Could It Survive? Chief Says GM Is Holding Back Cadillac And It Might Be Better Off Being On It's Own

Trying to mimics Audi's financial structure as it reports to VW.

The guy is an utter moron.

Excuses, excuses, Cadillac, blaming GM is not going to help your pitiful state.

Here's the deal, let me give you some things to reflect on.

1) Your wake up call should have been the 1st generation Chrysler 300.It took a HUGE bite out of your market and Americans churned out in droves for a car that was big, bold, and American (Aside from its E Class underpinnings and resemblance to Bentley/Rolls)

2) The very ESSENCE of Cadillac was never meant to be this sporty, twisty, 0-60, Nurburgring brand. It was Regal, Big, Unapologetic, and ooooozing with luxury, technology, and designs that even made the Germans look cheap in Caddy's Hey Day

3) Instead of completely tossing the essence of what Cadillac stands for and banking on a German rebirth, you guys should have really thought about how do we make the essence of Cadillac, relevant now, and instead of blend in with the Germans settling for 2nd best, stand a part offering clear alternative instead .

4) Here's some direction, GET A CLEAR FLAGSHIP, one that can hold a candle to the S Class but emphasizes again the essence of Cadillac, BIG, SPACIOUS, LUXURIOUS, SILK RIDE, it does not have to dance like a German, but should be able to glide better than one

5) Get a Halo Car, Toss the ELR/expensive Volt and promise to NEVER EVER do that again.

6) Build out your SUV lineup, churn out some cute utes and a performance oriented model. Perhaps consider a true off roader sitting just above the Escalade to compete with Range Rover and G Class

7) Forget all the marketing slogans, your tagline should read...Cadillac, Yea it's your Grandfather's Caddy and proud.

You nailed it.

Gm is not holding back Cadillac - DeNYsschen is the problem at Cadillac. The problem is that Cadillac has turned the normal marketing process around backwards - instead of making cars that people will actually buy from them - they are making cars to compete with German manufacturers - that people clearly do not want. Noting that the main markets for Cadillac are the USA and China (They dont sell in europe) - China and the USA both want larger - longer cars -not these little tiny tiny FIAT fighters they produce now (And even there - they barely compete).

Some day - Mary Bara is going to WAKE UP - and decide that Cadillac is not producing the cars that its market wants - and BEFORE she loses what is left of those people - she better change things. Even if that only means producing two sets of cars - the Luxury and the Sport versions. There is an amazing pent up demand for a Large spacious luxury car - with all those Town Car people looking for their next car. THEY won't buy the tiny little Cadillacs either -but Lincoln has targeted that market - and I will bet that they will sell more Continentals than Cadillac sells CT6s.

You nailed it.

I'd have to agree to a point. The ATS and CTS are the only new cars they have and they’re good, they're not great but they’re very good. The pipeline is in place and If everything goes correctly and the execution is done well, perceptions will change. If Cadillac can get the products out faster, ensure their dealers do not employ "cheesy used car sale people" and ensure the experience is first rate, I think the sales will come. They should keep the XTS type car, a good looking, quiet riding, luxury car in their lineup. The Achilles Heel IMO is the dealer experience, which I describe as substandard for a luxury brand and probably the same or worse than other mainstream car lines. A local Caddy dealer just built a new dealership and its pretty, has nice finishes but the Service Area, yes they have marble counters, but it’s a counter, just like any other non-luxury brand. MB dealers have private offices… it’s the perception. I don’t like standing at the counter or in a line, no one does. Pity they just spent a couple of million and it’s not a place a Mercedes owner will want to switch too. More than anything I completely agree with Tom that the Continental is targeting a segment that wants a spacious, gorgeous, quiet, luxury car. I am that person…. I am shopping for my next car to pick up in Feb and I’m frustrated. Yes, Matt, I sat in a Genesis yesterday at Hyundai HQ here in S/C, its nice but I want a car that looks like a W126 with the interior of the new XC90, whew that’s a nice interior. The Continental might be my first Ford. I've had many Mercedes but no BMW's as I prefer the softer side vs performance sport sedan. After years of Mercedes and one ATS 3.6 Premium… I doubt I’ll go back to Cadillac. I AM excited about the CT-6 but am not sure it’ll be out in Feb and of course, the local dealers and the experience are nowhere near where they need to be, seriously, it’s the Achilles Heel for sure…

Locally, the Cadillac dealer is a tiny side show at the Chevy dealer.

They have separate show rooms, but the dealer itself cannot be seen from the street because when they built it, they designed the space to have all their cars in stock parked out front. STUPID design. There are at least 300 cars that are parked between the street and the actual dealer. The dealer is relatively new construction.

I'd love to have a shiny glassy Cadillac showroom that is right on the street so people can see the product as they drive by. I'd have a landscaped courtyard behind where models could be showcased, but I'd have servers to get clients--not customers--water or other beverages. Would you like a latte, sir?

Matt I went to Fletcher Jones in Irvine today. Every single car on their lot was unlocked and open for prospects to sit in and touch w/o a sales person opening it and getting in their face. As I walked the lot a "valet" in a uniform came up to me and asked me if I would like anything, a water, coffee, anything. He appeared about 4 minutes later with a cold bottle of water. As I was looking over the cars a "Sales Manager" came up to me and offered assistance, then after a few minutes a sales person came up and the S.Mgr turned me over to him. He was helpful and listened then took my information and said he'd follow up in December as my lease is up in Feb. Tonight back in my hotel, the phone rang about 3 hours later and it was a "concierge" following up and letting me know if there was a car I was particularly interested in they could bring it by the hotel for a "personal test drive". The whole experience was terrific. A great example of how to do things right I'd say....

@W124E320

I truly love Fletcher Jones and have spent time there. I used to drive down to Rancho Palos Verdes where a car nut friend lived. The first time I went to Fletcher Jones I was 16 and in Wranglers and boots. No one recoiled. No one sneered.

The local premium dealers are NOTHING like that experience and the ones that I have a toe hold in become rather annoyed when I advocate that we should treat our clients that way.

I also love Rusnak in Pasadena. I have also observed how they do things. They are not above parading automotive jewelry up and down Colorado Boulevard to entice people. The most decidedly DO get Lookie Lous that cannot afford the cars coming into the dealer spaces to look at them and guess what? They are happy to have automotive fans be able to see them up close.

Santa Barbara Automotive Group (former Cutter Motors) is also a good example. Their dealers are a LOT more conventional, but the atittude--from my observation is very customer-centric.

Here the salesmen of one premium dealer in particular whip it out, throw on a condom, screw you over, put the show away and send you off. Why do they use condoms? They don't really want to have any contact with you as a person.

Dealer experience matters.

Doesn't really matter to me, sounds like a good plan.

In the end, Cadillac produces far more exciting cars than Lexus, Infiniti and Acura do. Cadillac definitely beats those boring ass cars from Tokyo or whatever the hell it is called.

I just want Trump to become the president, as it seems like he is a big fan of Cadillac.

The guy is a complete idiot. Maybe Fiat-Chrysler would be a better corporate steward for him? He can plunk Cadillac's on 15 year-old MB E-Class platforms like FCA does.

The ATS and CTS are excellent platforms with excellent engines and improving interiors - he should do his F---ing job and stop whining.

Blame Bob Lutz. He wanted to take on BMW. Cadillac should be about luxury, comfort and a smooth V8 engine. The last 12 years of "stealth" design and supercharged engines has been the wrong direction.

The use of alphabet names is deadly stupid. I predict the Continental will splash and the CT6 will sink. If the CT6 were the Elmiraj it would STAND OUT. What is an Elmiraj? Let's find out.

Give it a bench seat, a column shifter, a wallowing ride, and poor gas mileage, and give it a name like the Fleetwood Brougham Eldorado D'Elegance! Oh, sorry, kneejerk reaction. I thought that's what I was supposed to blindly say whenever something modern from Cadillac is shown or discussed by an auto exec with more experience, knowledge, and insight into the luxury world than a random internet commentator who thinks everything good was invented before 1975.

#IdiocySpeaking

This guy will be looking for a new job before long...no CEO wants a rogue division head taking shots at them and taking his own self serving case to the press. The longer GM takes to fire him the bigger the mess and cost to undue his ego driven changes and the greater risk to the brand.

Do people really believe they know more about the industry and the market space than Johan?

Johan understands that cars competing in this space do so mostly as an extension of a luxury lifestyle. This type of buyer stays at the St. Regis, eats at 3 Michelin Star restaurants, flies first class, and has a well-appointed home with tasteful furnishings. They're too sophisticated to be interested in the types of old-fashioned cars so many people seem to want Cadillac to build.

A car has to be an extension of that lifestyle, not just some throwback to a bygone era to appease internet commentators. Grandma and Grandpa might love that stuff, but they won't be around much longer.

Cadillac has some things they need to work on, no doubt about it, but those things need to be in the service of making the brand stand shoulder to shoulder with the other facets of the luxury lifestyle. Better switchgear is part of it, better fit and finish is a part of it, a better halo car is part of it, and you certainly can't have a dealer where the salesman says "she's got a good ole ride and you should see this baby in a landau top!"

Johan understands all of these things, and he's moving the brand in that direction.

So you're saying, "Don't mess with the Johan?"

I'm saying Johan knows the luxury world. Lots of people with "ideas" for how to make the brand successful, do not.

Since Cadillac is nothing more than a re badged Chevrolet, how possibly could Cadillac leave on its "own?"

And all Lexus are Toyota's, and all Acuras are Honda's and all Infiniti's are Nissan's, and all Bentley's, Audi's and Lamborghini's are VWs and blah blah blah...