Cadillac Will Shift Back To Real Model Names In 2022
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For those Cadillac fans out there frustrated by the premium brand’s current alphanumeric model naming conventions, good news – Cadillac is tipped to return to “real” names by 2022.
By “real” names, we mean names that aren’t some assembly of letters and numbers, like the Cadillac CT5 or Cadillac XT4, but rather, an actual name, like the Cadillac Escalade. According to recent reports, the alphabet soup naming convention of today will be phased out as new models are introduced in the future.
The news comes to us from an interview with Reuters, in which Cadillac chief Steve Carlisle indicated that Cadillac will use names for its future electric models, ditching the current alphanumeric naming convention used today.
“Escalade is an awesome name,” Carlisle told Reuters.
Cadillac went to a letter-based naming convention in the early 2000s with the CTS and SRX, while the current alphanumeric structure (CT# for sedans, XT# for crossovers) was adopted in 2014. The Cadillac Escalade is currently the only Cadillac model that doesn’t follow this alphanumeric naming convention.
It’s believed that the upcoming all-electric Cadillac crossover previewed earlier this year will be the first out the gates with the new naming convention.
In an interview with Car and Driver, Cadillac spokesperson Katie Minter said that the names could also pull from Cadillac’s heritage.
We certainly would prefer real names over alphanumeric names, as the former would offer a chance to make a model stand out from the crowd and give it more attitude, rather than labeling it like some sort of appliance.
What classic Cadillac names would you like to see make a return? Let us know in the comments, and make sure to subscribe to GM Authority for more Cadillac news and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Source: Reuters
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I once owned a Cadillac Park Avenue, but that’s not a suggestion going forward. Anyone want to guess the year without googling?
Many years ago, it wasn’t possible to lease an American car due to the fact that manufacturers could be held liable if a leased car was in an accident. At that point I Started driving Infiniti’s. So in 2019 I was invited to a Truth or Dare event and has the opportunity to drive the CT6. I liked it so much, I leased one. It’s ride and technology is great, I love the size and comfort. Now that I came back, they are discontinuing the car. They no longer have a full size car. Now they want to change the names again. CT6 and CT5 and CT4 Give me a sense of sizes. I am so disappointed
Change to names sooner than later. Don’t wait for them to be electric.
Eldorado
Biarritz
Escala
The indecision is evidence of serious management floundering at the very most basic level of defining what a Cadillac even is. They’ve lost years spinning their wheels making horrible decisions like the NY HQ and hanging onto these impossible to remember (nevermind forget) meaningless names on cars that are for the most part equally uninspired and downright confused about what they’re supposed to be.
I’ve taken flak seemingly for eons defending the need to eighty-six the idiot alphanumeric names and prompting Cadillac’s serious introspection and attention to what once made them The Standard of the World. Instead of taking the golden opportunity to lead with gotta-have-it flagships like El Miraj, they’ve produced nothing memorable beyond several very promising concept cars and a few impressive V-Series production cars with such limited appeal to most luxury buyers that they may’ve been better off sold as Pontiacs.
So now they’re diving headlong into a potentially even more dangerous rabbit hole re-imagining the brand yet again as GMs Tesla. How about prioritizing polarizing electric propulsion second to designing and building future Cadillacs destined to join the ranks of legendary Cadillacs on the merits of being exceptionally desirable automobiles in their own right rather than trendy copycats? Tesla made its mark pioneering its own vision with an impassioned and hyper-focused man at the helm and remains true to cause, never pursuing anything other than building better Teslas; Cadillac has wasted decades chasing Mercedes and BMW while smothering the very essence of Cadillac. The results speak for themselves. Even in their European pursuits, Cadillac has lacked the commitment to seriously challenge top-flight competitors; Cadillacs have consistently fallen short in design and interior quality, putting GM bean counters before potential luxury car buyers.
Yet, despite all the damage, folks as young as Millennials and Gen Z recognize and share positive impressions of classic El Dorados, Fleetwoods and Coupe de Villes. There’s still valuable equity left in the brand.
These past 20 years have sadly seen so much great promise and potential go to waste. Choosing not to bring the desperately needed halo El Miraj to life and investing in a full lineup of truly exceptional cars while instead dropping billions on a misguided corporate relocation to NYC to magically spruce up brand image was practically suicidal of Cadillac. Will they ever learn?
Idiot Boy,
Will they ever learn? The immediate answer is no. Cadillac as Tesla is not going to work. Tesla is young, it’s hip, it’s Silicon Valley and it’s the essence, as you indicate, of Elon Musk. Cadillac is none of that. Cadillac is 117 years old with a proud heritage of building some of the finest cars of a bygone era. Cadillacs are (were) flamboyant, brash, and grand. I don’t see how you can remake Cadillac by copying Tesla. Are they going to move to California now? That notion is silly but that’s not to say there can’t be electric propulsion, there can be but it shouldn’t be the focus of the company. Cadillac shouldn’t be ‘an electric brand’, rather they should simply be Cadillac again.
Making Cadillac an electric-only brand is just too risky. Cadillac and GM have so far not had a lot of success with electrics or hybrid electric vehicles. There was the EV1, the Escalade Hybrid, the ELR, the Volt, CT6 PHEV. These are among the efforts launched by GM and withdrawn from the marketplace. The Bolt which is offered today also appears to be failing. Why stake Cadillac’s future by going all-in on something that hasn’t worked in the past in what is being billed as a “last chance” for Cadillac? Again, there can be pure electric models and electric drivetrains in other models but it should not be the focus of the brand. Cadillac as Tesla is like the grandfather trying to act like his grandson. It won’t work. Cadillac has its own colorful history and what will work is to draw from it, to live up to it and be true to it.
All obvious and true.
Why is it, only the plebeians can see the mess/ problem, and “those” who, (no doubly worked hard to be where they are @ RESPECT) don’t have a clue?
There must be a higher and ignorant agenda that WILL NOT ALLOW Cadillac to rise to the top, and be the best that can be.
But why?
Maybe not the best analogy- But it’s like letting the New England Patriots play their scrubs every game instead of putting in your best players. We see what happens when they use their best players. Kind of a
no-brainer, @ confused…
Ci2, Well said! Couldn’t agree with you more.
Agreed !
Every word you shared is spot on and well put.
Sad, but true.
Here’s another ?
I don’t understand all this @#hashtag stuff because I’m far from “all in” on the social media phenomenon that’s brought so much black and white with little sanity in between (spelled amplified societal ill), but if there must be hashtags, here’s one worth promoting:
#BringBackWelburn
Ed Welburn is Cadillac’s Elon Musk and this humble pleb would gladly move East to work for him in any capacity at the drop of a hat – from shoe-shiner to paper pusher to henchman – whatever he sees fit… ad copy writer, perhaps? Anything for the honor of helping restore Cadillac to its rightful place: #StandardoftheWorldAgain
Agreed!
It is pleasing to see so many contributors agree with what I have been saying over a decade. Especially #MrLawGuy. I have been using the Catera Touring Sedan everytime I speak with people about my CTS at the local dealership. It really irritates them but makes the point. I owned an SRX too but never figured out how to convert that to “Car Guy Talk”. For our XLR, we just call it The Red Car.
The alphanumerics take away the personalities of the cars besides being confusing and boring.
Going back to real names is the best idea Cadillac has had in decades. Any of the old names work for me and perhaps they should think about LaSalle too.
Great news – the alphabet/number combos are overdone in the marketplace, as well as confusing and indistinguishable across various makes. As far as names, they have some modern ones available: Elmiraj, Ciel, Converj, Escala, and then bring back the Eldorado and Deville – but make them worthy of the name.
All good comments and I agree the vehicles must be strong on their own. That said, new Cadillacs, in order to regain lost ground, must have everything. Great value, great styling, great interiors, great technology, great packaging, great dealer service (currently – TOTALLY stinks), and great names. Cadillac also needs to spend whatever it takes to market these products. The Escalade is established and doesn’t need the marketing dollars IMO. We keep hearing about this is the last chance etc… so hey GM get off your lazy duffs and make it happen!