When Cadillac debuts the 2016 CT6 sedan this week, they won’t only be returning to their roots of making large luxury cars, but introducing an all-new naming scheme more in line with what BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi use. Some have been critical of Cadillac’s new naming convention, but the automaker sees it as a necessary change as it looks to be more competitive in the luxury realm.
As Forbes explains, Cadillac’s current way of naming cars has no real logic. The cars get bigger when the letters come later on the alphabet, like the CTS and ATS, however ELR is an outlier and the SRX and Escalade stand on their own too. To remedy this, future Cadillac sedan names will start with ‘CT’ and will be followed by a numeric representing the size of the model, while SUVs will follow the same pattern, starting with ‘XT’.
“There is a certain expectation we must meet for comparing products with one another within our brand and against our rivals,” Cadillac CMO Uwe Ellinghaus told Forbes in a recent interview. “Customers come to the Cadillac showroom and ask, ‘What’s your Audi A4?’ or ‘What’s your BMW 5 Series?’ We hate that, but because of the (Germans’) dominance, they set the expectations.”
Some have argued the alphanumeric naming scheme is a bit dry and lacks personality, however Cadillac wants the cars to attract customers, not the names. Additionally, it’s much easier and cheaper to market similar names like CT4 and CT6, rather than a bunch of completely separate names like Fleetwood or Eldorado, for example.
“How many names can we afford to communicate anyway?” Ellinghaus said. “We want the brand to be the driver of passion for Cadillac, not model names.”
Comments
I’m done with this.
I prefer names over this alpha numeric mess, but let’s wait and see.
Today, while meeting with a client, she remarked as a black Porsche Panamera rolled down the street “Oh, it’s a Porsche.”
The name ‘Panamera’ was not mentioned by her or me. She didn’t mention the name. She didn’t fumble about trying to guess the name. She didn’t call it ‘that big Porsche car’. She just named the marque. She correctly identified it as a Porsche; an object of aspirational desire.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspirational_brand
I don’t want to keep pouring cold water on every other tired argument about ‘names’ for Cadillac, because for people who have aspirational desires, they want the object for what it embodies and what that brands positive public image can do for them.
Even if the CT6 was called Fleetwood, there would still be more reminders of what the brand is the dotted about the car than indications about what it’s name is…and that’s the badge. Cadillac’s crest carries more weight and clout than the Fleetwood nameplate ever could. To say otherwise is to say that Cadillac’s image as a whole has fallen beneath that of a car last build 20 years ago.
If people are going to want and lust for a Cadillac, Cadillac needs to present and promote itself as makers of worthy, exceptional, and aspirational products. Products where people instantly recognize it as a Cadillac before they inquire about the product.
The client knew a Porsche just by sight alone and didn’t have to look at the nameplate glued onto the back of the car. Cadillac, eventually, will have to do the same thing; where it is recognized by appearance and not by name. That’s the strength and advantage of promoting a positive brand image, where the badge and product are desired for by the masses without having to worry about naming product to evoke a memory of the past for the few.
This is a good point and was also mentioned by Uwe Ellinghaus in the Forbes article. He said ““We need to let the Cadillac brand be the driver of the questions and let the cars underneath sort themselves out by size and price.”
The naming scheme will help simplify the line up and make the cars easier to identify for consumers, especially on a global scale going forward. Instead of having a passionate name like ‘Fleetwood’, the passion will lie in the Cadillac name. Porsche is an excellent example of this.
On the other hand how many people see a Corvette and go ” That is a Chevy”. Same with a Camaro or even a Mustang.
You do realize that your argument cancels it self out right? Why would she know it’s a Panamera? Is she a car Enthusiast? She knows it’s a Porsche because it looks like a Porsche and over the years Porsche has put in work to maintain that look as well as the brand identity that goes along with it.
Cadillac long since dropped the ball on that. But guess what? Until the early 90s (and arguably now) if a car with the wreath and crest rolled down the street and was big and long, most anyone who has seen a Cadillac would have said “that’s a Cadillac”. The problem is that until recently no new Cadillac would have elicited an enthusiastic “oh” upon the initial ID’ing of said Cadillac, but most everyone knows what a Cadillac looks like.
You’re missing the point. She, and everyone else in the world, don’t need to concern themselves with the names of specific car model; only the name Cadillac.
Worrying needlessly about how Cadillac names its cars is to suggest that a name like Fleetwood would carry more clout than the name Cadillac should. That is unacceptable, and it’s why Cadillac doesn’t need to bring back old names.
Chiefly, it’s too many non-luxury buyers attached to the nameplates of terrible past cars and not the marque, and they keep bringing up those names for embarrassing reasons (faded memories of the past and incorrect impressions that such terrible cars of the past are standards for others to follow today).
CT6 in all it’s glory
http://www.carscoops.com/2015/03/2016-cadillac-ct6-heres-it-is-in-all.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
Nice scoop! I thought the unveiling was today? Maybe tonight.
Maybe when a caddy or Porsche drives by they don’t know what model it is. But when they see a corvette they will say CORVETTE!
The difference for Cadillac and Porsche is that people DON’T have to know exactly what the car’s name is to aspire to own it; the brand sells itself on the presence of the cars the bear the badge. At the moment, Porsche does this better than Cadillac.
Ultimately, names used as a specific characteristic of the car are weak substitute for a properly cultivated aspirational brand image. The cars should be revered as Cadillac’s, not just because they are (were) Fleetwood’s.
The reason you use names as specifics characteristics in the case of the Corvette and Mustang is because there are “less desirable” non-sports cars in both Chevrolet and Ford range that are associated with the two sports cars. Both the Spark and Corvette are Chevrolets, but you have to name names to be specific about which one you own; to make that distinction between the two.
In the Cadillac’s case, they are expected to make exceptional cars so that no matter what it’s named, you can pride yourself in telling someone that you own a Cadillac without having to be specific about what one it is that you drive. The name ‘Cadillac’ alone will have to strengthen itself on the basis of the product it offers.
Are those little cadillac crests on the fender? Interesting choice to place brand crests also on the side of the car
Yup, those are Caddy crests on the fender. It’s similar to what Rolls Royce does on the Phantom as well
The crest on the fender may be covering a hole for turn signals in other markets. That is common with many international models. This one will be in China so it may lose the crest there.
As for the names such a fuss.
Ok how many people here bought a car just for the name? Hands?????
Ok Just as I thought.
Ok if I put the Corvette name on the Spark how many would buy it then???? Hands????
No one.
Well it is time to learn a neat fact the reality is the auto market is the car makes the name or even the number. Names are meaningless for the most part until it is defined by things like styling, image, technology, performance etc. These physical attributes define a car and gives meaning to the name or number.
The market has proven time and time again you can call them anything you like and the sales will not change but you build the car right and give it the proper tools to sell the name or number will be retained and will hold meaning to those in the market.
Just like naming your kid. You can name him George Washington but the kid can still turn out to be a deadbeat drug attic dirt bag. You can name him THX-138 and with the proper education and tools he can be the guy that creates a better computer than Steve Jobs.
Get the product right and the names or numbers will hold meaning.
How come none complains about things like Z/28, ZR1, Z/71, Z06, ZL1, HHR, SS, RS, GTO, 442, GS, GN, GNX, SD and many other letter numbers that have been used at Chevy and other GM brands.
Let Cadillac get the right products and the rest will take care of itself.
The right product done right will make a name for itself regardless of the plate you place on it.
On the other hand look at Olds. They took their best name Cutlass and put it on nearly everything in the 80’s with poor results. The only one that continued to sell was the original Cutlass Supreme. How did that turn out. Go to the local Olds dealer and ask them if the use of a popular name worked out well. They lacked the right product and no name can save it.
Scott your points of view are usually well thought out and cohesive, this one is just a mess. OF COURSE the name matters. All those cars you mentioned…well except the HHR, are LEGENDS and they are legends in part BECAUSE of the name. The Z/28 was a order option code, but checking that box made a Camaro so awesome a non-descriptive option code became THE name of that model of Camaro. Same with the ZR1, ZL1 and etc. Heck the Super Duty name for Pontiac MEANT you were getting the no BS baddest of the baddest, that Pontiac had to offer! When a guy uttered the words ‘Super Duty’ as he stated why his Catalina, or Firebird was so special; those who knew gave respect and those who didn’t got interested.
A name means EVERYTHING, and can come to represent a hallowed icon or a notorious ill. People don’t revere a M3, or 911 because the alpha numeric designations sound “sophisticated” or “advent garde”, they respect them because they were betrothed to cars that were stand out icons of their class and type.
That’s where GM and Cadillac have fallen short. They WASTED great nameplates in their hubris. And rather than focus wholly on making kick ass cars that are worthy of the old – or entirely new great names – they copy the competition, thinking they can short cut it to respectability!
It will take YEARS to regain what GM lost. Unfortunately that’s the only way to regain a hard earned reputation that was literally trashed for decades.
I generally agree with most of what you state.
The bottom line is GM trashed most of their names in the Cadillac line. What may help you with one customer will hurt you with 3 others because of the trash they offered over the last 35 years.
The way I see it the car made the 911 name and if Porsche has trashed the name with several decades of poor product with that number it would be a difficult thing to revisit that name if half of your potential buyers do not remember anything good.
It is easier to just start over but here we are again with the real challenge that the cars themselves are what turn a car into an Icon not the name. If Cadillac continues to improve and build better products the fact is the new numbers that they use will be well known and respected for the car is what represents them not the name representing the car.
The bottom line is good product makes itself known and respected regardless of the name.
Now if Cadillac has not mucked up the cars of the 80’s and 90’s these names would have been used but too many poor product too recently have damaged them for now. The day when Cadillac has a reputation that is secure they can revisit these names with product well beyond even what we have today.
But all the letters names I posted all were held in high regard and for the most part represented cars that for the most did not damage their names much if at all. Most of the muscle car names were gone not because they were bad cars but because of insurance and gas prices. We did have a 74 GTO here and a 75 z/28 there but most at least were respectable. Now turn to Cadillac of the late 82-90’s and just look at one mistake after another. The move to FWD in the 80’s was something that would have killed weaker companies. Only their past image kept them going and some small signs of life with the new FWD Seville in the 90’s kept the lights on. Slowly they have fixed things but not till last August did they do what was needed This should accelerate the advancement now greatly.
Sorry for my mess up above but I was in a hurry and just kind of pissed at the fact some get things backwards and place so much importance of a name making the car vs. the car really making the name.
Whomever Ullinghaus is, his logic is full of crap. NAMES of cars are far more memorable than arbitrary numeric designations. Cadiilac need not be so goose-stepping german inflexible in it’s naming process….and Elmiraj for that most beautiful concept in the world is JUST FINE.
If I put the Elmiraj on an Aztek would you buy it just because of the name?
You do understand that Cadillac for the most part did not use names till the 50’s Most were called Series 62 or Series 72 or simply Sixteen. Cadillac was number long before the Germans really came to our shores as competitors.
Cars like the Sixteen are now classics because of their engineering and styling not their name. These cars made the name and number historic. Slap that name on a lesser car of that era and people would say what was that?
If you like name then just say so but get your facts right about the rest of this.
I agree if they don’t think a name matters they should call it Vega.
Are you saying that the Fleetwood name is more important than the Cadillac name?
Which name do you think is more likely to carry more clout and stick in the mind of a luxury buyer? Fleetwood or Cadillac?
Ullinghaus and deNychenn are trying to grow the Cadillac name, and you’re thinking it would be a better use of their time reheating a dead name that was attached to substandard cars from 20 years ago.
Names are not more memorable if the product is crap. When the products are habitually crap, the name gets dragged through the mud where it never recovers. The Fleetwood was crap. The Eldorado was crap. The Deville was crap. The Seville was crap. Why should Cadillac squander it last chance at reinvention with names attached to crap products?
The argument about names or letters is pretty irrelevant. We all know that if a ATS, CTS, ABCD – who give a f#$k – was a crappy car, it would no more benefit Cadillac to have letters vs a actual name anyway.
I wish EVERYONE would stop worrying about the BS and focus on making a great Cadillac.
I will also say again, if you are APE’ing your competition you are NOT leading. You are playing the game by their rules and will always be left holding the tab. Because leaders Create, Reinvent, and Change the rules of the game, not follow what others have done before them.
Want to break rules? How about no name or numbers . We just call them small, medium and large Cadillac’s. We just put a L, M and S on the back and a XXL for the SUV. LOL!
All kidding aside you build it right it that would work too.