Is de Nysschen's Plan To Rebuild Cadillac Bold Enough?

Agree whole heartedly with the article. Maybe return to names at least the good ones, albeit slowly, perhaps with the letters moniker for a while maybe the CTS Eldorado - V etc… get people in to test drive them - even offer a free bottle of Champagne or some other gimmick to get qualified buyers who take a test drive (heck even the greatest rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix said he needed a gimmick to get noticed), make them cool by putting them in situations that drip coolness - the right movies - the right games - the right people, put them on display in places people in the target market will see them… upscale malls, in events that draw the target audience etc… Finally build the unique American car/experience halo car by putting the El Miraj out there. Caddilac really needs that halo car badly and not in 5 years… they need it now!

Yes, I have to agree as well.

The biggest problems for Cadillac are getting behind the wheel and price.

I don´t agree with the article. Cadillac has always said they are planning on global marketing, and the article is too american-centric. While it might sound logical to win in American first, this might not be their goal necessarily: they might be aiming to newly developing markets like India and China (where Buick sells more than in America, and where CT6 becomes easier to follow than ElDorado). The article is right that it might take up to a decade to make a dent in the current american market..that is why maybe they are not really going to fight for it. At least not head on.

Interesting take on it. However I don't see them pushing big into new markets. Having been to India, Philippines, all over Europe etc… in the last couple years I am not seeing any advertising nor any cars. Nonetheless it could be they are going for the global push and I just was not looking in the right places. On the other hand I do believe in order to call themselves successful they have to start winning in the US and to some extent Europe and I certainly hope they do.

Return to names. Return to gotta-have styling. Styling updates need to be ever 2 years for a while to build momentum. Offer a car larger--but lighter--than the competition for a price at or preferably BELOW the competition. Offer a "Hyundai" warranty.

De Nutcase will be gone any day now anyway.

I myself prefer names as well but I get that the worldwide market place doesn't respond well to them. At some point, Cadillac has to be a viable international player.

As far as the article, I disagree with most of it. Marketing is important, no doubt, but not THAT important. Cadillac needs to focus on making great cars.

I honestly feel that when their first Ciel/ElMirage inspired model hits the road - they will finally turn the corner.

Just turn Cadillac into a sub-luxury brand like it already is anyway. Cut down the prices, and make it compete with Buick.

Practically it is too late for an American company to compete with the Europeans.

But the Americans can still compete with the Koreans. And in the future, Chinese.

What are you taking about? The Europeans kneel before America's whim. That's the way it has been since WWI and that's the way it will continue to be.

Too late? Never too late for competition. It's takes someone with a vision. You should read about the history of all automotive brands and you will find at some point, many of not all have gone through a period like Cadillac is experiencing. This goes for European and Asian makers as well.

It is Obvious what the problem is at Cadillac

They have stopped producing cars that people who WOULD chose Cadillac want - and they now produce cars for people who prefer not to choose Cadillac. The problem is that they are trying to sell small sports sedans to a different LUXURY car market - and no matter how glitzy they make them - the US Luxury car market does not want tiny little cars with tiny trunks and no spare tires. Luxury - in the US means Spacious. Leaving out the spare tire is equivalent of leaving out the steering wheel.

The original CTS sold well because it was a tweener in size - larger than its price class. Now all the new cars are the smallest in the class - no interior space - no back seat - no trunk space.

If they want to be a small high end sports car manufacturer - then they have to have a price advantage. But the escalade has shown that they can be a large vehicle luxury manufacturer at the price point they want. WHY NOT PRODUCE FOR BOTH MARKETS - with names for the Luxury Cars - and Alphanumerics for the sports cars?

I agree with much of the article. In my case, the styling is a huge turn-off too.

I am thinking about replacing my winter beater (535xi) and, given all the favorable press coverage, had included caddy in the mix. (CTS V)

A few weeks ago, while on a trip in FL, I decided to rent a caddy for a 5-day test of the brand. A CTS V wasn't available so I ended-up landing in a SRX.

What a disappointment; poor breaks, numb steering, bad (really bad) transmission, lousy seats and confusing controls on the console.

Based on this limited experience, there is a lot of work to upgrade the experience the brand has to offer. That experience needs to be obtainable in lower models if it is going to translate in the sale (or desire anyway) for top end products.

I don't know if I've crossed the CTS V completely off my list but my wife has... 'nough said.

What did you expect from a Cadillac Equinox?

Business 101 stuff... Sustaining engineering on your low-end product that are beyond skin deep. How foolish of me! :)