CEO Mary Barra made an appearance on CNBC earlier today to discuss some of Cadillac’s strategy moving forward.
As the interviewer notes, Cadillac sales are down over 4 percent this year, while every other luxury carmaker has seen sales rise up to 16 percent over last year. When asked what she is doing to fix that, Barra responded, “We’ve got the product right… and it’s going to be patience and discipline to execute– to build the brand where it needs to be.”
Barra went on to disagree with the interviewer’s suggestion that the Cadillac brand isn’t as relevant as it used to be. “I actually see it completely differently. It’s a huge opportunity that we plan to seize. It’s an iconic brand, and again, it will take some time, but it starts with great products, and doing the right things, and we will be disciplined in our execution.”
Earlier in the interview, the CEO mentioned the recruitment of Johan de Nysschen to Cadillac’s leadership, but did not elaborate on his relevance. De Nysschen is, of course, a veteran of luxury auto brand management, having headed both Audi and Infiniti. The controversy surrounding his decision to move Cadillac’s headquarters to New York City also failed to come up, and it still remains a touchy subject for those jaded persons who believe that the president would simply rather live in New York City than in Detroit – a prospect that we find to be rather ridiculous.
We have faith, not only in CEO Mary Barra’s competence as a leader, but as the person at the helm as General Motors still attempts to recover itself after both the bailout and the ignition switch scandal. Cadillac’s recovery will indeed take some time, but as Barra says, it starts with great products.
More autonomy from General Motors and a fresh line of unique engines certainly won’t hurt, either.
Watch the full interview on the CNBC website.
Comments
I have no idea how many times I have posted here they have 5 more years just to get to where they need to be to get most things in place. It may take a little longer now that GM has gotten more ambitious.
Cadillac is not irrelevant but it still has to earn its image back. You have to build it. It is like a brick wall one brick or in this case one model at a time.
I know so many people here think they have the fix for Cadillac and most are right to a point but the but many internet CEO’s have left a lot out they do not know or understand. There has been a lot of inside struggle with Cadillac. There have been those who wanted to keep things just as they were by seeing how cheap they could make a door handle and then there were others who wanted to open the box or tricks and let them do what they want or needed to do to really be taken seriously. We have see of late the latter folks look like they have won the battle
I think now with what I am seeing we will see Cadillac exceed anything that we have ever considered them doing. All bets are now off and this is a whole new ball game. I am seeing things now that even Lutz would have had no chance of selling to the board 5 years ago getting approved.
So what ever your complaint or wish was you can set it aside. The names are a non factor as you will finally get product coming that will make any GM fan and non fan take notice. It has been a long time since we have had that from Cadillac. The wow factor is in.
I think Mary and Mark both have finally gotten power that many at GM only dreamed about for years and they are going to make use of that power.
GM really is one of the most advanced companies in the world but they have been regulated by cost and investment in these things. Today things are going to come with funding that Cadillac has not seen for years.
Well said. Cadillac has the products, and the critics on board. But where I live, there is a long way to get the average person buying luxury to give them a go. For every ATS I see a 30 3 series. When spending big money , those folks want the prestige in the driveway. Cadillac has respect, but still is not on many folks minds when trying to impress the neighbors. I am really hoping the new guy can address this. I love my ATS and the fact that on my street of 22 homes 7 are 3 series in the drive, 3 Marc C, and various others. Mine stands out, and folks noticed it right away. Yet, I don’t see any conversions yet. Perhaps when I get my ATSV that will pull them over.