Cadillac announced the first steps of its new future growth strategy for Europe at the Geneva Motor Show last week. The plan involves three crucial pillars, brand positioning with a strong focus on customer service, a continuously expanding model lineup and a European ‘Start-up’ Cadillac team that will help the brand meet its sales goals overseas.
“We at Cadillac see ourselves as a true ‘challenger brand’ in Europe and we fully understand that we have a lot of work ahead of us to make ourselves relevant to the European premium customer,” Managing Director of Chevrolet and Cadillac Europe, Thomas Sedran, said in a statement. “Being a niche player, we have the opportunity to challenge the traditional approaches to marketing and selling premium vehicles.”
This year, Cadillac will bring the ATS coupe and sedan, the CTS sedan, the SRX crossover and the new Escalade to Europe. Diesel engines will eventually find their way into the cars as well, but no time frame has been given as to when they will arrive.
“The engine of growth for Cadillac is our cars, with a fresh new take on premium. The unique personality of the brand makes Cadillac the distinctive new face in the crowd. Europe is a key region for any premium brand and will play an important part for Cadillac in the future,” said Cadillac’s Global Chief Marketing Officer, Uwe Ellinghaus.
Cadillac dealers will also be responsible for selling Chevrolet sports cars in Europe. The portfolio will include the Corvette Stingray in both coupe and convertible variants, the Corvette Z06 and the Camaro coupe and convertible.
Comments
No chance – to try and launch in Europe without the diesel engines from day one will end up the same way Cadillac have in last 4 (YES 4!!) attempts to launch the brand in Europe. Also there is no definite confirmation of RHD for the UK market, if this is the case then that’s the second largest market in Europe for premium cars that will be excluded. Without more info, and there may be more to come, this has all the hallmarks of another GM Manchester United sponsorship episode.
GM must do RHD on and Diesel engine option on everything, not just Cadillac but also on Camaro and Corvette. Cadillac Also needs to push harder and increase its visablity in those countries more open to American Cars like Sweden Norway Holland, Denmark and Finland. The largest American Car show in the world is held every summer in Västerås, Sweden, and attracts more than 10000 classic american cars from all over Europe. Google: “Västerås Big Power Meet”. Eastern Europe is also more open to american Brands . Germany will always be important but it will be the toughest nut to crack for any non-German manufacturer.
I’m from Spain and I want a Cadillac in my country, but as you well say, Cadillac MUST offer variants Diesel in all their cars if they want to be taken seriously, in my country, all Audi BMW or Mercedes that sold, 70 % had diesel engines, Cadillac offers very good cars, but the lack of diesel engines makes people at least in my country, do not they want.
Corvette and Camaro, should never be offered in Diesel
Waste of money! Even when the European economy improves, the demos are poor, and the market has too many premium offerings. I also question, with German economic nationalism, how well they can do in the continents most important market.
Do you need Europe in 2014 to be a true global player? VW limps along in NA yet does very well. Toyota and Lexus are weak in Europe yet they are the world’s biggest brand.
I want to see GM stop investing in loosing markets. Why does GM fight in Japan, meeting costly local requirements? There are many other such examples (EU, Indoneasia, Mongolia, Laos). Would this money not be better spent bringing Opel (Buick) as a middle brand to Brazil?