Has Cadillac Missed An Opportunity To Introduce A Luxury Pickup Truck?
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Whether Cadillac likes it or not, its best-selling vehicle is a body-on-frame SUV. The Cadillac Escalade exudes everything the brand wants from its crossovers and other passenger vehicles. Swagger, luxury, aspiration, pick your adjective.
In the meantime, while Cadillac plays catch up with crossover vehicles, German rival Mercedes-Benz prepares to enter new territory with its own luxury pickup truck, set to debut on October 25. At this point, it seems like a major missed opportunity for Cadillac.
While crossovers are fine and dandy, pickup trucks are the other hot ticket in the U.S. market. And, if there’s a vehicle General Motors knows how to build, it’s a damn good truck. In fact, we’d venture to say its pickups and SUVs are core competencies of the General, alongside its small-block V8 engine.
A Cadillac pickup truck would be nearly effortless, borrowing extensively from the GMC Sierra or Canyon Denali’s playbook, but upping the luxury appointments even further. If there’s anything we can learn from Denali sales, it’s that these buyers aren’t using their vehicles for work; Denali trucks and SUVs are roaming strip malls and taking kids to school all across the United States.
No, a Cadillac truck would not fall in line with Cadillac’s current overarching strategy. But, you know what it would be doing? Daring greatly and setting itself apart as an American luxury powerhouse.
Cadillac knows how to build big vehicles, it’s what the brand has long been known for. The fact it has taken another automaker this long to understand Americans like luxurious trucks is shocking. It’s just even more surprising Cadillac hasn’t taken advantage of it first.
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Here is the best comparison if Cadillac would do a truck.
Lincoln Blackwood 2002 3,356 Originally 18,000 were expected and the LT and Blackwood neither made that number any year.
Lincoln Mark LT
2005- 10.274
2006- 12,753
2007- 8,382
2008- 4,631
2009- 147
Not much meat on the bone here.
2010-2014 I do not have the numbers but since it was discontinued I would say they were not enough to save it.
Do not mistake SUV sales with truck sales as they are two different demographics and two entirely different segments.
Keep in mind companies like Benz and VW are doing more high end trucks as they want a truck but they have no low segment to sell them in. Also they have yet to prove they will be successful either. Based on the Lincoln numbers I expect they will struggle.
Sure they could be a few bucks but with all that investment today MFG look at making the most of their investment and other projects like additional SUV models would sell many times the best Lincoln LT sold.
If you can sell product A for 2000 units and $2000 profit or you can sell Product B for 20,000 units for $3000 per unit and you have to chose one what would you do?
Making money is not enough it is about making the most money per dollar invested.
One only has to look to the best example of this product segment in the Lincoln Blackwood and the defunct Lincoln Mark LT as both sold so few cars over so many years Ford finally gave up.
I would not lump the EXT in this as it was as much or more an SUV than a truck. SUV models are a whole different segment in this game and a whole lot bigger demographic.
It will be interesting to see how Benz markets their truck and just how many they really sell. With global sales they may make it work but just North American sales only it will fail miserably.
VW is going global with their truck so they have a fighting chance.
I would fault GM if they did not already have the Denali line but as sales are slipping on all trucks and brands now is not a time I would bring anything like this to market.
Chris–I found the power rear window I had in a Tundra a while back to be convenient and useful when loading long pieces of lumber or long fly fishing rods from one fishing hole to the next and needing to make small adjustments in the opening size while driving; opening it a bit while travelling to get a nice fresh air stream through the truck; let the big dog in the back seat stick his nose out for a whiff or two; letting passengers in the back reach into the bed for something, and so on. The Tundra had a power rear window that “rolled” all the way down, as opposed to sliding horizontally, and I especially liked that feature. Ron
Ci2Eye, i agree with you 100 %
Mr. C
OK, my opinion has changed a bit with the Mercedes show truck now shown. It is a mid size truck based on a Nissan. Nothing real special. They will just doll up the Nissan basics and have a non working man truck for the rich masses. In other words if you want to pull or carry a toy (boat, skidoo, play motorcycle) and have lots of money and want something next to your Lambo or BMW or Mercedes this is the vehicle to get.
My Colorado is not this truck. Even in some Denali form it will not compete. GMC does not have the panache. IF GM wants to compete Cadillac needs a fully restyled and upgraded Colorado in their portfolio. BUT I doubt this is a GM priority. But it is something they should watch to see what happens.