We knew Cadillac boss Johan de Nysschen has big plans in store for the brand. But we didn’t quite understand the scale of his plans until he sat down for an interview with Automotive News. The former Audi exec revealed Cadillac hopes to sell ultra-luxury cars that retail for $250,000 by the year 2029, adding that Cadillac isn’t ready for models that expensive right now.
With the upcoming CT6 and larger CT8 or CT9 full-size models on the way, we’ve been curious about the prices of Cadillac’s future product offerings. The automaker has voiced its desire to go head-to-head with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, which starts at $95,000 and can cost well over $200,000, but de Nysschen says Cadillac won’t be trying to price match that car. Not for now, anyway.
“It is too early today for a $250,000 Cadillac,” de Nysschen told AN at the Los Angeles Auto Show. “Fifteen years from now, it won’t be.”
The upcoming CT6 will be about the size of short wheelbase full-size luxury sedans. More expensive models are in the cards, however the 2016 CT6 will be Cadillac’s most luxurious and advanced model to date when it makes its debut in 2015. According to de Nysschen, it will start at around $70,000, less than the S-Class but on par with the BMW 7-Series ($74,000) and Audi A8 ($77,400).
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I do see this type of car in 15 years once Cadillac’s image is close to the same or better than Mercedes, BMW, Audi and Lexus.
It may seem like a long time but 2029 will get here before any of use know it. It would be nice for Cadillac to have such a car like this.
The way to start building the image is to have the CT6 which costs around $70,000, continue refining the Cadillac brand which is excellent, by best this far, but needs room for improvement, have a CT7 & CT8 close around $100.000-$150,000 in 2020 and continue improving and strive to be best in class. People will come and I guarantee it. If the ATS-Vs are an indication of them being viral across the internet, it will not be hard to believe to have a quarter of a million dollar car in ’15 years.
Agreed. But keep in mind the possibility of this:
CT7 = coupe version of CT6.
CT8 = a level above the CT6.
Personally, I am discontented that GM is thinking in terms of 15 year plans to get to this point.
This is the company that built the Cadillac Sixteen in shockingly short turnover times, and almost green lit it for production. Think faster – build better.
Chris sorry but reality always kicks you in the ass on things like this.
Cadillac needs to learn how to walk before they can run. Just because you can build it is no guarantee that anyone will buy it for that price. even Benz failed with the Maybach.
GM needs to complete their image make over wit the cars the normal buyers will buy and then move to this class once they earn their rep in 15 years. Who knows they may not be ready then either but at least they have a goal to work towards.
Too may people forget the Sixteen was a show car of limited driving use. I saw the car here in Ohio being driven and it is beautiful gut it is still a show prop. The car is not near ready for production and at this point it would be a money pit for all they would have to spend on it and for how many they would sell.
Moving forward they will be in a better place to deal with this but no now.
Let them get their house in order first. de Nysschen has only been in place for a few months and we need to let them make the need changed to the way Cadillac operates. Nearly all that he has done is still on paper and even the early moves are not even in place yet.
If you want to do this car and do it right it will take more than just using an old Sixteen show car.
Why not beat the competition by offering the same $200k-class cars, but with affordable pricing. There is a concept! Make ‘super-luxury’ more affordable.
“Why not beat the competition by offering the same $200k-class cars, but with affordable pricing. There is a concept! Make ‘super-luxury’ more affordable.”
It won’t happen because there is no such thing as affordable luxury, no matter what the price point it. The “super-luxury” segment offers cars that are worthy of the price they command. Doing less and offering for less suggests that the product is less than exceptional, something that no “super-luxury” car can afford to present to the world.
Give the best. Faulter and give less than 100%, and the world will ignore you.
That type of vehicle may be part of their goal to sell more cars over seas . But it is highly unlikely to make the business case to sell that here in the states . Maybe the Hollywood crowd or music mogals will buy one but thats about it . Plus to spend that kind of cash to develop and manufacture it , just doesn;t make sense . If GM has that kind of scratch to spend in 5 years , how bout bringing back one of the divisions that went away during bankrupcy , like Pontiac !
Never going to happen. I don’t see Cadillac going further up market than Lexus, meaning direct competition with Buick.
GM will hold substancal market share in entry level luxury segment.
Direct competition with Buick? I only have myself to go off of, Im a small business owner making low 7 figures. In my eyes, Cadillac is in direct competition with Mercedes already. I bought the 15 Escalade over the Mercedes GL550 and a CTS VSport over the e63, and price had zero to do with it. I’m interested in the S550 but I’ve been holding off to see what Cadillac brings to the table with their CT6. Will be very difficult to match S550 interior, I don’t think GM has it in them (yet). Buick isn’t even remotely close to what Cadillac is offering these days, at least not when looking at their top of the line models. Lexus hasn’t revamped their large SUV offering in a decade, and their Sedans just aren’t that great. Personally I’d never buy any Lexus over a Cadillac. Cadillac is doing big things right now, and I very much see them as being in direct competiton with Mercedes, Audi, JLR and BMW. I personally think they are well positioned to be the pinnacle automaker in the 75 to 125k price range. Will take some time before people will take a 250k GM product seriously, but it’s not out of the realm of possibilities.
For me Cadillac needs a model to oppose the German supercar.
Then a super flagship to get closer to a third of a million.