Cadillac XT5 Sales Increase 46.8 Percent To 7,236 Units In August 2017
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Cadillac XT5 sales increased in the United States and in Canada in August 2017.
Cadillac XT5 Sales - August 2017 - United States
In the United States, Cadillac XT5 deliveries totaled 7,236 units in August 2017, an increase of about 47 percent compared to 4,929 units sold in August 2016. The results represent the models' second-best sales performance since launch, with the best month being December 2016 with 7,436 deliveries. In addition, the sales include a 28 percent increase in retail sales.In the first eight months of the year, XT5 sales increased about 149 percent to 42,538 units.
| MODEL | AUG 2017 / AUG 2016 | AUGUST 2017 | AUGUST 2016 | YTD 2017 / YTD 2016 | YTD 2017 | YTD 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XT5 | +46.80% | 7,236 | 4,929 | +148.93% | 42,538 | 17,088 |
Cadillac XT5 Sales - August 2017 - Canada
In Canada, Cadillac XT5 deliveries totaled 609 units in August 2017, an increase of about 74 percent compared to 349 units sold in August 2016.In the first eight months of the year, XT5 sales increased about 320 percent to 4,431 units.
| MODEL | AUG 2017 / AUG 2016 | AUGUST 2017 | AUGUST 2016 | YTD 2017 / YTD 2016 | YTD 2017 | YTD 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XT5 | +74.50% | 609 | 349 | +319.60% | 4,431 | 1,056 |
The GM Authority Take
The Cadillac XT5 was one of only two vehicles in its segment to post an increase in sales in August. In fact, the 46.8 percent growth in XT5 sales was the highest change in the segment, with the Lexus RX posting a 7.1 percent increase.
Even so, XT5 sales continue to lag behind the perennial segment leader – the Lexus RX, which sold 3,155 units more than the XT5 during the month. The Cadillac did, however, manage to outsell the Acura MDX and Lincoln MKX by a healthy margin, placing it squarely in second place in its competitive set by sales volume.
We attribute the XT5’s healthy August sales performance to two factors: a competitive vehicle that competes in a growing segment, as a result of a shift in consumer purchase dynamics towards CUVs and SUVs.
We don’t see any reason that XT5 sales will continue to grow in the coming months, as long as the market continues to favor crossovers and Cadillac is capable of keeping up with demand for the vehicle. Whether the XT5 can catch up to Lexus in cumulative sales remains to be seen. However, Honda’s Acura is going on an offensive wit the MDX in the coming months by shifting production in a way that will enable it to produce more units of the vehicle, presenting a threat to XT5 sales.
Sales Numbers - Midsize Premium Luxury Crossovers - August 2017 - United States
| MODEL | AUG 17 / AUG 16 | AUGUST 17 | AUGUST 16 | YTD 17 / YTD 16 | YTD 17 | YTD 16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RX | +7.11% | 10,391 | 9,701 | -1.29% | 66,760 | 67,635 |
| XT5 | +46.80% | 7,236 | 4,929 | +148.93% | 42,538 | 17,088 |
| MDX | -11.67% | 4,532 | 5,131 | -5.29% | 32,814 | 34,648 |
| MKX | -10.29% | 2,371 | 2,643 | -0.46% | 20,295 | 20,388 |
| TOTAL | +9.49% | 24,530 | 22,404 | +16.21% | 162,407 | 139,759 |
The front-drive, midsize premium luxury segment grew about 10 percent to 24,530 units in August. During the first eight months of 2017, segment sales increased 16 percent to 162,407 units, with Lexus leading Cadillac in second, Acura in third, and Lincoln in fourth.
About Cadillac XT5
The Cadillac XT5 is a midsize crossover that replaced the Cadillac SRX. Currently the sole CUV in the Cadillac lineup, the vehicle will soon be flanked by a smaller Cadillac XT4 and a larger crossover believed to be called the Cadillac XT6.
Currently in its first generation, the XT5 was introduced for the 2017 model year. The vehicle is based on the regular-length wheelbase variant of the GM C1 platform shared with the second-generation GMC Acadia and upcoming, future Chevrolet Blazer. A longer-wheelbase variant of the same platform underpins the second-gen Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave.
For the 2018 model year, the XT5 gets several new exterior colors, a new “base” trim level that offers all-wheel-drive, the Rear Seat Reminder technology, and various new accessories.
For North American markets, the Cadillac XT5 is built exclusively at the GM Spring Hill factory in Tennessee operated by GM USA. For the Chinese market, the vehicle is built at the Cadillac China Jinqiao factory operated by GM China.
About The Numbers
- All percent change figures compared to Cadillac XT5 August 2016 sales
- In the United States, there were 27 selling days in August 2017 and 26 selling days in August 2016
- In Canada, there were 26 selling days in August 2017 and 25 selling days in August 2016 (Canada)
Related News & Info
- GM news
- Cadillac XT5 information
- Cadillac SRX information
Related Sales Reporting
- Running GM sales results
- Running Cadillac sales results
- Running Cadillac XT5 sales results
- Running Cadillac SRX sales results
- Running Cadillac sales results
- Running Buick sales results
- Running GMC sales results
- Running Cadillac sales results
- August 2017 GM sales results
- U.S. GM August 2017 sales results
- U.S. August 2017 Chevrolet sales results
- U.S. August 2017 Cadillac sales results
- U.S. August 2017 Buick sales results
- U.S. August 2017 GMC sales results
- GM Canada August 2017 sales results
- Canada August 2017 Chevrolet sales results
- Canada August 2017 Cadillac sales results
- Canada August 2017 Buick sales results
- Canada August 2017 GMC sales results
- GM China August 2017 sales results
- Global August 2017 Cadillac sales results
- U.S. GM August 2017 sales results
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With Cadillac sales down a total 15,016 for the month of August the XT5 selling 7,236 is definitely helping keep the luxury division afloat . Gaining the second selling spot behind the old rival Lexus RX350 is a proof that this SUV came out to play in this segment .
Lexus also has the RX400h which is a good seller , is this variant included in the Lexus RX count ? And if it is should it be included !?! My guess is it is because the only difference in the car is the ” Hybrid ” power-train with other goodies tossed in . Plus the also have the F-Sport which I think is the best looking RX350 .
If Cadillac could come up with their own hybrid and F-Sport of the XT5 then there would be no reason why it couldn’t steal the number 1 spot .
Lexus started this segment and many opinion / editorials always give the RX good write ups as being a high quality , very reliable vehicle that retains its resale value . This is where the ” image ” of a vehicle can really make a huge difference . Even though the XT5 is a better car than the SRX was , Cadillac should advertise the #ell out of it during the winter months to gain some traction for next Springs selling season .
That’s nice that the XT5 (essentially an updated SRX) is selling well, but this is not the direction JDN is taking Cadillac. In the future, the XT5 will be RWD instead of FWD, and it will be a hard-riding “driver’s car” (which it is not today). Also he’ll be ending the angular Cadillac styling which looks so good on the XT5. So this vehicle would not have been produced, had JDN been in charge for long enough to make his mark.
It’s also interesting that the Lexus RX, which outsells the XT5 by a wide margin, has a more comfortable ride than the XT5. That should never happen with a Cadillac, but “the Cadillac ride” (i.e. smooth comfortable ride) has been killed off. And in the future, JDN will position this or the replacement with an even harder ride (i.e. “driver’s car”).
Most reviewers find modern cadillac’s to have some of the best ride handling balance available. I have driven and ridden in a CT6 platinum and was extremely impressed by the combination of agile handling and comfort. Cars don’t have to be floaty to be comfortable anymore.
Drew,
You’re once again off on pretty much every element comment.
1. “(essentially an updated SRX)”
The XT5 shares nothing with the SRX. So it’s essentially a completely different car.
2. “but this is not the direction JDN is taking Cadillac.
JDN isn’t “taking” the brand in a negative direction, like your comment suggests. He and his team are taking it in the direction of providing the cars that the majority of luxury car buyers are asking for.
3. “he’ll be ending the angular Cadillac styling which looks so good on the XT5. So this vehicle would not have been produced, had JDN been in charge for long enough to make his mark.”
and
“And in the future, JDN will position this or the replacement with an even harder ride (i.e. “driver’s car”).”
Have you seen or ridden in or driven future Cadillac vehicles? I believe you have not. So you do not know what the final outcome will be of the product developed under JDN’s leadership, yet you are already trying to present it in a negative light. Maybe the end result will be better than the Cadillac vehicles today, maybe not. The point is that you don’t know. So why talk about things with any sense of confidence when YOU DO NOT KNOW?
And if JDN were around 10 years ago, the XT5, XT4, and XT6 would all have been released five years ago… perhaps with better (or worse) design. But the point is that the poor planning on the part of GM in relation to forecasting crossover demand would not have taken place.
4. “It’s also interesting that the Lexus RX, which outsells the XT5 by a wide margin, has a more comfortable ride than the XT5.”
You need to understand the market dynamics here. Looking at the numbers only tells you a small part of the story. To truly understand it, I recommend you ask “why” the RX sells. But worry not. I’ll elucidate you. You’re also in luck, as my father spend a decade running a very high-volume Lexus dealership, so this is something I know quite a bit about… I practically lived there.
The RX sells well NOT because it is in any way a superior or better product than any of the other segment contenders. It sells well because it has been around for nearly two decades with roughly the same formula. Having Toyota-Lexus reliability image helps significantly as well. The people buy it sight unseen, without driving it.
By comparison, Cadillac’s rival has a new name that doesn’t carry the same brand recognition… plus the overall Cadillac brand image is less appealing than that of Cadillac. It’s at least 15 BPUs less, in fact. So Lexus is sailing on the laurels of its past… while Cadillac is fighting an uphill battle because its past sucked.
As I have told you before, the primary reasons that BMW and Mercedes-Benz continue to lead (outside of product) is because they have been doing what they do for 50 years, and have been doing it really well! Cadillac has been doing what it does for give or take a decade… and even so, it hasn’t been executing as well as those others.
The Lexus RX and ES sell for the same reasons.
5. What wheels drive the car have absolutely nothing to do with ride, whether smooth, hard, etc. A RWD car can be as smooth or as hard as it needs to be. A FWD car can be as smooth or as hard as it needs to be.
But here’s what you don’t understand: what a FWD-based car can’t do is be as engaging or as fun to drive as RWD-based car.
6. The goal is to strike the perfect balance between driver engagement and comfort. The BMWs and Mercedes have done this extremely well over the last five decades. The formula is changing slightly now towards slightly softer damping, which can be seen on the F30 3er and new C-Classes.
Cadillac will serve the need by having cars that are engaging to drive and comfortable at the same time. They will not be land yachts like your DTS. I know that hurts to hear for a DTS fanboy such as yourself…
7. I’m curious: have you ever driven any vehicles in the current Cadillac lineup?
Alex Luft, nice attempt at defending JDN, but my comments stand. The XT5 probably would have been called the SRX, had not JDN decided to rename everything according to his formula. I like both cars, but I often have to look at the headlights to see if it’s an XTS or SRX, when I see one on the street. The XT5 is a modest improvement on the SRX, and perhaps this year the XT5 will beat the SRX’s sales numbers for 2015 (of nearly 69k units in the USA), which would be very good for Cadillac.
But my point is that once JDN is fully entrenched in this company, it won’t make anything like the current XT5. He’s already stated his principles. 1) every car will be RWD, 2) every car will be a “driver’s car” (i.e. hard sports ride), 3) no more angular Cadillac styling, copy the Germans, 4) make every car fit the “proper” specs as established by the Germans. The XT5 fails JDN’s plans in each of those ways – it’s FWD, it’s not a hard-riding “driver’s car”, it does have angular Cadillac styling, and it’s a little bigger than the comparable German cars (somewhat of a “tweener” instead of a proper German-spec’ed car).
As to a “balance” between hard-riding “sports handling” and a comfortable ride, the old Cadillac was about luxury, not trade-offs. Let someone else build a compromise car. Though I’m pretty sure JDN’s future cars will not be compromises either, he’ll aim for the hardest ride in the class (like the ATS).
I will also disagree with you on the concept of “fun”. I’ve had a lot of fun in my life, but driving around in a RWD car, and/or a car with sharp handling, is not my idea of “fun” or “engaging”. I actually think it’s more fun to drive in a car with a nice smooth “magic carpet” ride than a bouncy jarring one, where I can “feel the road” through the vibrating steering wheel, or one where my wheels are slipping all over the place due to RWD.
You’ve obviously read a lot of professional auto blogs which call such cars “engaging and fun”, and deride smooth riding cars that hold the road and isolate the driver from shocks as “boring”. To the point where you accept that as gospel for all drivers. The reality is that only a small minority of drivers get their jollies from cars of the type you favor. But if you only accept input from people who already share your views, you’d never learn there’s another 85% that feels differently.
Also, people don’t buy SUVs for their handling values. And Cadillac spent many decades establishing “the Cadillac ride” as the best ride among mass-production cars. JDN is throwing that away, simply to imitate the Germans, rather than being a leader of a beloved American icon.
Bottom line, JDN deserves no credit for the sales numbers of the XT5. If it were up to him, this car would not exist as such. And in the future, there will be no car like it from Cadillac. Now JDN may get a small blip up in overall US sales, due to introducing many new models in the next few years. But adjusted for the newness of the models and the number of models, sales will continue their downward spiral. And once JDN has fully implemented his changes on every single model offered by Cadillac, it will be astonishing how weak sales will be at that point. Proving that “just copy the Germans” is not a winning strategy, especially for an American brand.
I’ve been watching the PBS “Vietnam War” series, and JDN reminds me of General Westmoreland – sticking to the same losing plan no matter what. Cadillac could use an outside-the-box thinker like Westmoreland’s replacement Gen. Abrams, but in this case it will be another 10-15 years down the road before JDN is fired. And even then, people will be scratching their heads as to why it didn’t work out as he expected. Such a waste in the meantime, they could have restored Cadillac to leadership, glory, and great profits. Post-mortem they will say no one could have saved Cadillac and JDN was the best hope at the time, but some of us will know there’s another side to the story.
I see says the blind man!
Oh don’t worry, Bonnie and Clyde (Susan and Drew) would troll here until Cadillac cranks out vinyl-roof, flat-foot garbage and crave thats what people want outside their mid-American counties.
Guestt, that’s simply not true. I don’t want to bring back the old Cadillacs, I want to see modern Cadillacs. Frankly I want to see Cadillac making more modern/innovative cars than JDN is willing to make. I want to see truly modern and innovative Cadillacs, but with Cadillac core values, not German ones. All JDN wants to do is copy existing German cars (one generation behind), right down to the styling.
Alex Luft claimed that the bold angular Cadillac styling alone meant that they aren’t copying the Germans; I didn’t agree because I saw them as German cars with a different skin, but at least the styling was different than the Germans. Now JDN intends to end that and go all-German, in every way. Including exact “proper” copies of German specs.
And you talk about vinyl roofs, in no way do I want Cadillac to be making cars with vinyl roofs, but how about the fact that JDN is making base versions of the ATS and CTS with vinyl seats? No way should a car with the Cadillac name have vinyl seats.
In a recent prior topic, I listed what I feel are the values that Cadillac should have in their cars. Those are timeless values, they can and should be applied to the most modern of cars. I asked for a response from you naysayers, not one of you told me which if any of those values was wrong for Cadillac or what you would change. No response at all, even though you all commented on the topic.
I did also indicate that I have no problem with giving a Cadillac improved “handling”, as long as they didn’t sacrifice ride comfort (a Cadillac core value IMO)j to get it. It can be done, with today’s technology. Not important to me, or to 85% of luxury car buyers, but if you want to have it, it can be had (at a cost) without ruining the ride.
Chrysler under Lee Iacocca survived by being an innovator. He brought back the first American convertible in 6 years (ironically following a discontinued Cadillac of 6 years earlier), and it was a massive success. Chrysler invented the minivan under Iacocca. He made Chrysler the first American brand to put an air bag in every car, every trim level. He bought Jeep/AMC and made them the biggest SUV producer, at a time when those were coming into vogue. Chrysler even came up with the innovative PT Cruiser, looks dumb to me, but it was such a big hit that GM came up with the HHR to copy it.
But where’s the innovation from JDN? His most recent chance to be innovative was to put the Escala concept into production; he declined. He’s not going to make the Ciel or Elmiraj either, or anything like them.
It baffles me that JDN has so many cheerleaders here who think he’s going to succeed, when he’s only shown a desire to copy the Germans spec-for-spec and style-for-style. He’s throwing away the values that Cadillac spent many decades establishing, and that made them #1 (in US luxury sales), until they moved away from those values.
Today Lexus better embodies the classic Cadillac values than where JDN is taking Cadillac. And Lexus is very close to being the #1 luxury brand in the US, a position it held from 2000-2011 and very well could regain. Why is GM letting Lexus do so well by co-opting much of Cadillac’s former values, while Cadillac is pursuing German values and doing so poorly as a result?
And why are people like you cheering JDN on, and believing that a formula that hasn’t worked in the past 35 years (copying the Germans) is suddenly going to work now, with JDN intending to make the brand EVEN MORE German like. This is very much like Einstein’s definition of insanity, doing the same thing and expecting a different result. It’s much like General Westmoreland in Vietnam, thinking his plan would ultimately succeed.
What I don’t get is why you people think a losing strategy is suddenly going to succeed. JDN is a copier, not an innovator. And don’t tell me that I want Cadillac to build replicas of past models, when I want them to build very modern and innovative cars, while holding true to the core values that made them so successful for so long. The values that NO ONE challenged, not you, not Alex Luft, NO ONE.
So why the constant back-to-back novels about what Cadillac needs to do like some one influential from GM is reading this?. You don’t have a plan, visit a Lincoln dealer.
I’m going to elaborate here once but I loathed Cadillac 15 years ago and probably be a Lexus buyer now but putting my money where my mouth is and getting a Caddy soon, I love the direction they going with sedans as the UTEs pay the bills. For me looking for a Caddy, It dang sure wouldn’t been the XTS as me being an under 40 yr old buyer pulling up to a stoplight and seeing your expensive pride you just dropped $50 large plus leading a funeral precession. The NYC move as I’ve been there just makes sense to stay with the hip-n-happening with disposable income.
You must be under 70. Lol,
FYI the move was not to be hip it was to put space between Cadillac planing and design and the inter fearing GM board. It is a smart move and better than just being hip. GM is what has held Cadillac back not JDN.
See the JDN comment on this below I posted.
‘I’m going to elaborate here once but I loathed Cadillac 15 years ago and probably be a Lexus buyer now but putting my money where my mouth is and getting a Caddy soon”
You’re pushing 40 and just now thinking of buying a Cadillac? Ha ha. Please don’t slide into a tiny car on a $299 lease, ok?
I bought my first in my early 20’s. Went in at the top of the line, paid cash.
Well back to trolling or maybe trying to stumble up the steps of the LTC only to fall out in the reception area per goofy Brian. lol
Enjoy the new ride!
Bonnie 🙂
“You’re pushing 40 and just now thinking of buying a Cadillac? Ha ha. Please don’t slide into a tiny car on a $299 lease, ok?
I bought my first in my early 20’s. Went in at the top of the line, paid cash.”
Im pretty sure that 1937 Cadillac you bought brand new was great Grandmama, plus you don’t know what previous vehicles I have or can afford.
“Well back to trolling or maybe trying to stumble up the steps of the LTC only to fall out in the reception area per goofy Brian. lol
Enjoy the new ride!”
Please do and I will.
“Im pretty sure that 1937 Cadillac you bought brand new was great Grandmama,”
I missed the ’37 Cadillac, doggone it.
Quick question. Why the dislike for longtime Cadillac buyers? Seems sort of odd. Maybe I’m missing something. Thanks.
Enjoy the new car!
I don’t dislike Cadillac buyers just the stuff and mis-handled strategies they made (Lincoln also) that made most luxury buyers look elsewhere.
You looking at a “traditional” Cadillac have you even try a CT6?. Motortrend praised the CT6 for a “Town Car like ride” with sharp handling with the magna-shocks.
Guestt,
Thanks for the response. I’m not in the market for a car now. I enjoyed many traditional Cadillacs in the past. There’s a ’16 CTS in the garage now.
I’m disappointed that some things don’t seem to function well. Cadillac’s response is that they all do it, that’s the way it is, etc. I’m referring to simple things that worked well for decades such as climate control. Now constant temp adjustments are needed while driving. The temp is not maintained.
Maybe Cadillac is going through something presently. I would have a more favorable impression if things like this were addressed. The excuses got old.
I’m not ruling out Cadillac in the future but Cadillac is no longer my default choice for a daily driver.
Nice write up Alex. Truly. Say, if you lived at a Lexus dealership when young, how did you end up becoming a Cadillac/GM fan? I’m curious.
I think you’re spot-on BTW, most luxury buyers aren’t looking for a ’76 Deville ride anymore. BMW did more than just execute for 50 years – the 2002 shaped the market. It’s a bit like what Car and Driver wrote when they were celebrating the 50th anniversary of BMW on these shores – “We’re all BMW drivers now.”
Steve,
It’s actually somewhat of a story… I’ll let you decide whether it’s interesting or not.
My father was actually a Volvo exec in Europe prior to this. Once we relocated to the States, I grew up being driven in and driving Volvo and Lexus, everything from the 890s and S80s/V70s to the RX and ES and the IS, GS, and LS. I was really enamored by the brand… though at the time it was a blind love, simply because I haven’t tried the BMW or Mercedes equivalents at the time. Fanboy would describe the position perfectly.
At that point, I was always hanging around the dealership and listening to the customers, their stories… their processes and priorities in vehicle shopping. I also spent a good amount of time with the sales people, the service and parts folks, and the management staff, which really opened my eyes up to the operation and the business as whole.
Over time, I began to educate myself on cars and the automotive industry as a whole, mostly to try to figure out why customers behaved like they did. I started driving cars… those that belonged to friends or even pop into rival brand dealerships from the German makes. I knew how to dress, how to act and what to say thanks to my experience at the Lexus store, and that allowed me to test drive regular products in the BMW, Mercedes, Audi, and Jaguar lineups… along with some pretty special cars like the S600 or an E-Class AMG or an M3 and M5.
With time, my fanboy “better than anything else” position on Toyota and Lexus became quite neutral. I was no longer taken by the blind love for Lexus. It wasn’t like I no longer liked Toyota/Lexus as brands or their cars… I certainly didn’t hate them… it was just a matter of not really being all too excited about them. Even so, I have always respected Lexus, as it was (and still is) a relatively new brand that has been able to make inroads on the German marques in terms of sales, profits, and mind share… something others have yet to do (though Cadillac has come close).
Somewhere in that process, I discovered GM and Cadillac… and how much potential GM has if it were ever to make Cadillac a full-on global luxury automotive brand. The second-gen CTS-V is really what started it for me… and the ATS, third-gen CTS, and CT6 continued my interest.
The potential is still there… and seems to be coming to fruition with the appointment of JDN, the move to NYC, the investment in the brand by GM, etc… though the plan isn’t without its flaws, such as a FWD-based crossover lineup and a continued lack of attention to certain aspects/features of modern Cadillacs… but that’s a story for a different time 🙂
The popularity of Cadillac’s XT5 is reason enough for Cadillac to expand the model line with a new entry level model featuring 252-275 horsepower LTG 2.0L DOHC-4v 4-cyl turbo and the PHEV introduced in China as well as a top tier model with the 464 hp LF4 with the plug-in hybrid module to get high performance without sacrificing fuel mileage.
One day Cadillac will be a sales leader! I hate that people can’t wait for Cadillac to finish the process
Brian, when Cadillac finishes the process of becoming a 100% BMW clone under JDN, the brand will be finished. We’ve already seen this happening. The most German-like car currently made by Cadillac is the ATS, and it sells very poorly.
The ATS is actually a nice looking car (the regular ATS, not the scooped and spoilered ATS-V). It’s just not what people want from Cadillac, under the skin. And once JDN gets rid of the bold angular Cadillac styling, there will be no reason whatsoever to buy it. Multiply the ATS experience across the whole brand, take away the attractive Cadillac styling and there’s Cadillac’s future – dismal. Yet for some reason you think once Cadillac “finishes the process”, sales will miraculously turn around? Baffling.
Drew,
The amount of FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt) is increasing with every one of your comments. It’s getting tiresome.
Before I go on, I would like to ask you: if you do reply to this comment, then please do so by replying to each one of my points with the numbers, as I did above and below. This will allow us to have an organized conversation that is easy to follow for everyone.
Now then…
1. “when Cadillac finishes the process of becoming a 100% BMW clone”
No one is making a “BMW clone”, so you can stop with that nonsense.
As everyone is trying to explain to you, what is taking place is that Cadillac is finally making cars desired by the market. So no, it’s not about copying or cloning. To say that is to not understand the luxury car market, the strategy, the direction. It is pure hyperbole. What will it take for you to understand this, Drew? What part of this do you not understand?
To give you a more realistic perspective: it was never about cloning. It’s about providing the product that is desired by the market. This is being done at Infiniti, Volvo, Audi, Mercedes, Lexus, Jaguar, Alfa Romeo, Acura, and Genesis. In your worldview, they are all wrong, right?
2. “The ATS is actually a nice looking car (the regular ATS, not the scooped and spoilered ATS-V).”
This is your opinion and styling is subjective. Your highly skewed and distorted opinion does not represent the car buying public at large. And it definitely does not represent what the people who buy cars in this segment want.
Furthermore, do you understand that the ATS-V is a car for a niche that appreciates the way it drives, looks, and sounds?
3. “And once JDN gets rid of the bold angular Cadillac styling, there will be no reason whatsoever to buy it.”
You keep talking as if you know what the future vehicles will look like, but in reality you have no clue.
So your comment above is fiction… an invention of your imagination. Hyperbole. Bollocks.
Here’s a fact: you have entirely ZERO clue how future Cadillacs will look like. That immediately invalidates your comment.
4. As so many have already pointed out to you, JDN is not the enemy.
You haven’t even seen the work that will be done under his leadership, yet are already critiquing the product without even having seen it.
Your comments are based on comments but you haven’t seen any kind of product. This is completely unreasonable. Are you an unreasonable person, Drew?
5. Yes, Brian’s point and the point of most everyone on here who is trying to give you the broad picture that you so fervently refuse to accept under the nonsense excuse of your ideas supposedly being “innovative”, is that we do not know what the cars in question will be or how they will drive.
6. The ATS was the first product in the modern Cadillac renaissance.
To gauge how future Cadillac products will drive based on the OLDEST product in the lineup is also unreasonable.
7. Have you driven any of the cars we are discussing ? Have you even driven a modern BMW? Have you driven a modern Cadillac?
You seem to ignore this question every time I ask it. So answer it, will ya?
8. Rather than critiquing and disparaging every single Cadillac product, executive, or enthusiast, why don’t we try something different.
You tell us your supposedly “innovative” strategy for Cadillac… one that will make it a leader in the global automotive luxury market… and we’ll see how it holds up.
9. Outside of all these individual items, I would like to address something that is perhaps more important.
Based on your comments, you seem to have a very sub-par understanding of the automotive industry and of the automotive luxury market. You also seem not to grasp what it takes to take a tarnished multi billion dollar business like Cadillac and bring it back to greatness in terms of image and profits. You keep going on about soft-riding cars, but your one and only objective appears to be to spread hate along with the ill-advised recommendation for Cadillac to make boats like the DTS that you drive.
You also continue making overarching conclusions about what strategy a multi-billion entity like Cadillac should undertake based on nothing more than your personal likes (boat-like luxury cars) and dislikes (sport luxury cars). This is why firms research, test, analyze, strategize and then act instead of going by the seat of their pants, which is what you are doing with every comment on here.
To make matters worse, many of the people who continue to patiently answer your misguided comments are extremely knowledgeable about the subject in question, and about Cadillac, GM, and the entire industry as a whole. You have mocked their experience as being “set in their ways”, “not innovative”, trite, etc… while painting your own unwise suggestions as “innovative”, “thinking outside the box”, etc. This has to stop. Put in a room with these people during a strategic meeting, you simply do not stand a chance. That much is clear from your comments. There is no depth there. This is not coming from a place of derision, Drew. It’s simply my observation. I have seen this time and time again after ten years in the global automotive industry (including but definitely not limited to media).
So, if you want to have a conversation of equals about the topic at hand, then my friendly advice to you is to listen first. Listen to understand. Listen to learn. Listen to entrench yourself in the topic at hand. Keep an open mind. Question your own convictions, positions and opinions on the topic. Once you have understood the topic up, down, back and forth, and all around, only then can we actually talk about it productively.
Otherwise, you will continue to repeat the same flawed opinions in every post, which works to the detriment of the GM Authority community. And at that point, we will have no choice than to take away the privilege of commenting… which would be a shame.
Genuinely,
Alex
Alex Luft, I have asked you numerous questions on this forum, and you have yet to answer any of them. Example, on the topic of “JDN discusses the future of his brand” (subsequently changed to “the brand” except in the link), I listed out what I feel have been Cadillac’s core values, and should be again today, and asked for you to agree or disagree with them – as usual, no response. I’ve put other questions to you in the past, and other commenters have noticed that you don’t answer them. My feeling is, if you consider it optional to answer my questions to you, then I consider it optional to answer your questions to me. That’s fair, is it not?
My plan for making Cadillac stand out is to return to their core values, and make modern Cadillacs that incorporate those values. Sedans, SUVs, convertibles, roadsters, liftbacks, whatever you want, but they should be Cadillacs. Henry had a great idea, to make a replacement for the ATS a car with two comfortable seats instead of four cramped ones. That would be one way to have a real Cadillac in a smaller footprint. What do you think of that idea Alex? . Cadillac once represented something, but apparently you are too young and JDN is to foreign to understand that. There’s a reason Cadillac is “the Cadillac of cars” and part of numerous songs. And it’s not due to following in the Germans’ footsteps, bootprint by bootprint. It’s by standing out, by being Cadillac (see core values again).
Cadillac under JDN will lose all connection with the classic brand, and will have no meaning in particular. You say to wait for JDN to reveal his cars. He’s already told us what they will be. All RWD, all “driver’s cars”, no more bold angular lines, and matching the Germans spec-for-spec. That’s all l need to know. It’s not just about continuing the DTS/XTS, although those were the strongest links to classic Cadillac. It’s simply about being Cadillac, a leader not a follower. JDN wants Cadillac to be a follower. He’s at best Tim Cook compared to a Steve Jobs. But Cadillac is not in the position of Apple right now, it’s 5th place (in US luxury sales) and shrinking.
I happen to know a lot about cars, engineering, music reproduction, and business/investment. I believe that my posts here reflect that understanding, to those who are open-minded. To those who want to be cheerleaders only, they may be a challenge to stomach. I believe that the best discussions accept and encourage views that may be at odds with the entrenched ones. I believe that it would be narrow-minded to eliminate views that are at odds with the accepted ones, especially when the accepted ones have caused a substantial loss of market share and a substantial loss of profit. But if you choose to prohibit me from posting further, there’s nothing I can do about that. From a business perspective however, I would guess that my presence here generates more interest – and ensuing discussion from others – than would be the case if I were banned.
I further do not think these message boards are enhanced by someone saying “just listen”. If that’s what you want, then why have a comments section? This attitude reminds me of the GW Bush administration, when they kicked out Colin Powell because he was the only one who didn’t think invading Iraq was a great idea, and they felt it was important to all be of one mind. How did that work out?
I have more experience than most of you, and whlle I’m only a year older than JDN, I believe that I have a much deeper understanding of what Cadillac means to Americans than he does, since he is a South African with several decades experience in a German car brand. I do not say that in some attempt to lord it over those of you with less experience, as I think all input can be valid regardless of age or experience. But for you to tell those with experience to “just listen” means you apparently have become set in your ways even as a young person, and you are likely to repeat the same mistakes of others, when you believe there is only one way and you don’t even want to HEAR anything else.
I had hoped this would be a forum of open discussion, but if challenging the status quo is unacceptable, then I can take my opinions elsewhere. I was already planning to wind down my participation here anyway, due to my disappointment that JDN is ending Cadillac as we know it, and I have no interest in “the JDN brand” which no longer has any connection to Cadillac (except in name). I do have two questions however Alex. I don’t expect you to answer these either, but it would be nice, and informative, if you did.
1) WHY do you think JDN will succceed ?
2) If Cadillac no longer retains any of its former core values, what will make Cadillac stand out as a brand under JDN?
Let’s make this short and sweet.
#1 There is no grantee JDN will be successful. But he has been finally given the money and autonomy that few have had since Harley Earl. So he has th3 tools.
#2 the Cadillac core you speak of was compromised decades ago and is just history. The path to leadership is a new road 5bat had to be constructed and paved.
This takes focus, funding and freedom from the cooperation that tried to save way to much money and squandered the core you speak of.
What has been done for the last few decades was the part to ruin. So a new plan even with risk is now required.
Drew – you failed to follow the very reasonable and simple request I made at the beginning of my comment, which was as follows:
“if you do reply to this comment, then please do so by replying to each one of my points with the numbers, as I did above and below. This will allow us to have an organized conversation that is easy to follow for everyone.”
You did not do this this, so I will assume that you are most interested in spreading FUD and misguided opinion rather than engaging in a factual, point-by-point dialogue.
As for your question: the majority of those who write for and/or operate publications do not even take the time to engage with their readers (in the comments). I am an exception to that, and try to read every comment that comes in. This attention to community and participation is appreciated by all of our readers, but apparently that does not extend to you.
It’s almost unnecessary to say, but I will say it anyway: it is impossible for me to reply to every single comment on GM Authority, which receives a significant amount of traffic and comments daily
DREW it really sucks that someone as smart as you can’t figure this out. People do not want big, slow, fwd, cars in the luxury market.
Don’t believe me make every car in Cadillac portfolio fwd and watch sales go down.
You make this conclusion that Cadillac will fail based on current sales, the reasons why the cars don’t sales is that sedans are not selling period.
Cost of current cars
Customers waiting on next model
Brian, I am not projecting Cadillac’s future prospects under JDN entirely on the currently weak/declining sales. Yes Cadillac has fallen over the past 35 years as a result of partly copying the Germans, rather than remaining the bold American leader and staying true to their core values. But I feel that Cadillac will fall further under JDN because of what he’s already announced as intentions to completely Germanize the brand and remove all vestiges of what made Cadillac an American icon.
You say that the public doesn’t want big, slow fwd cars in the luxury market. But that’s not what I listed as “Cadillac core values”. In fact I listed none of those things. I never said that all Cadillacs should be FWD, but I think it’s silly to eliminate the possibility of having any FWD vehicles in the future, as JDN plans to do. Ironically, it was Cadillac that perfected FWD with the 1967 Eldorado, back when other brands were unable to make useful and reliable FWD cars. Also the 1967 Eldorado brought forth the bold angular lines that have been a feature of Cadillacs until the arrival of JDN. But he plans to kill that too. So one guy is killing off two of the most important features that Cadillac brought to market and became hallmarks of the brand. Search any article on “most important Cadillacs in history” and the 1967 Eldorado will be featured. But a foreign guy like JDN doesn’t understand this.
I realize that there’s a 15% hard-core that insists that RWD is more “engaging” and “fun”. They read other auto blogs to get confirmation of these exact words, and use them over and over again, so it must be true. But there’s another 85% of the luxury market that isn’t so in love with RWD. And FWD has the advantages of yielding more legroom than RWD or AWD, and it’s better in snow than RWD. Further, FWD is lighter than AWD, effectively making the car more powerful per the engine used. But JDN plans to take FWD out of the toolbox, simply on some wacky theory that if you don’t like FWD (i.e. the 15%), you won’t buy from a brand that offers FWD on any of their products. As if you won’t buy the Corvette Sting Ray or the Camaro from the brand that offers the Spark. Or as if you won’t buy any BMW because they offer the dinky little electric i3.
As to “big, slow”, I did say that Cadillacs should be “roomy” but they don’t have to be big (Henry pointed out that you could have a two seat ATS, both of the seats roomy). And I’ve never said Cadillacs should be slow, in fact I’ve said that they should be strongly powered at all trim levels. Again refer to the “core principles” on the recent topic of “JDN discusses the future of the brand”.
So no, my conclusion about the future is not solely based on the current sinking trend in Cadillac’s RWD sedans. It’s based on that plus the fact that JDN says in the future he’ll go all RWD, all “driver’s cars” (aka hard-riding), all rounded edges (no more angular styling), etc. and the fact he’s never shown an interest in innovation, but prefers to follow the Germans step-for-step. To some people that’s a winning recipe, to my thinking it will just become even more of a loser.
JDN plans to take away the features that have been successful at Cadillac, the angular styling, the roomy comfortable ride, the FWD (best selling Cadillac in August is the XT5, and best selling Cadillac sedan is the XTS, both are FWD). Strip all that away, and what do you have left? A follower not an innovator. A brand with perhaps some appeal to the 15% who insist on “performance” over luxury, but even that is a very crowded market now. A brand that has thrown away its history and its soul, and the foreign guy in charge has no clue what Cadillac means to Americans. The outcome can’t be good.
And yet some people cheer on JDN, even though he’s done nothing for anyone – he was merely in the right place at the right time with Audi USA. In 10 years or so, if you are honest you’ll say “Drew was right, he saw this coming”. I hate seeing the death of Cadillac, but I have no interest in “the JDN brand” which no longer has any connection to Cadillac. Real Cadillac could have made a nice comeback, if true to their leadership values and properly marketed as a 1st Class ride, not a German wannabe. Missed opportunity, and instead of revival we’ll continue to see the sad death of a beloved brand. In 10 years “Cadillac” will be lucky to be in 8th place among US luxury sales, down from 5th now and 1st just 20 years ago.
If you want fwd cars and they are that important to you then buy Buick! But you say Buick is not good enough for you.
This goes to show you that it has nothing to do with fwd or you would buy a fwd Buick.
This is something that allows you the right to complain about Cadillac!
I am tired of discussing this with you because refuse to see the other side.
I believe Cadillac can build both big roomy cars that handle and perform well.
You are the only person that can’t understand this!
Brian, I’m wondering if you actually read my posts here, or if you just pick out a sentence and then start typing a response. Are you truly this incapable of understanding what I’ve written? Or are you just trolling me by deliberately misrepresenting my views?
No Cadillac is not all about FWD for me. Yes I think it’s silly for JDN to eliminate the possibility of any FWD vehicles in the future, especially when it was Cadillac that perfected FWD (with the 1967 Eldorado). But no I do not insist that all Cadillacs be FWD, and I did not list FWD as one of Cadillac’s “core values”.
If you are going to read one thing by me, please read the listing of “Cadillac core values” that I put under the recent topic of “JDN discusses the future of his brand” (or something like that). In that post I list what I feel were the core values that made Cadillac successful in the past, and can make them successful again. With MODERN cars, not replicas of old Cadillacs.
Ok I’ll play you stupid game!
Cadillac core values! The values that use to be should not be now! Things change times change except for You!
What use to be desired is not now! Do we as the public still ask IBM to build the same computers they did 30 years ago? No of coarse Not! And this same example can be used in every industry around the world! And yes even at Cadillac!
SEE the only person that doesn’t get it is You! People don’t want to live in the 60’S or 70’S well except You!
Which brings me to this Cadillac is not in business to make cars personnly for You!
Cadillac has to make cars for the avg person in terms of size and weight!
Brian, did you actually read the list of Cadillac core values? You say those values are outdated, which ones would you change? The value that says Cadillacs should be reliable? The one that says they should be refined? The one that says they shouldn’t have cheap base models unworthy of the name?
And if you don’t think the values that made Cadillac #1 for many decades should be retained now, what do you think the values of today should be? A brand – for any product – is essentially a collection of values.
You mention computers. Apple today has the same values that they had in the 1970’s. Of course they don’t sell the same products they did back then, and I’m not saying Cadillac should sell the same products now as then. But Apple had their core (no pun intended) values which included ease of use, strong user support, and elegant external design/appearance. Apple as had the core value of being a leader, rather than copying what was already successful in the marketplace and then “me too-ing” it for the 4th or 5th time. What worked for Apple in the 1970’s still works for them today, though of course with different and completely modern products. I disagree that core values like Apple’s must change over time. And Apple is the number one business today, in terms of stock valuation, that’s a pretty good tribute to sticking to successful values.
So please tell me Brian, which of the core values I listed for Cadillac are no longer valid today. And if you say “FWD” it proves you didn’t read the lits. Also tell me what you feel their core values should be now. With the realization of course that a brand that keeps changing its core values is not a brand, it’s just a business struggling for an identity and confusing the public.
And in 10 years you will have to say Brian was right! But will You?
Even if they are not the sales leader they will be a major profit center for GM.
This segment a company needs not to be number one to still be very successful just profitable.
Although I have never been a cheerleader for Johan DN , and some things he has done recently ( helicopter rides to the Hamptons , and the Coffee House ) I don’t get , I think it’s a bit early to call his re-invention of Cadillac a loosing strategy with doubt it will succeed when we haven’t even seen what his vision is for Cadillac except the undeniable beautiful Escala and a heavily camoed XT4 .
I do believe he had some ( albeit small ) input on the CT6 and XT5 but these were in the pipeline before Johan even sat behind his desk at GM..
Drew , If you do drive a DTS thats all good and those cars sold very well at the time but wouldn’t do well in 2017 . Cadillac would get reviews from every car magazine and web-sites wondering if Cadillac knew what decade we live in . I have personally owned seven Cadillacs so far and with each new one comes more improvement in every area .
The new XT5 in my opinion doesn’t have a German ride to it at all . It feels well planted to the road and soaks up the terrible roads we have here in Michigan . And get it out on the highway , it’s quiet and is actually very smooth thanks to the Magnetic Ride Control ( name ? ) . I even watched a You Tube video recently where this guy was complaining about not having a volumn control button to show how loud the radio was . Well I dismissed this guys review because if he really knew what he was talking about , there are 2 buttons on the steering wheel for the volumn and on the DIC in the guage cluster it shows you in a scale with actual numbers just how loud your radio is .
I have driven the CT6 and it is a nice ride , is it an S-Class ….no . I even drove the F-Sport Lexus RX350 and it is nice
but the XT5 outshines it in a clean luxury enviroment .Did you know the RX350 doesn’t even offer a remote start ?
That’s a huge game changer for those of us in the snow belt .
There is no such thing as a perfect car , and alot of people are tired of the sharp A&S from Cadillac . I guess my point is let’s wait until we actually see the new Cadillacs that willl be coming every 6 months until their line-up is full and then lets judge what we can see and drive .
Zach, no model lasts forever, and of course I don’t expect Cadillac to be selling a model identical to the 2006-11 DTS in 2017. But there’s no reason Cadillac couldn’t offer a sedan that is as roomy, comfortable riding, and strongly powered as the DTS today. The XTS is somewhat close, and it was Cadillac’s best-selling sedan (by a wide margin) in August. But the XTS is going away after two more years.
It’s nice that so many here have so much faith in JDN. But what is the basis for that faith? He’s shown he’s not interested in creating a unique product for the market, but instead wants to follow in the exact footprints of the Germans, step for step. You’ll always be behind if that’s your plan. I see nothing else from JDN. He would not have even approved of the XT5, had it not already been underway before he arrived. He’s not an innovator, he’s a copier.
I think part of the problem is that some people believe that JDN was largely responsible from Audi increasing its US luxury market share from about 5% to about 10% on his watch. That’s impressive to be sure. But JDN was simply the overseer of Audi USA. The significant Audi product decisions came out of Germany, not from JDN. Furthermore, Audi benefitted from the overall German sports luxury fad that was driven by BMW and Mercedes Benz. So Audi was in the right place at the right time, with the right (German) badge. And they did make some good decisions from Germany.
JDN’s big contribution to Audi USA was moving the HQ from Detroit to Virginia. Did that make a big difference? I don’t think so. But JDN decided it was so effective, he moved Infiniti’s global HQ from Tokyo to Hong Kong, and he moved Cadillac from Detroit to New York City. JDN also renamed all of Infiniti’s cars with a German-like system, similar to what he’s doing at Cadillac.
Bottom line, we’ve seen JDN’s game plan at Audi USA and at Infiniti. He runs the same game plan wherever he goes. He thinks it was successful at Audi USA, but I say Audi USA succeeded for reasons other than JDN’s input. He reminds me of a guy in the audience of a symphony concert, waving his arms wildly and believing he’s responsible for all the great music emanating from the orchestra.
Seriously, what is it about JDN that makes you think he’ll stop the slide in Cadillac? True maybe putting out several new models at once (new model every 6 months for a while) will pump up volume temporarily, because new models always generate excitement and sales. But creating new models costs GM a lot of money, and ultimately sales will fall off very hard once these new models start to age. How do I know this? Because I’ve seen all of this before, both the JDN playbook and the “Lets just follow the Germans” plan. It does not lead to better sales or profits. It hasn’t in the 35 years its been tried.
It didn’t have to be this way. Cadillac had a winning strategy and they threw it away. Lexus picked up most of the Cadillac playbook (except the bold angular styling) and they greatly succeeded with it (though they hurt themselves about 10 years ago when they gave their flagship LS a more stiff “German ride” for some reason, and sales fell dramatically).
I won’t call JDN a con man, because I think he actually believes he had something to do with Audi USA’s success, and thinks he’s got the right formula for Cadillac. The reality is that those who expect him to succeed at Cadillac are in for massive disappointment, but it will take another 7-15 years for you to see the evidence for yourselves. Hopefully you won’t all be in denial at that point. And yes, there was a better way, Cadillac was not beyond a strong revival at this point. But in 15 years it may well be beyond saving.
The Cimarron was never comparable to a sporty handling 3-series. The Catera was the equivalent of dipping a toe in the water. The current line-up is less sport focused than the XLR-CTS-SRX-STS one.
The XT4 and XT6 will be front drive based. A lot of Audis are also. Much of the German driver’s car image is just that, a marketed image. Many boomers never wanted to think of themselves as older. The CTS-CT5 is important for this reason.
Cadillac has missed out badly with crossovers. Merrill Lynch is forecasting a market downturn. You are lying to yourself, if you think a next-gen DTS-XTS is more important to ensure the future.
Integrating electric drive with big, heavy batteries will likely change many things, including muting sporty handling and ending drive axle arguments. Your frustration here ridiculously makes out JdN to be an enemy when he’s not likely to be at all.
So, please relax about this a bit. Go drive an awd CT6. Image a future version of the car. I wouldn’t mind reading your constructive thoughts.
Here is som insight into Cadillac and JDN.
In Car and Driver he out lines some of what some here want to argue about.
What does Cadillac gain in the move to NYC? Separation from GM. If geographic separation was not created changes would have been more difficult to make to the brand. They now make their own decisions.
Why NYC? Same time zone as Detroit and an easy commute for their engineers.
Why do the Germans set the standard? They are very focused on their brands and have been for a while. They are not distracted by the demands and intricacies of main stream customers and competitive cost pressures and different product attributes. In other words they are not forced to try to appeal to all customers.
What can they learn from Tesla? They have captured the public imagination but selling cars at a loss make selling them easier.
Will there be EV Cadillac? Yes
Are sedans doomed? No but they will have a better balance. The XTS, CTS, CT6 all are in the same foot print. They will do a large, medium and small sedan that all cover different parts of the market and make a more efficient use of their resources.
China Market? They value prestige more and are a younger customer. Th year are more demanding and also the largest and fastest growing market so they need to be addressed.
Summery.
Again the move to NYC was not about image. Two they are not the ting to copy the Germans as the Germans just have defined the segment. China like it or no they will hold influence in the segment for everyone. Finally Cadillac is working to be as independent as possible from GM in the planning, designing and engineering of their products. If you want to be prestigious and exclusive you can’t parts bin everything.