After three years of being bested by Toyota, General Motors is once again the world’s best selling automaker. General Motors sold 9,025,942 in 2011, a 7.6 percent increase over last year’s figures. General Motors even bested Volkswagen, who have made it a public goal to become the biggest automaker on the block. Toyota trailed both GM and VW though, whose sales dropped 6 percent in 2011.
Cadillac introduced a completely new sedan here at the LA Auto Show. Check out the slideshow of the new XTS above and you’ll see that Cadillac is definitely on the right track as they continue the evolution of their approach to design. Cadillac executives promised that there would be no more “design by committee” at the luxury brand and they presented the XTS as a representation of a clear direction for the brand.
As you can see from the photos, the design is very impressive. It retains some of a hard lines and edges we’ve seen from Cadillac but the XTS represents a more refined expression of this approach.
Most importantly, the XTS will be the first model to feature Cadillac’s new CUE system that was created to provide a comprehensive in-vehicle experience. We previewed the CUE system last month and were very impressed as it presents a great leap forward for the in-car user experience. Here’s what we said then: “New innovations like tactile feedback on your finger when you touch the 8-inch center stack screen and proximity sensing that has control buttons pop up on the screen as you hand approaches make this system very user friendly, and the customization features make CUE a very powerful system that greatly enhances the driver experience.”
Luxury cars as of late are all about flash, status, and specs. But nowhere to be found is the heritage, craftsmanship, and pedigree of luxury cars of old. Cadillac looks to bring some of those features back with the Cadillac Ciel Concept.
The Ciel is a large, seductively styled four door convertible that recalls the classic luxury cars of yesteryear, while looking ahead to the future. It’s cabin is swathed in leather wood, and jeweled gauges. It is made of nicer materials than most billionaires’ suits. The exterior is chiseled and masculine, but also subdued. The motor is a twin-turbo V-6 with hybrid electric drive. Every ounce of this car oozes class, without the gaudiness of new Bentleys and Rolls Royces.
It may be just a concept, but this is just the type of car Cadillac needs. Reason being, it is a Cadillac in the truest sense, a refined, luxurious, traditional, American luxury car. These cars were enjoyable to drive, beautiful to look at, and exquisitely crafted. This doesn’t mean they were the soft, wobbly, vinyl monstrosities like the Cadillacs of the 1980s wanted us to believe, but gentleman cruisers that buyers in the 1920′s-1960s would have had. Watch Boardwalk Empire or Mad Men and you’ll see what I mean.
However, in the 1970s, the Germans came along with their cars that needed to be the fastest accelerating, harshest riding, and most “sporty” luxury cars. They were like this in order to get from point A to point b as quickly as possible. In other words they changed the luxury game and, in the process, completely veered everyone off the entire point of what a luxury car is.
Luxury isn’t about getting somewhere quickly, its about enjoying the drive no matter how long it takes. You’re rich you make your own schedule. You shouldn’t have to drive fast to get around the proletariat, you should have them in so much awe of your car they move out of the way naturally. Cadillac needs to bring this car, and the traditional luxury car way of thought, back with the Cadillac Ciel.
Cadillac is poised to start 2012 with a bang. Two all new models are slated to bring the fight to their German competition on all fronts. First, is the XTS, the DTS and STS replacement. The largest Caddy will be built off of the Buick Lacrosse platform and be front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.
The second one, however, is much more exciting. Bench-marking the BMW 3-series, the ATS is the smallest Cadillac and is poised bring more driving excitement to the lineup. Previous 3-series competitors have fallen a tad flat, such as the Catera, but Cadillac really did their homework on this one.
One model pleases traditional Cadillac customers while the other sets to make an impression on lifelong BMW customers. For the first time in a long time, Cadillac has a fully loaded arsenal of models to compete with. And both are made in the U.S.A.
Cadillac joins the free scheduled maintenance wars by offering a 4-year/50,000-mile program called Cadillac Premium Care Maintenance. The one up on recently announced Lincoln’s program includes scheduled oil changes, tire rotation, engine and cabin air filters and a vehicle inspection. Cadillac stayed away from wear and tear coverage but the 4-year/50,000-mile deal will catch on with customers.
From AutoNews.com:
Cadillac said today it would offer free scheduled maintenance on its 2011 model year vehicles as part of its effort to improve customer service — and to match similar offers being made by other luxury brands.
The 4-year/50,000-mile program is called Cadillac Premium Care Maintenance and includes scheduled oil changes, tire rotation, engine and cabin air filters and a vehicle inspection.
Last week, Lincoln announced a similar free maintenance program for 2010 and 2011 models but only for vehicles purchased and leased through Sept. 7. Lincoln’s program is for 3 years/45,000 miles.
Cadillac has one sleek and elegant ride in the upcoming XTS if it’s to be real close to the concept. The Beijing auto show was fortunate to have this beauty in it’s presence and when it hits the road my guess is that sales will be strong. The interior is off the charts and hopefully an engine that resonates with buyers is part of the package.
From AutoGuide.com:
Ever since a report a few weeks back that Cadillac had signed off on production of the XTS Concept, execs at GM’s luxury arm have tried to deny any such thing. But last week GM decided to showcase the car at the Beijing Auto Show, and have released a gallery of new photos – indicating the XTS is moving ahead.
Looks like the Cadillac Converj prototype won’t see the production line and that’s a real shame. This concept ws one of the most talked about vehicles and now GM will literally pull the plug on any plans get this beaut in garages around America. Once Bob Lutz is officially retired it would be to get the full story on this decision.
From AutoGuide.com:
Cadillac’s beautiful plug-in hybrid concept car will remain a great idea, but nothing more. According to a report by Automotive News, GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz wrote in a text message that the Converj, first shown at the Detroit Auto Show in 2009 and well-received by the media, won’t be headed for production.
Lutz wrote that, “priorities and the conviction that the Volt and Ampera will use all available capacity for years to come,” mean that the Converj project has been canceled. This comes as somewhat of a surprise, as it was thought that a higher output version of the Volt’s motor, fitted into a Cadillac, would not only be appealing to consumers, but would also make for a profitable business case. The higher profit margins and higher dollar value of a Cadillac would help cover the cost of the expensive high-technology powertrain.
Cadillac will launch the all new XTS in 2012 as a single replacement for both the STS and DTS. From what we can see this is going to be a sweet ride!
From the Detroit News:
Cadillac has been tamed — in a green sort of way.
The days of a plush Cadillac powered by a massive gasoline-fired engine with 16 cylinders appear to be over.
Instead, General Motors Co.’s luxury division today displayed its idea of what a hybrid should be with the introduction of the XTS Platinum plug-in hybrid concept.
Packed full of conveniences, the sedan is expected to hit the market in 2012 as a single replacement for both the STS and DTS.
I had a conversation today with Bryan Nesbitt, General Manager of Cadillac, about the direction of the brand, and here’s what he wanted us to know: Caddy wants us back. (“Us” being young, affluent males.) And they are taking some big steps in the right direction to get us back.
Check out the 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe. Based on the popular CTS sedan, the new 2-door (hitting dealerships next fall), is sleeker, sexier, and has enough eyeball to turn the heads of the women whose heads we want to turn.
The car looks pretty sweet, and you can see more photos at his site. Caddy might have a winner here.
As a proud Lincoln owner, I know that they’ve been making great cars for years. The LS was a great vehicle, and the new MKZ is a great sedan as well. The MKS, the new flagship vehicle, is a beast that would satisfy most Lexus buyers with its styling and performance. Now they’ve added the new MKT crossover (pictured above) to the mix.
Generation X, often referred to as the “slacker generation,” has shed that stereotype and now is a coveted consumer group at the top of its earning potential, Ford Motor Co. officials say.
With pockets flush with cash, consumers born between 1965 and 1976 are the target of Ford’s Lincoln brand, which is trying to reinvent itself after years of giving ground in the profitable luxury segment.
“We have an aging owner body, and we have the ability to move it in the right direction and get younger,” Matt VanDyke-marketing communications director, tells Ward’s at a recent media event here.
“To think we could flip over and get young 20-somethings into a luxury product at this point and consider Lincoln is something that I think is too much of a stretch,” he says.
Lincoln brass spent considerable time determining the unique makeup of Gen Xers, which VanDyke defines as being in their mid-30s to mid-40s. Unlike traditional luxury buyers, these consumers don’t want to appear “ostentatious.” Rather, they are “folks that are time-starved and look at luxury as something that makes their life simple and easier.”
How are they approaching this? One is an emphasis on technology. The design of the cars evokes a high-tech feeling that bears little resemblance to older Lincolns, yet it’s not as edgy as the recent Cadillac designs so boomer buyers should feel comfortable as well. The other part of the strategy involves music. The campaign’s TV spots feature music that the Gen X group finds nostalgic. The ad for the Lincoln MKS features a remake of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity,” while the ad for the Lincoln MKT uses a version of the 1980s classic “Under the Milky Way,” by Australian alternative rock band The Church. Check out a clip of the video below.
The strategy makes sense. I remember the Cadillac ad several years ago featuring the Led Zeppelin song. Music can help to reposition a brand, so Lincoln seems to be on the right track.
