GMSA April 08 Sales- Top market for Cadillac BLS?

[patrickbec]

Sales- April-March- Feb- Jan

CADILLAC BLS 42- 98- 55- 30
CADILLAC SRX 3- 1- 5- 1
CADILLAC STS 2- 4- 3- 3
CADILLAC CTS 1- 0- 0= 0

CHEV Aveo 278 -366- 425- 356
CHEV Captiva 178-192- 197- 192
CHEV Lumina 19-21- 32- 27
CHEV Optra 10-19- 33- 153
CHEV Spark 327-289- 285- 249

HUMMER H3 58-56- 58- 61

OPEL Astra/GTC 143-183- 203- 204
OPEL Corsa 1004-910- 1074- 908
OPEL Meriva 18-22- 19- 12
OPEL Tigra 3- 2- 8- 8
OPEL Zafira 52-50- 44- 42
SAAB 9-3 11-14- 15- 1
SAAB 9-5 2-0- 2- 1


With sales of 225 Cadillac BLS year to date, South Africa may well be the biggest maket for this car world wide (compare to UK and German 07 figures).

The CTS appears to have just gone of sale- although I can see none in the dealership in my area yet. It could be a sale to a dealership for mechanic training purposes. Last I heard, CTS is only expected to go on sale in September.

[E. Haskell]

South African love affair with the BLS, ehh?

[mbukukanyau]

The BLS is a great car, if you have ever driven a 9-3 Media bias is killing it. Especially Jeremy Clarkson in UK

[ViperDVMan]

Wow, CTS's don't sell very well over there. That's gotta suck

[nadepalma]

GMSA stand for "GM South Africa"?

This is good news for certain - at least its selling well there.

I'm almost convinced that GM should be selling this in more markets. I know it's not the very best re-badge, but it's a decent offering.

I know that if they sold it in the US - aside from the fact that it's FWD - it would probably do well. Lord knows they sell enough TSXs (I see them EVERYWHERE) and this would be squarely aimed at it. Even if it isn't RWD, it is a good looking product - and that's enough for many customers.

Which reminds me; since Alpha wont be up and running for a few more years, will the BLS get an update now that 9-3 received one? Is it possible that we could see such a move? A BLS with AWD perhaps or upgraded appearance?

[Mikkoo]

Reality is this, the BLS is a complete disaster in Europe. And Europe is it's
biggest market opportunity. I had high hopes when I saw the first pictures,
but it never caught on here. To date I'm seen two on the road. I see
ten times as many Hummers. Go figure that out, in the land of $8.50
per gallon gasoline. There is no status in driving a BLS, but the Hummer
is a status symbol.

[t-rex]

I must still be baie lekker S'effrican somehow after 25 years, coz I like the BLS!

But it's not the first time a car unpopular elsewhere on Earth has found favor in the land of sunshine... The Toyota Cressida was a top five seller for over a dozen years.

[powervette]

Originally Posted by mbukukanyau

The BLS is a great car, if you have ever driven a 9-3 Media bias is killing it. Especially Jeremy Clarkson in UK

BLS wasn't particularly bashed by that Clown but Cadillac as a whole.
Open the last section of TopGear magazine. A person that wants for example check the Cadillac prices in 'car spec' section reads every time (that section is in every TopGear's issue) a quote made by Clarkson:

'don't believe the kudos Cadillac has in the U.S. The worst scum in America drives Escalades. If You buy it here in U.K, You are the worst scum of all scums'

Personally I think BLS would be good as a VW wearing Passat badge. People would love it. But Cadillac must be a Cadillac, something special and luxurious. BLS doesn't have those traits. Fortunately CTS has them. The problem is it doesn't mean it will sell. Geez, even Suzuki recently sponsored a posh tennis tournament here in Warsaw. You know what I mean...

[patrickbec]

Originally Posted by ViperDVMan

Wow, CTS's don't sell very well over there. That's gotta suck

No that don't suck because CTS has not officially gone on sale in South Africa yet. As I said in my post, it is expected here in September. The CTS in the sales figures is probably an early import used to train mechanics, get the marketing people up to speed etc. Belive me I am carefully following the time-line for the introduction of the CTS as I intend to get one. I was going to get a BLS, but to me although it looks good and drives very well (better than the new C class in my opinion), its not a real Caddy (basterdized SAAB, not even made in the good ole USA)- so I passed.

[gardnet1]

Originally Posted by Mikkoo

Reality is this, the BLS is a complete disaster in Europe. And Europe is it's
biggest market opportunity. I had high hopes when I saw the first pictures,
but it never caught on here. To date I'm seen two on the road. I see
ten times as many Hummers. Go figure that out, in the land of $8.50
per gallon gasoline. There is no status in driving a BLS, but the Hummer
is a status symbol.

To add fuel to the fire, the BLS is produced at GM's most expensive production facility in Trollhatten Sweden (Saab plant), so the BLS is probably slathering GM Europe in red ink.