[SavoieRF]

Exactly. And the problem with all the rhetoric about moving to NY, increasing prices and the new alpha numerical naming is that no one has a addressed the real underlying problem; there needs to be a compelling reason for someone to select a Cadillac. Making vehicles that are just as good isn't one of them.

What Cadillac does uniquely have in it's favor is it's American, but now it seems they are intent in positioning the vehicle upmarket from its traditional buyers in its home market. So just my opinion, but I'm betting they do a better job alienating their existing customers then attracting new ones. Instead of again trying to run things a German also ran, they should creatively try to include existing customers and move upmarket. It can't be impossible with the Germans all trying to move base product down market...

Oh I think Cadillac is doing a great job alienating it's customers

- They are running away from "Old" traditional buyers
- They look with disdain on their newly won 2nd Gen CTS customers
- And their answer why fewer Americans are buying their cars is to insult them by saying that "Americans don't understand luxury"
- They moved away from the Red Blooded Luxury ads with the Black Keys to something that sounds like they lifted the jingle from a "Santa is Coming to Town Christmas" special

Of course, the move to NYC is going to fix all all of that.

 

[Jesda]

The W210 wasn't the real problem, it really was the W211, not to mention the W163. And I realize the years between 1997-2008 or so were among the worst in Mercedes history.

They've obviously learned their lesson.

And quickly, going from industry joke to industry leader in no time. The Japanese are focused but the Germans can polish a turd into a gold nugget overnight.

Last I heard, some of the execs during the DC era were forced to take regional retail positions as punishment.

 

[AMERICA 123]

* Yawn *

This is all about attempting to paper over the conclusions in the other report and or in the source for this one concerning Lexus in China - with no clear profile development and the MB as old person retiree.

Such as reported here - hang on

* QUOTE *

The American carmaker General Motors has found the Chinese market to be a life-saving opportunity for the reinvention of the Buick brand. Since 2005, when Bob Lutz, the vice chairman of G.M., famously declared Buick a “damaged brand,” America’s oldest surviving automobile make has successfully positioned itself in China as a top-tier luxury carmaker.

Largely the result of effective marketing and remodeling, China’s romance with the Buick also has historical roots. The last Chinese emperor, Pu Yi, was the proud owner of two Buicks, as was the country’s first provisional president, Dr. Sun Yat-sen. The black Buick 8 driven by a onetime premier, Zhou Enlai, is still displayed at his former residence in Shanghai, now a museum.

In 2010, Buick sold over 550,000 cars in China, more than triple its sales in the United States.

“We joke that our market revived Buick from the dead — it’s only partly a joke,” said Liu Wen, a reporter for China Auto News.

On Sina Weibo, the country’s most popular microblogging service, a recent posting tried to sum up the car clichés. “A gathering of Mercedes indicates a get-together for old folks,” the writer said. “A group of BMWs means young nouveaux riches are about to run someone over and have a party; several Audis, and you know it’s a government meeting.”


* END QUOTE *

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/15/bu...hj2HeB9SsSPyRA

 

[F14CRAZY]

Congrats. You -just- missed MB's worst years which were among the worst in the industry. I wouldn't touch a W210 to W220 with a 10-mile pole.

That's like saying you'll stick with Cadillac after you've owned a 76 Coupe Deville and a CTS-V.

A '76 Coupe Deville is perhaps one of the best examples of a Cadillac ever. That's like sticking with Mercedes after owning a Grosser and an E63

 

[sfbreh]

Congrats. You -just- missed MB's worst years which were among the worst in the industry. I wouldn't touch a W210 to W220 with a 10-mile pole.

That's like saying you'll stick with Cadillac after you've owned a 76 Coupe Deville and a CTS-V.

The W210 wasn't the real problem, it really was the W211, not to mention the W163. And I realize the years between 1997-2008 or so were among the worst in Mercedes history.

They've obviously learned their lesson.

We had two W220s, a W163, W124, W210, W126, C208, A208, and an R230.

One W220 was a lemon and the W163 had an unresolvable brake squeal. Most of the others were never driven enough for any problems to reveal themselves.

My dad is only just starting to get over it.

 

[Jesda]

Dad still has his black W124. I adore the heck out of it. He bought it quite some time ago to replace another W124.

 

[sfbreh]

Dad still has his black W124. I adore the heck out of it. He bought it quite some time ago to replace another W124.

I forgot the 190E we had, but that was before I was born. It and the W124 are the cars spoken of most highly by my parents.

The W124 saved my dad. Some drunk driver T-boned him in it, totalling the car. He had it rebuilt at great expense, but as much as he wanted to keep it, it wasn't the same car. Ours was green.

My mom apparently ruined the 190E. Drove it around without oil til the engine just seized and stopped working.
She also ruined the Grand National she used to just drive to work, spilling coffee all over the passenger seat and getting the T-tops stolen out of it (traded in for the 190E because she got pregnant).