Cadillac Says Mercedes CLA Rival In The Works - Are They Up To The Task?

Reskin the Cruze, add $20K to the price and I predict success

another failed project

If other compact Cadillac models suck in sales then this one will have no future either. The new guy is coming up with all sorts of stupid shit to justify his fat paycheck. CLA competition, new name change strategy, S-class competition, 80K coupe based on Volt and other ill shit, failure after failure

The Cruze is a good car but it is no GTI which is essentially an A3. Johan de Nysschen is a fuCquing moron

In the Luxury field = in China - the car owners normally have a chauffeur =- and as a result they want more spacious rear seat areas - where the car owner will be. That is the problem with the ATS/CTS - at their current sizes - they are essentially both 2 seaters with little rear seat room. Cadillac WILL have to accomodate the Chinese market with more rear seat room - and that will also mean that those size vehicles COULD be sold in the USA market.

The name change is meaningless - as is the move to NY - neither will do anything worthwhile. However - a LARGE RWD luxury car - with real room inside - will sell to American buyers like hotcakes - especially in oil areas - just as the Escalade does.

A CLA competitor is likely to be a current FWD platform - maybe the Regal in size - but it will not sell in huge numbers - Americans want BIG luxury cars. The Volt clones are useless - until they offer 200 mile electric range.

So - while there will be questions - some of the offerings will sell

agree agree agree agree

GM = Great Mistake

Why did GM hire this guy? To put an end to Cadillac, most likely.

It's like, the American CEOs themselves know that their own country sucks real hard, so they are just doing everything they can to just put an end to their own companies for some reason. Or just run away from the U.S., just to avoid taxes like Burger King did. Many U.S. corporations are now located in Europe or Canada.

United
Stupidity
of
Americrap

And like I said before, without NYC, this country is as good as South American countries, too. So laughable.

Anyone paying attention to the luxury market would realize that the war is over--the Europeans have won. The Japanese have competitive products and excellent operations, but the Europeans are leading and innovating in this segment; everyone else is trying to catch up.

Of the developed producers, the Americans are the most behind...so why NOT aim for #1? Why would they aim for anything else?

In other words, it's completely obvious why Cadillac would turn to a European executive, and adopt a plan to become more like a European luxury maker.

Cadillac may or may not end, as a result--but putting an end to Cadillac ISN'T the strategy; IF they go down, they're going to go down fighting for the #1 spot, not #2.

Having said that, American luxury makers *DO* have a long way to go to catch...anyone. At the auto show this year, I sat in both Cadillacs and Lincolns, and it was OBVIOUS you were not sitting in a Mercedes or BMW. And the styling...P.U. (that applies to both Cadillac and Lincoln).

So I applaud them for thinking big and aiming high, but they have A LOT of work ahead of them in order to realize their ambitions.

And Lincoln...WTF? STILL looking for a direction. Complete and utter mess. And what is with the Matthew McConaughey commercials? WORST. EVER. Literally painful to watch them.

Actually - Lincoln is a different problem. It is clear that they have no interest in going after the German cars - they intend on the old American luxury market - which just happens to be alive - kicking - and still buying vehicles. The same market that many Buick cars sell to. And the Cadillac XTS sells to that market as well.

As buyers age - comfort, convenience, a smooth compliant ride - and interior space become more important - and these buyers have the money to buy the cars. In fact - Mercedes has ramped back some of its sport - to address this market - and there is no reason why they cannot produce both.

The problem is that THESE buyers are not looking for the 3 series BMW or alternatives = and no manner of advertising is going to make a CTS big enough inside to be of use to them. These are the buyers who want Escalades - not SRXs. This remains a large market - and not addressing that market is a mistake for Cadillac.

Being that the Verano already exists, I think they need to stick to a RWD platform.