Cumulative Cadillac CTS sales decreased in the United States and in Canada in May 2017.
Cadillac CTS Sales – May 2017 – United States
Cadillac CTS deliveries in the United States totaled 854 units in May 2017, a decrease of 21 percent compared to 1,082 units sold in May 2016. In the first five months of 2017, sales of the CTS decreased 34 percent to 4,213 units.
Sales Numbers - Cadillac CTS - May 2017 - United States
| MODEL | MAY 17 / MAY 16 | MAY 17 | MAY 16 | YTD 17 / YTD 16 | YTD 17 | YTD 16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CTS | -21.07% | 854 | 1,082 | -34.07% | 4,213 | 6,390 |
Cadillac CTS Sales – May 2017 – Canada
In Canada, the CTS recorded 52 deliveries in May 2017, down 8.8 percent compared to 57 units sold in May 2016. In the first five months of the year, CTS sales decreased 23 percent to 246 units in Canada.
Sales Numbers - Cadillac CTS - May 2017 - Canada
| MODEL | MAY 17 / MAY 16 | MAY 17 | MAY 16 | YTD 17 / YTD 16 | YTD 17 | YTD 16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CTS | -8.77% | 52 | 57 | -23.13% | 246 | 320 |
The GM Authority Take
With a decrease 21 percent, CTS deliveries fell much faster than the midsize luxury sedan segment, which decreased 2.26 percent. Of the five vehicles that define the segment, two posted sales volume growth — the Mercedes-Benz E-Class (up 9.98 percent) and the BMW 5 Series (up 12.65 percent). Meanwhile, the Audi A6/S6 saw sales decrease 18.24 percent, Lexus GS deliveries fell 44.65 percent, and Infiniti Q70 sales fell 10.87 percent, making the Lexus the only vehicle to post an even greater decrease in sales. The results place the Cadillac CTS squarely in fourth place in terms of cumulative sales volume in May, behind the three German rivals yet ahead of Lexus and Infiniti.
We associate the reasons for the CTS’ decline with stiff competition from the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and BMW 5 Series, both of which are all-new for the 2017 model year. Meanwhile, the CTS is among the oldest vehicles in the class, having been redesigned for the 2014 MY.
Sales Numbers - Midsize Luxury Sedans & Coupes - May 2017 - United States
| MODEL | MAY 17 / MAY 16 | MAY 17 | MAY 16 | YTD 17 / YTD 16 | YTD 17 | YTD 16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-CLASS | +9.98% | 4,068 | 3,699 | +12.53% | 20,443 | 18,166 |
| 5 SERIES | +12.65% | 3,677 | 3,264 | -22.93% | 13,431 | 17,428 |
| A6 | -18.24% | 1,358 | 1,661 | -1.42% | 6,544 | 6,638 |
| CTS | -21.07% | 854 | 1,082 | -34.07% | 4,213 | 6,390 |
| GS | -44.64% | 615 | 1,111 | -52.35% | 2,907 | 6,101 |
| Q70 | -10.87% | 459 | 515 | +9.10% | 2,864 | 2,625 |
| TOTAL | -2.66% | 11,031 | 11,332 | -12.11% | 50,402 | 57,348 |
- CTS sales include Cadillac CTS Sedan, CTS V-Sport Sedan, and CTS-V Sedan
- E-Class figures include Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sedan, E-Class Wagon, E-Class Coupe and CLS-Class
- 5 Series figures include BMW 5 Series sedan and 5 Series GT
- A6 figures include Audi A6 and S6
- Q70 figures include Q70 and Q70L
Related News & Info
Related Sales Reporting
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- Running Cadillac CTS sales numbers
- Running Chevrolet sales results
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- May 2017 GM sales results
- U.S. GM May 2017 sales results
- U.S. May 2017 Chevrolet sales results
- U.S. May 2017 Cadillac sales results
- U.S. May 2017 Buick sales results
- U.S. May 2017 GMC sales results
- GM Canada May 2017 sales results
- Canada May 2017 Chevrolet sales results
- Canada May 2017 Cadillac sales results
- Canada May 2017 Buick sales results
- Canada May 2017 GMC sales results
- GM China May 2017 sales results
- Global May 2017 Cadillac sales results
- U.S. GM May 2017 sales results
Reporting by Francisco (Frankie) Cruz. GM Authority Take analysis by Alex Luft.
Comments
If this was a Buick or a Chevy, there would be discussions to kill off the model and replace it with a CUV.
or kill off the ATS and CTS and replace them with soft riding and and roomy FWD cars.
“soft riding and roomy FWD cars” = Buick.
There are two disparate kinds of luxury car experiences:
1. Soft luxury = Buick
2. Sport luxury = Cadillac
The goal of Buick is to cater to the soft luxury segment, which is diminishing.
The goal of Cadillac is to cater to the sport luxury segment, which is growing.
Using this strategy, GM can compete with the German sport-luxury brands while also competing with soft-luxury brands (mostly Lincoln). It’s actually a perfect strategy, and an advantage for GM thanks to having two luxury brands.
So, there as no need to “kill” anything off or change direction. What needs to be done is for Cadillac to continue executing in the product department… and despite the fact that both the ATS and CTS are great driver’s cars, they are not as good as the latest from Mercedes and BMW in this segment.
In this segment especially, it’s all about immense amounts of attention to detail: how the switches and knobs feel, how the door handles feel, how the car feels as a whole. The current CTS is really good if it were in a segment of one… but compared to the others, it’s mediocre at best… sometimes quite poor.
Some examples:
1. No ability to install a roof rack without scratching the car (BMW, Mercedes, and Audi all have a roof rack installation system/attachment points built into their entire lineup)
2. CUE controls pale in comparison to the tactile, precise instrumentation of the Germans as well as of Lexus.
3. Door and seat controls in the CTS are not as precise/tactile
4. Gauges in the CTS are downright archaic (the digital cluster is better, but far from the best)
5. The door lock and remote left in vehicle reminder is an ugly, unrefined horn chip… whereas the rest have a melodic chirp that’s much more polished, sophisticated
6. The armrest on the front passenger side is completely unergonomic, making spending time as a passenger very uncomfortable
7. Trunk lining materials are downright terrible compared to the competition
8. Trunk open/close mechanism is also plebeian compared to the automated systems in the rivals
9. Inside door pull handles have a not-so-solid feel to them, paling in comparison to Mercedes and Audi (BMW is worse than Cadillac in this element)
10. The shifter is as rudimentary as they come, and was not engineered for a certain “feel”; compare that to the gorgeous shifter in the A6 line – they even engineered the way it “lands” into place when shifting into a drive gear and also the way the “press to shift” button feels upon being depressed
11. The GM 8-speed transmission leaves a lot to be desired in terms of shifting quality and precision, hunting for gears in all CTS models except for the V-Sport (which uses an 8-speed from Aisin)
I can go on for about 10 more items. Now, you may say that these are small items — and they are individually. But taken collectively, they do not do Cadillac nor the CTS any favors when trying to attract buyers from the competition.
Again, the name of the game in this segment is REFINEMENT.
Decent analysis, I often site you as the premier GM/automotive journalist around (while surfing youtube or other car sites).
Anyhow, I feel the whole soft ride vs performance luxury is one way to look at it. My take however is more about marketing. Cadillac is “in your face”, “bold” luxury. Pretty much American capitalism on wheels. If the USA was a car, it’d be the freakin’ Escalade, pretty much. Buick, on the other hand, is more subdued luxury, it’s mysterious and still making a name for itself; they need to bring back Riviera, as soon as possible for extra cool points and to jumpstart this mysteriousness. Cadillac needs to market itself as such (bold) and Buick needs to change it’s god awful “it’s a Buick moniker”. Buick needs to hire Chiat Day, immediately, as I posted in the past on this website.
As to soft riding declining, I’d disagree. Trends are very cyclical, and I’d argue the performance luxury of BMW 90s up until recently is declining. Test drive any BMW today and you’ll notice they’re softening up, big time. Classic luxury is making a comeback, hence the Continental. Which is why the fan favorite, my favorite, the XTS, should be the future of GM luxury, period.
Wait, you think Cadillac should start building Cadillacs again? Thats crazy. People buy Cadillacs because they want a stiff riding german imiation overpriced junk, dah!
If you think German cars ride hard, you’re grossly mistaken.
https://youtu.be/4W8mHoRKjR4?t=4m I just watched this video last night, and (if you start at 4:00 min.) this guy speaks nothing but the truth. This inst meant to be a blow to the XT5, which is great BTW, but his first couple sentences are correct.
1. Soft luxury = Buick
2. Sport luxury = Cadillac
Cadillac has never been a “sports luxury” brand, as accepted by the public. Gearheads like Lutz have tried to Germanize Cadillac for years, and it’s never taken. What made Cadillac great were the big cruisers with “The Cadillac Ride” which meant the most comfortable ride this side of a Rolls Royce. Name ANY successful Cadillac in history that is a “sports luxury” model. If GM is sincerely attempting the above model, it will just drive true American luxury buyers elsewhere.
How about this, GM can offer:
Classic American Luxury = Cadillac
Gimmicky Sports Luxury = Pontiac
Oh that’s right, Pontiac was discontinued. If buyers want “sports luxury” they’ll go to the German brands. And that market is shrinking now anyway; as Yoshiaki pointed out, it waxes and wanes and it reached the pinnacle a couple years ago, now people are moving to nicer riding cars and care less about the cramped, hard-riding “performance” that the professional auto writers love but the average commuter does not love.
Let’s face it, German brands appeal to most Americans based on snob appeal, not their ability to put up fast times on the Nurburgring. Of course to establish snob appeal, they have to get the approval of the auto writers, who treat their cars like “fast and furious” toys instead of luxury transport vehicles. So by the time the auto writers give their stamp of approval on their version of “fun, exciting” cars as “best” luxury, the saps who don’t know any better buy them for their alleged status symbol value.
Consider that SUV’s are hugely popular today. Why do people buy SUV’s, for their great handling? No, not at all. Do they buy them for their off-road performance? Nope. They buy them because they like to sit up high, and can carry a lot of stuff. Plus they are popular, and people who have trouble making up their own minds as to what they like (a massive segment of the population, probably the majority) go with what’s popular. Now imagine if the self-identified “enthusiasts” rated SUVs by their ability to go off-road, I suppose a few suckers would buy those “best” cars to drive to the grocery store. Which would make about as much sense as people buying cars for “sports handling” when they never drive that way.
It’s only a tiny fraction of the public that feels the need to drive like maniacs to feel good. Yet among auto writers, they are the overwhelming majority. At what point does the public start buying what works for them, rather than what they are told to buy? Actually that trend may actually be underway, as people have had enough of the “performance” thing and are maturing beyond it. How will Cadillac/GM be positioned as the pendulum swings back to American luxury vs. German luxury? Unfortunately in the wrong place, if Cadillac is no longer Cadillac, but a German wannabe. Buick will never replace Cadillac in the hearts of Americans. If Alex’s notion of Buick and Cadillac is what GM is after, woe to GM in the future; maybe they’ll go bankrupt again.
.
“Buick will never replace Cadillac in the hearts of Americans. If Alex’s notion of Buick and Cadillac is what GM is after, woe to GM in the future; maybe they’ll go bankrupt again.”
Drew, please tell me GM won’t come bumming and begging to the US taxpayer again if/when that happens.
As TFLcar put it “it looks like Buick is turning into more of a niche brand” (I believe this was also posted on here), this would be a good time to bring back Pontiac as a sports/sports Lux. brand. Its more like
Buick= niche vehicles, picks up where Saab left off, soft luxury.
Cadillac= should be: comfy, ultra luxury Brand. Really is: wannabe sports Lux. brand, fast, no true brand image.
Pontiac= fast, sports Lux, higher end versions of Corvette and Camaro.
After recently speaking to a Cadillac sales pro, I found out that Cadillac is purposely pushing older buyers away and trying to appeal to younger buyers. For example, he told us that he is supposed to use an ipad to show us how everything works in the car, instead of just going out to the car and showing us right then and there. He said “this is so complicated, most ppl still want me to actually come out to the car with them afterwards”. He had also mentioned that most buyers of the CTS, CT6… (cars with RF tires) that most Caddy buyers complain about them, and they see fewer repeat CTS, ect. buyers because of that, but he was told by Cadillac to mention that many German brands have them as well….
This is just sad.
“After recently speaking to a Cadillac sales pro, I found out that Cadillac is purposely pushing older buyers away and trying to appeal to younger buyers. For example, he told us that he is supposed to use an ipad to show us how everything works in the car, instead of just going out to the car and showing us right then and there. He said “this is so complicated, most ppl still want me to actually come out to the car with them afterwards”.
And the division head is an old coot moving from car maker to car maker trying to prove he still can–if he ever could.
Ya gotta love it!
I’m not buying the soft riding thing as fading. If anything most folks I speak to are very against the majority of today’s oversized tires, punishing loud noisy rides and atrocious Winter traction from today’s crap. I have been in the automotive business for decades and the vast majority of normal buyers want a smooth nice riding quality vehicle not a rough, hard noisy POS that constantly needs it’s expensive tires replaced. Very few are looking for a corner carver and the few that do are usually in the market for a sports car like the Corvette/Camaro or Mustang.
Cadillac’s main issue is over pricing its vehicles. Then there is quality control and lack of features that should be included at the prices being charged. Most of the issues mentioned above are culprits too. If they think they can price their vehicles sky high then they need to deliver the goods and start getting serious about rebuilding the Cadillac name.
Joe, the most annoying part of my car is the RFT. I asked the salesman about spare tire facilities prior to purchase. I was misled. I seldom get crazy about the OEM tires. I can always change them.
The crazies at Cadillac eliminated the well in the chassis for a spare! I may just put regular tires on the car when the RFT are used and take my chances.
The bumpy ride, no winter traction are the worst. Why eliminate the well or the spare? These folks must think we are joining the military when we buy a Cad.
What about Infiniti Q70 sales?
Also, would be nice to see sedan only sales for comparison without coupes, wagons etc.
“What about Infiniti Q70 sales?”
Added as per your request. They’re truly insignificant in terms of sales volume in this segment.
“Also, would be nice to see sedan only sales for comparison without coupes, wagons etc.”
Unfortunately, that is impossible, since automakers are very tight-lipped about breaking out sales figures by body style, the one exception being Toyota.
Even so, we are happy to be the only automaker-focused publication to provide a comprehensive comparison they way we did above 🙂
7. Trunk lining materials are downright terrible compared to the competition
8. Trunk open/close mechanism is also plebeian compared to the automated systems in the rivals
Cadillac seems to cheap out where ever it’s decided we won’t notice. Each time I pull down the deck lid I automatically say “oh, how the might have fallen”. So tired of twisting my arm inside out to close the trunk. So much silly gismology inside and they take away the trunk lid motor.
The reason for the sales decline is simple…the Dare Greatly Ad Campaign SUCKS !!! Mr Ellinghaus should fire the ad agency and find one that understands automotive advertising. If he doesn’t understand that what’s need to be done…He should be fired.
Sorry, but I don’t think the ad prevents sales. I agree Dare Greatly is silly and may not help much. Is Cadillac trying to channel Apple’s Think Different?
Susan, Apple’s “Think Different” was the first thing I thought of also, when Cadillac rolled out the “Dare Greatly” campaign. “Dare Greatly” has Melody Lee’s fingerprints all over it, and we know she’s a big Apple fan – we also know she’s not very talented or creative.
But I have to give credit to Melody Lee where credit is due. She’s created her dream job by conning GM into paying for her to stay at the best hotels, dine at the finest restaurants, go to fashion shows at the Cadillac coffee house, and hang out with her favorite DJs – all in the name of “marketing Cadillac luxury to millenials”. She also tells GM not to expect to see results from all her genius work for another 10 years, thus ensuring herself job security while she indulges her luxury whims. Bottom line is that Melody Lee gets paid more money and perks for less actual work than anyone since Vanna White on “Wheel of Fortune”. Meantime Cadillac is suffering for lack of better marketing.
Drew,
Apple’s Think Different campaign was very successful. It was appropriate for Apple at that time. Channeling Apple has one big problem. JDN is no Steve.
I don’t follow Ms. Lee a lot. Cadillac’s marketing seems to be lacking. I read an interview with Ms. Lee when the said she uses an Apple not because it’t the best. Because it’s cool. Poor thing doesn’t know she’s using a Mac if she is using one at all. We buy our tech products for specific reasons. Cool is not one of them for astute buyers.
We’ve been using Macs forever. Back in the day Mac users were considered tin foil hat wearers. I remember an article in PC Magazine many years ago. It explained that Mac will not be covered as Mac users march to their own drum much like Alfa Romeo drivers. I smiled, went into a Mac box, took out a rainbow logo and put it in the windshield of my Alfa. It’s still there.
I’m still using Macs and still have the shares I bought a few months before Steve returned. Driving that Alfa today too 🙂
Time for Cadillac to stop the gimmicks and go back to building quality cars. If they want to be a sports car company build the best. Quit nickel and diming dealers, customers and especially those elusive body shops who will repair the mixed metal frames.
There is no good reason Cadillac can’t build a quality luxury car as well. They chose not to. Their choice.
If Cadillac/GM thinks they can switch us over to Buick they are just plain batstuffcrazy!
Susan, I remember reading that Melody Lee quote about Apple also. Melody’s exact quote is “”I don’t use Apple computers because they are the best computers, I use them because Apple is cool.” But what gave Apple the cachet of cool? Really great marketing, with “Think Different” campaigns? NO!
Those great Apple ads may have introduced or reinforced things a bit. But what made Apple “cool” and kept it there, was making products that were innovative in a functionally useful way, relatively easy to use, relatively free from bugs and breakdowns, in elegant design forms.
Melody seems to think she can just wave her “magic wand of cool” in front of the Cadillac brand (while she’s sipping lattes at an NYC fashion show, staying in the finest hotels and eating in the finest restaurants, all at GM’s expense) and voila – it’s now cool, especially for Millennials (which she keeps telling GM she knows how to reach, because she is one). As if Melody could transform anything into “cool”, with the right marketing magic. Just like Apple did. Right.
Melody Lee however is not the direct cause of Cadillac’s demise, she’s merely a symptom of it. The mere fact that they would hire her and put her in a position of responsibility, with her effectively zero level of useful background in automobile marketing, shows how screwed up they are at GM/Cadillac. And if they are that easily conned into giving Melody 10 more years before seeing any positive results (as she’s requested) then clearly the people in charge at GM/Cadillac lack the competence that is worthy of the shareholders’ investment.
Drew,
Steve was the Sultan of Cool. He designed things “for the rest of us” at a time when Windows was not as user friendly as it is now. The marketing was genius but the products wowed people all over.
I still remember when he introduced Airport. He had a Mac and walked away from the desk without losing the connection. The people in the hall went wild. His intro of iPhone was legendary.
As to the marketing, my person favorite was Here’s to the Crazy Ones. We lost a lot with Steve’s death. I often wonder what amazing products we may have had if he was still with us.
Apple is basically a one trick pony with iPhone now. Cook’s forte is the financial side. The so called pipeline produced watchbands in six years. Succeeding a founder is a thankless job. I am concerned that there is too much social advocacy and financial engineering at Apple now. I check AAPL daily. Never checked when Steve was running the store. I new it was in the best possible hands.
Marketing can call our attention to excellent products. The products must be able to back up the marketing claims. Not an easy task.
I really hope that Cadillac is successful in it’s rebuilding endeavor. If that success is the smaller, sportier car that may not be my cup of tea, that’s ok.
Cadillac is my natural habitat. I’ve been in a Caddy all my life. Shopping something else if need be will feel strange. We do what we must. I genuinely hope Cadillac continues as a premier marque even if I’m left behind. I’ve enjoyed so many years of Cadillac. I wish Cadillac success the bottom of my heart.
A few days ago a poster made an unflattering reference to my day as the day of fins. It took all my restraint not to post Dagmars, darling. Dagmars. My parents placed me in that car. Little ones don’t drive, walk, talk or any of the things that will be learned in a short time.
I’m concerned as to why this must be a generational conflict. My parents were young people when they placed a baby in the car with the Dagmars. Old folks don’t generally have babies.
People buy what they love. Age is not a consideration.
I’m thinking I’d like to look at Mercedes if it comes to that. We’ll see how it goes.
Not only that, but now I am wasting money on free Helicopter rides, for people who are probably on their first Cadillac, while many of the loyal buyers who are on their 4th or 5th Cadillac foot the bill through massive overpricing.
Yea I know funeral homes and limo companies are crying their eyes out……
Cadillac? Hamptons people don’t even lease a Cad for to au pair to haul the kids and groceries. The Cad for the au pair in my neighborhood.
Cadillac needs to go back to being Cadillac again and stop dicking around with hard riding sports cars….Audi, BMW, MB are getting softer in the ride….the ATS, CTS and CT6 will be stale in 5 years.
“1. Soft luxury = Buick
2. Sport luxury = Cadillac”
Rye,
We’re the poor relations now. I’m not buying a Buick. Glad the imports are welcoming.
One monkey don’t stop no show 😉
I would like to see a BIG, BOLD AMERICAN Cadillac in the lineup again….the only Cadillac that is…is the Esclada and there isn’t a single sedan that represents BIG, BOLD AMERICAN….thay said thare will be a $150.000 Halo flagship sedan by 2024.
I encourage you to open your mind to business strategy and positioning and then make educated comments and contribute to the conversation with those two factors in mind, rather than repeating the same commet over and over again on different articles.
To address your comment directly: the Germans are getting somewhat softer with SOME trim levels (not with the sport or high-performance configurations) so as to appeal to a broader demographic but they are still keeping a rear drive layout and a longitudinal engine placement.
Why? Because that’s the only way (currently) to make a car that’s the best of both worlds: comfortable (a characteristic that does not depend on the drive wheels) and sporty (which most definitely depends on the drive wheels due to inherent weight distribution advantages afforded by longitudinal engine placement PLUS RWD or rear-biased AWD characteristics.
I have noticed you and/or others recommend a switch to FWD for Cadillac, and that just will not work for the lineup as a whole, though it works for the XTS, and its demographic and competitive set.
But perhaps most importantly, we should explore the question of why the Germans are switching SOME of their models and trim levels to a softer suspension setup. Again, this only applies to SOME of the model configurations. For instance, the 328i gets a softer suspension on the stock and luxury packages, while the 328i sport and M-sport are just as they were before – not any softer, and just as sporty.
So, then why would the base 328i have a softer suspension setup? Because BMW does not have another “soft luxury” brand, and is stick with a single brand to appeal to as many potential customers as possible, some of which want a softer ride.
That is a problem that GM does not have, as it has a soft luxury brand in its stable called Buick. This, in theory, enables GM to focus each luxury brand without diluting the purpose.
Finally, receding your comment about stale Cadillac products: the ATS and CTS will be replaced within two years. The CT6 will be relaxed within five. Ain’t nothing stale about that.
If Cadillac relegated the luxury buyer to Buick, customers will go elsewhere. I know I’m gone. I don’t want a Buick under any circumstances. As long as Cadillac brings in new customers they should be able to maintain sales.
Used-to-be Cadillac buyers who are not Buick buyers will find a car to suit them. It can work.
I agree – Buick is not Cadillac. Isn’t close now, and never will be. Doesn’t have the history, doesn’t have the sharp design, doesn’t have Cadillac amenities. It’s crazy to think that GM would dump it’s rich Cadillac history in order to be a German wannabe, and then tell traditional customers that they should now buy Buick. As if Buick is the new Cadillac, and Cadillac is now America’s answer to German sports sedans. Cadillac buyers will NOT go to Buick, they’ll go elsewhere.
I can’t think of another successful auto brand that dumped what it built its reputation on, in order to remake itself as something vastly different. It would be like Ferrari deciding to stop making sports cars, and now they’ll make SUVs and pick-up trucks under the Ferrari name, because after all SUVs and pick-up trucks are big sellers these days. And then Ferrari could so, but wait, if you want sports cars, we will now sell those under the Fiat name. No thanks.
Buick cars are ok for mediocre vehicles, blah rounded styling, underpowered, a bit cramped, poor visibility, kind of a chore to drive. At least that’s my impression of driving a top of the line 2015 Lacrosse. I haven’t driven the new Lacrosse which is supposed to be better, but I doubt it’s Cadillac better. Even the trunk on the Lacrosse was a joke, tiny opening. It did not have anything approaching Cadillac style, and the ride was frankly a little stiff, not at all Cadillac-like. The dashboard was boring and the controls had far too many buttons, very poor layout. The ONE thing I thought was worthy of a Cadillac was the Harmon Kardon stereo that came with the top Lacrosse, along with a nice big video screen. But as a vehicle, it screamed “slightly better than Chevy” much more than “this is now what Cadillac used to be”.
A commenter here many months ago, one who favors Cadillac becoming a “sports luxury” German wannabe, said that Cadillac should pretend it’s a new brand, starting from scratch. If that’s the case, why do they have to use the name Cadillac? Cadillac means something else, to other people. They should have kept Cadillac Cadillac, and created a new brand for the “sports luxury”, such as making Corvette into an entire brand.
Confusing the public and turning off a massive base of customers is not a great idea. Cadillac should be Cadillac, the best of American luxury. The CTS-V is a visual and engineering monstrosity, with it’s scoops and spoilers and attempt at being a “fast n furious” boy toy. That’s not the elegant luxury cruiser that made Cadillac a famous name. It’s more of an upgraded Pontiac Trans Am. They might as well go all the way and put a giant bird on the CTS-V hood, to totally bling it out for the juvenile “racer boy” market.
Here’s the real thing is both brands have rich history, however GM seems to have gotten them mixed up.
Buick had the GS (which had a spoiler on it), and they had the Grand National, Opel GT were sold at Buick dealers, there was also a Buick in the 90s that sported a 3.8 supercharged engine.
Cadillacs were big, fancy, smooth riding with a big engine (some I think had a 500 ci at one time) and they had convertibles.
But now Cadillac’s biggest car can only be had with a turbo v6 or a turbo I4, and they have no convertibles.
If you want to cruise with the top down your only options are a chevy or a Buick.
Buick should be going after BMW and Cadillac should be going after Rolls Royce and Bentley.
The Cadillac Ciel concept is where Cadillac should be going, not going for the Audi looking Cadillac Escala concept. But I do think Buick could pull of the Escala design with buick flare.
Turbofire, brilliant observation that GM has foolishly mixed up the roles of Buick and Cadillac. Buick definitely has a history as a “sporty” car. In fact there’s a semi-regular contributor on this forum under the name “Big Black Buick” who owns a Grand National. I think his is a 1987, black of course, and he says it’s faster than even the Corvette Stingray of that year. They used the George Thorogood song “bad to the bone” in advertising for the GN, very appropriately. Why has GM forgotten, or deliberately mixed up (?) the standing that these brands have with the public? Probably a result of too many Bob Lutz’s and Uwe’s and Johan’s, instead of people with deep American roots who know what these brands mean to Americans.
Buick also has an awesome and beautiful concept car in the Avista, a sporty coupe. But they keep teasing the public with it, instead of building it. The Avista would do as much for Buick as a sporty brand as the Escala would for Cadillac as a maker of big luxury road cruisers. So why won’t GM build the Avista and Escala? Probably because they are fixated on continuing down the same road that’s not working, with Buick as the “soft luxury” brand while Cadillac is the maker of German wannabe sports-dreck. It’s sad, silly, and stupid. And it’s costing GM lost sales and missed profits, year after year.
In fact Cadillac has been going down the wrong road in remaking itself as a German wannabe since at least the disastrous (totally German) Catera of 1997, but more likely since the (1982) Cimarron (the first cramped and underpowered Cadillac, hello German wannabe). And then there was the brand-harming V8-6-4 engine, Cadillac’s attempt to bring German-like fuel economy to the brand. It’s amazing to me that some people feel that Cadillac hurt itself by not being German enough, when in fact it’s the failed imitations of the Germans that caused the most harm.
Cadillac has fallen from the top US luxury brand (a position it held for many decades) to the 5th US luxury brand, all in fewer than 20 years. And the company still wants to keep re-making it as a German wannabe, even though Cadillac continues to lose market share in the sedan market. It’s the “stay the course that’s not working, to give me job security” mentality of Melody Lee, and it should be ended, immediately. Building the Escala would be a good shot across the bow, to show that Cadillac is back as Cadillac.
I also agree that to be Cadillac, they need a convertible. I love that commercial “Roll” from 2003 (easily found on the internet, the 60 second version is especially great). But it needs to be a true Cadillac convertible road cruiser for 4 adults, like the Ciel as you mentioned. Not a 2 seater sporty roadster like the failed XLR or the failed Allante before that. Again, Cadillac needs to be a leader with a car like the Ciel, not a follower with German-imitating roadsters. I get the feeling that the reason GM won’t make the Ciel is because the Germans don’t have anything like it, and they want Cadillac to be a German follower, rather than an American leader.
I partly agree that Cadillac should be embracing the values of Rolls Royce and Bentley, rather than BMW. But realize that Cadillac has always been a mass-produced brand, not a hand-crafted one like RR and B. And Cadillac is in many songs, because it’s been such a great car and great ride, but not because it’s almost totally out of reach like those brands. I could see Cadillacs starting at $55k and going to about $130k in today’s dollars, which is a lot higher than the current ATS base garbage ($34k), but not in the $250-350k range, or whatever it is at RR and Bentley. Also I think that would be more the sweet spot for GM profits, and best utilize GM production techniques, while still offering value to the customer.
So GM should make the Avista for Buick, the Escala and Ciel for Cadillac, and should return each to their backgrounds as Buick being the “sports luxury” brand and Cadillac being the brashly styled, strongly powered, American road cruiser brand, with roominess, high tech electronics, and a plush ride (in other words, a real Cadillac) and offering a real convertible (not a Euro wannabe roadster). Not an imitator of German sports-dreck, with cramped hard rides, and de-contenting such as vinyl seats, weak engines, and cheap outdated halogen headlights, as is the case with the current base ATS and CTS.
There should be no “stripped” Cadillacs, the name Cadillac should always mean plush roomy, elegant looking, strongly powered luxury quality. Leave the cheapened, de-contented “base” versions to other brand names (like Chevrolet). There should also be no hideous, sports-dreck designs, the way the CTS is ruined in the picture at the top, in scooped and spoilered CTS-V form. Let Cadillac return to being the Cadillac of cars, an American leader, not a follower of someone else.
You are 100% right, Buick is famous for being an “old person” car, while Cadillac is the car of Gangsters, grandparents, presidents, businessmen, luxury livery companies, actors… pretty much anyone with money up until the 90’s when MB took over.
God, a lot of people will wait their whole life to be able to afford a Caddy, but have you ever heard a kid say “I want a Buick when I grow up”? No, they say “I want an Escalade when I become rich and famous”.
+1, Exactly. Glad you’re back in the comments.
Thanks, its good to be back.
I think they would sell a few more if the CTS-V front-end was standard on all models.
Cadillac can’t stop making the car until the replacement arrives and can compete in it’s class better . These cars are becoming more of a niche vehicle , and since Cadillac seems to want to play in that field they need to bring out something new to keep up .
I have to agree with Yoshiaki K. about consumers wanting a smooth riding luxury car that doesn’t feel as harsh as a German make . Look at Genesis , as soon as it gets past the impression of some that it is still a ” Hyundai ” and has been on the market for a time they will be a force in the luxury car market that Cadillac is leaving behind .
Surveys are showing that the consumer buying / leasing these cars want a smooth ride , there is still a base that wants this . And to some degree comparing the XTS vs. CT6 look at the sales numbers . Cadillac knows that people have not forgot what owning a Cadillac means as to the ride quality . If they want an S-Class which is what Cadillac is so desperately trying to emulate , they will buy the CT6 but Cadillac should not forget what their history of building cars has meant to their buyers .
As the car buyers in this segment grow older ( aka. Baby Boomers ) which is the group with the biggest amount of wealth compared to other generations if they are looking to buy a Cadillac surveys are showing a shift to wanting a quiet well executed car that they can drive from a domestic automaker .
I don’t want to rely on a lesser brand for smooth riding or rely on cheap Chinase built throw way cars as well.
Rye, we’ve been fired. We may as well accept it and look for our next car.
Oh oh here the invasion of the AARP Cadillac crowd ” waahh I want Caddy to make $ 20,000 1995 Devilles again”…. Nevermind that the OP put up numbers that CTS is still competitive sales wise with the competition despite one body style compared to the Germans or the imports dominate the luxury segment or CT6 outselling fwd,mid-west POS like Continental and XTS or Cadillacs money is made of the hot SUV/CUV segment, I can go on about it.
Please tell us more about that 20k 1995 DeVille. Did Cadillac ever make that car? You seem to have information that no one else does.
Thanks!
1995 Cadillac DeVille, base price was $34,900. Source, Warren Brown (great auto writer), Washington Post. Adjusted for inflation, $56,044 in 2017 dollars.
New 2017 ATS, for the base version (with the lovely vinyl seat covers and the old-tech dim-by-today’s standards halogen headlights): $34,595, which is $34,595 in 2017 dollars.
New 2017 CTS, base version also with the vinyl seats and halogen headlamps, $45,995. In 2017 dollars that’s $45,995. So Cadillac is selling fewer cars today, at lower adjusted prices than in the past. Is that your idea of progress?
Now no one is saying (to my knowledge) that Cadillac should make exact replicas of 1995 DeVilles for the 2017 market. They are saying that Cadillac should make a fully modern car, but one that embraces Cadillac American luxury values, not BMW wannabe values.
Roomy, luxurious, comfortable riding, strongly powered, latest electronics, brash angular styling – those are not features that only the AARP crowd loves. Any more than saying that only the AARP crowd loves flying in a first class airline seat (or private jet), while everyone else prefers to be cramped in economy class. A first class ride will always be a first class ride, and if Cadillac no longer embodies it as a brand, then those who want (and can afford) a first class ride will go elsewhere.
“New 2017 CTS, base version also with the vinyl seats and halogen headlamps, $45,995. In 2017 dollars that’s $45,995. So Cadillac is selling fewer cars today, at lower adjusted prices than in the past. Is that your idea of progress?”
Not Cadillac total fault that sedan buyers went to CUVs. plus what car in this class comes standard with leather, big engine and other stuff at that price?.
“Now no one is saying (to my knowledge) that Cadillac should make exact replicas of 1995 DeVilles for the 2017 market. They are saying that Cadillac should make a fully modern car, but one that embraces Cadillac American luxury values, not BMW wannabe values”
Then they still have the Escalade and CT6 if they want an old school American luxury vehicle. Cadillac had been in this class arguably since the 79′ Seville where they wrong then?.
“Roomy, luxurious, comfortable riding, strongly powered, latest electronics, brash angular styling – those are not features that only the AARP crowd loves. Any more than saying that only the AARP crowd loves flying in a first class airline seat (or private jet), while everyone else prefers to be cramped in economy class. A first class ride will always be a first class ride, and if Cadillac no longer embodies it as a brand, then those who want (and can afford) a first class ride will go elsewhere.”
You think an XTS buyer says “first class” more like ” Hertz Gold Club” .
“You think an XTS buyer says “first class” more like ” Hertz Gold Club” .”
Warren Buffet
“Guest”, the Escalade does embody traditional Cadillac values. It’s certainly roomy, powerful, and has a nice ride for an SUV. It also sells extremely well, even with a very high price tag. It is a good example of what can happen when Cadillac applies Cadillac values to a modern car.
But Cadillac’s current management considers the Escalade a unique product rather than representative of the brand. Uwe Ellinghaus said that Escalade is practically its own brand, and does not represent the future of the Cadillac brand. It’s that determination of these new, foreign-background executives to kill the brand that made Cadillac what it is, and re-make it in some sort of Euro-wannabe that annoys me.
Besides thinking its just bad business, especially as the market is moving away from those harsh cramped traditional German rides (including some many of the German brands themselves). Cadillac could own the market segment that cars are moving toward, instead they seem embarrassed by it and want to move away from it. There are still people who don’t understand why Cadillac lost its leadership in the US luxury market; it’s not because it wasn’t German enough, it’s because in attempting to make the cars more German, they lost sight of product quality and made several really bad cars and engines. Lexus passed everyone for many years, and is still a close number 2 behind Mercedes, not by imitating the Germans but by somewhat imitating the old Cadillac values PLUS reliability that was lacking at Cadillac.
So let’s go on to the CT6. That’s not a car with traditional Cadillac values, it’s more of a hybrid of American and German luxury values but one that leans more toward the German ones. For one thing, the base engine is too small and unrefined for a real Cadillac. And it tries too hard to be a big car with German-like “sporty” handling. But what type of buyer wants a big car that drives more like a sports car? It’s definitely not the kind of smooth road cruiser that Cadillac built its name on. The car rides far too “sporty” to be a real Cadillac, see below.
JD Power, in their “PowerSteering” review of the CT6, wrote: “Normal, Sport, and Snow/Ice driving modes adjust the car’s response, but even in Normal mode the CT6 feels too taut and stiff. Choose Sport mode and the steering is excessively heavy while the suspension delivers an almost brittle ride quality. Cadillac would do well to calibrate a Comfort driving mode, one supplying gentle throttle tip-in, light and effortless steering, and the wafting ride that affluent passengers may prefer.”
And of course, this is the same group that hated the DTS even though it sold very well in its early and made a lot of money for GM, never advertised it beyond the initial rollout, barely refreshed it (they added a shark fin antenna on the refresh, that’s nice but hardly a big change). The same group that wanted to kill off the XTS too. The reality is that they should actually embrace the Cadillac values and SELL their benefits to the public, rather than just trying to copy the Germans.
There was a recent “shootout” among small luxury “sports” sedans, I forget who was conducting it, but the Cadillac ATS came in dead last, even though it got high marks for track performance (i.e. speed and handling). One of the many things it got dinged for was not enough legroom in the back seat. What was funny to me was that some people complained that the current ATS was designed to go head-to-head with the PREVIOUS BMW 3 series, which had an identically small back seat, but that the newer BMW had increased the interior room and that was “unfair” to compare for the class.
Well that’s what happens when you try to be an imitator instead of a leader, instead of going your own way. You are always going to be a step behind, and not necessarily appealing to your own market. Cadillac should not be letting the Germans determine the type of cars they will build, they should build Cadillacs and then SELL them, rather than being embarrassed by them. The success of the Escalade was not about trying to copy something the Germans had. Frankly I can’t imagine the Escalade even being built in the first place under current GM/Cadillac management.
And what if Cadillac made a nice luxury mid-sized plus sedan that actually had a nice Cadillac quality ride, instead of trying to give everything a harsh German-sporty ride? AND they actually advertised this as a benefit to the public, rather than acting embarrassed by it? I guess we’ll never know, because they won’t do it. As I said, first class values will always be first class values, it’s not just AARP people who can appreciate them. But when you adopt a follower’s mindset, you wind up in 5th place (and falling), the way former number 1 (in US luxury market) Cadillac is now.
“the Escalade does embody traditional Cadillac values. It’s certainly roomy, powerful, and has a nice ride for an SUV. It also sells extremely well, even with a very high price tag……. It’s that determination of these new, foreign-background executives to kill the brand that made Cadillac what it is, and re-make it in some sort of Euro-wannabe that annoys me”
Who’s killing the Escalade?, that’s news. Unlike the XTS the Escalade is competitive with the competition. Im said (and it seems GM agree) the XTS or some fwd compromise isn’t the way to go for luxury sedans.
“So let’s go on to the CT6. That’s not a car with traditional Cadillac values, it’s more of a hybrid of American and German luxury values but one that leans more toward the German ones. For one thing, the base engine is too small and unrefined for a real Cadillac.”
And yet only the S-Class outsells it while still in its 1st year and despite costing more it outsells Continental and on par with XTS, sounds like Caddy is giving people what they want, btw CT6 was in mule stage by the time JDN got to GM .
“Cadillac ATS came in dead last, even though it got high marks for track performance (i.e. speed and handling). One of the many things it got dinged for was not enough legroom in the back seat. What was funny to me was that some people complained that the current ATS was designed to go head-to-head with ”
ATS is older then the fresh competition (which the ATS won against when it was new) not because it couldn’t compete C/D which did the shootout love the handling and power of the ATS. The ATS gets replaced in a year or so with bigger backseats. You want Caddy to keep making the XTS so that can come dead-last in a competitive shootout too?.
“Cadillac should not be letting the Germans determine the type of cars they will build, they should build Cadillacs and then SELL them, rather than being embarrassed by them…..And what if Cadillac made a nice luxury mid-sized plus sedan that actually had a nice Cadillac quality ride, instead of trying to give everything a harsh German-sporty ride? AND they actually advertised this as a benefit to the public, rather than acting embarrassed by it? I guess we’ll never know, because they won’t do it. As I said, first class values will always be first class values, it’s not just AARP people who can appreciate them. But when you adopt a follower’s mindset, you wind up in 5th place (and falling), the way former number 1 (in US luxury market) Cadillac is now.”
They fell away because of unreliable compromise garbage they made during the 80s and 90s and catering to retirees. The leg up the Germans have is not only the vehicle set-up but the available configurations they have. Where’s the CTS coupe and wagon?, ATS wagon?, CT6 coupe?, performance Escalade?. Form what I understand this will be remedied in the next few years. As for sales again Caddy been on the upswing overseas with profit, only fools think you have to be #1 with no money coming (GM 2008 anyone) anywho RIP to the FWD in Caddy sedans.
“Guest”, I never said Cadillac is trying to kill the Escalade. I pointed out that marketing director Uwe Ellinghaus considers Escalade a brand of its own, and not representative of the future of the Cadillac brand. Meaning that he and fellow Cadillac execs are trying to kill the virtues of the brand that made it successful. But not that they are trying to kill the Escalade itself. Try to improve your reading comprehension.
My point about the ATS is that Cadillac should not be trying to fit their cars into the German specs, the should be leaders making unique cars. Instead of waiting until the Germans offer back seats with more legroom and then copying that specification, one generation behind, why shouldn’t Cadillac be the first one offering more legroom, a better ride, etc?
As I said, if the Escalade didn’t already exist, Cadillac would not build it now, because the Germans have nothing like it. Current management only wants to imitate the Germans spec for spec, that’s sad given Cadillac’s leadership position, and stupid on a profitability basis. Cadillac needs to go back to being Cadillac, and should feel free to offer models that don’t match the Germans spec for spec and function for function. Something the Germans don’t have. Not that they should avoid competing with the Germans if it’s a decent car “class”, but Cadillac should be writing the rules for itself, not be stringently adhering to the German playbook (and always be one generation behind at that).
You say the XTS would not win a shootout of similar cars. Which cars do you view as similar? It’s one of the few which is not based on a BMW. I’d say the XTS refresh would do quite well against the Lincoln Continental, the Volvo S90, Audi A6, etc. Significantly better than the ATS did in its own “shootout” (which was 4th out of 4).
And there you go again with your RWD fetish. When will you RWD people wake up and realize that the vast majority of people get no benefit from RWD, and do not care about RWD? So what if RWD costs more than FWD, does that make it better in ways the typical driver would benefit? More expensive isn’t always better. FWD yields more legroom to passengers, when directly comparing dimension by dimension. FWD yields much better traction in snow and slippery conditions. And yes, FWD costs less to make (funny how that is viewed as a bad thing by RWD fetishists).
Now if you drive like an immature maniac, yes RWD gives you a “fast n furious” drifting thrill that FWD doesn’t quite match. But that’s not how most people drive luxury cars. Sure the professional auto writers, being of a “cars as a recreational toys” mindset, will always favor RWD and rate it more highly than FWD. The public however does not benefit, and if Cadillac kills FWD then they’ll lose a massive customer base. There’s always Lincoln, Volvo, Audi, etc. if Cadillac stops offering FWD; totally foolish move if they did, however.
Cadillac does not HAVE to keep the Escalade, a Yukon Denali would be almost as competitive in that class…. CAdillac is turning into a F*&king dictatorship, “you must buy cramped, sports cars” “you must choose silver” “you must pay for packages you don’t need to get small options you want”. Mercedes does not make you spend $4,000 on rear TV’s in order to get rear HVAC controls.
I have to also mention, in addition to Caddy not advertising the XTS, the dealers are not stocking them. I have been to 3 dealers recently, and 1 had only 2 XTS’s that were sold in less than 2 weeks, another, had 10 but they were all FWD (AWD is almost a necessity where I live), and the other had 5 that were either fully loaded platinum trims, or 2 base versions with no options. But, it still has comparable sales to the other 3 sedans.
Maybe if they actually advertised and stocked them, Caddy would be able to pay for Melody’s lifestyle with out having to overprice their other models.
Canning the Escalade over the XTS?, price complaints?. You a prime example of what Caddy buyers don’t want anymore. Have you see how much the 3 Germans want for options for their cars? ( a $70k CTS-V Sport came in 2nd in a C/D compro against 2 other more expensive sedans). I imagine problems the competition had for years to get where they are, plus zee Germans wish they had a truck program like GM. Enjoy your new Continental.
Escalade is a truck. CT6 is so far from the tradition al Cadillac that it does not lend itself to comparison.
The Escalade is the cash cow along with XT5 and the other CUVs coming, CT6 is what Caddy sedans will be about from here on out. You too enjoy your new Continental.
Guest, I am aware that Escalade sells well. It’s old school Cadillac but not everyone wants an Escalade. The thread topic is CTS. CTS is a sedan.
Interesting that Cadillac apologists are often quite contentious. Wonder why?
Cadillac should have LED or HID standard on every trim, I don’t care about the vinyl as much as the headlights, but I agree that they shouldn’t have that either.
“Please tell us more about that 20k 1995 DeVille. Did Cadillac ever make that car? You seem to have information that no one else does”
It’s parked next to the unsold XTS that the cheapies think that’s what luxury buyers want.
Deflection noted.
Did Cadillac ever produce a 20k 1995 DeVille?
the CT6 isn’t the old school AMERICAN luxury car we ware hoping for…its just a large sports sedan nothing more…..Cadillac is planning a $150.000 Halo flagship sedan by 2024 …so that would be a true comeback of the old school AMERICAN luxury car.
Fundamentally IMO GM has been messed-up since the death off the B-Body in 96′ or the true traditional large American car that can hold a family, luggage, durable and can pull a trailer if need be as the 96′ Caprice, Roadmaster and Fleetwood did and people miss that capability. Unfortunately all that’s gone due to short-sited profit gains by putting all thier eggs in the SUV basket.
CT6 for me represents standard Cadillac, hopefully the Omega can find its way under a Chevy and Buick also since CUV/SUV carry the load burden the Omega cars don’t have to be as bulky as they B-bodies once were.
The CT6 is a great car in search of better more comfortable seats, a Std V6 engine like the Continental uses, better door panel materials and lower prices more in line with the Lincoln. Sales would increase with these changes.
sorry but the CT6 isn’t a great car …..the ride is a tut too stiff and it’s too much the Germen sports side…I say the CT6 is a nice car…. but not great.
Isn’t it interesting how the CTS sales have dropped off since Caddy ditched the coupe and wagon? The Europeans and Japanese are producing coupes and the Europeans are producing both. H
HEY CADILLAC! HAVE YOU GOT THE PICTURE YET?