Lutz Talks Back I - Why don't these concepts go into production?

[LosAngeles]

Alright...

Bel Air-a waste. Maybe two or three styling cues could find their way onto the next Impala for a more butch feel...and it would be nice to work on an Impala convertible (hey, convertible standards are great cars when you get to know them--the streets would eat it up). Much rather see that than another SSR-type exercise in futility.

Velite-I'd rather see a Riviera.

Sixteen-I only ever expected the styling for the DTS (and STS?) replacement. The world has zero need for a V-16. V-8 and V-12 are good enough for this current climate. Just put all into the interior, exterior, and a tight chassis.

[z71stampede]

I'll just add my support and agreement to the continued improvement of the core vehicles. GM, Cadillac especially, cannot afford not to deviate from this path. If GM can't be superior to every one of it's comptetitors it will not ever reach it's goals(and our expectations).

One thing about the Sixteen (or any ultra premium price point car for Cadillac) that no one has really touched on yet: GM does not have a dealer network that could support the expectations of that customer. The customer experience in that price stratosphere is unlike any experience you would receive in any Cadillac dealer in the country today. They would have to carefully choose where this halo car would be sold, and then build new showrooms/service departments to support it. And I'm not talking about a new showroom on an existing dealership, either. I hate to say it but you don't sell 200+k vehicles in the same showroom that you sell the 40k rigs. All of that would add a considerable amount of capital--and risk of not getting it right. Toyota recognized this and had to go through it with Lexus--a new brand back in the 80's. It worked.

As far as a sub-CTS model.....I don't think Cadillac is ready for that yet. If they choose to do one for the U.S--it had better be every inch a Cadillac, as nice inside and out as the CTS--with no excuses for price or performance. Otherwise, you might just as well buy a new Aura or Malibu. Does Cadillac really need to be all things to all people? I am not really sure. They should really do what they do better than anyone else, and leave the little ones to Europe for now.

[Newbiewar]

the question here is does GM want cadillac to go in which direction... the direction of porcshe where every model is a disgrace to the original? or are we talking about a car maker more along the lines of bently Rolls Royce farrari lambergini who never try to sell to the little guy... and i cant see cadillac going that route... it seems to me that having the CTS and other models as its main desire is good for cadillac and good for GM... perhaps Zeta cadillacs will be amazing and outstanding... and with the ctc and alpha on their way, cadillac dealerships probably have all they can ask for.