225@Apr 25 2004, 05:59 AM
AND KEEP THE DEVILLE FWD ITS GOT TOO MUCH WEIGHT AND SIZE FOR A REAR WHEEL DRIVE CAR

HUH??!!
What in the world do you mean?
I guess trucks should be switching to FWD because they are too heavy and big for RWD. [/b][/quote]
HUH??!! Is right THAT is ((TRUELY WACKY)) Indeed!! Its like the truth aka((REALILITY)) of weight distribution and gravity dont count!! What are you thinking "Carguy2225"? Your giving the name (CARGUY) a BAD NAME MAN!! <_< I MEAN REALLY!!! :angry:

[tkrelston]

Originally posted by idontcareican@Apr 25 2004, 09:05 AM
I cant say the last time I saw a DeVille on the road but it was surely a looong time ago. Its like trying to spot big foot. At least you'll know it when you see it. This article is all over the place.

Ironic isn’t it, I see about 3-8 a day, and that when I stay in a 3 block radius of my apt.

[Canuck]

The Deville is Caddy's best seller if you are not seeing any on the road maybe you need to drive in nicer neighborhoods.
The DTS is a very nice FWD car. Caddy has a tough task pleasing its older buyers but keeping new younger buyers happy as well.
Why do people in general have a problem with big cars but big trucks and SUVs are perfectly ok?

[tgagneguam]

Originally posted by idontcareican@Apr 25 2004, 09:05 AM
I cant say the last time I saw a DeVille on the road but it was surely a looong time ago. Its like trying to spot big foot. At least you'll know it when you see it. This article is all over the place.

Anecdotal evidence borders on pointlessness. Perhaps you have a selection bias? Depending on how you define luxury, the "nowhere-to-be-found" Deville was the best selling luxury car in the US in 2003: 82,076 units were sold. Of course, that's using the government's definition of luxury car ($38,000.00+). If you stick strictly with luxury car nameplates, then the BMW 3-series, at almost 112,000 units, pushes the Deville all the way down to #2.

On another note: “We're very modest in our ambitions and our business plan,” LaNeve says. “We don't have a plan anywhere that gets us above 10,000 units (annual sales) in Europe by the end of the decade. That would be doing a great job.”

Wow, that's pathetic. So Cadillac is willing to spend money on a niche product like a Cien(?), but it's not willing to spend the money to boost sales of its bread-and-butter cars in the vast European market? I don't follow that strategy at all. Granted the latter would cost more than the former, but cash is limited at the General these days. This is why I think that Cadillac has enough on its plate already without having to chase a minute number of super-wealthy customers.

As I've mentioned before, I love the Cien and Sixteen concepts, but Cadilllac should be focusing on more relevant, "mundane" projects.

[91fairladyZ]

The reason I feel the DTS should be either all wheel drive or rear wheel driven, is that if it's going up against the 7 series, A8, S class etc. then it's going to have to have at least 320 to 350 HP. All wheel or rear wheel drive is also expected in this class of car.

[nightwave]

I don't think that's where the DTS is going; I think that's what the "supercar" is going to do if I read the article right. And based on the current Deville, that'd be a big stretch.