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Cadillac Outsells Audi In March 2013

In the United States, market demand for Cadillac was high enough to eclipse Audi in March 2013 sales to the score of 15,571 to 13,253. In fact, Cadillac so hot right now, that it was the fastest growing brand in America last month, with a year-over-year growth of 49.48 percent. Just behind it was the Buick brand, in third place, at 37.41 percent.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about Cadillac outselling Audi is that it was able to do so with five vehicles (ATS, CTS, XTS, SRX, Escalade/EXT/ESV) to Audi’s ten. Note also that CTS sales have been plummeting since the arrival of the ATS — which has been very popular out of the gate, with a conquest rate of 70 percent — and will most likely continue to do so until the arrival of the all-new 2014 CTS this fall. Yes, Cadillac seems to be only getting started, and we would love to see what happens when the brand’s vehicle lineup doubles, or even triples.

Former staff.

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Comments

  1. Cadillac will be the lixury leader within 5 years

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  2. Luxury***

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    1. Lixo is portugues for rubbish, and lixeira is the garbage dump…

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  3. Problem with Audi is they are hardly premium now with A1, A3, diesels, estates, SUV,A5 hatch, A7,hatchbacks. Also it’s a similar story at BMW with 1 series, 3 & 5 GT, SUV. The fine line between profitable high end premium & mainstream is blurred. Audi now is a VW in suspenders which in turn is only a tarted up Seat or Skoda. (Not to say they are bad, just not a step up from the norm). Mercedes & Jaguar seem to be getting the balance right with luxary & affordability for the few & many but not everybody.

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    1. Just because they’ve broadened the scope does not mean the brand isn’t premium. Market growth is in smaller vehicles, and luxury brands are acknowledging that.

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      1. You call it “broadening the scope” I call it watering down the prestige of a brand. In other words, luxury cars were meant for “blue bloods” not commoners. 😉

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        1. Not everybody can be Bugatti.

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          1. True. But I just wish these luxury makes wouldn’t chase these segments in the name of more sales. For instance, the A class Mercedes, the Audi A1 and the BMW 1 series are hardly what one would call “luxury”, but they produced by a luxury brand – for me, therein lies the problem.

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    2. Consider an Audi A8L (L for long) quattro with an appropriate engine (e.g. an 4.2 L V8 diesel, or a 6.0l W12… that is a top of the line premium car for top managers, government ministers, presidents and the like.

      The compact and subcompact models by Audi like the A3 and A1 do glow in the sun shining down from such top models and allow VW to charge more for an A3 than the Golf or Octavia based on the same platform.

      BTW, if I had the money, I would like to have an A6 station wagon. Two of my brothers and a nephew have such a car, and I had the chance to be chauffeured in those cars. Very comfortable, lots of space, and very quiet with their powerful Diesel engines in “quattro” configuration. BTW, two of the three have this kinda “all terrain” option, which enables the car to lift up by several centimetres for farm, field, and woodlands. I’m impressed. Is that luxury? Well, in my mind, luxury is associated with things one does not need. In that sense, this car is not luxury. But the best car I can dream of. Just ouf of reach of my budget. :-((

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  4. Disagree premium is supposed to be a cut above the rest and the norm not as common as the norm (thus making them the norm) and not affordable for everyone, everyone now can afford a Audi or BMW and in many cases people are considering Audi & BMW with such makes as Ford, Vauxhall & VW & not their more traditional rivals.

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  5. i guess audi can release commercials saying “they are america’s fastest growing luxury company” lol

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  6. Over the years Seat, Skoda, VW & Audi appear to be getting very similar due to them being based around each other, it works & yes some are quite desireable. However the latest Audi due to be launched soon A3 saloon although very nice just says to me Belmont or Orion and that’s no disrespect to the Belmont, Orion, Vauxhall, Ford or Audi its just that its not premium, more of a upmarket hatch but not premium.

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  7. Just today, I saw a black ATS charging up an onramp.

    It could have easily been an A4 had the owner chosen otherwise.

    Little steps, people. Little steps.

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  8. Not. Even. Surprised.

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  9. I’m seeing ATS about and lots of Veranos too…was not that way a year ago for these brands…good news all around

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    1. I bought an ATS this week…pick it up next week due to bad weather here….it’s a beauty!!!!!! Buick was my second choice.

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  10. Yes 5 series & to a much lesser extent its fwd Audi A6 rival is nice & somewhat desireable however I don’t buy into this prestige lark of smaller average cars selling at above average prices.

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    1. “I don’t buy into this prestige lark of smaller average cars selling at above average prices.”

      Well you should. It’s the way things are going everywhere on earth.

      It’s not the size of the cars, it’s how it appointed inside and the features it offers that others do not. A 1 series and a Sonic are both subcompacts, but you can tell which car is nicer to own and be inside of.

      It’s that simple.

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  11. Obviously BMW no longer make bubble cars, however I don’t understand Audi’s A1 to me it’s a backward step & reminds me of a modern day Audi 50 a slow seller in the 1970’s before being rebadged as the VW Polo.

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    1. Re “Audi’s A1 to me it’s a backward step & reminds me of a modern day Audi 50” — actually it is something different. The A1 is aimed, to my understanding, at the segment of small “life style” cars, in which the Mini by BMW and Fiat 500 play the Retro design card, and into which the Opel Adam wants to enter.

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  12. You can justify it or explain it away but 1 of the 3 targets GM is gunning for us Audi. This is just one month so lets not get too excited. This is just one battle on one front.

    I expect the wins will come more often and we will see gains on all front.

    GM has been making good moves with Cadillac and not many mistakes and if they did they have been small. I expect the coming product like the Escalade and SRX with their all new platforms will also support sales and add much to the profits. But in the ends the advancements in the cars in not only what they are but what they can do now are exciting.

    Cadillac has one real ace here and that is the weak economy. Don’t be fooled with the strong Wall Street numbers as many people with money are still cutting back and with the price advantage Cadillac holds it gives people even more reason to check them out. Many are down sizing and if they can get more car for just the same or little less money Cadillac has the advantage.

    The key is to deliver on quality in the cars and service at the dealer to retain these people . Cadillac should not be as good but they need to prove they are better.

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  13. I think BMW outsold Cadillac in units this last year, in the USA, which is shameful on GM’s part. However, it looks like Cadillac “got the memo” and came up with competitive, RWD product. One thing our German friends can’t do is put proper fins on a car for style. No one can beat Cadillac at that. The ATS looks like a fun car, the 3 Series looks so conservative. Cadillac, Cadillac, Cadillac style!

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    1. “One thing our German friends can’t do is put proper fins on a car for style.”

      Geez, how old are you? Fins have been out of style for nearly half a century, and it’s something that nobody would dare do today. Not even Cadillac.

      Vertical tail lights are not fins, by the way, no matter what you think the SRX looks like. It’s a tail light with no fin fat on it.

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      1. Nope, it’s a fin and it needs to be larger. The Ciel concept has larger fins which is why everyone thinks it’s so cool. You don’t have to be old to appreciate superior styling. The younger crowd buying the ATS can tell you that!
        When the Bavarians tried to come up with something original it was the Bangle-butt. I’ll stick with fins and Antione de LaMothe Cadillac’s coat of arms.

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        1. Fins and the original crest with ducks., please…tradition is important and building upon it only enhances the brand, not weakens it. Cadillac needs to be unique, and these small luxurious icons give it presence 🙂

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          1. “please…tradition is important and building upon it only enhances the brand, not weakens it.”

            By that logic, it isn’t “traditional” to build the ELR or ATS.

            Following “tradition” is what nearly killed Cadillac, with tired and uncompetitive cars like the Deville and the Eldorado. There was no way in hell Cadillac would have shaken off it’s stoggy and “old man” appearence if they had kept doing things “traditionally”; it certainly wouldn’t have had any appeal to where the luxury car market currently is.

            To do things “traditionally” is to reduce Cadillac to be noncompetitive. Just look look at Lincoln, dragging that awful Panther body into 2012, and the brand itself is still out in left field. That’s what happens when you drag tradition onward instead of making leaving it in the past and making new history in the present.

            Remember, you can’t sell an old car to a young man….and if you can, it’s because he’s a loser looking at Devilles in a used lot. Not the kind of person who should be dictate where Cadillac should be today.

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    2. Cadillac, Cadillac, Cadillac style…yes, the 80s commercial…gotta love it.

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  14. I just hope Cadillac uses the profits made for more Research and development instead of resting on laurels.

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  15. Comment from the NYC Auto Show today.

    #1 BMW 3-series is in my view the car to beat. I’ll take a 320i xdrive (awd) for $38k. Interior makes me feel smarter than any other car out there. Great price. again, tough to beat.

    #2 & #3 Cadillac ATS at $41k and XTS at $55k are gorgeous. Really outstanding exterior design. I was taken aback. XTS in particular was a well made car. I’d take either one any day of the weak (speaking at a 28 yearold). However the interior, as much of an improvement as it is over the last cadillacs no question, still feels a bit gimmicky. Side note, XTS attracted a very distinguished and discerning looking crowd. really really impressive showing. To me these are the #2 and #3 cars of the show.

    #4 2014 Camaro is outstanding. much more craftsmanship and style than either the mustang or dodges. no kidding, camaro wins. although I think that the LS version should NOT exist. it just lowers the standard too much and for what $3k? LT should be the minimum version. i’m cheap and i would never consider the LS — feels like a rental. i can’t wait to climb in and test drive the 2014. little concerned about rear visibility but we’ll see.

    #5 2013 dodge dart interior is glorious. far and away the best of any compact including Honda/Toyota/Cruze/Focus. Chevrolet needs to steal that german designer now. too bad the reviews make it sound only a so-so car to drive. #5 car of the show

    #6 2013 grand Cherokee interior is glorious. puts every other suv interior to shame. again, I’ve heard the quality of new jeeps is so-so. but that german nailed it again.

    #7 2013 Chevy Equinox interior is probably the best of any Chevrolet SUV right now. I would honestly take $34k chevy equinox over any of the other chevy SUVs right now. really outstanding. in my view it’s a fight between grand Cherokee and equinox at this price range and equinox wins on quality.

    #8 2013 Chevy Cruze. it’s been said before. seems like the winner of its class based on what ford/Toyota are putting out. Honda certainly attracted a lot of the target demographic, though.

    #9 2013 Mercedes SUVs are really doing great right now. but i feel like Cadillac could contend with the new escalade. a LOT of room for improvement over the new escalade interior model.

    #10 For the life of me i can’t figure out why Ram 1500 won truck of the year and Ford F-150 outsells Chevrolet/GMC. the Chevrolet/GMC trucks definitely win on interior quality. hands down – best most simple functional quality design.

    anyone else have opinion re?

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  16. Luxury used to mean quality but in the case of European vehicles it represents high maintenance and a real fear of repair costs once out of warranty. This in turn leads to depressed resale values once the warranty is gone.

    What Cadillac should do is copy Vauxhall’s lifetime warranty up to 100,000 miles. The European makes would not dare follow but maybe Lexus would. Having Lexus on board would be beneficial because Cadillac would, by association, be linked to the Toyota/Lexus reliability.

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    1. “Vauxhall’s lifetime warranty up to 100,000 miles” — that announcement by European automaker Opel, to sell a warranty up to 160’000 km als “lifetime warranty”, was met with harsh criticism, as a cheat. A good car should have a life time well beyond that (my Peugeot ran beyond the 210’000 km mark, till I had to give it up because of the emission regulations, and its probably still running in another country).

      Automakers should be honest, like some Korean manufacturers who offer a 7-year warranty (which might also have kilometer limit, which I do not know), but not annouce “lifetime” when not the whole life is meant.

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    2. LouisF…yes, high maintenance once warranty is up…excellent point made! I agree with this as friends who have bought these euros always complain about reliability and high cost…Cadillac has a good warranty and free maintenance on its new cars; extending it even further could really help buyers. It seems Cadillac has had a good record for quality of late 🙂

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  17. Anyone can afford a Audi now & to a lesser extent BMW. People buying a small Audi do so because they cannot afford a larger car simple as that. Prestige needs to say prestige & do so in a style (rather arrogantly too) its for the few privlaged to be able to enjoy as Jaguar & Mercedes know how to do it.

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  18. Yes there is a noticeable difference between Peugeots, Citroen’s, Renaults & Fiats than Fords, Vauxhall’s, VW’s, Audi’s & BMW’s however fact is Audi sell cars in A/B segment & C segment just like the mainstream manufatures Cadillac, Jaguar, Mercedes Benz, Lexus, Porsche, Maserati do not.

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  19. That dangerous game of diluting the brand to get more sales & appeal to the masses, & all of a sudden there’s another fwd, 4 cylinder hatchback with no real brand identity that’s boring to drive & look at.

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    1. It’s a fine line. Vehicles like the CLA and A3 are good examples of small luxury vehicles done right. They’re appealing to look at, practical, packed with content, and most importantly, have very highly regarded emblems on their front grilles. A bad example would be, sadly, the Cimmeron.

      And to further explain why such vehicles exist, it’s because most people don’t just buy “the product.” They buy brands WITH the products. Marketing 101.

      My sixth sense tells me that Cadillac is considering something below the ATS, even though nobody will come out and tell me. This is because if Cadillac wants to be a serious contender in Europe, and continue to increase its growth and appeal globally, such a vehicle is necessary. At this point, it would be unwise to think that such a vehicle would be poorly executed, lest the card castle they’re building falls.

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  20. These so called luxary brands with prestige keep chasing new cheaper segments has anyone thought where they & their image will be in 20 years time? It’s all well & good targeting a wider & more common market & no doubt every consumer survey says yes to a prestige MPV or supermini hatch etc however once the quick profits are in & the image & prestige ness are gone the damage is done.

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    1. V8 Jon and Robert,

      When you guys think of Mercedes-Benz, what comes to mind? I bet it has something to do with prestige, luxury, power, and the like. You both feel that luxury marquees don’t belong in smaller segments due to the risk of diluting the brand.

      But have you even seen M-B’s lineup lately? They have a vehicle for nearly every taste. Even a panel van. And they get away with it, and have been for years. Why? Because each model is well-executed, and they still consistently churn out products like the SLS, SL, S-Class, AMG/AMG Black models, etc. And every once in a while, cars like the SLR Sterling Moss, that take everyone aback, and continue to keep the brand on top of the food chain.

      Nobody is refusing these products because the “common” and “cheap” cars like the CLA, A-Class and B-Class exist. And if Benz can do it, why can’t Cadillac?

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  21. Those that want a 1.4 Cadillac for example (it even sounds wrong doesn’t it) cannot afford a Cadillac.

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    1. As before, if the 1.4 is attached a well built, tomb-quiet, competent, luxurious, leather-bound, smart-phone connected, auto-climate controlled, light-weight car, I don’t think many people will complain.

      Having a 1.4 also means it wouldn’t be hard on gas; another perk, and another thing that makes the car more appealing.

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  22. I Like Smoke and Lightning!!!!!

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  23. Tbh Mercedes is a cut above the likes of BMW & Audi, they have tradition & class and haven’t grown into their premium position they’ve been there all the time. yes they churn out many models (the majority still high end coupes & saloons) and all are priced exclusively. The A class is small true but its a new product and has took Mercedes years to enter the C segment (Audi & BMW there years before). I also think it will remain a purchase of the few. As for the CLA that’s longer than a saloon C class so in effect that is like a smaller CLS. With regards the business decision to do it because Mercedes Benz can get away with it well that’s not a good way of doing business & managing a prestige marque, Cadillac needs to do what’s best for Cadillac & that is to remain the best of the best & to showcase to the world GM’s best in luxuary.

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    1. You have just proven my point. Mercedes is a perfect example of what’s possible when a luxury brand goes full line and everything is properly executed. Glad to see you’re finally on board.

      What marketing data do you have to know just “what’s best for Cadillac?” If you want a flagship, if you want a nicer Escalade, if you want another benchmark performance car… that’s all coming. But the brand will not bloom unless it offers vehicles in growing segments at the same time. That’s all there is to it. All it takes is to constantly offer class-leading vehicles in every segment they enter to show their dominance.

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  24. Mercedes has got away with it so to speak because their market is 100,000 pound/dollar saloons & coupes they make many models of these not just one so one small car they can edge their bets with. Audi & BMW have one flagship (A8 & 7 series both of which don’t sell or command the same respect as an S class) also the Audi & BMW smaller models are cheaper, sell more of, & are more than one model of in manufactures range (A1,A3,Q3) & (1 Series,X1) couple this with A5 & 4 Series (no doubt changed name to distance from more common saloons of what based on) & finally hatchback variants of A7 & 3&5 as well as small SUV Q3 & X3 says Mercedes can indeed get away with what others cannot.

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  25. If Cadillac wants to be where Mercedes is then in my opinion it needs to concentrate on high end 100,000 cost, low sales, high image products then with about a good half a dozen expensive saloons & coupes can then produce if wants/needs a small car, they will then get away with it also. If Cadillac chooses not to concentrate on high end market with cars for example like the sixteen then it too will be another Audi/BMW – not at all bad, but no, yes I’ve finally made it I’ve purchased a Cadillac/Mercedes/Jaguar/Maserati.

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    1. I was speaking with the notion that you already understood that Cadillac would be offering very high-end vehicles in the future. Thought that was a given.

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      1. I’m under the impression that Jon feels that Cadillac should have no place in the mid-size or smaller segments; just aim at the S-class and everything will be fine.

        He also fails to consider clout; something that Mercedes has in abundance the world over, and what Cadillac has in fragments even in many parts of the US.

        Whatever becomes of Cadillac and its products portfolio, it’s not something that should be rushed, especially not rushed on a whim and belief that the S-class can be pushed aside in 1 or 2 model years.

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      2. Manoli….producing high-end vehicles is a given today and Cadillac has the chance to make itself desirable and worthy of its name …the 80s and 90s were different times as lots of cars were just not very well-built. or reliable, even GMC/Cadillac. That is in the past thankfully!

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  26. What an interesting, great and excellent topic. Gawdaddy yes to the 1.4 Cadillac with the following provisions, if at least two larger saloons outsell it, it comes as a coupe & it’s sales price is expensive & competing with similar larger coupes within the Cadillac brand.

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  27. As for a Cadillac S class, yes if that’s the market they would like (they may not/ they may) then it should be the very best in the world on its launch so it isn’t something that should be rushed, get it right the whole Cadillac brand is resting on it.

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  28. Yes it competes with Adam & the others, but it still reminds me of a Audi 50.

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  29. Well, luxury is luxury, style is style, class is class; people buy all these brands because of that very reason…Cadillac needs to best each one in every way possible. I feel that Cadillac needs to add more standard features and give something extra the others do not, that unique American luxury that does not copy euros 🙂
    For example, why use leatherette seating as BMW and Mercedes does? Offer standard leather, at least for bolsters, and then give a choice of luxe fabrics or suede inserts? Give a better choice that says Standard of the World 🙂

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