Would Opel's Insignia Work As A Mid-Level Cadillac?

Yeah, call it the Cadillac Catera II - it'll fly off the shelves like the original did...oh, wait.
Seriously, Cadillac made a comeback through edgy styling and RWD. Whoever thought of this has no idea how this would dilute the brand once again. Pay attention to history for crying out loud! Driving in the snow a problem? Cars have much better ESP and other electronics nowadays and the competitors all offer AWD from a RWD platform.

No!Buick maybe...Cadillac no!

buick definitely,

cadillac can keep its new image of quality rwd and building its performance categories while buick remains more restrained and possibly get some good looking cars in the line up (a must)

If this is serious, then GM should really shame itself and would not deserve any further support without sacking incapable management. This is like a viral brain infection that lasts already almost 30 years and destroyed the company sofar and is called badge engineering. you may also call it brand destroying. They should take a lesson from Audi-VW, who in majority have their own platforms (longitudinal versus transverse engine) and share as much as possible within the brand (thus Golf-Passat, or A4/A6/A8). This gives synergies without comprimising on brand credibility and authencity. Guys at GM, are you capable of learning?
Willem A.Boomsluiter, BOMANC Management Consultancy, waboomsluiter@bomanc.com

+ 1. Finally, an intelligent post on autospies.

The Opel Insignia is a very nice car but I don't think it would work as a Cadillac. It doesn't have the boxy styling that current Cadillacs have and would stand out in the lineup as a "rebadge".

On the other hand, it would probably work better with a Buick badge as it conforms with the rounder styling of that particular GM brand.

I don't live in the US and have no idea of the more in-depth automotive situation there but these are just my thoughts.

O.K. Guys, hear me out. What if the chassis of the Insignia is used but the car itself exterior be redesigned like all Caddy models. The car would have the exceptional XWD tech from SAAB (it truly competes with Audi's AWD system with Active Management ) and add the direct injection High feature V6 with 320 HP. This car could bring in a good amount if profit for Cadillac, because with low investment, this car that could easily compete against Lexus GS, Acura TL.

What your saying is make a BLS 2.0. The BLS is a Europe only Caddy rebadge of the SAAB 9-3. It is sold in both sedan and wagon body styles. It has sold about as poorly as any model ever has. Keep in mind the BLS and 9-3 are on the Epsilon I chassis and the Insignia is on Epsilon II.

It is a horrible idea and quite frankly GM is going down the tubes. They are killing everything they can to delay bankruptcy but it will come. Likely Opel, Holden, GM China, and Daewoo will become independent or form together. If anything survives of GMNA it will be Chevy and possibly Caddy.

As much of a GM guy as I used to be, I can see it coming. I just can't understand how the executives don't see what those outside the company can see so clearly. GM for to long chased the high profit truck and SUV market and let the car market go to import brands. They started turning the ship around but it was to late and they didn't turn sharply enough (unlike Ford who seems to have their head on straight). It will be bad for everyone when GM falls, but it is bound to happen now. The only question is: When?

I see your point 91z4me but the BLS platform was no Delta II. Did the original Delta win anywhere close to the awards as the Insignia? Isn't the Insignia one of the most advance vehicles in Europe at this time? When did the SAAB 9-3/BLS win any awards or was acknowledged as being superior to anything? You can't lump all ideas as being bad. Lexus rebadged ES has been a cash cow for Toyota, so has the Highlander, the Land Cruiser, etc. VW's Passat and Audi A4, we can go on. So what is wrong with leveraging the true strengths of what GM has. Good products they have right now.

Lets clear some stuff up first. The SAAB 9-3 is an Epsilon car (GMs premier midsize chassis when it was released) and won many accolades for its handling and refinement. The BLS was a poor rebadged 9-3 so it was also an Epsilon car, only it came out after the 9-3 had been out for 2-3 years and was starting to get stale. The Delta chassis (GMs compact car chassis) underpins the Opel/Saturn Astra (former Saturn Ion), Chevy Cobalt, Pontiac G5, and Chevy HHR. The Insignia is on Epsilon 2 and is a longer, wider, AWD capable adaptation of Epsilon 1. Just as the original 9-3 won praise but was quickly vanquished as competitors like the A4 and TL improved and updated the Insignia stands to be on top for a few years (it is just the cycle of things after all). By the time GM approves and starts production of a Caddy derivative it will be behind the times and a poor excuse for a high end product.

Do you understand what I am trying to say?

No.

Maybe I'm confused, but aren't the Opel Insignia & 2010 Buick Lacrosse sharing the same Epsilon II platform? What's this Buick Regal i keep hearing about? I doubt there will be a Regal, if anything I hope there is a 2-dr coupe of the Buick Lacrosse.

As for Cadillac using the Opel Insignia.. I say no. Leave Cadillac to fight MB/BMW/Audi/someLexus/Infiniti. Keep Buick down the path it is on, going up against everyday luxury such as Acura/Lincoln/LexusES/PassatCC, etc. Performance Luxury goes to Cadillac, smooth-everyday luxury goes to Buick.

Oh well, we'll see!

?

I have the most ideal plan. Introduce the Opel brand to the US. Sell it as an Opel like it is ment to be sold as. The GM way will ruin yet another rebaged Opel that has reached US shores.

too many marques in the USA as it is. I would like to see Opel stateside, but in any event, given the fact that GM's products share powertrains/platforms, etc, it would just be like having another Saturn Aura or Pontiac G6 instead of just focusing on the Malibu. (I am however upset about the loss of Saturn).

As for ruining anything, we'll see how the 2010 Lacrosse does (provided the market isn't the nonsense that it is today).

Marketing a front drive "rep mobile" (as they call cars like the Insignia in Europe) in the US with the AWD system as standard in some effort to hide the front drive chassis has been done, and has failed. Does anybody recall the Jaguar X-Type? Sure, it failed for a number of reasons, not just the chassis, but also for poor quality. But low budget is a recipe for low quality and making the Insignia into a Cadillac would be a low-budget move. I say leave the Caddy line as it is now. No additions, no subtractions.

Bro, look at Audi A6 and you have a case for the Insignia base Caddy. Audi sales of the A6 is huge next to the A4. Quattro saves the day. GM has the XWD system that is awesome for this application. The Insignia is great in almost every area.

Are we going to have another rebadged GM car ?

I cant believe that anyone is entertaining this article. First of all, Cadillac already has a "mid-level" model. Its called the CTS. Cadillac could use the "re-tooling" funds it would take to do this and inject it in an entry-level model or their flagship (STS/DTS replacment) that is supposedly "almost" complete.

Who's bright idea is this? Cadillac will NEVER move forward if suggestions like this keep being made. I guess whoever came up with this also was behind the new SRX.

(SMDH)

I have another question! Why do you guys call Cadillac's styling "boxy"? Just wondering. When I think of boxy, I think of a Hummer, G wagon, or maybe even a Chrysler 300! Sharp or edgy would be more appropiate right?