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'XT' Will Be New Nomenclature For Cadillac SUVs, CMO Says

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#1 ·
'XT' Will Be New Nomenclature For Cadillac SUVs, CMO Says
Forbes
September 30, 2014
By: Dale Buss

When Cadillac introduces new sport-utility vehicles and crossovers, the nameplates will begin with a “XT” designation to complement the new “CT” designation that the brand already has announced for its new sedans beginning with the flagship CT6 that is to be launched next year.

And just as in Cadillac’s new naming scheme for its sedans, the “XT” for each SUV will be followed by a number that indicates the size of the vehicle relative to other SUVs in the Cadillac lineup. Cadillac’s existing Escalade large SUV will be an exception to the new plan.

Cadillac Chief Marketing Officer Uwe Ellinghaus told me that “future SUVs will have an ‘X’T and cars will have a ‘CT’ and the number behind each pair of letters will indicate its size in the hierarchy.”

Full article at link.
 
#3 ·
This will only work if they stick with it for the next 30+ years. Transitions to new vehicle names is always annoying, but if this is the last time for a very long time, it will all be fine.

To me the worst will be renaming the Escalade an XT8 (guess).
 
#9 ·
I'm I the only one that thinks this nomenclature is much easier for the customer?? Just say CT and the number(depending on size) for cars and XT and the number for SUV/Crossovers. Done.

Much easier for the customers that are accustomed to that sort of thing from other brands.
 
#24 ·
It is as good as any "system" and for NAMES most NAMED cars have "vanilla" names them selves I assume to be "safe"
This "system" at least is orderly and customers "GET IT" unlike the "OLD" system" OR Lincoln's "MK" for everything

I wonder if Caddy will "separate" the SWB/LWB Escalade by calling it "ESCALADE XT7/ ESCALADE XT9" OR will Escalade be "un related" to the CADDY "family"
 
#36 ·
I wonder if Caddy will "separate" the SWB/LWB Escalade by calling it "ESCALADE XT7/ ESCALADE XT9"
I'm assuming this is exactly what they'll do. Especially when you consider they sold the Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT.


It would have made more sense had the XTS been called DTS (which it should have).

ATS -> CTS -> DTS -> LTS

Instead, we have CT1, CT2, CT3, CT4, CT5, CT6, etc.

A different letter in the beginning is easier to grasp than a different number at the end IMO.
Your complaint is seriously "A, C, D, L = easy to understand", but 1,2,3,4,5,6 and you're confused???
 
#26 ·
C=car
X='cross'-X-over

But what does the "T" mean? Still "Touring"?

I do think the "CT6" isn't so bad. It builds off the momentum/identity created by the CTS over the past ten years.

And I will look forward to the ignominious end to the terrible XTS we have now. That whole chassis should be reserved for Buick IMO.

I think the number should definitely express something meaningful like number of cylinders. But I'd bet $100 that the CT6 will be a twin turbo, so that the prospects of a CT8 don't look too likely.

At least it's one better than Lincoln's "MK" where everything they sell is an "MK" so they might as well just retain the third letter and can the "MK" since it just means "Lincoln."
 
#38 ·
#28 ·
If you're too lazy to care what model name you want, but know you want a Cadillac or Mercedes, you just show up at the dealer and tell them what size of a car you want and the salesman will do the rest.

If we're conceding that the brand is to be marketed instead of the individual models, why bother changing anything?
 
#95 ·
It does look a little lame given how AWESOME the Caddy concept names have been for over a decade :(

xT isn't exactly bad......but it isn't all that interesting either. I'll like it better if it was just a suffix to a bigger name inside of a family of Escalades.

Keep the Escalade, but create a family around it like how Land Rover has created a family with the Range Rover
Escalade ERX=Escalade Runabout X for crossover ("Runabout" playing homage to Cadillac first car) taking the place of the SRX
Escalade ETX=Escalade Tonneau X, X meaning 4x4-sport going head to head with Range Rovers in size and off roading capabilities ("Tonneau" playing homage to Cadillac second car)
and then........Escalade, because and Escalade needs no introduction at this point. So that would be 3 escalades.....well really 4 counting the ESV. The ESV can stand for "Escalade Superior Valet (or just vehicle)".

.......but it's all water under the bridge now.
preach it! I think this would be the ONLY way the name could be kept.

I guess Caddy doesn't have enough confidence in the renaming approach to go "all in" so I'm already concerned..
 
#30 ·
I find it interesting that alpa-numeric designations are not the new trend. They pre-date most word-based names.
When automobiles where a new concept, a novelty, many burgeoning automakers simply highlighted their company's name and the model(s) they made:

Model-T
Model-A
60-Series
88
98
Coupe
V16
etc.

It was analogous to most any other product we buy today. Go buy a Black&Decker anything and tell me the model you got. You can't. It's a Model# AS600 or something.

Not saying it's good, bad, right or wrong. I'm just saying it makes some kind of sense and works for people with little passion for the product.
 
#34 ·
That's true, but the market made a major shift from alpha-numberic to model names. Especially in the USA by the domestics. Cars like the 300C, 300D etc. were the exceptions. Seems weird for Cadillac to revert, BUT keep the Escalade. Or should I say XTEscalade. #LAME.

This all seems like such a clear rip off of BMW's X3, X5 SUVS. Did anyone even offer an explination why there is T in the middle of the CT? and XT or was the guy who came up with the 'G' for Pontiac asked to create this?
 
#40 ·
I think the new SRX is due out 2016, so maybe the XTS will be renamed for the MCE in 2015?
 
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#63 · (Edited)
Yeah..... something like this is part and parcel of all this 'future' talk.

Which if the STerm look was more robust would be far, far better kept under wraps.

Gee, when have we seen this before......

* Waves hands in air , points to chart *

The idea ? is evidently ? to avoid all else and also lay the ground work so that as whatever rolls in one can say 'that we got that covered, and all this bad news is part of that'.


Must be expecting some really rough weather....


Anyway, one of the many no one - wants to touch except to suggest 'we may have been too ambitious' is the following;

Cadillac cars thru August2013 YTD

+ 28,653 units ( 40,628 -> 68,627 ) + 68.92 %

Cadillac cars thru August2014YTD

-10,511 ( 68,627 -> 58,116 ) -15.32 %


Epic up and down made even more pungent by all the rest around these basic numbers.

Now, here is the other odd thing that really gives a clue.

Take exactly the same unit volume for all three years ( 2012, 2013, 2014 AUG YTD )

Redistribute and smooth into something consistent -

An easy one looks like this -

2012 40,628 same as actual ie 40,628

2013 54,259 + 33.55 % vs actual 68,627 + 68.92 %

2014 72,484 +33.59 % vs actual 58,116 - 15.32 %


And all would be clapping and cheering .....


So..... clearly they actually moved a super strong amount of metal - but the distribution is wrong.

And then, while the recalls are going on, they over produce and by doing so massively blow up - make worse this part of the challenge.


Also worth noting, that AUG2013 YTD + 68.92 % morphs into DEC2013 YTD ( full year ) +28.xx
 
#48 ·
Is XT the name of that awesome GMC Denali concept a few years back? At least they aren't messing with Escalade.
 
#53 ·
I still am not in love with the names, but I feel like they are at least doing something logical with them, and although it is not very passionate, it could be described as simply "orderly." So hey it could be worse. This is much better than Lincoln naming, and many foreign makes for that matter, which seem random and jumbled by comparison. I assume XTS if it survives will be CT5. Great to hear that venerable Escalade remains. Now I'm curious if there will be convertibles and sports cars with something other than CT, or will they slot between different CT sedans. Still just remaining faithful that regardless of names, all the cars will be bamfs that evoke American luxury and make true luxury customers proud to drive.
 
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