It seems like the antithesis of what an enthusiast would define as “sporty”, but performance crossovers and SUVs exist, and they’re selling in droves. On the opposite end of the spectrum, sports cars and performance coupes are slumping.
Why? Baby boomers are getting a little too old to slide behind the wheel and sink down into a cramped performance coupe. It’s not just the C7 Corvette and sixth-generation Chevrolet Camaro, either.
According to recent data compiled by Bloomberg, even Porsche is feeling the pain that is the graying of America; traditional baby boomer buyers aren’t stepping into 911s like they used to. Ford and its iconic Mustang know the same issue, leading to the idling of the pony car’s plant while inventory sells off.
In the meantime, performance crossovers and SUVs from BMW, Mercedes and Porsche are selling at rapid rates. And of course they are. They’re comfortable, roomy and can still pack a punch for some fun in the passing lane. It’s just what the doctor ordered for an aging baby boomer with the need for speed.
Meanwhile, Generation X won’t come to the rescue for sports cars. There are simply fewer of them to purchase performance coupes. And despite what you may hear about millennials, they still like to drive and hold an admiration for sports cars. However, they can’t afford them at this stage in life.
Therefore, it’s time General Motors get in the game and cover its bases. Much like we argued for entry-level performance from a Chevrolet Cruze SS, Cadillac should be working to hop up its crossover portfolio to court aging buyers looking for more than a leather-lined drive from point A, to point B.
It’s not a new formula, and one Cadillac could have no trouble adhering to. Drop a powerful engine into a Cadillac XT5, gussy up the exterior and voila. The same can be said about the on again, off again Cadillac Escalade-V.
You don’t believe us when we say the General is lagging behind on performance SUVs and crossovers? Digest the following.
Each and every single Mercedes-Benz crossover and SUV has an AMG variant. Every. Single. One. That’s the GLA, GLC, GLE, GLE coupe, GLS, G-class and the E-class wagon.
What does General Motors have? Nothing.
Until millennials find their footing as consumers, sports car sales will continue to dwindle. They won’t go away, but they’ll certainly shrink to a much smaller segment than we’re used to. And who knows how drastically the market will shift by the time the internet generation can afford such an expressive vehicle.
Until then, it’s the performance crossover SUV that will rein supreme. And the Germans are raining on GM’s parade.
Comments
Cadillac has the platforms to do it. XT5 should have been based on Alpha and given a design to show off its performance and RWD nature. Instead we got a stubby front end, but still a comfortable ride. The market is moving in this direction, and it is time for Cadillac to catch up. Just look at the success Jaguar is seeing with the new F-Pace.
Agree that there is a market for a performance variant of luxury crossovers but the F-Pace is not setting the world on fire sales volume wise.
The F-Pace sold 809 units in September.
http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2016/10/usa-luxury-suv-crossover-sales-stats-september-2016-ytd.html
A XT5 V-Sport can help Cadillac increase their sales volume.
Cadillac recently announced it is adding a 3rd shift to the plant the assembles the XT5. Maybe they already have the intent on making a performance version and need the extra capacity to do it.
Well Cadillac will address this moving forward I expect with a purpose built Sport SUV and not some hack job FWD based model with a bigger engine.
#1 the sport SUV market is not really that large or in effect in the lower price range.
#2 The Premium brands tend to have luck with these as they can afford to charge the higher price in doing them right.
#3 Performance is not where the money is anymore. It used to be the desire of most buyers but today the segment is shrinking. I hate seeing this but look around as vehicles are more about efficiency and just getting there to most buyers anymore. Most of the Millennials were raised in the back seat of a Civic or Camry and hold little lust for performance outside their video games or phone.
The Dodge RT package did little. the Ford Edge sport is not a common sight on the road. the Porsche models have done well but there again higher priced and done right.
I expect the coming Cadillac model between the XT5 and Escalade will have a sport model but it will not be a dedicated Sport model.
My heart screams performance but the market is not in the same frame of though as I and many other performance enthusiast. You can’t expect a company to invest heavily in a segment they will make less money in than if they just made another standard model either.
Lets also face it the XT5 is the wrong platform if you are going to do this right. Compare this to the best selling Porsche models and there is no comparison. The Macan and Cayenne are both good examples of where they need to go and the XT5 is just a totally different model.
Take an Alpha or Omega and base a new model on these for Cadillac. If you are going to do it then do it right not half a$$ed.
This should be a no brainer for Cadillac and a space they should have already been in.
They could drop the 3.0TT from the CT6 into the XT5 and LT4 from the Corvette into the Escalade and make V-Sport versions of both.
The engines are already available and the engineering would not be that difficult.
It would not require a new platform because these crossovers/SUVs would not be full V versions. No one is taking an Escalade for a track day but extra power is always desireable even if the driver never uses it.
It would be nice if we can have utility, comfort and performance…I have a feeling that sedans and coupes will be slowly dying off and be shoved aside over CUV/SUVs….they should make a utility vehicle thet isn’t a fat, stubby FWD like the XT5…..the problem is that SUVs are too tall and stubby to be performance vehicles.
Cadillac can still make the XT5 in particular perform better without giving up utility.
The crossover proportions are what they are. They are always going to be taller, wider and shorter overhangs generally than cars. If not they would be wagons.
I totally agree . I am a Boomer but it’s not so much an age thing as it is a height thing . Tall customers like my self just don’t fit well in a Corvette or Camaro or many sedans . This could be a very profitable segment for GM to be in .
A mid-size SUV that has some power and sticks well on the twisties . The XT5 isn’t the one to do this , but I hope whatever Johan has coming can address this . Something like a tall wagon similar to Volvo’s XC90 for example .
That vehicle has road presence and the interior is someplace you wouldn’t mind spending time in on a road trip .
But I am a GM guy , thats really the only reason I’m not driving one now .
But then again the future of Cadillac is not us old farts so why bother? It is not where Cadillac wants to go! Some very serious sarcasm!
This is another no brainer that should’ve occurred yesterday!
the Sebure Outback and volvo XC90 don’t look fat and stubby like the XT5.
General Motors needs to not think of CUVs as simply trucks as they’re a new type of cars and it’s like the late-60s again where everyone was putting big motors into almost every thing; this is what General Motors needs to consider doing as Cadillac needs to develop a V variant for their Escalade and XT5 while Chevy needs to consider putting possibly a 252-270 horsepower LTG 2.0L DOHC-4v 4-cyl turbo in their Trax and Equinox.
I am surprised that there was not a V-Sport version of the Escalade already. It would have driven up the ATP’s and added more profit for Cadillac.
I believe that the XT5 is destined to get the 3.0TT from the CT6 within the next 12 months.
Agree 100%. Why does GM/Cadillac have to be last to the party?
With Corvette becoming mid-engined (if true) there could be a Corvette kind-of-SUV accompanying – like the expected F-PACE SVR and Stelvio (Quadrifoglio or whatever) should within the next months. But yes, GM have to be the last to the party. Soon after that the whole party has to come to an end.
Unfortunately I agree that GM in general seems to be a little day late and dollar short most of the time.
I think upper management is a little overly cautious.
‘Fortune favours the brave.’
‘Dare Greatly’ – it starts at home.
Cadillac needs crossovers period not necessarily high performance ones. We all want a rwd, alpha based crossover but if doesn’t make sense. People who buy luxury crossovers won’t care about that stuff. Cadillac should focus on crossovers with comfort and luxury. They can be sporty and handle well but comfort and luxury should be above that. Anything performance is a niche and luxury is no different. The “preformance” SUV will just screw Cadillac over. They invest a huge amount of money in them, they become a niche and then when the next big recession happens or gas prices explode these performance SUVs will be axed. Also if they are preformanced based they will ride harsh. I’m fine with the sedans being performance based but crossovers should not be. Cadillac needs to build up their “regular” cars before the the consider performance. An example of failure due to performance oriented development is FCA.
Don, thanks for your sanity in that post. It’s a very small group that cares about “performance” even though that group is very vocal in the automotive press and on websites. Cadillac does need more SUVs/crossovers, but not necessarily high performance (i.e. hard riding, sharp handling) ones.
Amen to the original post! I am shopping sporty mid-size crossovers and looking at the Macan, F-Pace, AMG GLC 43, and even the BMW X3. I am disappointed GM truly has nothing! The XT5 is unsporting, GMCs are for the glitz/utility crowd and Chevy/Buick XUVs are just point A to B transportation.
Aside from the Corvette/Camaro team, who have the right enthusiast formula: performance models with enhancements every year to keep the products fresh (1LE, ZL1, Grand Sport, Z28, ZR1, etc), everything else in the GM lineup is stagnant for enthusiasts.
SUVs/Crossovers: You said it. Absolutely nothing for the performance crowd
Sedans: Even the 2 Cadillac V sedans are becoming stale with the ATS-V getting long in the tooth, now in it’s 5th year of ATS production and the CTS entering it’s 4th year. What took so long to get these Vs so late in their cycles to begin with? How about special editions like a V-8 ATS (no-brainer to begin with) or an amped-up CTS-Vsport with the ATS-V engine and some sporty trim to replace all the chrome? Mix it up with different price-points and unique offerings.
I drive a 2nd gen CTS-V with 6-sp manual, which now feels like a unicorn of sorts. Maybe they should bring back Bob Lutz… just for a couple of years…please?
I’m pretty sure they will make CUV/SUVs lightweight and fuel efficient…plus they could launch more advanced EV hybrid technology…so if gas prices go up again CUVs won’t be axed.
In this price category gas prices are not the mitigating factor for purchase.
If you can afford a $60000-$80000 vehicle having to pay an extra $20-$30 for a tank of gas is not going to change your mind about buying the vehicle. If it does then you shouldn’t have overextended yourself to buy it in the first place.
Yes..yes…yes!! BMW X5M, Land Rover Sport, Jaguar Pace, Jeep GC SRT….need anymore? Where have you gone, my dearest Trailblazer SS?
Definitely!
The Escalade needs a high performance model, remember the Escalade Sport from SEMA ’07? Mercedes have no problem moving G63s & GLS63s. The Escalade is already very popular & a Sport model will help Cadillac. However, it have to be done right! It must have a luxurious interior that can rival a Range Rover & an AMG ,& be worthy of the price.
As for the XT5… its not the car, design or platform for such a project. Perhaps a cosmetic package (V-line?) like the original SRX. That said, Cadillac’s next CUVs must RWB proportions (even if it was fwb like the Volvo) & developed with high performance model in mind.
Definitely!
The Escalade needs a high performance model, remember the Escalade Sport from SEMA ’07? Mercedes have no problem moving G63s & GLS63s. The Escalade is already very popular & a Sport model will help Cadillac. However, it have to be done right! It must have a luxurious interior that can rival a Range Rover & an AMG ,& be worthy of the price.
Even Lexus figured that out, they had the LX570 S & LX570 Supercharger. I don’t why Cadillac is taking this long & hesitant about building a Sporty Escalade. They’ve toyed with the idea & already made at least 2 prototypes (Gen2 450hp-ish V12 & Gen3 550hp V8) … They need to get it over with! Heck even Nissan have a Nismo Patrol (cosmetic).
As for the XT5… its not the car, design or platform for such a project. Perhaps a cosmetic package (V-line?) like the original SRX. That said, Cadillac’s next CUVs must RWB proportions (even if it was fwb like the Volvo) & developed with high performance model in mind.
The leader in this category is Porsche with its Cayenne and Macan in the luxury end and Range Rover And Range Rover Sport with its SVR models in the ultra luxury range.
I was excited about the, then upcoming, XT5 release until I found out it was not to be on the Alpha platform. At that point, I became cautiously optimistic. Then it was released and I found out it doesn’t even have the good V6 from the Alphas. The XT5 V6 delivers mediocre drivability at best. It’s a much “lesser” engine in a heavier FWD vehicle (vs the Alphas). When I test drove it, it seemed not to be significantly better than the SRX it replaced. Nice interior, but very disappointing drive – especially given the excellent job that Cad has done on the sedans that are gathering cobwebs at the dealerships. I’ve reluctantly removed the XT5 from my shopping list and there is no other GM SUV to replace it. The Tahoe/Escalade is MUCH more vehicle than we need and the Buick and Chevy smaller SUV don’t even perform as well as the XT5. I’m not in the market for a 420HP XT5-V (even if offered), but I might forgive the FWD if the better CTS/ATS 335HP V6 was part of the package…not sure because it isn’t so I can’t see if that engine would have healed enough of the XT5 lackluster experience. Disappointing.