In 1992, Cadillac ushered in an all-new Eldorado with a clean redesign, a Northstar V8 engine and plenty of modern amenities. As the brand would find out, the tenth-generation Eldorado would be the final generation as sales slowly declined throughout the 1990s.
But the Eldorado wanted to be something bigger than before. It wanted to change perceptions of how a car was supposed to look and act. And today’s Vintage Ad Break also proclaimed the 1992 Eldorado could even change the way drivers think about American automobiles.
The Eldorado featured design borrowed from the 1988 Cadillac Solitaire concept and was much larger than the previous-generation Eldorado. Most significant was the new Northstar V8 engine in 1993, which replaced the old 4.9-liter V8 engine with a 4.6-liter displacement. The Northstar V8 provided two power outputs: 270 horsepower and 295 horsepower, depending on options. Both were major upgrades from the 4.9-liter V8, which produced a meager 200 hp at launch.
In 2001, General Motors announced the Eldorado would exit production after 50 years. In 2002, the final Eldorado left the assembly line and left a hole in the hearts of many Cadillac aficionados. Today, some of us here at GM Authority argue Cadillac needs a return to building large, luxurious cars rather than spritely sedans that benchmark German rivals. Maybe then Cadillac could really change perceptions.
Comments
I think if you were to do a survey most Americans would agree that Cadillac has built some attractive cars over the last 35 years. Maybe some were too small for some folks, some too large for others, and some not sporty enough. But overall they’ve been very attractive, yes.
So what’s the missing ingredient.? Where has Cadillac gone wrong? What’s been lacking all these years?
For someone that grew tired of Internet Cadillac talk ions ago, this article was like an ice cold bucket of water dumped over my head. It answered those questions and more without ever so much as whispering those key missing ingredients.
Those missing ingredients? They are the things we rarely discuss in forums such as these. They are what has kept Cadillac consistently near the middle, and sometimes bottom, of the luxury pack. You’ll rarely find them mentioned in the car magazines, too, but they’re everything preventing Cadillac from being more than an also-ran.
So what are they? They’re those things not mentioned in the above article. See if you can spot them. It requires a bit of abstract thinking but they’re there, clearly.
That is all.
In the words of Tim the Tool man Taylor, “more power”…Need to give the V treatment, at launch, to the XT4 and/or XT5 which will bring buzz to the brand…I intentionally leave out the Escalade because it’s so big and heavy that both performance and mpg would be disappointing…
In an earlier comment I argued that Cadillac should have both a “V-sport” and a comfort oriented option package for every car, whether its front, rear or AWD. The V-sport would focus on performance and style with larger brakes or tighter suspension, maybe larger engines where applicable, while the comfort oriented version would focus have “soft” seats, and have the latest tech.
Would it really be THAT bad of an idea to rename the XTS “Eldorado”?
The key to the future of Cadillac is less GM family sharing and more exclusive Cadillac design, quality and features.
Then take these features and make them all to the most detailed quality to where owning a Cadillac really means something.
For too many years Cadillac shared too much with Chevy, Olds and Buick. Even when they did try to be special too often GM under funded it. The 8-6-4 and Nstar was never funded fully to get the details right.
Then the cars just were not anything that special over the cheaper cars to improve the image or demand a higher price,
Also the designers who designed a Cadillac could style a Chevy on Monday and start work on a Cadillac on Friday.
Today they now have engineers and designers dedicated only to Cadillac. They will still have to share some platforms but they will be funded better to set them apart in the details.
If you want people to step up to a more expensive Cadillac you need to give them compelling styling that you can feel inside that moves you. You can’t just do something different you need to raise the desire of those who see it and do not care what the brand is but are drawn to it.
Then you need to back it up with the best class leading quality and designed interior.
Then stick in a engine made by Cadillac for Cadillac that it a major jump over a
Camaro Engine. Good power with leading tech and quality above all. No blown head gaskets or pick up truck engine made by fat men in New York.
You want it to be special you need to make it special again.
Cadillac needs to be a Cadillac not just another GM corperate platform.
Let’s look at a coup,e example from the past.
Duesenburg was the altimate Cars. It has speed, handling, styling, technology and quality beyond any. The two things they lacked were a large companies backing and luck of being in the depression.
Packard more closely followed Cadillac but as both started to use more corperate things to save money and add to profits Packard chose Studebaker to join. This lead them to becoming a customized Studebaker as they went broke.
Cadillac became a fancy GM corperate car in the 80’s and never fully recovered. GM put money in them but never enough to got it right. They also never got the independence from the GM board to give them the ability to build cars with no compromise.
Cadillac advertising used to boast that greatness. Shows itself no matter how others deny it. They called it the Penalty of a leadership.
That last word is key Cadillac need to learn to lead again and focuse on the details.
They need to let the CUV models Carry the volume and the cars the image.
“They also never got the independence from the GM board to give them the ability to build cars with NO COMPROMISE.”
Bingo! This right here, best sums up where Cadillac went wrong in the past, and why they’re failing today! What people have identified as Cadillacs for the last few decades have been a bit of a hodgepodge of conflicting design elements and confusing direction! Today, they’re forced to emulate the leaders in the industry, while attempting to maintain a unique image! The execution is flawed, unfortunately, as we see stellar, world-class platforms saddled with mediocre interiors and powertrain options straight out of your typical Chevy! As I’ve said before, the Germans have now captured the true essence of modern luxury, with a perfect balance between bespoke, smooth riding vehicles and high-performance models!
“Today, some of us here at GM Authority argue Cadillac needs a return to building large, luxurious cars rather than spritely sedans that benchmark German rivals. Maybe then Cadillac could really change perceptions.”
And I hope you keep arguing for that, Sean. However I don’t see Johan de Nysschen ever going that route. He’s wedded to the old “We must copy the Germans” mentality that has plagued Cadillac for 36+ years. He doesn’t want to return to the core values that made Cadillac the #1 luxury car for 5 straight decades in the USA. He has no idea what the Cadillac name means to Americans. He’s a follower, not a leader.
By the way, that 1992 Eldorado was a gorgeous car, for its time and even by today’s standards. Thanks for the article.
It is not about being old school luxury. It is all about being relevant in todays market and about being the best at it.
The of V16 Duel Cowl was a land mark car but trying to copy that today is not going to fix Cadillac.
What the V16 was back then was one of the best cars in the world and it was relevant to the market then. It also was a Cadillac and shared nothing with the rest of the GM line. They were not just another cooperate division and that is what has been lacking.
While today they still have to share a basic platform they are now looking to be more of their own brand with more exclusive things that make them not just another GM division.
What you mistake Drew as a follower is really where the market is focused. The Germans took the lead and defined the market. To go outside that area of the market it a major risk as you would have to hope everyone follows or you will end up that odd car out that really does not fit in the market and many peoples desires.
When Cadillac failed to lead the market they then are now forced to go where it is because the market is not coming back to them till they learn to lead it again.
J the continuity of Cadillac was horrible. Just look at all the leaders they have had in the last 30 years many not lasting a full year. Many were just puppets for the GM board that held cost and did some shameful things like the FWD cars of the 80’s.
Cadillac really lost the lead when the Germans went on with RWD and larger cars and Cadillac took the GM FWD platform and down sized with really cheap and low quality parts. That is when the tables shifted. The last RWD Deville was out dated but at least it still had size and RWD.
Face it Scott3, copying the Germans has not worked for Cadillac. Not for the three and a half decades they’ve been trying it. It’s time for Cadillac to be Cadillac again. Unfortunately that’s not in JDN’s DNA.
You say it would be a major risk to “go outside the market”, i.e. not copy the Germans any more. I say that when something isn’t working, it’s time to do something different. Cadillac knows what core values worked for them in the past. They don’t have to copy the Germans, they just have to make great luxury cars for the American market. Let the Germans take a back seat, with their cramped, hard-riding, overengineered, unreliable “driving machines”. Let Cadillac be Cadillac once again, and offer something other than lousy German imitation.
I think “failed” is the wrong term to use. Ever since JDN took over Cadillac some notable things have occurred. ATPs have been the highest ever in Cadillacs history, and its not just been through Escalade; all across the board with some products that are in need of an update. There are some young buyers who look to Cadillac now. Sales aren’t necessarily the only measure of success. Cadillac is really only missing key products in the crossover segment their sedans are doing just fine. And also Global sale, notably in china, Cadillac has grown and has grown for 22 straight months
Dennis, what has “failed” has been Cadillac’s strategy to copy German cars, feature for feature, spec for spec, and possibly under JDN (based on his comments to go for a more “rounded” look) – appearance for appearance.
Can you name one successful (saleswise) German-like Cadillac? The Cadillacs that are selling are the XT5, the Escalade, and the XTS – none of which have German “driving machine” characteristics. The FAILURES are the ATS, the CTS, and the CT6 – all of which imitate German “driving machine” features.
Yet Johan plans to further imitate the Germans, and get further away from the American characteristics that made it such a successful brand. What has worked for Cadillac and what has not worked is obvious. Yet JDN is doubling down on what has not worked (i.e. Cadillac copying the Germans), while removing what has worked (i.e. Cadillac being Cadillac).
Sure enough, not one person here can name a successful German-like Cadillac. Because there haven’t been any. If the market wanted Cadillac to make German-like cars, the all-German (except for a Cadillac badge) Catera should have been a massive hit.
Some have observed that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result. It’s amazing how many want Cadillac to continue to go down the “insanity” path, rather than returning to what works – and actually promoting it, rather than acting ashamed of it. So what if the professional auto critics only love German-like “performance” cars? Ignore that clique and give the public a real choice, not clones of cars already on the market.
I don’t doubt that the XT4 will sell well, but that’s not a German-like car. The more JDN makes Cadillacs into German cars however, the weaker the sales will be. That’s not a trend he started, but it’s clearly one he intends to continue, as he removes all vestiges of actual Cadillac in the future.
The only “German-like” Cadillacs one may consider successful were the first and second gen CTS. However, this is debatable given they took a different approach to the market by building a mid-sized luxury sedan for compact luxury car money. Nevertheless the original CTS, which was targeted directly at the BMW 3-Series and touted as the first Cadillac to deliver German-like handling, was indeed a success! Which is why I argue Cadillac should’ve never left the strategy of offering more car for the same, or less, money! They should’ve never tried to compete head on in each segment!
Few may also consider the original SRX, which debuted on the same RWD architecture as the CTS, a success. But it was never class-leading in sales or quality. Not to mention when its FWD-based successor was released, it got outsold almost two to one!
Overall, there hasn’t really been many Cadillacs that can be considered “German- like” prior to now, aside from the woefully sub-par Cimmaron, the aforementioned CTS, the XLR roadster (targeting the high-end luxury coupe segment with Corvette bones) and original SRX.
J, thank you for a thoughtful answer to my question. And your points are very well made.
As far as the 1st & 2nd generation CTS, yes I would call those successes too. But some people didn’t like the fact that they were “tweeners” instead of “proper”(ly sized) cars intended to go head to head with the Germans. The 1st & 2nd generation CTSs were “value luxury” in the eyes of some. Once Cadillac made the ATS and 3rd generation CTS to go head to head with the Germans, on size, performance, and price – they were failures. Now Cadillac can’t end those models fast enough. But you are right that the first two iterations of the CTS were German-like in the sense of emphasizing handling, though not as much as the ATS that followed it would do.
In terms of other German-like flops for Cadillac, don’t forget the Catera. While it did sell fairly well at first (thanks in part to an auto press that will always rave over cars that emphasize handling over ride quality), it soon was viewed as an albatross and highly negative experience for Cadillac.
What gets me is that some people seem to think that Cadillac is “new” in trying to play the German game on German terms, and that this will somehow lead to great success for Cadillac. To my mind, the market is already saturated with German-like cars, and is open to something else. That in fact may account for the fact that luxury sedan sales overall have been declining while luxury CUV sales are increasing – because so many luxury sedan makers have gone the hard-riding German route, consumers are saying they might as well go for a luxury CUV/SUV rather than having a sedan with a ride quality that is not so luxurious.
Cadillac used to own ride quality as well as being very strong in reliability; they could do it again and even sell it to the public, but they aren’t exactly “daring greatly” when they decide to meekly copy the Germans in every way.
There again you just do not get how the cars the Germans build are not all AMG. or M cars. The build some of the most luxury cars in the world.
They are not German cars they just defend the segment.
You lost all credibility with the comment on the 92 Eldorado. Not my opinion as history proves how it failed.
Scott3, I’m not sure how your comment is a response to me, if it is. I said that the 1992 Eldorado was a gorgeous car, and for you I “lost all credibility” with that comment? Appearance is pretty much an objective thing.
It’s funny how some here (and across the internet) want to disqualify others whom they disagree with, rather than address their actual remarks. “You lost all credibility!” (because your favorite color is blue), “You have no right to your opinions!” (because they aren’t the same as mine), “You need to just shut up and listen, until you’ve reached the point of total agreement with the rest of us” (despite our past record of failure).
Sure fine Scott3, we know that you enjoy your own opinions and do not like seeing opinions that go contrary to them. I say let all opinions bloom. And it’s not as if Cadillac’s massive sales declines in their German-like cars for 2017 suggest that they’ve been on the “right track” in copying the Germans, rather than in being leaders, being Cadillac.
I’ll throw another angle, like it or not, collectively, the majority of people LEASE luxury vehicles so a competitive lease is offered:
BRANDS WITH HIGHEST LEVELS
OF LEASE PENETRATION IN 2016
Infiniti 63%
BMW 58%
Lexus 55%
Audi 52%
Volkswagen 51%
Mercedes-Benz 50%
Jaguar 48%
Land Rover 48%
Lincoln 48%
Acura 46%
https://www.edmunds.com/about/press/automotive-lease-volume-reaches-record-high-in-2016-according-to-new-edmunds-report.html
For 2016 at least, majority of Cadillacs were purchased…GM actually offers some incredible leases for Chevy, Buick and GMC, yet Cadillacs have been notoriously bad…If the MSRP is about the same, who outside of a blind loyalist would pay more for a Cadillac when for a cheaper price they could have a BMW?
I has to re-read the last paragraph of the article because it is what some of us have been trying to point out for quit some time now . Even though the quality was horrible for the 1970’s thru the 1990’s Cadillac still sold alot of cars . It wasn’t until the German automakers started to build cars basically for the American market that they started to hurt Cadillac . The quality was better and they started to build more cars down market to get their cars into more American hands .
Cadillac was hurt by GM looking more to compete with the Japanese onslaught that was occurring at the time . Remember Roger Smith and his 3 Billion dollar Saturn experiment , this was also the time Oldsmobile was being groomed as a Japanese fighter . Individual divisions were being tied together , B.O.C was a new group developed to share parts and platforms and engines . Buick , Olds ,Cadillac was Roger’s brainchild , and it hurt every one of the divisions as they lost the individuality for the sake of saving money .
Cadillac shouldn’t try to copy anyone , sure they need to try and offer the same technology as other luxury brand but they also need to come out with industry firsts that used to be what Cadillac was all about .
This 1992 Eldorado at the time was a personal luxury car and is a product developed after our fuel crisis of the 70’s and GM downsized everything . This also hurt the division as customers were ask to buy smaller luxury cars than what they were used too . This was the start of a generational change and Cadillac started to loose their return customers just as the Germans started to come into play in our country at a major player .
Now we have Cadillac coming out with a small crossover , the XT4 , which will be the beginning of a new era for Cadillac . It’s clear that the Cadillacs of old are gone and the playing field is now a global one and the aim is for a new generation of buyer . But they should not forget that here in the States there is still a small group of buyers that are looking for something better , not a return to the old way but an interesting model for our tastes and not something that is so focused on trying to please every country or China .
I wouldn’t exactly call the 1970’s Cadillac’s horrible in quality and even the 1980’s. It was mainly lack of technology 8-6-4 and analog fuel injection on the Seville, poor engineering/design on engines like the 5.7 diesel and HT 4100 and parts sharing that tainted these older Caddy’s. I still see many 1977-1980 Devilles, Sevilles and Eldorado’s going strong with interiors that have held up remarkably well today with one of the reliable Cadillac built 368/425 engines. Yes they didn’t use real wood inside but neither did Lincoln or Chrysler and one had to pay big bucks to get that.
Another defeatist commercial: ” It’ll change the way you think about American automobiles ” already implies inferiority.
Never heard BMW, Mercedes, Audi calling anyone to think differently about German automobiles.
Sign of the times. Remember “This is Not Your Father’s Oldsmobile?” I’m sure it prevented its fair share of sales also. Or Saturn’s “Different Kind of Car Company,” where GM let everyone know what they thought of their other divisions?
The “Cadillac Style” jingle was also cringe-worthy. But catchy, I have to admit. (Repeat after me: Cadillac… Cadillac… Cadillac style. Cadillac… Cadillac… Cadillac style. Cadillac… Cadillac… Cadillac style.) You know that found its way to more than a few gas station bathroom stall walls.
The original design was O.K. but I prefer the refresh for ’95-’02 cycle.
Although a gorgeous design and my personal favorite Cadillac at that time, it was not any sportier than the STS according to few reviews in touring coupe trim.
Though with the lack of pizzazz of the 50s Eldorado, which was the most expensive Cadillac at the time this side of the Eldorado Brougham, the ’92 Eldorado lacked that magic and era of the 50s Eldorado.
Thanks to GM itself, changing consumer interests, newer brands like Lexus, Infiniti and Acura among other luxury competitors, bad image and Eldorado being stale for 11 plus years without a substantial update or complete redesign, this model died.
It won’t be hard to bring such a car into Cadillac which is modern in today’s market which surpass people’s expectation in every which way that carried the era of the 50s Eldorado. Cadillac needs to sweat the details which I believe will happen. Don’t expect the Edorado name if such a vehicle is in the works in the future.
I see many things conspiring to flush Cadillac sales down the toilet in today’s much changed and screwed up world. Brand loyalty doesn’t mean much to today’s younger generation. They are more concerned with value, how many safety features it has and how much technology is loaded in. Cadillac hasn’t done too well in that area with a buggy and glitch ridden Cue and not much in the way of std safety features on certain models.
Their sedans save the XTS are as mentioned above too squarely aimed at the Germans. It’s very obvious that Cadillac buyers aren’t really that interested in such things save a few performance car guys.
Art and Science. Well it’s getting stale and old and as we all know today’s younger buying public get tired of things much quicker than ever before. Something new and different would certainly help here.
Price. The price of every Cadillac model is higher than it should be save maybe the XT5 which is not too bad.
Reputation- with hit and miss quality control , not so hot scores from CR and a reputation for not being equal or as prestigious as some of the German brands it will continue to be an uphill battle for Cadillac.