My Vision of Cadillac

[68CoupeDeVille]

As always, I agree with MG 99%. Why no B-Series coupe?

I don't think it's too ambitious. It's time to step up to the plate, get serious and move forward or resign to a future similar to Lincoln's, saving the R&D money for other marques.

[Ramair-WS6]

Mgescuro --

I do have a question that has been bouncing around in my head for awhile. Is it a sound idea for Cadillac to be going after both BMW and Mercedes at the same time? What I am getting at here is that I see BMW and Mercedes as being cars that appeal to two seperate sets of luxury buyers, and their wants and needs are on two different pages.

[DarkKnight67]

This is an excellent lineup idea, but some of these prices are a bit much. Cadillac needs to establish itself before moving up market.

[68CoupeDeVille]

Originally Posted by Genghis

And what about dealerships that already have Caddy paired with other non-premium lines?

They'll have to be relocated or shut down. From what I've seen, most existing Caddy dealerships paired with Chevy/Buick/Pontiac/GMC are in rural areas. If Caddy wants to steal market share from the Germans and Japanese, the market will be nearly 100% urban.

[68CoupeDeVille]

Originally Posted by DarkKnight67

This is an excellent lineup idea, but some of these prices are a bit much. Cadillac needs to establish itself before moving up market.

I think MG put the prices are where they should be. That's one step GM can take to fight for Cadillac's image. Americans perceive anything expensive as naturally better than a cheaper alternative. Is a Boxster really worth as much as a Corvette? Probably not, but it costs as much as one, and people pay the price to drive one. By simply charging equivalent prices to the German counterparts, perception will change.

However, if the product isn't equivalent but prices are... people will eventually find out.

I remember a story from my college "experience" about 5 years ago. I worked in a small retail shop in Malibu, CA doing everything from stocking to selling. I was wearing a pair of Swiss military issue surplus camouflage pants. They were baggy with a very unusual pattern. I was stopped by a woman wearing those type of garments that look like they were sewn together by a charity mission but actually cost her $500+.

She stopped me as I walked by: "Hey, those are nice. Where did you get those?"
Me: "Oh, I bought them online. They're Swiss Army surplus and were like, $4.00."
Her: "Oh..." Up went her nose and off she went.

[CobaltSScrazy]

people HATING on this list need to realize its what CADILLAC SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING ALL ALONG THE PAST 35 YEARS so it didn't get itself in the sorry state its in. I feel CHEATED! yes cheated that I wasn't part of (alive) during the days when Cadillac was THE Mercedes Benz of the luxury market. When you told people you owned a Cadillac and they said WOW! (like my grandma does) and how in awe and how rich someone thought you were, living the American dream. You say Cadillac today (to people my age and boomer's as i had this experience in the hospital last summer with non-auto enthusiasts) and you think a fwd floaty boaty oversized wayyyyy under priced under engineered lacks a feature set driven by 60+ year old blue haired women and bald men who probably don't have the money for even an XJ sedan or Lexus LS sedan ....DTS. em---f****ingbarrassing!!!!!!! I may sound like I'm going to have a stroke but when down the line did we as auto GM enthusiasts start accepting status quo (or less than that in almost every brand's case) and being mid-pack and not class leading and pushing the envelope...acceptable? It never should have got to this point and I maintain that without a proper vehicle for the 65-120k segment (yes this is GM Board realistic no matter what bull shat Lutz or Ed or Rich would ever admit to) and a luxury roadster doesn't count...Cadillac will never achieve tier-1 or tier-2 status as a luxury maker IMO.

For those hating on this being a 'too-MB comprehensive list' listen to GM people! Read the fastlane blog, its already been stated many times over Chevy AND CADILLAC are the two global brands that are 'full lineups' (yes there will not be a Cadillac minivan hahaha, but they could pull off an R-class type vehicle but I guess thats similar to SRX Lambda style-esque as M. pointed out.) Its Cadillac's intended mission to be offer World Class Leading product at EVERY level of the LUXURY market from 30k-500k thats what Luxury is about, its not about just selling a large size CTS marketed as a midsize car and using the US-centric bigger is better thinking and try and build a brands image with a car that doesn't break 55k dollars....thats not luxury, hell I could go buy a CTS one year out from graduating. I shouldn't be driving the same car as a president and CEO of a large company/corp so to pawn off the CTS as the living and only savior outside of escalade for Cadillac is shortsighted, inaccurate, and unintelligent thinking.

I too see ABSOLUTELY NO FUTURE in a DTS type car as it stands currently, make it rwd start the base price at 62-65k have it top out at 85-90 let the market adjust after three years then refresh, add features/content beyond the first rwd iteration and make the car worth starting at 70 but sell at 65 (kind of like Lexus did with LS and then progressively upping its price/features/styling) and then with the beginning 2nd iteration of DTS rwd make it a model for model 7/A8/Sclass competitor in size and price and features with price being undercut on those models by 5k per model (there is NO Cadillac tax!)

---End Rant---

I want the best for Cadillac too, as does Mgescuro, so manufacturing EXCUSES (they're like a$$holes, everyone has them) to NOT do a lineup of this is embarrassing, poor strategic planning, and an injustice. """Automotively Irresponsible!""" for GM not to make this attempt. Granted I'm glad I'm not a Lincoln fan, but thats like saying "Heyyy we're Happy with a C- in every class we're in right now, as long as I graduate in 5-6 years I'm OK" (eyeroll) time to raise expectations and standards and set out to be Valedictorian.

CobaltSScrazy

[bcjohnso99]

Nice list - add Canada to the ATH list. Unlike Americans, Canadians like little hatchbacks. I'll take an ATH4 with the 1.9l diesel ECOTEC - thanks.

[Vlissengen]

While GM debates Cadillac's very livelihood, Audi continues its product assault. Some of the mentioned plans include the upcoming Q5, a yet unnamed smaller SUV and a possible CLS competitor named A7.

[69Firebird400]

Excellent write-up and analysis, mgescuro!! On paper, it sounds like a dominant lineup; now all they have to do is build those cars and trucks with the same attention to detail that they have appeared to have given to the 2008 CTS. Plus, they'd have to watch the weight of the vehicles, as it seems to be creeping up (isn't a 2008 CTS somewhere around two tons? TOO MUCH!) Use of materials such as magnesium and aluminum wherever possible would not only help with the weight problem, but also impart a more premium feel when buyers can tell their neighbors that their car has lightweight aluminum suspension arms, an aluminum hood and roof, etc.

I didn't see anything about what order in which you think the models should be rolled out. I'm thinking bottom-up (ATH et al), but there's something to be said as well for a perfectly-executed high-end model that can set the standard for the models below to fill in the gaps. What are your thoughts on this issue?

[Randle2I]

First of all I'm not making my reply based upon what Cadillac COULD HAVE BEEN if they never went off course. I'm not going to cry over spilled milk. This is based upon the here & now, what could GM do today to make Caddy better.

Therefore forced to question why does Cadillac need a competitor for EVERY SINGLE market? Mercedes is trying to do this and it's getting them nowhere. Why does Cadillac, which wants to be the car people dream about owning need a sub $30K car? If you're going to have a CTE-V then why not a BTE-V? Why do we need not only an STS but an FTS as well? Why no V series for the trucks? Why these silly Platinum editions that appear to offer nothing for the premium? Does a sub $30K car really need a key fob made of emeralds?

The way I see it you have too many over lapping models, both in house & within GM, while leaving out a few rather obvious options. Cadillac isn't meant to be a luxury version of Chevrolet with a car for every budget & every lifestyle. They're supposed to stick to the core markets & dominate them with luxury & style. Why compete with the CLS or A3 just because you can?

Anybody can own a BMW 1 series, but it takes a man that's really made it to own a Caddy. Thats what people should be saying.

[eaton53]

Ahhh... finally a voice of reason.

I will post a revised vision that recognizes that GM has other divisions that can't just be "gotten rid of" and eliminates this excessive overlap and unneccessary vehicle proliferation.

And I will add One Very Important Car.

[mbukukanyau]

Originally Posted by mgescuro

CARS
ATH/ATH4/ATH-V -- A-Series Touring Hatch (Europe, Asian, African markets only)
-- $25,000-40,000
-- Sub-Compact Hatch
-- RWD / AWD
-- Engine: Diesel, EcoTec
-- HP: 120-250HP
-- Main Competitor(s): Audi A3

Great Article, and good thoughts


This A Class I would kill.
My Personal opinion is Cadillac should not go below $30K.. or V6...GM Has Saab, Buick and Pontiac for that..
It Also would help in Europe if Joe Six Pack does not drive a baby Caddy. It does no good to a brand with Luxury pretenses to be accessible to those on budgets.. or are not willing to folk out big $$$ for the brand.

Oh well, just my opinion.

[SUPERBADD75]

i like it, but i think Cadillac must establish itself in the middle lux level before going to the extremes. basically have a true C- and E-Class competitor before going sub C-Class or after the S-Class. just my opinion, of course.

[jwrebholz]

Originally Posted by mgescuro

So you all of GMI decide.

Am I asking too much of Cadillac?
Am I expecting too much from Cadillac?
Am I expecting too much from GM to do some justice to Cadillac?
Or do I just have an unrealistic dream for Cadillac?

Well I certainly can't come up with anything better. I think that'd work real well.

Originally Posted by mbukukanyau

This A Class I would kill.
My Personal opinion is Cadillac should not go below $30K.. or V6...GM Has Saab, Buick and Pontiac for that..
It Also would help in Europe if Joe Six Pack does not drive a baby Caddy. It does no good to a brand with Luxury pretenses to be accessible to those on budgets.. or are not willing to folk out big $$$ for the brand.

Mercedes and BMW both sell entry-level cars (the A-class and 1-series, respectively) and it doesn't seem to harm their image. Hell, Mercedes sells CARGO VANS in Europe and that doesn't stop anyone over there with the coin to purchase the E and S classes.

[jbartley]

oh boy! does this mean you'll finally stop posting this in every other post or thread?