CTS's performance on the market in the first month: GREAT

[Northstar]

So how did the CTS fair in its first month on the market? Spectacular. Certainly, some of the sales were of the '07 model, but a good number of them had to be from the '08. Let's compare it to the competition:

CTS 2007 Sept 2007 sales: 6416

BMW 3er sedan Sept 2007 sales: 7251

Infiniti G35 sedan Sept 2007 sales: 3841

Mercedes-Benz C-Class Sept 2007 sales: 6052

Acura TL Sept 2007 Sept 2007 sales: 4324

Lexus IS250/350 Sept 2007 sales: 3757

Audi A4/S4/RS4 sedan Sept 2007 sales: 3437

As you can see, the CTS outsold everything but the vaunted BMW 3er sedan, and only missed beating it by 835 units. I'd say there's no doubt the new CTS is a grand slam!

[97regalGS]

So how did the CTS fair in its first month on the market? Spectacular. Certainly, some of the sales were of the '07 model, but a good number of them had to be from the '08. Let's compare it to the competition:

CTS 2007 Sept 2007 sales: 6416

BMW 3er sedan Sept 2007 sales: 7251

Infiniti G35 sedan Sept 2007 sales: 3841

Mercedes-Benz C-Class Sept 2007 sales: 6052

Acura TL Sept 2007 Sept 2007 sales: 4324

Lexus IS250/350 Sept 2007 sales: 3757

Audi A4/S4/RS4 sedan Sept 2007 sales: 3437

As you can see, the CTS outsold everything but the vaunted BMW 3er sedan, and only missed beating it by 835 units. I'd say there's no doubt the new CTS is a grand slam!

i'd say your analysis is flawed. and your conclusion premature. there are no facts to split 07 and 08. call me in 3 months. (not that i don;t think the CTS will do well)

[Northstar]

i'd say your analysis is flawed. and your conclusion premature. there are no facts to split 07 and 08. call me in 3 months. (not that i don;t think the CTS will do well)

How do you explain a jump from 3800 units in August (historically one of the best selling months) to 6400 units in September? It's not like the incentives went up from August to September.

[Drew Dowdell]

There wasn't a lot of leftover '07s left on dealer lots. There are NO '07s left on my local Caddy dealer lots as of 2 weeks ago.

[97regalGS]

How do you explain a jump from 3800 units in August (historically one of the best selling months) to 6400 units in September? It's not like the incentives went up from August to September.

i can't cause you didn't post those stats.

show me the running monthly totals so i can see the blip of the significant 08 sales.

i'm not disagreeing with the success of the 08. but you didn't post enough evidence to support that claim. as i said, i fully expect the 08 to be more successful than the first gen. (btw - however, i'm not convinced that the new buyers will be as many conquest sales from BMW M-B as we all would like.)

[Drew Dowdell]

i can't cause you didn't post those stats.

show me the running monthly totals so i can see the blip of the significant 08 sales.

i'm not disagreeing with the success of the 08. but you didn't post enough evidence to support that claim. as i said, i fully expect the 08 to be more successful than the first gen. (btw - however, i'm not convinced that the new buyers will be as many conquest sales from BMW M-B as we all would like.)

There are going to be less conquest buyers because there are lots and lots of happy '03-'07 CTS owners out there that want the next model. I know I plan on getting an '09 to replace my '04. That's one less conquest buyer <I conquested from Lincoln technically>

[Northstar]

i can't cause you didn't post those stats.

show me the running monthly totals so i can see the blip of the significant 08 sales.

i'm not disagreeing with the success of the 08. but you didn't post enough evidence to support that claim. as i said, i fully expect the 08 to be more successful than the first gen. (btw - however, i'm not convinced that the new buyers will be as many conquest sales from BMW M-B as we all would like.)

(All figures from 2007):

Sept: 6416

Aug: 3887

July: 3825

June: Could not find on GM's media site

May: 4555

April: 4644

March: 4881

Feb: 3042

Jan: 2843

[Z-06]

There wasn't a lot of leftover '07s left on dealer lots. There are NO '07s left on my local Caddy dealer lots as of 2 weeks ago.

As a matter of fact there are. Massey Caddy here in Orlando is offering about $6,000 rebates on the 07 CTS's remaining and they have about 20-30 of them the last time I saw.

[97regalGS]

(All figures from 2007):

Sept: 6416

Aug: 3887

July: 3825

June: Could not find on GM's media site

May: 4555

April: 4644

March: 4881

Feb: 3042

Jan: 2843

i'd say that is a significant bump!

let's hope the oct thru dec. figures are as promising.

[97regalGS]

There are going to be less conquest buyers because there are lots and lots of happy '03-'07 CTS owners out there that want the next model. I know I plan on getting an '09 to replace my '04. That's one less conquest buyer <I conquested from Lincoln technically>

i meant less conquest buyers than GM needs, not less as a percentage of total sales.

until cadillac has a new flagship sedan that rivals the world's best the do not have the panache and brand appeal to entice buyers. and until the have an alpha car that makes that rivals the 3Series in quality and driveability and makes the brand 'affordable' to the up and comers of the world cadillac is doomed to failure.

there is no aspiration car for cts owners to yearn for (whether they buy it or not is irrelevant) and there is no sportier car for folks to actually go out and buy. generally speaking, most folks chopping for 3Series still aren;t looking at a CTS.

[Drew Dowdell]

Couldn't the same be said of Infiniti? Where does one go after the G35? Sales figures show they aren't going to the M or Q.

[97regalGS]

Couldn't the same be said of Infiniti? Where does one go after the G35? Sales figures show they aren't going to the M or Q.

i suppose. not sure what that has to do with Cadillac though? unless you are suggesting Cadillac should emulate Infiniti.

[tmp]

I saw my first '08 in the real world this morning on Doheny Drive. It really has presence.

[Drew Dowdell]

i suppose. not sure what that has to do with Cadillac though? unless you are suggesting Cadillac should emulate Infiniti.

I"m not suggesting that at all. I"m suggesting that Infiniti manages to command a lot of respect even though it only has one car that sells really well <while the DTS, CTS, and Escalade are doing well at Cadillac>. Cadillac *does* have a car to aspire to above the CTS. XLR and XLR-V.

[sciguy_0504]

I'm going to say about 3K were '07 CTS.

[pow]

I'd say a lot of the CTSes and C-classes are '07s, considering the incentives they have on them. My aunt purchased an '07 C280 for $3K less than her old C280 seven years ago.

[rueben44]

I had been a long time what is wrong with GM making a flagship Cadillac sedan? I guess they can do without the sales or with a truly complete portfolio. Anyway I think the new CTS will get many from Benz and BMW...at least many more than they were getting before because now it has the interior an import buyer would like.

[trinacriabob]

I feel like a salmon swimming upstream, as I am not a big fan of the Enclave and not gushing over the CTS either. Tonight, I went for a ride up toward Vancouver (WA) and back down the Portland side of the river just for the hell of it. I stopped at a Cad/Buick/Pontiac dealer where the salesman was an asshole (I told him I was not local and was moving soon but he kept pushing. I walked away shortly thereafter).

I saw the new CTS. The thickness of the rear panels once inside are "blind spot hell" ... OMG. I think that the basic silhouette is fine but it has to many creased edges in the rear, around the taillights and the eye-level lamp. The front grille dives down too low and is way too "sliced and diced" for my taste. Again, the basic shape is fresh, but the execution could have been cleaner.

As for the interior, the seats are comfortable and nicely articulated. The center stack and placement of the vents is both visually and functionally pleasing, though the buttons for the A/C and such don't accommodate regular or larger sized fingers. The smallish cowl on the instrument cluster looks almost G-6-ish. I wanted a cowl/instrument unit that looked more substantial.

Whatever. It seems to be a popular seller for Caddy, so I'm happy.