Cadillac News: Cadillac's New Boss Talks About the Future

[William Maley]

Cadillac has been a hot topic of late, due to a number of key items such as the appointment of Johan de Nysschen, the nomenclature change, and the move to New York. Speaking with Reuters, Johan de Nysschen spoke about what the future holds for the luxury brand.

A key part of de Nysschen's plan for Cadillac is to expand the lineup with the introduction of five to ten models by 2020. One of those models is a range-topping luxury sedan that will go on sale at the end of the decade and likely will be called CT8 or CT9. This model will compete with the likes of long-wheelbase models and has been signed off by him.

de Nysschen also talked and hinted at some of the other models in pipeline. These models include,

• Plug-In Hybrid version of the CT6
  
• Successor to the ELR, but it might not be a two-door coupe
  
• Smaller crossover to sit underneath the SRX, along with a larger model
  
• Smaller sedan to sit underneath the ATS
  

Industry sources tell Reuters that Cadillac has been quietly talking with them about the small and large crossover, along with the small sedan. They explain that small crossover is due out in 2017, followed by the large crossover between 2017 and 2018; and then the small sedan in 2018.

Source: Reuters

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

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[G. David Felt]

He has become the NEW IDIOT of Auto Executives and the Compact below ATS is an IDIOTS DREAM!

 

They need a Man or Woman who loves America, Loves Cadillac and sees cadillac as only a Luxury brand not a German Knock Off of MB or BMW!

 

It is amazing to see how he has failed at his last two jobs and is making the same mistakes again here at Cadillac. What Idiots on the Board gave into what ever black mail he had on them and gave him a job. What a waste of resources and focus.

 

ATS - Convertible, Coupe, Sedan and Station Wagon

CTS - Convertible, Coupe, Sedan and Station Wagon

XTS - Convertible, Coupe, Sedan and Station Wagon

 

Names for the New Top End Luxury version.

Eldorado - Coupe and Convertible comes in RWD, AWD with Standard, Sport and V edition.

Brougham - Sedan and stretch version, comes in RWD, AWD with Standard, Sport and V edition.

 

QRX - New smaller Luxury CUV, comes in FWD, AWD with Standard, Sport and V edition.

SRX - Existing version in comes in FWD, AWD with Standard, Sport and V edition.

ZRX - New Larger Luxury CUV, comes in FWD, AWD with Standard, Sport and V edition.

 

Escalade - Standard and ESV comes in RWD, AWD with Standard, Sport and V edition.

[smk4565]

Well when Johan was at Audi he seemed to want to be like the 2 more successful Germand brands, then when he went to Infiniti he wanted a naming scheme like Audi had.  I don't think we are dealing with a great innovator here.

[aurora97]

I believe that Mark Cuban once said, "In business; you have your innovators, your imitators, and then you have your idiots."

[G. David Felt]

I believe that Mark Cuban once said, "In business; you have your innovators, your imitators, and then you have your idiots."

 

You could not have hit the Nail on the head any better! The Village IDIOT has arrived and sadly he is at Cadillac!

[Cmicasa the Great]

Outside of the possibility of the sub-ATS, and of course not going against all the other luxo makers on the planet and giving them names, what exactly is the issue with the product push? U wanna see some confusing BS take a look over at Mercedes now peddling the greatness of their luxury edge with a $33K GLA and a $29K CLA. The problem with that discontent is that it is actually working in terms of profits for Daimler. Sorry.. passion is nice and all, but if Cadillac doesn't expand and make more money for GM independently.. GM will kill it and we will all be crying in out coffee. Don't get me wrong. Cadillac is currently profitable, but is it $2 Billion a quarter profitable? 

 

 

The bottom line is that Johan was given a directive, and in return he asked for autonomy and the ability to make moves. I think the very addition of extra vehicles to the line-up will be the best way to bring Cadillac back to the forefront. I have yet to see any vehicle in the last 5 years that Caddy has introduced as an embarrassment. Not even the ELR.

Edited October 14, 2014 by Cmicasa the Great

[aurora97]

Regardless if Johan was in charge or not, Cadillac still faces the same dilemma; How can you be an exclusive luxury vehicle brand with the same mechanical underpinnings of a Chevrolet?

 

What is old is new again (separate platforms & engines) but what will not change is the copy/paste marketing and naming conventions.

 

I am more concerned over the narrative of Cadillac and how it will fit as a true luxury brand.

 

So far, the design of the new cars are awesome.  The future drivetrains are still a mystery.  But the names; please think of a better heritage for what the impact of these cars will be.

[ZL-1]

It is great that apparently Cadillac's been given the autonomy it not only deserves, but NEEDS in order to compete. Interesting, though, that people are only fixating on the names... I guess the only thing I'd do differently is to give a full name to the above-CT6 sedan to pair it with the Escalade (which I'd turn into a RR-kind of SUV, opening up room for an Omega large CUV below it).

[ehaase]

Many believe Cadillac would have better off developing crossovers larger and smaller than the SRX than spending so much money developing these all these new sedans.  I hope Cadillac succeeds; I guess we will know in 5 to 10 years. I wish Cadillac had developed a Zeta based replacement for the DTS about 10 years ago instead of doing the CTS.

[G. David Felt]

DTS float barges are out of date with the buying public. Yes the boomers are still a major buying force, but the grow is not in them as a market. Cadillac did the right thing in moving on with the CTS, just messed up in not using names and in rolling out various versions faster of the new auto's.

[Cmicasa the Great]

Regardless if Johan was in charge or not, Cadillac still faces the same dilemma; How can you be an exclusive luxury vehicle brand with the same mechanical underpinnings of a Chevrolet?

 

 

 

Ridiculous. The majority of Cadillacs being sold now do not have the same platform as a Chevy. Not the SRX, not the CTS, and not the ATS. The CT6 will be autonomous as well. Only the Escalade, ELR, and XTS share a platform with a Chevy. What makes your statement even more ridiculous.. or more respectfully.. irrelevant is that the platforms under Chevys are just as good as the ones under Audis, Benzes, or BMWs. Make no mistake that marketing.. which goes to perception..  is the only real differentiation between a Camaro and a 6series in terms of drivability. Price certainly determines the type of leather, and addition tech.. but those are in reality add-ons. The Engines??? Please. No matter the engine in the Chevy.. or Cadillac being an OHV SBC or an OHC Northstar, some idiot is gonna say that it's a Chevy engine if for no other reason than to try and belittle the vehicle because #1 its a GM, or #2 its a Domestic. Again with the sad sorry self worth of the American people who would rather see all things foreign being superior over all things domestic, including themselves.

Edited October 14, 2014 by Cmicasa the Great

[Cmicasa the Great]

Many believe Cadillac would have better off developing crossovers larger and smaller than the SRX than spending so much money developing these all these new sedans.  I hope Cadillac succeeds; I guess we will know in 5 to 10 years. I wish Cadillac had developed a Zeta based replacement for the DTS about 10 years ago instead of doing the CTS.

 

 

Goes to baseline. To build from within outward as opposed to building from the bottom or top. In truth the best thing for Cadillac in terms of market share would have been to simply have reset the names at ATS launch, or simply called the ATS the CTS and the new CTS the STS. This would have prevented the public with having to get to kno a whole new name for the entry level vehicle since it was, for 10 years, the entry level Cadillac. Problem came when Lutz and John Heinricy pushed the CTS-V up against the M5 and it won. Suddenly the CTS could no longer be considered "entry."

[aurora97]

For clarification;

 

SRX = Equinox

ATS = Camaro (next year will both be on the Alpha platform)

XTS = Impala

Escalade = Tahoe

ELR = Volt

 

There in lies the dilemma.

 

You say that a Chevy is just as good as a BMW, Audi, and Mercedes - rightfully so.

 

What is the reason then for Cadillac to be an American luxury brand?

 

This is the same problem that Lincoln has when platform sharing with Ford.

 

We all want Cadillac (and Lincoln) to succeed.

 

But coming right off the Bankruptcy, Cadillac is still tied to all other brands and platforms.

 

The long-term plan seems half-baked at this point and vague names like CT6 do not instill a vote of confidence among the potential buying public.

 

I really hope that the new (and autonomous platform) CTS-V will have what it takes to go against super luxury brands like BMW as well as up-and-coming cars like the Charger Hellcat.

 

But that drivetrain is from the ZO6 (Thank you, Corvette).  What does Cadillac have in the pipeline to be an exclusive Cadillac power plant that will say "CADILLLAC" and not "GM"?

 

Back in the day, the GM A-Bodies had the Chevelle SS/GTO/442/Skylark GS to fight over the middle market.

 

But it was the Eldorado that said "luxury" for GM.  Those who couldn't quite make that move would get a Riviera or Tornado.

 

This is the type of clout that GM as a whole needs to get back in the car market which is extremely difficult in the global age.

[Cmicasa the Great]

For clarification;

 

SRX = Equinox

ATS = Camaro (next year will both be on the Alpha platform)

XTS = Impala

Escalade = Tahoe

ELR = Volt

 

There in lies the dilemma.

 

You say that a Chevy is just as good as a BMW, Audi, and Mercedes - rightfully so.

 

What is the reason then for Cadillac to be an American luxury brand?

 

This is the same problem that Lincoln has when platform sharing with Ford.

 

We all want Cadillac (and Lincoln) to succeed.

 

But coming right off the Bankruptcy, Cadillac is still tied to all other brands and platforms.

 

The long-term plan seems half-baked at this point and vague names like CT6 do not instill a vote of confidence among the potential buying public.

 

I really hope that the new (and autonomous platform) CTS-V will have what it takes to go against super luxury brands like BMW as well as up-and-coming cars like the Charger Hellcat.

 

But that drivetrain is from the ZO6 (Thank you, Corvette).  What does Cadillac have in the pipeline to be an exclusive Cadillac power plant that will say "CADILLLAC" and not "GM"?

 

Back in the day, the GM A-Bodies had the Chevelle SS/GTO/442/Skylark GS to fight over the middle market.

 

But it was the Eldorado that said "luxury" for GM.  Those who couldn't quite make that move would get a Riviera or Tornado.

 

This is the type of clout that GM as a whole needs to get back in the car market which is extremely difficult in the global age.

 

 

To be clear the SRX is not on the same platform as the Equinox. The only vehicle that the SRX was completely related to was the Saab 9-4x. The Alpha platform is a CADILLAC developed platform that will be given to a Camaro which reaches well into the $80K range now.. The Escalade shares a platform with the Tahoe which easily goes into the $70K range. 

 

Even more clear is the fact that your question about what is the point of Cadillac as a luxury brand if Chevy and Buick are as good as a BMW is negligent. It just stands to reason that GM is putting out cars that are so damn good these days that their lowest offering is equal in most ways to the competition's best.

 

^^^ Point of fact. The Chevy Corvette is on the same level as 911 Carrera 4S and the Z06 is on the level of the 911Turbo and GT3 for that matter. Can U really argue that overall a Chevy SS isn't a viable competitor to the 550i? What's the difference? Marketing. GM needs a luxo brand that can compete on the MARKETING front. People on forums bitch about the non-names, but really  the majority of those bitching aren't buying, can't buy, or wouldn't really swayed if they had the money to. The people who are buying, can afford the luxo segment could care less.

 

THEY DRIVE A BMW, BENZ, A CADILLAC!!! They do not drive a 3series, an A6,, an XJ, or a CLS.

 

I have never.. never heard of someone saying "I drive a GL450.." Never. They literally say "yeah that's my BENZ truck." The only vehicles in this segment that get this special treatment is the Escalade, Range Rover and Navigator. Point is the marketing is usually on the name of the brand not the model. I wish Cadillac had of either went fully back to names or made the names even more generic. The Series 40, 50, 60, 70 would have been ideal.. but then again when those names were the norm, SUVs and CUVs were not considered luxury.

 

And to revisit your statement about sharing. Who cares? Only the self loathing American. BMW is fundamentally nothing special. Audi is in many cases a VW.. a effin VW. For years Bentley used an OHV engine designed by GM and Rolls used a GM tranny. PERCEPTION??? Teh only reason why Benz and BMW get a pass is because they are not owned by a parent. They exist on their own. If U really think that if Benz had a "Chevy division" they wouldn't platform share then U really haven't been paying attention to their sudden shift to cheap POS cars like the CLA and GLA to to gain market share.

Edited October 14, 2014 by Cmicasa the Great

[balthazar]

At the same time we have the disadvantage to some marketer's (and critic's) approaches: forcing a naming 'system' so grade school age car buyers (??) can "comprehend" the whole catalog with their inherent ADD. 

 

{Psssst! Stop calling your customers stupid!}

[G. David Felt]

At the same time we have the disadvantage to some marketer's (and critic's) approaches: forcing a naming 'system' so grade school age car buyers (??) can "comprehend" the whole catalog with their inherent ADD. 

 

{Psssst! Stop calling your customers stupid!}

 

I totally agree with you Balthazar, It makes me mad that the new leader of Cadillac thinks I am too stupid to know the difference between an Escalade and an Eldorado!

[Cmicasa the Great]

At the same time we have the disadvantage to some marketer's (and critic's) approaches: forcing a naming 'system' so grade school age car buyers (??) can "comprehend" the whole catalog with their inherent ADD. 

 

{Psssst! Stop calling your customers stupid!}

They don't have much of a choice. Have U tried to speak to a typical car buyer these days? Many are blatant idiots and completely go with what the popular decision by the many. That pretty much explains this: 

 

sales of the Toyota Camry 2014 YTD 334,978. 

Edited October 14, 2014 by Cmicasa the Great

[G. David Felt]

 

At the same time we have the disadvantage to some marketer's (and critic's) approaches: forcing a naming 'system' so grade school age car buyers (??) can "comprehend" the whole catalog with their inherent ADD. 

 

{Psssst! Stop calling your customers stupid!}

They don't have much of a choice. Have U tried to speak to a typical car buyer these days? Many are blatant idiots and completely go with what the popular decision by the many. That pretty much explains this: 

 

sales of the Toyota Camry 2014 YTD 334,978. 

 

 

In this case you truly have shown the Village Idiots. Camry speaks volumes. Most of these drivers should never be on the road as they cannot drive.

[Cmicasa the Great]

 

At the same time we have the disadvantage to some marketer's (and critic's) approaches: forcing a naming 'system' so grade school age car buyers (??) can "comprehend" the whole catalog with their inherent ADD. 

 

{Psssst! Stop calling your customers stupid!}

 

I totally agree with you Balthazar, It makes me mad that the new leader of Cadillac thinks I am too stupid to know the difference between an Escalade and an Eldorado!

 

 

 

Why shouldn't he? The Competition believes it more so and they have the sales to back it up. 

Edited October 14, 2014 by Cmicasa the Great

[G. David Felt]

 

At the same time we have the disadvantage to some marketer's (and critic's) approaches: forcing a naming 'system' so grade school age car buyers (??) can "comprehend" the whole catalog with their inherent ADD. 

 

{Psssst! Stop calling your customers stupid!}

 

I totally agree with you Balthazar, It makes me mad that the new leader of Cadillac thinks I am too stupid to know the difference between an Escalade and an Eldorado!

 

 

 

Why shouldn't he? The Competition believes it more so and they have the sales to back it up. 

 

In this case, most buyers of luxury auto's have a much higher education, so lets not put them into the same demographic of idiots that cannot read past 7th grade newspaper level and want to be a lemming. Let Chevy sale to the Lemmings to compete against Camry.

 

Let the educate people that want to stand out, buy the Escalade, Eldorado, Brougham, etc.

 

We want to be talked to, not talked at!

[Cmicasa the Great]

 

 

At the same time we have the disadvantage to some marketer's (and critic's) approaches: forcing a naming 'system' so grade school age car buyers (??) can "comprehend" the whole catalog with their inherent ADD. 

 

{Psssst! Stop calling your customers stupid!}

 

I totally agree with you Balthazar, It makes me mad that the new leader of Cadillac thinks I am too stupid to know the difference between an Escalade and an Eldorado!

 

 

 

Why shouldn't he? The Competition believes it more so and they have the sales to back it up. 

 

In this case, most buyers of luxury auto's have a much higher education, so lets not put them into the same demographic of idiots that cannot read past 7th grade newspaper level and want to be a lemming. Let Chevy sale to the Lemmings to compete against Camry.

 

Let the educate people that want to stand out, buy the Escalade, Eldorado, Brougham, etc.

 

We want to be talked to, not talked at!

 

 

 

No offense cause we agree on a lotta things, but this one.. the names.. I think U and a lot of people are not seeing the big, as in global, picture.

[G. David Felt]

 

 

 

At the same time we have the disadvantage to some marketer's (and critic's) approaches: forcing a naming 'system' so grade school age car buyers (??) can "comprehend" the whole catalog with their inherent ADD. 

 

{Psssst! Stop calling your customers stupid!}

 

I totally agree with you Balthazar, It makes me mad that the new leader of Cadillac thinks I am too stupid to know the difference between an Escalade and an Eldorado!

 

 

 

Why shouldn't he? The Competition believes it more so and they have the sales to back it up. 

 

In this case, most buyers of luxury auto's have a much higher education, so lets not put them into the same demographic of idiots that cannot read past 7th grade newspaper level and want to be a lemming. Let Chevy sale to the Lemmings to compete against Camry.

 

Let the educate people that want to stand out, buy the Escalade, Eldorado, Brougham, etc.

 

We want to be talked to, not talked at!

 

 

 

No offense cause we agree on a lotta things, but this one.. the names.. I think U and a lot of people are not seeing the big, as in global, picture.

 

I see the big global picture, but disagree that his lemming naming approach is the right way to do this.

 

Do we need small, medium and large cars with coupes, sedans and convertibles? YES

 

Do we need Small, Medium and Large CUV's? YES

 

Do we need Body on Frame Full Size SUV's, Escalade? YES

 

Do we need these in RWD, AWD Standard, Sport and V models? YES

 

Should they have Names or Lemming type letters / numbers? That is the debate and I find myself on the Name side.

 

But you are right we agree on far more than we disagree about GM and the Global market.

[smk4565]

Mercedes and BMW have better brand images than Cadillac.  Mercedes just won the Formula 1 world championship Sunday.  Cadillac has a more damaged image, I think they are trying to reboot with CT6-5-4-3, to start fresh, but the danger there is generic name products from a weak brand name.  It is the problem Lincoln and Acura have, generic names from weak brands. Infiniti also, Q50, Q60 don't mean anything, so the sale comes from an emotional tie to the "Infiniti" brand and they aren't damaged, but they aren't thought of as prestigious either.

 

2nd problem comes down to money.  Cadillac will never have the R&D budget that Mercedes or BMW do, and Audi benefits from a big budget and having other brands above and below them at VW, so there is a lot of money and resources to pull from.  When you don't have the money, Cadillac is forced to pull from the Chevy parts bin or do things like an ATS sedan in year 1, ATS coupe in year 3, ATS-V in year 4, and never make a wagon or convertible.  They have to stagger product roll outs because the money isn't there to do multiple body styles and engines in 1 year.  Give Cadillac a $5 billion a year R&D budget and they can do some damage in the luxury market, but they aren't ever going to get that.

[balthazar]

BM & MB don't have higher sales because of their respective naming idiocy.

 

MB has higher sales primarily because they 'carpet bomb' every segment, including those a luxury brand has no business being in. They are also perceived as a bargain to those for whom "get XX% off the sticker price!!" is a huge incentive. There is a monster disconnect with those who chose to ignore the hard downmarket turn the brand is devaluing their image with in the name of sheer volume.  IE; becoming the 'toyota of the luxury segment' may bring some joy to the superficial, but in the long run it spells image degradation. The recent market failures don't help.

[Z-06]

Mercedes just won the Formula 1 world championship Sunday. 

 

WTF has F1 championship to do with this argument in Cadillac? Are you just trying to prove how omniscient you are? And since you are bringing the pony in this show, Mercedes took 5 years to win that championship as a Constructor and Engine supplier with possibly the biggest budget since it returned in 2010. Shame on Dieter! I would have expected him to win with Michael Schumacher in the 2010 season. Before that Mercedes won as an engine supplier when you had Mika Hakkinen destroying everyone in 1998 and then in 1999 after being let pass by Schumacher, returning from injury in the final Suzuka Gran Prix. Schumi just did not want Eddie Irvine to be first Ferrari driver in 20+ years. Get your facts straight SMK.

 

 

Audi benefits from a big budget and having other brands above and below them at VW, so there is a lot of money and resources to pull from.  When you don't have the money, Cadillac is forced to pull from the Chevy parts bin

 

Didn't you just contradict yourself there? So much for NOT the moving goal posts. So Audi and Porsche get a pass for pillaging the VW parts and bins because the company as a whole has a bigger budget? Do you even proof read your own garbage?

 

 

Cadillac will never have the R&D budget that Mercedes or BMW do, and

 

Engineering is NOT who has bigger budget. Engineering is who makes the MOST out of the budget he gets. It took more money to make the movie Gravity than for India to put a Mars mission. And with such a big budget, where is the US government with moving the country forward?

[smk4565]

Mercedes in September posted its best global sales month ever.  Their biggest growth sector is the S-class up 105%, granted it is a small volume product at 76,000 sold globally so far this year.  The A-Class, B-class, CLA, GLA combined have sold 335,000, but they have sold 261,000 E-class alone.  GLK, ML, and GL sales combined at 250,000.  Their #1 selling product line is still the E-class.  The A/B-class chassis cars are mainly getting their numbers from China and emerging markets.  In the USA the CLA is 7.8% of Mercedes sales (barely outselling the S-class), but it gives them a model to bring in younger buyers.

 

If you are waiting for the collapse of Mercedes so that buyers will flee to buy a Cadillac it isn't going to happen.  Mercedes keeps improving the S, E and C-class to keep the loyalists coming back.  Cadillac better step their game up if they want to be the Standard of the World, and I still believe it comes down to money.  Cadillac just can't spend money like the German trio, maybe not even as much as Lexus.

[Z-06]

Before you start jumping again, please go back and justify your previous post.

 

Mercedes in September posted its best global sales month ever.  Their biggest growth sector is the S-class up 105%, granted it is a small volume product at 76,000 sold globally so far this year.  The A-Class, B-class, CLA, GLA combined have sold 335,000, but they have sold 261,000 E-class alone.  GLK, ML, and GL sales combined at 250,000.  Their #1 selling product line is still the E-class.  The A/B-class chassis cars are mainly getting their numbers from China and emerging markets.  In the USA the CLA is 7.8% of Mercedes sales (barely outselling the S-class), but it gives them a model to bring in younger buyers.

 

Again, what does this have to do with Cadillac? If you talk about numbers, let me be a necromancer and re-ask you the question I constantly prod you in other topics when you talk about Mercedes sales - Toyota sells tons of Rav4, Corolla, Camry - is it the best manufacturer? You have always skirted that issue, do not post till you respond to it.

 

Yes, E class sells - but for this:

 

 

or this:

 

 

or this:

 

 

or this:

 

 

or this:

 

 

or this:

 

 

OOPS MY BAD! I thought we were talking about taxis.

[smk4565]

 

 

Audi benefits from a big budget and having other brands above and below them at VW, so there is a lot of money and resources to pull from.  When you don't have the money, Cadillac is forced to pull from the Chevy parts bin

 

Didn't you just contradict yourself there? So much for NOT the moving goal posts. So Audi and Porsche get a pass for pillaging the VW parts and bins because the company as a whole has a bigger budget? Do you even proof read your own garbage?

 

 

Cadillac will never have the R&D budget that Mercedes or BMW do, and

 

Engineering is NOT who has bigger budget. Engineering is who makes the MOST out of the budget he gets. It took more money to make the movie Gravity than for India to put a Mars mission. And with such a big budget, where is the US government with moving the country forward?

 

My point on Audi is that they get a lot of money from the VW group, just as Cadillac does from GM.  But the added advantage Audi has is that they in the past used a Lamborghini V10 in the RS6 and S8, they can do the R8 because the Gallardo engineering work is done already.  They can share a platform and engine with the A8 and Bentley Continental.  Having those higher end brands lets Audi build a mid engine super car or a 12 cylinder car.  Cadillac is probably not going to have a mid-engine super car or a V12 sedan because they don't have the economies of scale that Audi has being part of the VW luxury group.

 

To the engineering point, what has Cadillac made?  A bunch or sedans, since 2003 they made 1 generation of a CTS coupe, and now 1 ATS coupe.  And the XLR convertible.  Three 2-doors, only 1 convertible in 12 years?  They make the XTS, ELR and Escalade off Chevy platforms, and the SRX is pretty close to an Equinox.  They got the ATS and CTS, but there is no V-series of either, there is no hybrid or diesel on either.   Cadillac is basically the American Infiniti, and I think Cadillac's leadership really wants them to be top tier, but I don't know if these guys can get them there.

[smk4565]

Mercedes sells a lot of taxis because their cars are more durable and last longer than any one else.

 

Toyota makes a few strong products, Toyota's strength (aside from manufacturing efficiency) is marketing and brand imaging.  They could sell dog poo on wheels, and as long as it has that "T" badge on it people will buy it.  The Prius has been a huge marketing symbol for Toyota, and it is a car that is only good at one thing, but since the Prius is the gold standard of fuel economy it makes people think all Toyotas get good gas mileage.  I personally think Toyotas are ugly and would never buy one, but they are pretty reliable and cheap to maintain, and the Camry and Avalon are roomy and the build quality is decent.

 

Cadillac doesn't have that brand power that Toyota has for people to just go buy one by default without thinking about it.  Hard to build that, and Cadillac doesn't really have a singular focus of what they are or a product that can be an icon for the brand in the way that the Prius has been the icon for Toyota.

[aurora97]

High-end racing and luxury brands go hand-in-hand these days.  Infiniti is part of the Red Bull F1 racing team.  Ferrari, of course, is the pinnacle of such endeavors.  Cadillac does participate in some form of racing in the SCCA and Pirelli World Challenge.  But Cadillac should make it a long-term goal to perform at the highest level of racing in the global economy to show it truly is the Standard of the World.  The deal was made to have a Ferrari engine power the US F1 team for the 2016 season.  Perhaps a future replacement of a Cadillac engine would be the best move to make the brand a true standout from anything else GM would do.

[balthazar]

Mercedes sells a lot of taxis because their cars are more durable and last longer than any one else.

No, they do heavy fleet & commercial sales to keep the factories running. Like Chevy used to do with the old Impala. 

[Z-06]

High-end racing and luxury brands go hand-in-hand these days.  Infiniti is part of the Red Bull F1 racing team.  Ferrari, of course, is the pinnacle of such endeavors.  Cadillac does participate in some form of racing in the SCCA and Pirelli World Challenge.  But Cadillac should make it a long-term goal to perform at the highest level of racing in the global economy to show it truly is the Standard of the World.  The deal was made to have a Ferrari engine power the US F1 team for the 2016 season.  Perhaps a future replacement of a Cadillac engine would be the best move to make the brand a true standout from anything else GM would do.

 

I will not disagree that Cadillac should be an active participant in racing. In fact if you would have said this statement few years ago, I would have wholeheartedly agreed with you for GM to be in F1 as a Cadillac. However, as the recent developments of F1 have turned out it is nothing but a monopolistic organization run by a megalomaniac Bernie Eccentric-stone. Besides, F1 participation, will not directly precipitate into sales. No point for GM to make millions of $$ of "investment" to be part of the "elite" club.

 

If GM had balls, it would help create its own racing league in Asian and Pan-American countries and break the hegemony of F1. There are manufacturers who have openly dissented with F1 governing body. Bring them together and we have a good for racing league than a circus the current F1 has turned into. While not far-fetched, it is a tall order.

[Z-06]

Mercedes makes a few strong products, Mercedes' strength (aside from manufacturing efficiency) is marketing and brand imaging.  It could sell dog poo on wheels, and as long as it has that "tri-star" badge on it people will buy it.  The S-Class has been a huge marketing symbol for Mercedes, and it is a car that is only good at one thing, but since the S-Class is (considered) the gold standard of luxury it makes people think all Mercedes vehicles are luxurious.  I personally think Mercedes are ugly and would never buy one, but they are pretty tech-filled and expensive to maintain, and the E-Class and C-Class are roomy and the build quality is decent.

 

Sounds similar?

[aurora97]

GM will have to do something in the Asian countries that have relied heavily on Holden for so many years with all of the different racing venues.  If that brand is being closed down soon, then what will replace it?  Is this Cadillac's chance to get something started at the global level?

[Cmicasa the Great]

BM & MB don't have higher sales because of their respective naming idiocy.

 

MB has higher sales primarily because they 'carpet bomb' every segment, including those a luxury brand has no business being in. They are also perceived as a bargain to those for whom "get XX% off the sticker price!!" is a huge incentive. There is a monster disconnect with those who chose to ignore the hard downmarket turn the brand is devaluing their image with in the name of sheer volume.  IE; becoming the 'toyota of the luxury segment' may bring some joy to the superficial, but in the long run it spells image degradation. The recent market failures don't help.

 

 

THIS!!! ^^^ All Day EVERY DAY. And for some reason the Smk guy.. nor the press understands that if one company is selling 6 vehicles and the other is selling 16.. surely the one selling 16 will have higher sales. I see nothing special about a MB these days as they are everywhere and mostly via cheaper models on the low end like CLA, C_Class, and GLKs

 

A truer analysis of this.. a less biased one would actually realize not only that, but in reality AUDI's sales are a wee bit pathetic considering that they have 12 vehicle on sale and are YTD only 130,983 vs Cadillac with 1/2 Audi's line-up and a lot less bases covered at 127, 837.. a difference of 3146. Furthermore Cadillac is doing this with higher ATPS, not introducing cheaper models, and a bit more upheaval. 

[smk4565]

Mercedes isn't going to cut models, that would be like Chevy selling only the Cruze, Malibu and Impala and the Equinox, Tahoe and Silverado. Chevy "carpet bombs" every segment also and it works. Cadillac needs more models and you can blame GM for not giving Cadillac the models that it needs.

[Cmicasa the Great]

Mercedes isn't going to cut models, that would be like Chevy selling only the Cruze, Malibu and Impala and the Equinox, Tahoe and Silverado. Chevy "carpet bombs" every segment also and it works. Cadillac needs more models and you can blame GM for not giving Cadillac the models that it needs.

 

 

Dude if Cadillac just expanded to 10 models in the proper segments they would be capable of beating Benz's sales I'm willing to bet. The day that Benz decided that it was OK to compete with the Civic (CLA250), and Equinox(GLA) they lost all respect as a real luxo maker. What makes me say that isn't the size.. but the POS vehicles that came outta that decision. HAVE U BEEN IN A CLA? It has more in common with an Elantra than a C-Class. And I'm not talking about which wheels are driven either.

 

Edited October 15, 2014 by Cmicasa the Great

[Z-06]

Mercedes isn't going to cut models, that would be like Chevy selling only the Cruze, Malibu and Impala and the Equinox, Tahoe and Silverado. Chevy "carpet bombs" every segment also and it works. Cadillac needs more models and you can blame GM for not giving Cadillac the models that it needs.

 

So you do agree that Chevroletdes Benz is nothing but a generic appliance manufacturer at a higher level.

[smk4565]

You can all knock the CLA but the CLA45 AMG beat the CTS V-Sport in the Car and Driver Lightning Lap, so the performance of the CLA must not be so awful. I never drove a CLA, I have sat in them and they are not as nice as any other Mercedes obviously, but there are worse cars for the money.

If the CLA was hurting their image then S-class and E-class sales wouldn't be up and those two wouldn't be easily outselling any of their competitors. Their high end cars are out performing Lexus, BMW and Audi, can't to that with a poor image.

[Z-06]

You can all knock the CLA but the CLA45 AMG beat the CTS V-Sport in the Car and Driver Lightning Lap, so the performance of the CLA must not be so awful. I never drove a CLA, I have sat in them and they are not as nice as any other Mercedes obviously, but there are worse cars for the money.

 

To me there is nothing surprising, the top of the line performance oriented model of a smaller car beats a mid-range model, which is designed to attain balance between luxury and sport. M3 beats S550 all day and night long. And similarly equipped CLA45 is almost the same price as that of a V Sport.

 

Hey how did you feel when Cobalt with FWD beat 135i, Lexus IS-F, S5, S2000 CR, G37 and Elise? Sure Car and Driver was doing something wrong there!