When Cadillac pulled the sheet off the ELR during the second day of 2013 North American International Auto Show press conferences last week, officials mentioned that the luxury coupe would be produced in limited numbers, for a limited time.
It’s not completely clear as to why that is at the moment, but it could be that Cadillac is simply experimenting with plug-in hybrid products. On the plus side, it looks fantastic — enough to win this year’s Eyes on Design award — and is sure to attract buyers on that alone. And because it will be so limited, Automotive News predicts that the car could sell for as much as $70,000 — nearly double the price of the Chevy Volt — when it goes on sale Q4 2013.
That’s quite the step up from the original mid-$50,000’s estimation. A $70,000 Cadillac isn’t really out of line, but it will certainly test the brand’s equity. Additionally, the potential price would test the market to determine if a plug-in luxury coupe that doesn’t really push the technology envelope in ways the Volt and Tesla Model S do even warrants such a steep price. Only time — or our sources — will tell if this estimation is on point.
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Considering the Tesla Model S (certainly a much more beautiful car, yes it’s a bit of apples to oranges and the verdict on quality is still out) is shipping at prices of $52,400, $62,400, and $72,400 for 40, 60, and 85 kWh battery capacities I would say $70k is asking far too much. I think this will see an MSRP just under 50, say 48 or 49k. A significant but not outrageous premium over the Volt.
As you mention, this car doesn’t push the envelope at all – it’s really a moderately upgraded Volt. Given the limited edition-ness of the car, it could come with a mid 50K price tag, decked out into the 60s. That still seems to be pushing it when at that point you could get a Model S…ostensibly a better car with more green cred – something people with enough cash to drop on this kind of car would be considering (free charging from Tesla helps too). I don’t think Cadillac wants this car compared to the Model S, but rather to the likes of a Lincoln or Lexus hybrid (apples/oranges again but I think ELR loses head to head against Model S which seems to be the closest thing to compare it to aside from Volt).
WELL said.
If anything, it’s main rival would be the upcoming BMW i8 — it’s a coupe, it’s a plug-in, and it seats four. According to BMW’s head of sales, that car could go for as much as 100,000 euros, or roughly $123,000 directly. I don’t think that even BMW can get away with that, and at the same time makes the ELR look like a bargain, even if the Bimmer ends up posting superior performance figures.
Good call, I forgot about the i8. But if the production version is anything as outlandish as the concept, I can see a six digit price tag fully loaded (overpriced but it’ll be a statement car that will sell in small numbers anyway). The ELR on the other hand looks like the front of an XTS put onto a CTS coupe body with Volt guts….not really as inspiring a departure as the i8.
ELR interior looks really nice, but I think they were going for “regular car” (it looks much more conventional and premium than, say, the 2004 white iPod-esque Volt interior) whereas no one will mistake the i8 for being “regular”.
I was worried about the price of the ELR.
If it’s going to cost $50K or higher, it needs to look, feel, and perform 50K times better than the Volt.
And if it’s it’s starting that high, then the low end Telsa S’s start becoming more attractive. 4 doors do make it more practical….up until the range is depleated.
Then again, if the ELR goes any bit higher in price, a 230 mile range S at $65K won’t have much to worry about.
I hope the ELR is that 50 thousand times better than the Volt.
My suggestion is that they are going to price it around 63k and with the federal tax have it come out around 55 k…….and I see why people are comparing it to Tesla but that is not the car comparing it with……..Lexus CT……and Infiniti LE concept which is coming to production are….these are the cars it is competing against……and the fisker karma….seeing as they are both PHEV’s…….what the ELR is offering in both efficiency and design against the karma….is the karma really 35,000 + better then the ELR ? Sure answer is no.
Fisker Karma LOOKS 35k better than the ELR inside and out, however given all the troubles it’s had with the battery I would have to agree it’s not worth that premium.
I think they should have two models! First lower the cost of the volt, then start the ELR off at 40,000 with a similar powertrain as the volt with similar performance numbers, then offer the next version of the powertrain with better range for 50,000 plus!
THE ELR is much better
Anybody know if there is an internal combustion powered version of this body style. Volt, for example, leverages another Chevy’s body. The ELR’s exterior is so stunning it begs a “normal” powertrain. This issue will also drive pricing, obviously, since a buyer wouldn’t need the ELR’s innards to get its look.
The Model S is not the car to be comparing it with???? Tell that to my Caddy salesman when I buy a model Model S as the direct result of Caddy pricing the ELR to high. Hopefully that’s not the case and I buy an ELR instead but if you don’t like comparing the two let me put it a different way…..the Model S is mine and many other people’s preferred alternative to an overly priced ELR….that makes these two direct competition no matter how Caddy wants to define arbitrary market segments.
Let me know how the Model S works for you all when your stranded on the side of the road because the charge crapped out… Everyone of us in our ELR and Volt will be sure to give you a wave…
First the Model S you could get with the pricing mentioned in the article above is 200 miles so its unlikely i’d be stranded. Second, for the few occasions I may need to drive more than 200 miles I guess I could drive my 2+ year old Volt…..you make it sound like I am not a believer in Voltec when in fact I was one of the first to buy one in Dec 2010. My point is purely along the lines of value comparison and how the market will react which is that i’ll wave right back at you as I drive 5 times farther on electric.
Unless you use the free fast-charging from Tesla…
Cadillac doesn’t have the brand equity. It’ll be a major fail starting at 70. Start at 49.9, with well equipped around 59-60. Every option in the book should put it at 70.
They had better roll it back at least into the 60K range as that is a steep price even if it looks good.
Limited model is fine as it is better than what they did with the Volt saying they would sell 50,000 out of the gate.
Under sell the expectations and you will never loose.
I suspect they have more plans with the next Gen Volt on the way and with improvments it will bring it may make a new 2nd gen Cadillac not as far off as we may expect.
The price is better than most in this segment but the idea is to get butts into the car and more of them on the street as volume will speed up the savings of the part used in building these cars and lead much faster to profits.
I was just reading on the old Chrysler Turbine cars from the 60’s. People loved the cars that got to keep them for 90 days. They all raved about the styling, they all said they could live with the slow accelerations but when asked about a $20,000 price in the mid 60’s they all said no. Many at that point said just use the styling and put a gas engine in it.
Price can kill the best car in the world and has over history. The ELR is not a LTS so price is a major factor even for it.
The answer is because the Volt’s drivetrain will be revamped in 2014 while the ELR will be stuck with the first generation drivetrain. If they want to maintain economies of scale the ELR will need to be revamped as well to accommodate the new drivetrain. This is why they will only produce it for a limited time.
Yeah, $70k is too much to ask. It’s absolutely gorgeous, but technologically not a breakthrough. Let’s not be arrogant or obnoxious about it.
I have been intrested in the ELR however given your indication that the price is going to be near the $70K area, it is a deal breaker.
First, there is no indication that this car is allowed in the HOV lanes due to an enviromentally efficient engine or if you can use standard unleaded in lieu of premium
Second, the Volt will give you the same revolutionary technology, although the quality of the Cadillac (supposedly) is superior (but not $20K more)
It was my intention to purchase the ELR for the higher level of prestige and styling in comparison to the Chevy Volt brand, but pricing the car in the high $60K range+ seems to prohibit people (like myself) who always wanted a Cadillac to look elsewhere.
I think GM has a good opportunuty to “buy back” marketshare from other car manufacturers if they just provided a cost-effective model, GM (I fear) is about to make another mistake in pricing the ELR too high.
Ken, chasing market share for the sake of market share is what got GM into trouble and then into chapter 11… hence, “buying back” market share with the ELR is like throwing money at the wind.
Rather, new ATS and CTS will win back market share, and do so profitably. As for the ELR, I guess we’ll have to wait and see what the price will be… but $70k does sound steep for what the car will be.
There are several problems with the ELR that makes the pricing an issue, rather than vice versa, the biggest one, being a CADI, is the lackluster performance issue. There is no way to justify a 65-70k price tag on a 8sec coupe, no matter how much leather and wheels, etc. The suspension is not great either from the Spec sheet, no double wishbone. I could go on but this Cadi is in serious trouble before hitting showrooms. Shame because it is a beauty.
I believe the market is ready for luxury electrics and luxury electric coupes but they need to go by the same rules of the luxury gas counterparts.