Cadillac News: Will Diesel Play A Part In Cadillac's Future?

[William Maley]

The last time Cadillac offered a diesel engine was back in the early eighties and was a horrid engine, tarnishing Cadillac's reputation and vehicles. But now, Cadillac is once again thinking about a diesel engine.

Don Butler, Cadillac’s marketing vice president said in a interview at the LA Auto Show that Cadillac was considering a diesel engine for vehicles sold outside the United States. He added a diesel engine “could be a potential hedge in the U.S. because of diesel’s great torque, great performance with great efficiency.”

“We absolutely mean it when we say we aim to compete with the best of the best without compromises. And if that means making the right powertrain choices, then those are the choices we will have to make,” said Butler.

It's unknown which Cadillac model will be first; but it's safe to assume either the upcoming ATS, CTS, or SRX will have one.

Source: Automotive News (Subcription Required)

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[Drew Dowdell]

YES!!!!

I wish that 2.9 they were looking to put into the CTS before the "b-word", happened. It had I think 450 lb-ft of torque (too lazy to go look it up)

[Camino LS6]

Given how good the Duramax is, I am quite confident that GM can get smaller diesels for cars right. So why not?

Sort of a requirement if they are serious about taking Cadillac global, and it could even do well here.

Edited November 23, 2011 by Camino LS6

[ocnblu]

DIESELS YES! HYBRIDS NO WAY JOSE!

I absolutely love the idea of Cadillac having a diesel in the ATS, CTS, XTS, Escalade, SRX and Ciel. Bring it!

[hyperv6]

I just hope they spend the needed money to market them, Cadillac has the old stigma to lose from the Olds Engines yet and they need to show the public they have the new engines right.

It is not just the Olds stigma but even yet the American public for the most really still do not understand Diesels and how far they have come. Only the truck guys know. I hope with VW and Audi on a new push for oil burners they will also help change this false preception. The new Golf R Diesel should help show what is now possible.

Also I hope the goverment will leave them alone for a while and stop changing the rules on Diesels. The ever changing regulations have done more damage than anything.

Edited November 24, 2011 by hyperv6

[Drew Dowdell]

I think the Cruze Diesel will be the test GM is looking for.

[smk4565]

I hope they put a diesel in the ATS and CTS, might as well in the Escalade too, maybe even the XTS even though it is wrong wheel drive. The Germans are going to keep bringing diesels here, Cadillac might as well join the party. If they (all automakers) keep killing V8s, at least give us a diesel with crazy torque.

Word is that BMW's triple turbo straight six diesel makes 381 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. Imagine that in a CTS cranking out over 30 mpg. Even imagine that in an Escalade, it is a loss of 20 hp, but a gain of 100 lb-ft of torque.

Edited November 24, 2011 by smk4565

[smk4565]

I think the Cruze Diesel will be the test GM is looking for.

If the Crue diesel puts up say 50 mpg with equal acceleration to the gas version it may catch on. But I wonder if it is easier to sell diesels to in the luxury price range where people are more likely to spend the extra money for the extra torque.

[ocnblu]

Not sure, let's ask Volkswagen.

[Drew Dowdell]

There are typically waiting lists for diesel models of anything at VW.

[hyperv6]

I think the Cruze Diesel will be the test GM is looking for.

Yes if they can show a big gain in MPG with good perfromance and duarbility it will do much to show what can be done. Lets now just hope the price of diesel does not spike.

[CanadianBacon94]

I think the Cruze Diesel will be the test GM is looking for.

If the Crue diesel puts up say 50 mpg with equal acceleration to the gas version it may catch on. But I wonder if it is easier to sell diesels to in the luxury price range where people are more likely to spend the extra money for the extra torque.

I don't think most people buy diesels in *cars* for the torque, i think most just think of them the same as hybrids, better gas mileage

[Robert Hall]

I think the Cruze Diesel will be the test GM is looking for.

If the Crue diesel puts up say 50 mpg with equal acceleration to the gas version it may catch on. But I wonder if it is easier to sell diesels to in the luxury price range where people are more likely to spend the extra money for the extra torque.

I don't think most people buy diesels in *cars* for the torque, i think most just think of them the same as hybrids, better gas mileage

Probably....most general public buyers don't have any idea what 'torque' is.

[hyperv6]

Diesels are a mystery to most Americans. They all have their own ideas on what Diesel is and mean.

Doe the most the average buyer does not know what Torque is. With the Cruze the key it to sell a car with 50 MPG or more as the average buyer gets this. The Truck guys understand Torque so they understand pulling power. The key will be to put Diesel into terms that a Cadillac buyer in this country will understand what it will do for him or her and why. MPG is not going to do it alone nor is torque as most of them are not pulling trailers with the CTS.

Audi tried to do the racing and performace thing that worked to a limited degree here and I see VW now is pushing performance. I see if Cadillac does a Diesel for this country they need to push performance.

Cars like Audi's ALMS cars made a great impression at the track with the great power they had and how quiet and clean that they ran.

GM needs to sell this car differently than any other diesel they have or will have. For the most the Diesel will not be a cheaper option and you need to give them a reason they understand why they need it. Economy is not a great factor in this class nor is towing power.

Now if they could price the Diesel at the price of a gas engine it would make it a much easier sell and people would be more inclined to give it a try. But with extra cost of the engine and higher Diesel prices it will make it a challange here in the states. It is kind of like the Volt issue where you pay more and it will take a while to see any savings so what is in it for me if I buy one? With the Volt they push the green thing.

GM has nothing to lose to try as they already plan this engine package for Europe. If they have it there they may as well try here.

Edited November 25, 2011 by hyperv6

[smk4565]

They can sell diesels here but they will have to promote it. The higher MPG, lower maintenance, longer engine life, torque/performance are all strong attributes, they just have to make sure customers know about it. It is possible though, when hybrids first came out it took a few years to catch on and they had to advertise them. I think diesel has more benefit than a hybrid, I'd rather see a diesel CTS than a hybrid CTS. The Mercedes S-class may be a good case study on this, because they have a diesel and a hybrid and they cost the same.

[67impss]

The torque can be defined in cars as the seat of your pants feeling during acceleration. Harking back to the 60's and throw in a modern clean efficient conservationist approach to drag in Boomers & Dot comers alike.

[hyperv6]

Higher MPG in this class is less a factor than in say a Cruze.

Less maintenance is not as great as it used to be with the gains gas engines have made. Same with engine life. Besides most of these buyers don't keep a car that long as they move on to newer and better models.

I agree they need to promote it but they can not do so in the same way as they would trucks or the Cruze. I think the key here is performance and match the torque with AWD.

Also we have to consider people in Europe buy Diesels for reasons not important to Americans. Also they have Diesel on every street corner where as here in the states we still have large areas where it is not as easy to find.

I also think there is a limited market here for it till you can grow it. Keep expectations low and build on this to create the market for them. The more you sell the more the fuel will become available everywhere.

The real key is to get the present buyers who now buy the Euro Diesels to move to Cadillac. they are your prime buyers. While the die hard owners may not be in play those who are not loyal may give them a try.

Selling a Cadillac Diesel in the American market is much more involved than it appears. It will take time and investment. Also it will take some creativity. The key here is to get people to spend the extra money and convince them they need this car as most right not really don't have a lot of interest. Overseas sales will help off set the cost if they can get them up to speed. That will be the important key. It will buy them time to let the American market grow.

[hyperv6]

The torque can be defined in cars as the seat of your pants feeling during acceleration. Harking back to the 60's and throw in a modern clean efficient conservationist approach to drag in Boomers & Dot comers alike.

Cadillac needs to do what some truck owners are doing. Show the performance at the track. How many You Tube Video's do we see modified full size 4x4 pickups driving past a Viper or other perfromance car in the quarter mile. If Cadillac can build a AWD car with lots of Torque and power and show what it can do it will define in the minds of buyers this is not just some smokey economy package.

People in this class will pay for performance and performance sells. Let Chevy sell the towing package trucks and the econo high MPG cars.

[Robert Hall]

I've had a diesel before, would definitely consider one again...

[Camino LS6]

Prior to the Duramax, I despised every diesel I ever drove - but one test drive changed my mind forever.

[67impss]

Hell the original 6.2l's were damn good they were every bit as good as a 5.7l small block we had one in the fleet that went 10 years of 24hr a day service with only a injection pump & GM payed for the pump (They'd not seen a failure yet) it was a traffic signal ladder truck with a utility box. The biggest problems were lower ball joints.

Edited November 26, 2011 by 67impss

[Robert Hall]

I'd like to drive a modern diesel... the only diesel I had extensive experience was an '84 Escort 2.0. I've had a couple diesel rentals in Europe in '03 and '04 (Merc A-class and C-class)..

[regfootball]

cruze is the best way for GM to reintro diesel in the US. It's a direct hit on VW, which is the next evil juggernaut to kick down.

I do feel an ATS or CTS as a Caddy is a suitable move for an uplevel diesel.

Perhaps one more car in the GM stable could see diesel, but I would not invest much more than that. Perhaps the Regal? Or a Malibu.

Anything beyond that is excess but at the same time there are so many that drink the German kool aid that if GM wants to appeal to fans of that ilk with credibility they pretty much will need a diesel or 3.

Mazda6 still coming with diesel? I think that may be a sleeper diesel hit. Even though VW keeps the torch for diesel I am willing to bet there are more than a few people that would not mind a diesel but really can't stomach the thought of having a VW.

[Robert Hall]

The Regal would be a natural, since the Insginia is offered w/ a diesel in Europe, and I'm sure the Malibu will be in some markets.

[hyperv6]

The torque can be defined in cars as the seat of your pants feeling during acceleration. Harking back to the 60's and throw in a modern clean efficient conservationist approach to drag in Boomers & Dot comers alike.

Cadillac needs to do what some truck owners are doing. Show the performance at the track. How many You Tube Video's do we see modified full size 4x4 pickups driving past a Viper or other perfromance car in the quarter mile. If Cadillac can build a AWD car with lots of Torque and power and show what it can do it will define in the minds of buyers this is not just some smokey economy package.

People in this class will pay for performance and performance sells. Let Chevy sell the towing package trucks and the econo high MPG cars.

I agree that the Cruze would be the best jumping off point. I also would offer it in the Verano as some folks who want high MPG and want some more quiet would like this car.

Cadillac with their intent to sell them overseas is a no brainer to sell them here.

I too agree this is a limited market for the near term. People can warm and change their minds on these cars if they could price them closer to the gas powered cars. Till them limit it to just a few cars and I would add it as an option to the Colorado and the Trailblazer once they anounce the will be sold here.

GM will have to build the diesel market as right now it is still a limited market.

It will be interesting to see how well the Cruze does since it is the corner stone to the future.