In an effort to ease the dependency of the SRX and CTS models — which together accounted for 66 percent of all deliveries in 2010 — Cadillac is going full steam ahead into the future with plans to expand its lineup with a compact luxury sports car (the ATS) slotted below the CTS by next year as well as plans to debut a Lambda-based crossover farther down the pipeline to slot above the SRX.
On the smaller side of things, Cadillac also sees potential in entering the subcompact fray to pit against the Audi A3s and Mini Coopers of the world, perhaps something along the lines of the Urban Luxury Concept (pictured above) — which would be a total shift from a brand that one day built the 228-inch Fleetwood sedan 40 years ago. Cadillac also hopes that a smaller car will attract younger buyers, and lower its average buying age of 62.
Cadillac’s VP of U.S. marketing Don Butler hints that the brand needs to first offer high-volume luxury vehicles with a compact, a mid-sized luxury car, a mid-sized crossover SUV and a full-sized car before working on more niche market vehicles such as a subcompact or even a supercar. And while a proposed subcompact is still a toss-up, the large crossover is “likely to be built”. From what we know so far, the vehicle will be sharing the same skeleton as the Buick Enclave, Chevy Traverse and GMC Acadia, but will be feature the upcoming twin-boosted LF3 V6 engine.
[nggallery id=218]Source: Bloomberg
Comments
I’m not a big fan of this vehicle and I’d much prefer to see a Voltec type vehicle such as the converj over a city car like this.
I don’t believe there is a large enough market for this type of vehicle in the United States.
I could be wrong …but I just don’t see this as a viable entry in this country.
I do think a well styled Cadillac version of the Buick Enclave would not be terrible although again it would not be a vehicle I would ever own.
thanks for the article..
I’m with you, JB. Personally, I think a Cadillac with a Voltec powertrain would be a very nice alternative to vehicles such as the upcoming Tesla Model S and Fisker Karma. Though it won’t be a high selling vehicle by any stretch of the imagination, it would likely see more of a profit margin than the current Chevrolet Volt, which is currently being built at cost.
And it seems that no matter how good subcompacts will get — or who makes them — the North American market is not ready to sacrifice more spacious and (to a degree) safer vehicles for smaller ones. Therefore, these frugal-minded vehicles remain somewhat of a niche just as well as vehicles much more expensive.