Maybe The Problem All Along? Cadillac Says ELR Is A Status Symbol, Not For Tree Huggers

GM has sold about 241 ELRs.

The production and media buys for the ELR's two commercials probably cost a total of $5 million.

That comes to $20,746 in marketing spent PER ELR!

Given this, I think what Cadillac’s marketing chief "Uwe Ellinghaus" meant to say is:

"Sorry. I resign."

Making the ELR a coupe wasn't the brightest move. Had it been a 4 door sedan priced like a CTS its sales would have been a lot better. The ELR begs for a V8 under the hood.

How many Americans exactly see Cadillac as a "status symbol" nowadays, let alone non-Americans?

If Cadillac is a status symbol, then so is Hyundai. Because frankly, I don't think GM even knows how to make a car that is better than an Equus.

Customers do not need to see an entire brand as a status symbol to still impart that title on a product of the that brand. An example would be Mitsubishi and the Mitsubishi Evo or Dodge and the Dodge Viper.

Evo and Viper are different.

Caddy as a brand died a long time ago, and this ELR trying to be a status symbol itself is purely laughable.

How are the Evo and Viper different? They both share "status symbol" admiration throughout the automotive industry from brands that have little or no brand cachet as status symbols.

*sigh* since you don't really seem to know, let me explain.

Mitsubishi is not really well known in this ignorant continent aka North America, since Mitsubishi does not really bring out their best vehicles to NA. But Pajero and such are quite famous in the Asian countries, almost even recognized as a status symbol. And as we all know, Evo has the HISTORY of rallying, which shows the prowess of Mitsubishi.

Viper, also has the "history" that they take pride in, and Dodge has the cars like Charger and Challenger, even a minivan that is well recognized in the United States.

But what does Cadillac have, exactly? They have totally changed their own philosophy, all they do is just making some light weighted sedan with a Corvette engine on it and call it a CTS, which does not even SOUND like a Cadillac name to begin with. XTS is a pure joke that no one cares about, ATS, another Anti-Cadillac from Cadillac, and this XLR, what the hell is this even supposed to be? SRX looks like a bad joke, too, I am not sure who likes that goofy looking head lights on the SRX there.

And can you tell me a SINGLE Cadillac model that has any sort of HISTORY? Oh sure, Escalade. But what does it have, really?

The United States is basically broke, it is a poor country. And a poor country, is usually not able to build luxury vehicles because of funding issues. Thus, the U.S. should just keep focusing on mainstream cars like Chevy, or cheap luxury cars like Buick. In fact, Caddy should just be a cheap luxury brand, as that just "fits" the modern American philosophy.

And now this all explains why the "real" economic superpowers like Germany, Britain, France and Italy are the only ones that get praised for making super luxurious cars. How often do you see people calling their luxury brands "fake"?

Anyhow, this ELR can not be a status symbol, and basically no one even "cares" about this car as well. GM can say whatever they want, but that doesn't mean anything that they say is the truth. Because guess what, it isn't.

Not XLR. ELR I mean.

Hell, it is so forgettable, I can't even remember the name of it properly.

Since when is Italy a super power?

I guess the whole old concept of superpower that we thought of does not apply any longer in this globalized world.

I mainly see that the nations that deserve to be on the superpower status are the ones with brand power + manufacturing prowess, as those are the things that are "absolutely" needed to maintain the economy of their country. Why do you think the United States was so economically strong back in the days of Henry Ford?

The only things America now has are tons of debt, ghost towns, rich Americans who do not want to associate themselves with the average Joe Americans but with the royal elites of Europe, massive corporations that make their products in China and leave only minimum wage jobs to their own citizens, etc.

You call that a "superpower"? I certainly don't.

And China...well, what kind of "brands" do they have?

And these days, I see more and more Americans calling Germany the "real" superpower. It really is.

And Italy. Considering the fact that a lot of things that the Americans worship come from Italy, I don't see how Italy is "not" a superpower in that sense.

But it is not just those European countries that I highly respect. The entire European Union, Switzerland and Norway are really "something". They are just "way too" good, that I am almost quite jealous of them.

So I want America to do even better. But this whole ELR crap? Is nothing but arrogance, and I just can not support GM on this. I feel as though I am like all over the place, but you get my point.

The Genesis, Equus, and K900 are very well designed, built to a high standard, and have a great track record for reliability.

I prefer to see Corvette and Viper as the status symbols.

“Tesla teaches us a message: If you offer cars with an electric drive-train that have superb driving characteristics and a beautiful [interior], they find customers,” he said. “What doesn’t work is to position a car for people who are tree-huggers and green-wash an entire brand.”

Let's parse this for a minute.

"Tesla teaches us a message: If you offer cars with an electric drive-train that have superb driving"

This is car does not of a superb driving, at it's core is a Volt.

"they find customers"

Customer find Telsa. My local state has no Tesla dealer, but I see them weekly, It's a phenomenal preform with a great look, The ELR is a car the markets has ignored because, at it's core is a Volt.

The vast majority of Tesla buyer a very aware of it green foot print and that is why the looked there in the first place, and using pejorative terms to describe that clientele, reveals that you oblivious to that market, have no clue what the luxury market offers at 75k price point. At 75k your cars it's at it's core is a Volt.

Calling a car a status symbol does not make it a status symbol, it make you arrogant and obtuse about your market Cadillac is a fine car, but it's a 2nd tier luxury car, that think it if prices it self like a tier one it will be one.

Maybe the is why Cadillac VP has the life span of a gerbil.

scenicbyway12 -- Would you consider proof reading your post before you push the send button. Would certainly make it easier to follow. Looks like you took 8 seconds to type it on your cell phone.

Why should you ask the others to downvote my comments, if my comments were mere "trolling" comments? Would you not simply ignore them?

Oh wait, who am I kidding.

If anything, you are the one who has been acting like a little "child" as you are utterly unable to appreciate the other people's opinions.

Ban me, for what exactly? State your reason first, without resorting to your stupidity.

If anyone, "you", of all people, are the one that should be banned for leaving tons and tons of comments that do not seem to make almost "no sense" in other comment sections. When was the last time you ever said anything "intelligent"? Oh wait a sec, you are not even that old enough (Includes mentally) to even understand the "law" anyway, or are you?

I mean, I can see you are just so hurt by the "truth". But I'm sorry, that doesn't exactly make someone bannable.

Oh, just so you know, by calling me a troll without a reason, you just violated one of the rules.

1. to abuse, harass, threaten, impersonate or intimidate other AutoSpies.com users

Do you seriously have "brains"? Or better yet, did you even graduate from high school at least? You are asking me to be banned, so that you can go back living in your own cave.

But oh, there is a better solution for you. Maybe ignore my comments? And better yet, do not read. Go back to watch your lovely Fox News.

And just so you know, the people like you are the reason why the United States has "FAILED". And I know what kind of position you would have if you were to work for GM, and that is most likely a CEO of it.

Just ignore JDMUSMuscle as the rest of us do.....

JDMUSMuscle, you were harassing me in my opinion. Please label your opinions as opinions, and limit the biasness/fanboyness to verifiable facts! Sites like this have been sued by involved manufacturers, etc.

You "think" I was harassing you? In what way exactly? How old are you?

And my opinion is always an opinion, do you say your opinion is AN "opinion" when you type it? No, why? Because that's obvious.

Sites like this have been sued by who exactly? And when?

When will you stop your lies and madness?

Now do you see why no one takes you seriously here?

WTF? They may as well charge $1000000 for the car with that logic. So the ELR is being positioned as... an "anti-green" vehicle. Hahahah, OK so what happened is they decided that the only idiots who will spend $75000 on an ELR are those who will fall for the whole "'MURICA!!11! Fuck Yeah!!" ad campaign, but ironically those people are also such idiots that they reject the ELR because it is "green" and therefore communist and/or atheist and 99% likely Obama's favorite car. So to keep roping them in Caddy is saying "no no it's not for those TREE HUGGERS, come on now."

Pathetic.

Anything (vehicle) that cost above $30k-$35k is a status symbol. The average working adult can barely afford to buy & maintain a $30k vehicle. So when we discuss $70k vehicles, most consumers will never be able to afford a Certified Used copy of a Tesla or ELR in their entire life.

The overall concept of the hybrid or electric vehicle has shifted to some overly expensive alternative to the standard gas offerings. Wasn't hybrids & EV supposed to become affordable, more economical, & just as desirable as mainstream gas vehicles? Tesla & the ELR are like couture brands really meant for people with disposable money to spend it on something to be seen in.

If only Cadillac would just say the ELR is a HALO vehicle meant to increase tech awareness & to showcase vehicle advancements, that kind of statement would go a long way toward softening the public perception blow. And of course, they're overcharging for it. It doesn't cost GM much more to build an ELR over the equivalent Chevy Volt. But as a vehicle within the luxury brand arm, they can easily ask for a higher entry price.