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Rocky
Rocky
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Rocky
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Rocky
As Cadillac used the slogan "Standard of the World" over the years, it gained a new meaning - it signified that this product was the best in its field. And for several decades (I'd say until the early 1960s), when there were fewer choices in passenger autos, and the divide between low-priced cars and luxury cars was much more significant than it is today, Cadillac really was the "Standard of the World."
Moving from a Ford or a Chevy to a Cadillac represented a huge jump in comfort, luxury, craftsmanship and reliability.
But the automobile market fragmented, and Cadillac fell behind the Europeans - particularly Mercedes Benz - in quality and technology.
Meanwhile, the lower-priced domestics were offering all of the comfort aqnd luxury features available on a Cadillac. By 1971 there really wasn't much difference between a properly equipped Caprice and a DeVille. And Cadillac quality kept getting worse.
In the 21st century, it's much more difficult for any one car line to claim that it represents the "Standard of the World." There are so many different segments - sporty sedans, economy sedans, family sedans, crossovers, SUVs used as passenger cars, etc. Each segment has its own standard.
And the gap between a popular-priced family sedan and a luxury car isn't quite as big anymore.
The Fusion, Accord and Camry are very nice cars that will offer anyone all of the comfort, safety, performance and reliability that most buyers need.
The Escalades are nice trucks, but that is because the GMT-900 platform is one of the best - if not the best - big truck platform in the business. The Cadillac versions really don't offer any improved workmanship or reliability over the Chevrolet versions of these vehicles. If anything, the Chevrolets are better buys because of their lower prices.
The CTS is currently outclassed by the BMW 3-Series.
The STS has not made any dent against the BMW 5-Series and Mercedes E-Class. It's pretty much an also-ran in its segment.
A Buick Lucerne is a better deal than a DTS for those seeking a larger front-wheel-drive car with a more traditional combination of ride and handling. The Lincoln Town Car is better suited for limousine conversions.
The XLR certainly hasn't dethroned the Mercedes SL in the luxury two-seater category.
While today's Cadillacs are dramatically improved over what went before (of course, if they weren't the marque would be joining Oldsmobile soon), I'm not seeing anything that makes me think that Cadillac can truly reclaim the title of "Standard of the World," and there doesn't appear to be anything on the horizon that will make me change that perception.
For that matter, I don't know if ANY marque can aspire to be the "Standard of the World" across the board anymore. But it would be nice if Cadillac could be known for doing something better than anyone else (as BMW is for building "the ultimate driving machine," for example).
Minimal effort the GM way.
They need to offer ONE engine in all of their cars. Make it the best engine they can and drop al of the rental-fodder crud. ie - the Lucerne with the V6 is hopelessly slow. It feels very "80s" - and in a bad way. But the V8 is great.
Then you go over to a Grand Prix and yet again - GM's not putting its best foot forward - not unless you pay for the XXL Mk4 trim package that puts it into Honda and Toyota pricing range.
THANK YOU!!! How about a GM VQ35DE?
Rocky
Rocky
The CTS was Cadillac's first successful attempt at building a 3-series fighter. And yes, they are frequently cross-shopped with BMW, MB and Audi. If you look at the number of CTS’s on the road, Caddy has clearly finally gotten the formula right. The interior isn’t on par with new BMW’s, but so what? The 3 series interior in the 90s was total crap also, so it’s not like BMW has a huge head start. The newest Cadillacs, and all new GM vehicles, are now fitted with some of the best interiors. Second maybe only to Audi when compared to other mass-produced vehicles. Also, the S4 and the M3 are always measured alongside the CTS-V. So clearly it’s a player in this class. The CTS-V also can accommodate back-seat passengers comfortably while the other two can’t. The current CTS has proven to be competitive in the entry-lux category. That there are only a couple of other class-leading cars that it is ever measured against is quite a compliment. I hope that the next CTS closes the gap that still exists.
The DTS is a really nice car, especially after its last update. But it’s outclassed by the LS, A8 and S-class.
The STS - It's okay, but horribly overpriced for what it is. Honestly there isn't anything in this class that I find appealing. The E-class isn't nice, The 5-series styling is overwrought, the Lexus G looks bloated. The A6 is nice, but looks homely unless you spend $78k on the one with the Lambo engine. But I would buy the S6 in a nanosecond versus the much more expensive STS-V.
The Escalade is a winner. Any which way you slice it. I never liked them much until I saw one of the new ones. Very sharp.
I agree with that.. i wasnt a very big fan of the last generation slade.. the new one is nice... to me alot better than the dressed up Armada (QX56) or Land Cruiser ( LX470).
I actually like the DTS but it doesn't compete with the bigger BMWs, Audis or Lexuses. It probably competes with the Lexus ES or the Avalon. All are nice cars, just not sporty cars. Furthermore, the DTS and the STS are much better buys used than new. Lets face it, resale value (which is a direct result of reliability whether perceived or actual) is one of the main reasons the Lexus has done so well.
Buick would then be my intro luxury model. Pontiac would be my sporty division and Chevy, my bread and butter. I don't understand Saturn. I would lose it.
No, the morons would call it the CIS, and you know it! :confuse:
Well spoken (entire post) grbeck (as usual). The STS-V and CTS-V get closer to BMW status or Mercedes, but you're exactly right, the rest of the Cadillac brand and all of Lincoln as well, sort of measure up to Acura most closely. They exceed them if you order the V-8 STS, and the DTS is larger and different than the RL by a mile, but on many factors, including resale value, we don't have anything to go up agains Lexus, BMW or MB right now.
A very risky move...
I think Saturn is the best hope for GM because it doesn't have as much baggage associated with it. Hopefully, the Aura will raise the public's perception of Saturn.
I agree the slade is the best of the best. :shades:
Rocky
Rocky
Chevy (bottom of scale) then Saturn, then Pontiac, Buick & Saab, then Cadillac (Top scale)
Just my $0.02
Rocky
Rocky
The point here is that if GM is going to move Cadillac into the price range that only people with incomes greater than $1 million annually can afford, then Cadillac will not make GM any profits. The Lexus LS probably is not a money maker for Toyota either, but, by adding a cheap ES model, based on the Camry, Lexus is profitable.
Rolls Royce, the larger company, was profitable enough that for a time they could afford to keep the car in production as a status symbol. I assume that VW and BMW are building the Bentley and the Rolls for the same purpose. I can't imagine that they are profitable.
No sooner do they come out with a great new model that they then proceed to no longer improve it or take their sweet time about it, and thus the competition gets a leg up on them over and over. How many years does it take to make a smooth gear shifter?
I think I'll stop being a loyal but suspicious skeptic about Cadillac when the results of all the long term testing come out better than they have. Some mags report very disappointing long term durability. AFter all these years and all those dollars, this is still troubling to me.
After all, reputations are built on endurance and well as on exceptional performance.
I also think Cadillacs still lack enough sophistication throughout the model line to be standards of the world.
But you know, time will tell. The jury is still out on Cadillac and they've come a long way in the last ten years.
I would say that your comments about Cadillac are also GM's basic problem. They tend to stop at good enough.
Saab is a rare bird. Most of the people who buys Saabs only buy Saabs.
Saturn is GM's best hope. The reason for this is that it has a better image that Chevy, Pontiac or Buick. If Saturn would drop the Ion and replace it with a car larger than the Aura and make sure that is "european inspired" essentially you would have a company that would compete with the VW (jetta and passat) or Acura (tsx and tl).
It's not like the old days, so GM needs to seriously downsize and mimic the best in the business (Honda/Toyota). Then they can concentrate on a lot fewer vehicles and make them of a high quality. That's the only way they'll survive. If they continue wasting money developing dozens of new models and versions they're just pouring more money down the drain. A small, medium, and large sedan, CUV/SUV, and truck for GM and a luxury Cadillac version of some of them...and that's it. Focus on fewer numbers of models but give them all standard safety features, up the warranty to 10 years/100,000 miles, and keep the MSRP down rather then relying on huge incentives.
It's stupid the way GM will advertise a car for $30K even though they end up selling them for $25K. If they advertised them for $25K in the first place they'd have more folks wanting to buy them when they're in the window shoping/researching stage. GM isn't getting any new customers and are barely able to hang on to the ones they have...mostly from folks buying them on the GM family plan because there are so many relatives of retired GM workers.
Well they have to do something....Pontiac, is caught in the middle of Chevrolet, and Saturn. They would lose sales initially but for the long-term it would be healthy. I'm not saying Pontiac needs to be the next BMW, but if they could position themselves somewhere in between BMW and Acura, that would be healthy for the brand. Saturn, could then pick up ex-pontiac sales that wanted a $30K Grand Prix with Aura XR sales.
Rocky
While theoretically Cadillac (and GM in general) could again become a player, I wouldn't hold my breath.
First, it may not last long enough - it's saddled with the UAW, and so bankruptcy may be inevitable. After all, at any particular price point GM's products HAVE to be inferior in one or more respects as compared to the non-union competition's products - GM has to cut quality and/or content and/or engineering sophistication in order to try to offset the costs of the UAW (pay, benefits, featherbedding and work rules). Long term production of inferior products is not a recipe for success.
Second, starting with the early 1970's, GM has had continuous record of producing junk. The Vega, the X-cars, the 8-6-4, the infamous diesel, the current models for which there seems to be a recall issued monthly. Their whole corporate culture is built around junk, with rental cars seeming to be the (internal) epitome of accomplisment.
Third, once one gets outside the Midwest, the Cadillac brand has zero cache, and has been this way for decades. Outside the Midwest one who purchases a Lexus / BMW / Mercedes is perceived as someone who has money, is successful and sophisticated ... whereas one who purchases a Cadillac is perceived as someone UNsophisticated (and/or geriatric in mindset, if not age) who somehow happens to have (some) money.
In fact, in general GM cars are seen as something one "settles for" ... second best, palatable only because of a discount.