With the departure of the Cadillac ATS, so went the last remaining Cadillac coupe. Many luxury brands have now turned their backs on passenger cars amid the surge in popularity of crossovers and SUVs, so it seems possible the ATS will be the last two-door Cadillac model ever.
All hope is not lost for stylish luxury coupes, though. Our sister site, Cadillac Society, recently sat down with Cadillac president Steve Carlisle and asked him if there is any chance we’ll see another two-door Cadillac model. While different body styles are currently more popular, Carlisle acknowledged that styles and trends are subject to change.
“Never is a long time,” Carlisle said. “The way I look at it, body styles go through cycles, roughly every 10 years. But with electrification, the architecture is so different, it opens up opportunities for different things. And people will be looking for something new and different than what’s on stage [the 2021 Cadillac Escalade]. I’m 100 percent confident of that. So we’ll continue to explore the perimeters of what may be the next thing.”
2013 Cadillac Elmiraj Concept
As Carlisle points out, electric vehicles typically offer superior packaging due to the compact nature of the motors and the battery mounting position. This gives designers more flexibility throughout the styling process, potentially opening up the door for Cadillac to produce style-forward EVs. This could leave it well-placed to produce a head-turning new coupe, though no such vehicle is planned for the immediate future.
Steve Carlisle
Carlisle also said he wants to ensure Cadillac is offering vehicles that set it apart from the competition – no matter what shape or form said products arrive in.
“But I will tell you one other thing,” he added. “We’re not going to do what’s already been done. We’re going to do something different.”
2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe
While coupes usually sell in low numbers compared to sedans, have a stylish two-door is important for a luxury automaker, as it can lend the brand a high-end, premium image. Cadillac essentially has all of the most popular vehicle segments covered off with its current product portfolio, but there’s no denying a stylish sports coupe or 2+2 would give the brand some much-needed cachet.
What do you think of the idea of a new Cadillac coupe? Let us know in the comments and be sure to subscribe to GM Authority for more Cadillac news, and 24/7 GM news coverage.
This report was written in collaboration with our sister publication, Cadillac Society.
Comments
“But I will tell you one other thing,” he added. “We’re not going to do what’s already been done. We’re going to do something different.”
LOL. Does Carlisle not realize that’s precisely what Cadillac has been trying to do for the last 35 years? They’ve been in a never-ending pursuit of trying to be BMW since Ronald Reagan was in office. Cadillac hasn’t been true to themselves or original in a very long time. There is nothing about them that is different. Everything they build is the Cadillac equivalent of something someone else does better with the possible exception of the Escalade.
Having said all that, if Cadillac really wanted to be a Tier 1 luxury car brand that has appeal to the truly affluent, that won’t be accomplished with a upgraded Traverse (XT6) for soccer moms designed to sit alongside a F-150 pickup truck in a two-car garage. That’s the garage of a middle class family, not the truly affluent. For the clientele they should be chasing, those buyers are looking for something a bit more engaging and, yes, a coupe has appeal. Middle class families with only one or two vehicles may not find a coupe practical enough. However, If there’s already a Land Rover Range Rover in the garage and perhaps an S-Class sedan, who needs an XT6? What they might be willing to buy, however, is a 911 or a Lexus LC or a Cadillac Elmiraj if there was such a thing. The concept cars GM has done point the way to where Cadillac needs to go. Build something different and something a bit flamboyant and interesting. Not the car people need, but the car they want and can’t live without.
The things they actually build like XT4, XT5, XT6, CT4, CT5 are copycat products for middle class buyers.
You speak about the “middle class” with enough disdain to be a Democratic Presidential Candidate…….
MrR,
Point taken. Actually I have no disdain for the middle class and thought about how that might sound but elected to say it anyway. There was just no other way of getting across the point that Cadillac isn’t building cars for truly affluent buyers anymore. They are building a fleet of XTs in small, medium, and large that are sold to folks who don’t fit the demographic that bought Cadillacs in their heyday. As I see it, Cadillacs are now bought by those who would’ve been Oldsmobile and Buick customers in the 1960s and 70s; they’re a step or two above average but not the most affluent members of society. The buyers Cadillac used to get all buy European now.
I don’t think Cadillac is going to regain their lost prestige by trying to build a better small enthusiast sedan than BMW or with FWD Traverse-based crossovers but they might with something akin to the Elmiraj. If GM is making Cadillac all-electric then why not build something grand again like the Elmiraj concept. They don’t have to concern themselves with the EPA and CAFE, right? Cadillacs don’t have to be small and fuel efficient if they don’t burn fossil fuel, right? I say build a car with the flamboyant spirit of a 1956 Eldorado Biarritz and see what happens. It might just be greeted with open-arms and find it’s way into better garages alongside a typical Range Rover and S-Class.
I have owned or leased Cadillac coupes, for many years… i.e. Eldorado… CTS… ATS! My present ride is a 2019 ATS coupe! IF Cadillac doesn’t produce another coupe, I will unfortunately have to switch to another brand!
The most beautiful car I ever owned was my 2014 Cadillac Coupe. I would love to have another one with today’s technology !
I really wish he would say how Cadillac is going to be set apart. If he would just say “Cadillacs will have the most luxurious interiors for every class of vehicle we make. Escalade is the first example of that”, I would feel much better. But he hasn’t. No direction. And I have no expectation that Escalade is a sign of things to come.
Mary Bara wants all Cadillac to resemble her fashion sense – a giant grandma sweater as the exterior. Job well done Mary!
With the ending of the CT6 this month and nothing in site of replacing it,Cadillac is risky a great loss of this type of luxury buyer like myself . People who in the near future that are having their leases ending or people who just trade cars in every 3 to four years will not have anything like the CT6 or better to look forward to. We will probably wind up leasing or buying something else equivalent or better. Once that customer leaves Cadillac it will be very hard to get them back. People tend to stick with brands they are currently driving if they’re really impressed with it. That means people who are currently driving a 2016 – 2019 CT6’s will probably stray away from Cadillac when their leases are up or just want trade up if there is no replacement.
How does the battery skateboard help with packaging?
They should make a stylish coupe (or better yet, hardtop convertible) that pro athletes can fit in comfortably. Better looking than a Corniche, but similar size.
I think “packaging” is marketing speak that encompasses a number of different attributes: overall length of a vehicle, interior volume, if it’s RWD, FWD, or AWD, etc.
I do think that with the skateboard platform, we may see Cadillac end up being an exclusively RWD/AWD as the platform was designed to be highly adjustable & interior volume will no longer be affected by a RWD driveshaft or the engine extending into the passenger compartment.
“Cadillac essentially has all of the most popular vehicle segments covered”….with the only sales leader being the Escalade everything else gets a participation trophy. But not to worry we will electrify this and battery pack that to victory.
Bring out the Elmiraj, just as it is in the picture! Better yet, bring that car out and call it Eldorado. Then watch those cars sell in numbers better than anything since the old Eldorado.
At this point, I expect the Elmiraj is dead in the water, but I’m with you on the idea of introducing new models displaying the glamorous and flamboyant splendor of the classic Eldorados and and also Coupe DeVilles, especially the ones from the sixties – I don’t mean copying them in any way, but in attempting to recapture their aesthetic and emotional appeal.
gm marketing found out people who like magic tend to like cadillacs but not 2dr coupes.
https://gmauthority.com/blog/2020/01/gm-cmo-deborah-wahl-talks-emerging-tech-at-ces-2020-video/
If the do bring out a coupe (and that’s a big if) They had better make it to slay the competition no matter who they are. If the don’t it will be a total waste of effort and money. For a company that says every vehicle has to earn it’s keep they can’t afford to do a half hearted job.
Everyone here knows how I feel about what GM has done to the Cadillac Brand the last 30 years and the crazy potential they have neglected. Their current offerings besides the All New Escalade are just not True competitors to the Big German Luxury Brands. Their vehicles are ho-hum and tweeners too.
Having said all that, if Cadillac is successful in their switch to a fully EV lineup and done correctly (become the Legacy version of Tesla) with zero compromises, I think they will overtake Audi, Mercedes, and BMW.
Only Audi is leading them as of right now but Cadillac can over take them extremely quickly.
I know some will be upset as they DO NOT want to shift to EV’s but whether we like it or not, going Full EV’s is the inevitable shift the entire Auto World has agreed too. But at least in this shift, Cadillac could become the Luxury EV leader. Basically the Legacy Luxury EV to Teslas Apple like spot in the Market. Nobody will ever unseat the position Tesla has in people minds. They basically have become the Auto version of Apple. But Cadillac can become the Luxurious Google version in the Market. I truly believe if done right, GM will be selling EV Cadillac in droves. Cadillac in the next 10 years has the potential to become the best Luxury Brand on the market. Only Audi in my opinion will be able to go toe to toe with them if this shift is done correctly by GM. Mercedes and BMW are really far behind even though Mercedes already has an EV vehicle. But it is not a true EV architecture as of right now. GM has a Golden opportunity here. Cannot wait to see what happens. They sound like they will have the Skateboard and the motors to succeed. And all future Cadillacs will most likely have a version of the Escalade interior. Add Super Cruise (which should be standard like Autopilot is) and Cadillac can do this. They really can.
And only Tesla (huge lead over everyone) and Waymo are ahead of GM in the Fully Autonomous Future. Audi, BMW, and Mercedes are not close as of right now. The future if done right by GM can see Cadillac become the “It” Luxury Brand for the Millennials and the youth growing up now.
The “kind of Cadillac” everybody proclaims should be made, aren’t the kind of Cadillacs that folks are willing to pay for…let alone ones that will be profitable.
Pine all you want about the good old days, but the insular excesses / embellishments of the 1950’s and 1960’s are gone.
Improve interior materials and make the Dealer Service “experience” second-to-none are the keys to Cadillac’s success.
I agree with you on the interior and dealer service. I also think whatever class or category Cadillac choose to compete in their vehicles has to be equal in every as the competition. In Cadillacs case with their soiled reputation ( real or concieved ) it wouldn’t hurt to be a little better at a better price point.
Build the Elmiraj. One of the most beautiful 2+2 Coupes ever and it’s the right size too. Give us several choices of engines-V6 and V8 along with the availability of a manual gearbox too. I’d buy one……….
I’m old school-save the electric power for something else. Aren’t the electric cars supposed to be ugly anyway-like the current ones on the market?
how are you going to charge it say if you are crossing montana and it is close to dead sit in a motel room for 3 days and pay the innkeeper $50 for juice
Lets see, how did people get Gasoline when cars switched to Gas?
Oh that is right, people opened up Gas Stations. Do you think that the current EV infrastructure is going to stay the same in the next 10 years?
Sooooooooooooo much money is out there to be had for Private Companies.
Also, do you think that current Gas Stations won’t switch over? They are doing just that all over Europe and China.
Things keep evolving that is how Business operates.
lets see electric upgrade 10k? charger 10k 20k? occasionally some comes in for a charge $20 max? I see government subsidies coming
Build and they will come……
It is kind of comical to me that people are still thinking that EV’s are not coming Lol
Legislation out of Europe and China alone will force the transition to EV’s
Does everyone think that GM and every other Auto Maker are spending Billions just for fun?
I am truly as excited about Cadillac’s future right now if they get all these EV’s correctly as I get while waiting to see new Ferrari vehicles. This is the chance that GM needed for Cadillac and call me crazy but I think GM realizes that they can win this one out in the Luxury Field. They appear to be full steam ahead. Cannot wait.
I am a diehard coupe fan and have owned over 20 in my life!!! I also like horsepower! My DD now is a ATS-V coupe and would step out on a limb and say it is the best one so far. If Caddy wants me as a repeat customer It has to build a V coupe PERIOD
Tom R…..bravo ! I own a 2018 ATS-V COUPE, and love it every summer and winter day here in the great far north (with Pirelli runflat snowtires now). I’ve owned 25 new Coupes (incl. 7 Convertibles), and one 4-door (’08 Cadillac CTS). The world still needs Coupes for real enthusiasts….but, what do I know !
I have an ATS Coupe as my daily driver.
I always have a coupe as a daily driver.
My grandfather, father and I all worked for GM.
I really don’t want ANOTHER Camaro.
Where will I get my next coupe?
I’d rather not go to Europe, but GM is forcing me to!
CorvetteRon
unfortunately coupes have gone the way of the dodo bird. even the small cars i think civic might be the last standing except for the pony cars. too bad they were still great sellers in the 80s
Would you or others here, accept a Cadillac GT as GM’s premier coupe above the Corvette? Just curious if people think they can be planned as complements to each other better than the current mix? (I’ll try to remember this question for if I catch a fresh article)
even though caddys are tighter/smaller on the interior than back in the day not everybody is having a midlife crisis or wants to snake there body into a vete and sit on the ground
I intended an open-ended question, not to imply for a Cadillac to be a copycat current Corvette. If answering for myself, which is a moot point opinion here, I’d rather see a more sports car focused Vette with golf-club GT buyers favoring a Caddy.
I now own a 2014 Corvette Z51 Coupe, and a 2018 Cadillac ATS-V Coupe…..both have about the same 460+ HP…..golf clubs fit in both…each has distinct lovable properties….what’s not to like ?
And, I drive them.
We need more HP in all the models. 4 cylinder turbo does not cut the mustard
I would love a CADILLAC Electric Coupe or Convertible. I am currently driving a 2018 ATS Prem Lux Coupe.
Dear Cadillac,
Please, Please , Please create a coupe. I understand that today, the automotive sales are dominated by SUV’s and I know its a bottom line issue.
I have a 2015 ATS coupe and it took some getting used to ( I was used to daddy Cadi back in the 70’s), but now, I love the car.
I am divorced, have no kids and no dog anymore. This ATS seems to fit my lifestyle and I don’t want to resort to and I will never own a foreign car.
Bring back coupes AND convertibles. Quit teasing us with the string of wonderful showcars, and finally put up or shut up, Cadillac! Mitchell and Earl are spinning in their graves. And get rid of the alpha/numerical names. Confusing and dull!
I welcome the electric future if I can still drive my own car. When vehicles don’t let us drive them we shouldn’t just not buy them, we should fight that strategy by any means necessary.
The Elmiraj is amazing . I will give you a deposit right now
Bravo! Although I’m somewhat biased as an owner of a 2018 Cadillac ATS-V Coupe….I love the look of the new Elmiraj concept coupe. Really a grabber. Those of us who are old and cranky, having a lifetime of 2-door autos, are ecstatic with the continuum plan by Cadillac, Do I love coupes/roadsters too?……well I have owned ’20’ 2-door cars, with most (7) as Corvettes.