GM's Cadillac aims to grow international sales
By Michael Ellis
WARREN, Mich. (Reuters) - General Motors Corp.'s Cadillac division believes sales outside North America could reach about 20,000 vehicles a year by 2010, the head of the luxury car division said on Tuesday.
Much of the growth will come from China and Europe where Cadillac is studying plans to build a new car to add to the lineup, Cadillac officials said.
"We'd like (sales) to be 20,000 outside North America by the end of the decade," Mark LaNeve, Cadillac's general manager, told reporters at a briefing here.
Cadillac currently sells about 5,000 vehicles a year outside North America, with a major portion of exports from its lineup of Escalade sport utility vehicles to the Middle East.
Jay Spenchian, Cadillac marketing director of global products, said GM is considering building in Europe a car that would be smaller than its CTS sedan. That car could arrive in about three years if GM decides to build it.
"We're still in the evaluation stage," Spenchian told Reuters.
Last year, Cadillac appointed the Dutch car dealership group Kroymans Corp. B.V. to spearhead an effort to build 25 Cadillac "Experience Center" dealerships in major cities across Europe.
LaNeve said sales in Europe could total 10,000 by the end of the decade.
GM is also planning on building Cadillacs in China this year, part of its plans to expand the luxury car brand in the world's fastest-growing market. LaNeve said there is great potential for sales in China, but he declined to forecast how many vehicles could be sold there.
Last November, GM announced plans to boost production in China with the intention of manufacturing Cadillacs there.
"We're going to have a global (vehicle production) footprint pretty quickly," he said.
LaNeve said Cadillac is still studying expanding its lineup with the addition of an ultra-luxurious sedan that would be priced at up to $150,000.
"I think we'll do one," he said.
source
By Michael Ellis
WARREN, Mich. (Reuters) - General Motors Corp.'s Cadillac division believes sales outside North America could reach about 20,000 vehicles a year by 2010, the head of the luxury car division said on Tuesday.
Much of the growth will come from China and Europe where Cadillac is studying plans to build a new car to add to the lineup, Cadillac officials said.
"We'd like (sales) to be 20,000 outside North America by the end of the decade," Mark LaNeve, Cadillac's general manager, told reporters at a briefing here.
Cadillac currently sells about 5,000 vehicles a year outside North America, with a major portion of exports from its lineup of Escalade sport utility vehicles to the Middle East.
Jay Spenchian, Cadillac marketing director of global products, said GM is considering building in Europe a car that would be smaller than its CTS sedan. That car could arrive in about three years if GM decides to build it.
"We're still in the evaluation stage," Spenchian told Reuters.
Last year, Cadillac appointed the Dutch car dealership group Kroymans Corp. B.V. to spearhead an effort to build 25 Cadillac "Experience Center" dealerships in major cities across Europe.
LaNeve said sales in Europe could total 10,000 by the end of the decade.
GM is also planning on building Cadillacs in China this year, part of its plans to expand the luxury car brand in the world's fastest-growing market. LaNeve said there is great potential for sales in China, but he declined to forecast how many vehicles could be sold there.
Last November, GM announced plans to boost production in China with the intention of manufacturing Cadillacs there.
"We're going to have a global (vehicle production) footprint pretty quickly," he said.
LaNeve said Cadillac is still studying expanding its lineup with the addition of an ultra-luxurious sedan that would be priced at up to $150,000.
"I think we'll do one," he said.
source
