Most Prius drivers around here have the librarian or elementary school teacher look. They were told they were saving the world if they bought a hybrid and they believed the hype!
Most of the Priuses are only being driven short distances from what I see. If they were commuting to Cincy or driving crosstown in traffic I could feel they were saving fuel. But they actually don't; it's a short trip to work.
And if they were dedicated they would buy them rather than lease them. Most people I see with them two years ago now have a different lease.
My sister dives a Malibu and she cares about what she drives.
Then you should have a talk with her - because nobody can tell.... :surprise:
I drive an Elantra and....well it was one of the least expensive cars out there and the warranty was great.
Now, here's an honest man, and a smart one too, because the Elantra is built probably better than the Bu, and has a hellova good warranty, which you generally never use.
I agree wholeheartedly. I'll vilify both groups though.
And IMO, a MB G-wagen is even more ostentatious than an Escalade, simply due to the loaded up ones we get being so far off the original intent. It's a Russian mafia image vs a rapper/thug image. I'll take neither.
One thing I hate about new cars is you can't tell one brand from the other. It's getting harder to tell a Toyota, Honda, or Chevy from each other. I got an 06 Impala and if I took the badges off I could probably fool a few people into thinking it's a Toyota. I really don't care for that no lines, modern, I don't want to offend anybody look.
When Lexus first started it had the "bling". Back in the mid 90's Lexus was featured in a lot of hip hop videos, but Toyota was to conservative to keep pushing ahead with that crowed. It's not like Cadillac created a new market. They just stole the bling from mercedes. For years mercedes was the choice car for rapers.
The Cadillac Escalade has a lot more different parts this generation from its Chevy brother. The interior, seats, exterior, not to mention the "Gadgetology" make the slade more original IMHO.
Who cares if rappers drive Escalades ? If anything they made the Slade one of the best SUV's on the planet. The Escalade and EXT has a couple of technologies not found on any other large SUV & Truck in the world. It has a Bose 5.1 DVD-Audio surround sound unit. It has a voice recognition system, Onstar, heated steering wheel, and one of only a couple that actually has AC-Ventilated seats.
The Escalade, IMHO is a SUV/Truck you either love or hate. I do think some people don't like it because of the stereo-type it carry's but I feel those are prejudice issues for those individuals. I have and always will be a huge fan of the Escalade, mainly because I grew up in the "Bling Bling" era and love 20+ inch Dubs. I mainly love the Escalade, for it's styling, gadgetology, and luxurious accomidations I can't find on another SUV. Maybe someday I will own one.
Then you should have a talk with her - because nobody can tell....
Actually its a pretty nice car. Rides well and has enough room.
Now, here's an honest man, and a smart one too,
Wow two things people rarely say about me
The wagon has been the most reliable car I have ever had. Only had one real issue and that was a cracked exhaust manifold at 120K or so miles. Seems that Hyundai got a hold of some bad ones and extended the warranty on them for ten years unlimited miles. The dealership fixed it under that warranty no questions asked. I am hoping to get a few more years out of it.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Lets not forget about the Escalades 403-hp 6.2L Vortec V8 VVT engine, or the 6-speed transmission. If you buy a LX 470 your getting 275-hp, the Navigator gets 300-hp, the QX56 gets 315, and the GL450 gets 335-hp. Those are huge hp differences. If you buy a Lexus your giving up 128-hp!!!!!! Thats almost a different class of vehicle, and almost impossible to even do a head to head comparison. Cadillac advertises 19 mpg highway. Getting anywhere near that kind of real world mileage out of a 5600LB monster laying down 403-hp is ground breaking.
snakeweasel: Not always, sometimes it is pure image and no substance. Case in point is how much money is spent on bottled water?
Bottled water and vehicles are two entirely different products. The purchasers of those products are driven by an entirely different set of wants and expectations.
GM tried to apply the marketing and product development processes used for consumer goods to vehicles - Ron Zarella and his infamous attempt to impose brand management on GM - and it failed miserably. That effort seriously hurt GM's competitiveness, and contributed heavily to the demise of Oldsmobile. A company cannot rely on marketing or "branding" to sell new vehicles to the extent it does to sell bottled water - or toilet paper or laundry detergent.
What works for a product picked up at the supermarket or the convenience store on a whim for less than a few dollars does not work for a new vehicle, which is the second-biggest purchase for most people.
When an automobile nameplate has a good image in the marketplace, that image either is - or WAS - based on reality. Cadillac WAS the "Standard of the World" for many years, and that image carried the marque through several years when it most definitely was not.
Eventually reality caught up with Cadillac - as it always does in the automotive world - and GM has spent billions bringing the division back from the brink. But it still has a way to go.
The analogy fits better than you think. People have an image (earned or not) about a luxury vehicle that they do not have for your run of the mill ordinary car. Many people will pay more for that image. This is the reason cars like MB, BMW and Lexus can sell cars for much more than you can get a well option car of the same size and capabilities that Toyota, Honda or Ford sells.
Much the same as selling 20oz of water for a buck when the same amount and quality of water can be had for a penny from the faucet. That is because people have an image (earned or not) of that water in the bottle.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I however feel that many of those same people that buy cars just to portray a image lack the human trait of good character. Some people where clothes they don't even like just for the image. I personally think image is over-rated. Who do you honestly have to impress ? Isn't it enough to buy or own something decent or more importantly something you like anymore. I've been out shopping with friends and some of them like brands of goods of lesser names but won't buy it because it doesn't portray what people think of them. I have a few friends that are relators, and are afraid to where certain things or drive certain cars because they are afraid it will hurt sales. I think its ridiculous !!!!
I agree 100%. Many years ago I started up a leather goods company with some people. Learned a lot bout leather goods during that time. The one thing I learned is that some of the more expensive purses and handbags were of lesser quality than their cheaper counterparts. $200.00+ handbags were no better (and many times worse) than $50.00 handbags, yet they had the name and the image to command the prices they charged.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Well you have personal experience I see. Some people wear certain clothes no matter how expensive or how good of quality the article is. I've notice certain women have a purse/handbag fetish image issue. Wanna know what's even more ridiculous. I know certain women who will go into certain stores and buy whatever in that store so they can carry a plastic bag with that stores logo on it to prance around the mall. Is that a vote of low self-esteem or what ? :surprise:
snakeweasel: People have an image (earned or not) about a luxury vehicle that they do not have for your run of the mill ordinary car. Many people will pay more for that image. This is the reason cars like MB, BMW and Lexus can sell cars for much more than you can get a well option car of the same size and capabilities that Toyota, Honda or Ford sells.
For luxury automobiles, image is always based on real capabilities - either in the present (Lexus, BMW) or in the recent past (to some extent, Mercedes Benz). But once the reality can no longer back up the image, people catch on and sales dwindle.
Cadillac sold well for years after it was no longer the "Standard of the World" (Cadillac's year for record sales was 1979, and no one can seriously suggest that it was the best at much of anything by then). Eventually, people caught on that the image didn't match reality, and Cadillac went into a tailspin.
There is a considerable difference between a Lexus, BMW or Mercedes and a Ford, Honda or Toyota. Differences in fit and finish (Lexus, in partcular, is phenomenal in this area, and no lower priced car can match it), driving capabilities (BMW really is the ultimate driving machine, as no other car can match its combination of chassis tuning and drivetrain) or just overall competence (a Mercedes E- and S-Class can cruise all day at 100+ mph without straining).
Those are the reasons that people will pay more for a BMW, Lexus and Mercedes than for a Ford, Honda or Toyota. The image is backed up by reality.
I think that "sales" were higher in 1978. Production was higher in 1979. Both production and sales dropped a lot in 1980.
Sales volume is not a good measure of anything. Cadillac has been priced to sell at a profitable volume, and GM/Cadillac have always wanted to outsell Lincoln. Mercedes has not worried about selling the most, they want to sell the best. Lexus seems to have taken over the "best" catagory, at least if the J. D. Power surveys are accurate.
However, while the Mercedes may have been best (at some point in time), it was not the most expensive, as Rolls Royce has usually been one of the most expensive production cars. But the Rolls was not designed to be the best, it was designed to have status, which was done with "old world" craftmanship.
Cadillac's were quite nice in the 60's. By the 70's GM was over doing interiors rather than building better bodies. The down sized full size cars that GM were building in the late 70's were somewhat better than the larger models in the early 70's, but compared to what Mercedes was building in the late 70's, GM's cars were way behind. GM really only started to build better bodies in the mid-90's with the 1995 Aurora/Riviera.
It'll be a tough road, but if Cadillac keeps building good looking cars they'll get back to the top with the other luxury brands. About the only advantage Cadillac does have is taking a risk on an exterior. The Germans & Japanese love their conservative designs. I think American car buyers are being forced into bland designs, because if you want luxury their are are only a handful of companies to choose from. The average consumer is dying for more distinction in the luxury market. They do have one other advantage. the Germans quality levels are not close to what the Japanese maintain.
Wow....rap music has more influence than I thought. Most of the Escalades you see in rap videos are rentals. Its funny how people see things on TV and accept that as reality. I've seen professionals, soccer moms, entrepreneurs, and more driving Escalades. Most wannabe gangsters can't afford an Escalade. Here in Chicago, our recently arrested defensive tackle drove a BMW. So much for the thug image.
>Most of the Escalades you see in rap videos are rentals.
Do you have proof for that statement? I doubt that it's true. There a lots of Escalades around our area and I'm sure many of the people driving them would love to have a video made with their car appearing it it.
I've seen professionals, soccer moms, entrepreneurs, and more driving Escalades. Most wannabe gangsters can't afford an Escalade.
True. I thought I was the only one from the Chi that saw that. Most of them were/are pushing used Navs or fwd MCs with chrome 20s, then "move up" to the Suburbans/Tahoes.
Here in Chicago, our recently arrested defensive tackle drove a BMW.
Now, now, leave the tackling dummy, I mean defensive tackle alone. He had a bad week.
>>Cadillac knows the market their after. GM got input from Musician, athletes, and entertainers while the Escalade was in design stages. Any vehicle with a price tag of over 60k is a niche vehicle.
Reminds me of the song from the seventies about a pimp Cadillac ("though you may not drive a great big Cadillac, diamond in the back, sunroof top, TV antenna in the back ...").
Which is exactly why I wouldn't even consider an Escalade, were I in the market for a large luxo-SUV.
The LAST thing I want to be associated with or resemble is some low-class, low-life bling-rappers.
Appealing to THAT class of people is exactly the WRONG way to build a luxury image. By definition ghetto culture is low class.
I'd think the Escalades seen in videos are registered shady entertainment companies and are leased as some kind of write-off. I guess that's a rental in a way. I guess these people could be called "entrepreneurs" too...
Used Escalades are also fairly affordable, and around here are turning up on BHPH lots more by the day. To the average dope on the street, there's no difference between an 02 and an 06.
I think that the SRX makes more sense than the Escalade. The Escalade is more or less the same as the GMC Denali. The SRX is all Cadillac, but perhaps a bit smaller than most would want.
There seem to be more 2007 program Escalades than 2006's.
Great discussion re the Escalade. Just wanted to make a couple of observations:
1. Tony Soprano isn't a real person. The character drives GM SUVs because GM provides the vehicles free of charge and possibly even pays a little cash to the producers to get them to use the product (Silvio and Paulie also drive Caddys).
2. I think there is probably more to the $10 billion a year bottled water business than just marketing hype. I don't drink bottled unless I have to, but there are times when you can't beat its convenience, and imo it tastes a hell of a lot better than our tap water, particularly in the summertime, when the chlorine levels go through the roof. And once you've seen a homeless person use a drinking fountain as a bidet, it's hard to jump back on that horse!
would you rather drive a car affiliated with gangsters or one that's affiliated with lawyers. At least gangsters admit their criminals. smittynyc, Sopranos product placement is a perfect example of GM knowing the market their after, and it works.
Tony Soprano isn't a real person. The character drives GM SUVs because GM provides the vehicles free of charge
I would think that part of it is that fact that a lot of wise guys drive Caddies (or aspire to).
I think there is probably more to the $10 billion a year bottled water business than just marketing hype.
If there is I can't see it. Is the water that bad in NYC? Our tape water here really isn't that bad and is actually as good (if not better) than bottled.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
"Reminds me of the song from the seventies about a pimp Cadillac ("though you may not drive a great big Cadillac, diamond in the back, sunroof top, TV antenna in the back ...").
Which is exactly why I wouldn't even consider an Escalade, were I in the market for a large luxo-SUV.
The LAST thing I want to be associated with or resemble is some low-class, low-life bling-rappers.
Appealing to THAT class of people is exactly the WRONG way to build a luxury image. By definition ghetto culture is low class."
EXACTLY!!! And that is why I drive a new Land Rover. Nothing says "class" more than a new Land Rover or Range Rover.
Food for thought. If we didn't have cars would the bun-gee cord ever have been invented?
Well how else would you bungee jump? Rubber bands?
Disclaimer: Do not bungee jump with rubber bands, well if you had an ounce of brains and common sense you wouldn't bungee jump at all. But hey if you want to risk being dashed to pieces among the rocks below that bridge go for it just don't blame me when you meet God a lot sooner than expected.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
DETROIT — Cadillac says it will release its first "official" photo of the 2008 CTS on December 19, and the formal unveiling of the new model is tentatively scheduled for January 8 at the North American International Auto Show.
if the cobalt is gm's civic... if the malibu is gm's camry if the montana is gm's odyssey then what in the world could this tired aging nameplate do to compete with state of the art design and manufacturing other than make a caddy x-box game and pray really hard that americas teen plus generation catches on! :shades:
There is a considerable difference between a Lexus, BMW or Mercedes and a Ford, Honda or Toyota. Differences in fit and finish (Lexus, in partcular, is phenomenal in this area, and no lower priced car can match it), driving capabilities (BMW really is the ultimate driving machine, as no other car can match its combination of chassis tuning and drivetrain) or just overall competence (a Mercedes E- and S-Class can cruise all day at 100+ mph without straining).
Absolutely right. I read these "Hyundais are just as good as Porsche" type comments and just have to shake my head.There is a substantive difference in these types of cars, as you've noted.
The problem was that Cadillac spent years trying to sell a car that was allegedly superior, but wasn't in any meaningful way -- its only differentiators from a Chevy were a couple of cheap options and a higher price tag. There's not much reason for a luxury car buyer to want one when it is possible to buy a superior car for the same money.
Badge engineering is what got GM in trouble in the first place. If there is nothing standing behind that badge, it won't be long before it gets passed up, as GM's history clearly demonstrates.
The answer is NO. GM can't do it. Mercedes, BMW, Lexus and even Infiniti (in the G35/M35/45 segments) have too much of a lead.
Can Cadillac become competitive and get back on import luxury car buyer's shopping lists? Possibly. There are some though that will never forget the junk Cadillac heaved onto the roads and buyers in the 80's and 90's to ever consider Cadillac again.
The problem was that Cadillac spent years trying to sell a car that was allegedly superior, but wasn't in any meaningful way -- its only differentiators from a Chevy were a couple of cheap options and a higher price tag.
Bingo. All those years of trying to get FWD cars to outperform RWD cars, all the empty boasts about having the "largest engine" in its class, yet it didn't have as much hp as rival engines. The list goes on and on. That takes years and years to overcome and nothing does it faster than new, fresh and superior products, not merely competitive ones. Cadillac at best builds competitive products withing a few segments like the STS and XLR. The new CTS is their real chance to show what they can really do, but they're up against a new G35, IS350 and 335i and a new C and A4 within a 12-18 months after that. Tough market indeed.
Cadillac does have some bright spots in a sense that they're what I like to call a full-service luxury provider, well almost. Roadster, check. Large SUV, check. Small, Medium, Large sedans, check, check, check. Crossover, check. Coupe, nope. A real flagship, nope. To become the standard of the world you have to play in the S-Class/LS460/7-Series/A8/XJ class and the DTS is eaten alive by those cars.
True, in a sense. Many truly wealthy people don't give a rip about image. Sam Walton drove an old F-150 pickup truck. I heard that Ross Perot drives an early '80s Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight. If we want to talk about successful gangsters, Carlo Gambino drove a low-line gray Oldsmobile sedan.
Heck, I mostly drive my 1988 Buick Park Avenue when I'm not either walking or taking the bus. I bought my Cadillacs because I'm an afficianodo of the brand rather than worried about what image my car projects.
If you want to talk about class, the classiest image is a well-dressed person in a very well-maintained older Cadillac, Lincoln, or Mercedes. To me, this shows the person cares about his automotive investment and isn't constantly blowing his cash buying new cars every few years.
Comments
I drive an Elantra and....well it was one of the least expensive cars out there and the warranty was great.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Most of the Priuses are only being driven short distances from what I see. If they were commuting to Cincy or driving crosstown in traffic I could feel they were saving fuel. But they actually don't; it's a short trip to work.
And if they were dedicated they would buy them rather than lease them. Most people I see with them two years ago now have a different lease.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Then you should have a talk with her - because nobody can tell.... :surprise:
I drive an Elantra and....well it was one of the least expensive cars out there and the warranty was great.
Now, here's an honest man, and a smart one too, because the Elantra is built probably better than the Bu, and has a hellova good warranty, which you generally never use.
And IMO, a MB G-wagen is even more ostentatious than an Escalade, simply due to the loaded up ones we get being so far off the original intent. It's a Russian mafia image vs a rapper/thug image. I'll take neither.
And I have never seen a blinged out LX!
It's not like Cadillac created a new market. They just stole the bling from mercedes. For years mercedes was the choice car for rapers.
Rocky
The Escalade, IMHO is a SUV/Truck you either love or hate. I do think some people don't like it because of the stereo-type it carry's but I feel those are prejudice issues for those individuals. I have and always will be a huge fan of the Escalade, mainly because I grew up in the "Bling Bling" era and love 20+ inch Dubs. I mainly love the Escalade, for it's styling, gadgetology, and luxurious accomidations I can't find on another SUV. Maybe someday I will own one.
Rocky
Actually its a pretty nice car. Rides well and has enough room.
Now, here's an honest man, and a smart one too,
Wow two things people rarely say about me
The wagon has been the most reliable car I have ever had. Only had one real issue and that was a cracked exhaust manifold at 120K or so miles. Seems that Hyundai got a hold of some bad ones and extended the warranty on them for ten years unlimited miles. The dealership fixed it under that warranty no questions asked. I am hoping to get a few more years out of it.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Rocky
Bottled water and vehicles are two entirely different products. The purchasers of those products are driven by an entirely different set of wants and expectations.
GM tried to apply the marketing and product development processes used for consumer goods to vehicles - Ron Zarella and his infamous attempt to impose brand management on GM - and it failed miserably. That effort seriously hurt GM's competitiveness, and contributed heavily to the demise of Oldsmobile. A company cannot rely on marketing or "branding" to sell new vehicles to the extent it does to sell bottled water - or toilet paper or laundry detergent.
What works for a product picked up at the supermarket or the convenience store on a whim for less than a few dollars does not work for a new vehicle, which is the second-biggest purchase for most people.
When an automobile nameplate has a good image in the marketplace, that image either is - or WAS - based on reality. Cadillac WAS the "Standard of the World" for many years, and that image carried the marque through several years when it most definitely was not.
Eventually reality caught up with Cadillac - as it always does in the automotive world - and GM has spent billions bringing the division back from the brink. But it still has a way to go.
Much the same as selling 20oz of water for a buck when the same amount and quality of water can be had for a penny from the faucet. That is because people have an image (earned or not) of that water in the bottle.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Rocky
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Rocky
For luxury automobiles, image is always based on real capabilities - either in the present (Lexus, BMW) or in the recent past (to some extent, Mercedes Benz). But once the reality can no longer back up the image, people catch on and sales dwindle.
Cadillac sold well for years after it was no longer the "Standard of the World" (Cadillac's year for record sales was 1979, and no one can seriously suggest that it was the best at much of anything by then). Eventually, people caught on that the image didn't match reality, and Cadillac went into a tailspin.
There is a considerable difference between a Lexus, BMW or Mercedes and a Ford, Honda or Toyota. Differences in fit and finish (Lexus, in partcular, is phenomenal in this area, and no lower priced car can match it), driving capabilities (BMW really is the ultimate driving machine, as no other car can match its combination of chassis tuning and drivetrain) or just overall competence (a Mercedes E- and S-Class can cruise all day at 100+ mph without straining).
Those are the reasons that people will pay more for a BMW, Lexus and Mercedes than for a Ford, Honda or Toyota. The image is backed up by reality.
Sales volume is not a good measure of anything. Cadillac has been priced to sell at a profitable volume, and GM/Cadillac have always wanted to outsell Lincoln. Mercedes has not worried about selling the most, they want to sell the best. Lexus seems to have taken over the "best" catagory, at least if the J. D. Power surveys are accurate.
However, while the Mercedes may have been best (at some point in time), it was not the most expensive, as Rolls Royce has usually been one of the most expensive production cars. But the Rolls was not designed to be the best, it was designed to have status, which was done with "old world" craftmanship.
Do you have proof for that statement? I doubt that it's true. There a lots of Escalades around our area and I'm sure many of the people driving them would love to have a video made with their car appearing it it.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
True. I thought I was the only one from the Chi that saw that. Most of them were/are pushing used Navs or fwd MCs with chrome 20s, then "move up" to the Suburbans/Tahoes.
Here in Chicago, our recently arrested defensive tackle drove a BMW.
Now, now, leave the tackling dummy, I mean defensive tackle alone. He had a bad week.
Reminds me of the song from the seventies about a pimp Cadillac ("though you may not drive a great big Cadillac, diamond in the back, sunroof top, TV antenna in the back ...").
Which is exactly why I wouldn't even consider an Escalade, were I in the market for a large luxo-SUV.
The LAST thing I want to be associated with or resemble is some low-class, low-life bling-rappers.
Appealing to THAT class of people is exactly the WRONG way to build a luxury image. By definition ghetto culture is low class.
Used Escalades are also fairly affordable, and around here are turning up on BHPH lots more by the day. To the average dope on the street, there's no difference between an 02 and an 06.
Image is everything, substance is...well...
There seem to be more 2007 program Escalades than 2006's.
1. Tony Soprano isn't a real person. The character drives GM SUVs because GM provides the vehicles free of charge and possibly even pays a little cash to the producers to get them to use the product (Silvio and Paulie also drive Caddys).
2. I think there is probably more to the $10 billion a year bottled water business than just marketing hype. I don't drink bottled unless I have to, but there are times when you can't beat its convenience, and imo it tastes a hell of a lot better than our tap water, particularly in the summertime, when the chlorine levels go through the roof. And once you've seen a homeless person use a drinking fountain as a bidet, it's hard to jump back on that horse!
smittynyc, Sopranos product placement is a perfect example of GM knowing the market their after, and it works.
Wow - Rock buddy - get a dictionary for Xmas.
Hoe Hoe Hoe.
I would think that part of it is that fact that a lot of wise guys drive Caddies (or aspire to).
I think there is probably more to the $10 billion a year bottled water business than just marketing hype.
If there is I can't see it. Is the water that bad in NYC? Our tape water here really isn't that bad and is actually as good (if not better) than bottled.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Which is exactly why I wouldn't even consider an Escalade, were I in the market for a large luxo-SUV.
The LAST thing I want to be associated with or resemble is some low-class, low-life bling-rappers.
Appealing to THAT class of people is exactly the WRONG way to build a luxury image. By definition ghetto culture is low class."
EXACTLY!!! And that is why I drive a new Land Rover. Nothing says "class" more than a new Land Rover or Range Rover.
Keith :shades:
Nope nothing says class like driving a beat up rusted Yugo and not giving a $%^& about what others think.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Well how else would you bungee jump? Rubber bands?
Disclaimer: Do not bungee jump with rubber bands, well if you had an ounce of brains and common sense you wouldn't bungee jump at all. But hey if you want to risk being dashed to pieces among the rocks below that bridge go for it just don't blame me when you meet God a lot sooner than expected.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Rover kind of looks boxy and simple. Excalade has better styling.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=118898
Rocky
Absolutely right. I read these "Hyundais are just as good as Porsche" type comments and just have to shake my head.There is a substantive difference in these types of cars, as you've noted.
The problem was that Cadillac spent years trying to sell a car that was allegedly superior, but wasn't in any meaningful way -- its only differentiators from a Chevy were a couple of cheap options and a higher price tag. There's not much reason for a luxury car buyer to want one when it is possible to buy a superior car for the same money.
Badge engineering is what got GM in trouble in the first place. If there is nothing standing behind that badge, it won't be long before it gets passed up, as GM's history clearly demonstrates.
The answer is NO. GM can't do it. Mercedes, BMW, Lexus and even Infiniti (in the G35/M35/45 segments) have too much of a lead.
Can Cadillac become competitive and get back on import luxury car buyer's shopping lists? Possibly. There are some though that will never forget the junk Cadillac heaved onto the roads and buyers in the 80's and 90's to ever consider Cadillac again.
M
Bingo. All those years of trying to get FWD cars to outperform RWD cars, all the empty boasts about having the "largest engine" in its class, yet it didn't have as much hp as rival engines. The list goes on and on. That takes years and years to overcome and nothing does it faster than new, fresh and superior products, not merely competitive ones. Cadillac at best builds competitive products withing a few segments like the STS and XLR. The new CTS is their real chance to show what they can really do, but they're up against a new G35, IS350 and 335i and a new C and A4 within a 12-18 months after that. Tough market indeed.
Cadillac does have some bright spots in a sense that they're what I like to call a full-service luxury provider, well almost. Roadster, check. Large SUV, check. Small, Medium, Large sedans, check, check, check. Crossover, check. Coupe, nope. A real flagship, nope. To become the standard of the world you have to play in the S-Class/LS460/7-Series/A8/XJ class and the DTS is eaten alive by those cars.
M
Heck, I mostly drive my 1988 Buick Park Avenue when I'm not either walking or taking the bus. I bought my Cadillacs because I'm an afficianodo of the brand rather than worried about what image my car projects.
If you want to talk about class, the classiest image is a well-dressed person in a very well-maintained older Cadillac, Lincoln, or Mercedes. To me, this shows the person cares about his automotive investment and isn't constantly blowing his cash buying new cars every few years.