Edmunds: GM Has "Done Away" With Plans To Build A Cadillac CTS Convertible

[Docray1]

Originally Posted by bballer113

I believe after we see the CTS grow alittle with the MCE we will have the CTS vert available to compete against the 6-series vert. Also with the talks of the next gen CTS not being on sigma, they could just be waiting for the new platform.

The CTS will no longer "grow a little" with the 2011 update; that has been axed. The mid-cycle upgrade will now be essentially minor fascia and trim changes woith a few electronic and feature upgrades. The CTS will "grow" slightly in its 3rd generation. The CTS Coupe IS still coming, as is a wagon. No convertible, however. That has indeed been cancelled.

[Zr1_Boi]

That damn Sloping roof is the reason 4 the convertible it would cost gm too much to redo the roof for a drop top. and as far as compairing The cts has to compete with the 3 a4 is till the Sts gets axed in 2010 or the cts gets a V8 excluding v because it doesnt have enough punch to go againgst the 5 a6 Gs Give it an Ls3 and will talk but until then we will have to wait. and they should redo the Srx and have the brx for the X3 crowd and srx for X5 Fx50 crowd.

[PAULSTS1]

Originally Posted by Docray1

The "Supersedan" is an ultra-luxury S-Class/7-Series competitor that is presently planned to debut around a year or so after the "DT7" arrives in mid-2011. It will be bigger than the "DT7" and styled ala "Sixteen". It will be a Zeta II platform vehicle from which the "DT7" is also built.

Thanks Docray1:

After so many years of waiting, I am pleased to "hope" that a real Cadillac may in fact be built someday.

[mgescuro]

Originally Posted by Perian

The potential retail based combination of Saab/Cadillac and Hummer brands may have had something to do with this.

Don't you raise my blood pressure. It's about 90F outside in the City today!!!

Originally Posted by Perian

Would the Saab 9-3 and CTS convertible have both been successful when sold along side each other?

They, they would have been successful together. They cater to 2 different clientele. And are 2 different sizes.

I'm not entirely surprised by this decision. Hasn't the CTS Convertible be "on the bubble" for a while now anyways?
Besides, the convertible doesn't fit into "beancounters' spreadsheets," as they don't sell so much and more engineering would be required to make it work. And the only real convertible market is California and Florida -- where Cadillac ain't so popular to begin with. The math just didn't add up.

[emh]

Originally Posted by Docray1

The CTS will no longer "grow a little" with the 2011 update; that has been axed. The mid-cycle upgrade will now be essentially minor fascia and trim changes woith a few electronic and feature upgrades. The CTS will "grow" slightly in its 3rd generation. The CTS Coupe IS still coming, as is a wagon. No convertible, however. That has indeed been cancelled.

Docray1, so there will be no major interior updates for the CTS MCE either? Is the belief at GM that the very minor changes you mentioned justify a price increase for the CTS to make room for the Alpha in 2011? Or does the Alpha get pushed down in price to ~$25K or lower as a result of CTS not moving "up"? Either way, sounds like a recipe for failure for either the Alpha or the CTS, or both...

[MCGARRETT]

If were in charge of Cadillac development, I would let the outside public know as little as possible about whats comming up next, hey I like future cars and speculation as much as the next guy, but everyone wants to buy the 2 door convertible hybrid bas diesel 12 speed 50 mpg Cadillac that will supposedly by out in 2012, Cadillac needs to focus on selling whats out there right now, I would have even held off the coupe announcement and concept car until it was closer to production

[CadiEldo67]

Originally Posted by FierySolstice

I really don't think the CTS should have a convertible. Why does everyone keep comparing the CTS to the 3, A4, and IS???? It is to be compared with the 5, A6, amd ES! Those do not have convertibles. The new smaller Caddy should come in sedan/coupe/convertible form, not the CTS.

I was thinking the same thing, there was probably something to do with the supplying as well, or the design, I'm sure the GM had a good excuse for not doing this. The last thing they need is for the CTS name to be tarnished.

[member12]

Cadillac XLR: How Cadillac does a convertible. It's not perfect, but it is a very good car that is in the process of being updated.

They sell in limited numbers. It needs to be in consideration in the future for a lower level convertible, but it can wait until the next generation 3 series fighter from Cadillac (I'd start there instead of the 5 series competitor).

What gets me is that Cadillac is going with a front drive based crossover for an SRX replacement. I think that's lame. It should be Alpha based.

Originally Posted by ksr

I agree that there should be a new SRX. The original was too good to let it die. Sales were always disappointing, but I don't think they should give up on it.

The convertible news - if true - is very disappointing.

Cadillac hasn't completed it's turnaround yet. They still have to market their products (other than the CTS and Escalade, which enjoy frequent ads and product placement).

They have to be persistant when it comes to besting the competitors. It's going to be twice as hard for them, and their efforts may not pay off the first time. Remember, the first CTS didn't impress to many people as far as sales go. GM didn't give up after the Aura disappointed in the sales department either...they kept on with the new Malibu.

Think about it....they built a car that was better than Lexus RX and Acura MDX because it handled like a RWD sports sedan and hand the driving dynamics that justified it's price. It was in the same class as the X5 and ML...but people compared it to the much cheaper RX and MDX (which has since been redesigned).

It sells okay, and with more updates it will sell in reasonable numbers. The problem is the crummy interior of the first generation and a total lack of marketing. Since it's based off the previous generation CTS, I assume that it has some quality issues as well...which may have hurt it's sales. Also, since it has been introduced, the Infiniti FX, redesigned MDX, and Volvo XC have entered the market.

Thus far, the SRX has been THE ONLY American car other than the Vette to beat a similar BMW product (X5) in a Car and Driver comparison. It is a great car, but consumer knowledge of the produt is non existant. People know about the Escalade, but no one knows about the SRX. I don't even remember seeing advertisements for it.

[FenwickHockey65]

Perhaps Cadillac wants to make their Alpha-based vehicle a convertible to compete with the 3-series convertible.

[jry]

Originally Posted by CobaltSScrazy

this must be false, why WASTE an opportunity like this. Additionally, didn't we already hear confirmation of the coupe and its production being all but greenlighted?

If true, this is another horrible wasted opportunity for Cadillac to reach out to younger buyers, especially on the coasts and south which have better weather than the heartland.

JMO

CobaltSS

Thats quite alright. Coachbuilders is going to do this. Maybe the General is aware of this as well. Coach did a great job with the Eldo. It could be that GM will rely on our aftermarket friends in sunny FLA. to do the heavy lifting. Kind of like Chrysler and Cars and Concepts...

[tgagneguam]

Originally Posted by emh

...This has been one of the most frustrating things about GM. They come up with good product ideas, set unrealistic expectations, and when those products don't meet those expectations the first time around, GM gives up instead of fixing early mistakes. SRX and XLR are only the latest in a long list of examples. If other companies worked the same way, there wouldn't be a Honda Odyssey or a Toyota Tundra or a Nissan Altima today...

Definitely. Your comment here is well taken.

The idea of commitment to a strategy completely eludes GM's management. And it's one of the reasons that GM's schizophrenic brand management-and not the number of brands to be managed-has failed, resulting in damaged reputations, decreasing sales and share, and difficult financial times. The first Odyssey was a pretty embarassing vehcile, but several generations later, after commitment to the product, it's a leader in its segment. The same can be said of the Stanza-Altima, the Tundra, and a host of other Asian products, all like you mentioned.

[BGH]

I don't consider this a priority. If Cadillac wants to increase its brand equity quickly it should invest in a top tier super car. It would need to be outrageous enough to get everyones attention. And priced right by which i mean very high. The signal stocks on the Bugatti veyron each cost a few thousand dollars. Cadillac needs to do something like that.

[GMFAN85]

CTS = 5 series competitor. A convertible doesn't fit with what GM is trying to accomplish with Cadillac. Sure, the 6 series is technically a coupe/convertible variant of the 5 but it's given a different name to prevent the dilution of the 5-series.

I do think the alpha platform Cadillac should have all different variants just like the 3 series. GM should kick themselves if they aren't planning that already.

[johnstarnes]

Originally Posted by Docray1

The "Supersedan" is an ultra-luxury S-Class/7-Series competitor that is presently planned to debut around a year or so after the "DT7" arrives in mid-2011. It will be bigger than the "DT7" and styled ala "Sixteen". It will be a Zeta II platform vehicle from which the "DT7" is also built.

Do you work there? I am intrigued by some of your posts! I can hardly wait to see the concepts for both cars.....hint hint hint....

[stevecmh]

Originally Posted by member12

Cadillac is to serious for an affordable convertible anyways.

I like Cadillac being the Darth Vader of cars. It goes with my vision for America really well.

yes the CTS-V is totally darth Vader quality