Cadillac Bumps Content In ATS Hoping To Regain Relevance

Cutting the price of the base to $30K would do the trick. It's a great car, but no one wants it for the price.

It desperately needs a style makeover. It looks dull in pictures and even more forgettable in person.

It's a shame really.

I had one and it was a great car, fun to drive, nice interior and I very much liked CUE. That said the dealer experience was pathetic and even though I like the CTS and the CT-6 I'm having trouble considering another Cadillac. Once you get your nice new car you are chained to a dealer network made up of idiots who have no clue on how to treat a premium buyer. I would also encourage GM to discontinue the current ATS body and sell US buyers the ATS-L sold in China, which is a slightly stretched model with more rear seat room. Its been a critique since day one, so freakin listen GM! http://www.topspeed.com/cars/cadillac/2015-cadillac-ats-l-ar164635.html The new Genesis line is coming and I suspect they will be a strong line up. High quality, full content and a strong value (like Lexus upon its launch). Cadillac has alot of issues and every day it seems to be ever more evident. They have a competent line up that is improving every day, but Cadillac's Project Pinnacle Program upgrading its dealers is way over due and until the customer experience changes for the better, I'm afraid they may sell one car but that buyer will never come back.

re "The ATS was supposed to herald Cadillac's return to luxury relevance when it went on sale nearly four years ago..."

Was that in the context of yet another BMW-Killer headline? We've been hearing a lot of stories about Caddy's comeback, and while they're certainly not on their deathbed (thanks to the massive bailout), they continue to struggle to regain their former glory. A very few Cadillac vehicles (Escalade being one) are selling in numbers strongly enough to be considered a success.

The reason why the Escalade is selling is because it is the ONLY real Cadillac that they sell - a large - Ostentatious - make no excuses AMERICAN Luxury beast.

Even though I have a CT6 - and I really really like it - it is not a real Cadillac - it is smaller, more agile or nimble (AS DeNysschen puts it), and simply is not the "American Standard for the World" as the Escalade is. The rest of the lineup are seriously flawed little cars with piss poor packaging - intended to take on the Germans. However - the Germans are not buying them - and the Americans are not buying them either. THe Long versions would be a start - but they need to re-position their cars against the right ones.
1 - They really need to position the ATS against the CLA A3 - at the low end. In this case they would be the clear choice - with more room than either and better performance. (They really cannot compete against the C/3/A4 - the car is too small.
2 - THey should position the CTS against the C class/3series - where it would lead in interior room and be competitive
3 - They have already positioned the CT6 against the 5series/Eclass - in Selling price they are just about the same - but the CT6 is a far better Luxury car than either German.
4 - They don't need a S-class competitor - they should resurrect the Seville to compete with the Rolls Phantom - at S-class prices. IT should be Huge - Ostentatious - super quiet inside - Plush - and have adequate power(As Rolls would say)

The genesis line has a problem - because Hyundai buyers have been people looking for a bargain - and the new Lincoln Continental and the Cadillac CT6 will undercut them.

At the end of the day, Cadillac is demonstrating that they don't truly understand the luxury sedan market. The strengths of the C, 3, and A4 are that they are all-around competent cars, with few glaring weaknesses. Cars like the ATS and Lexus IS compromise on rear seat leg room and engines. Cadillac's CUE is not great and their interiors aren't there, yet. And their styling is pretty uninspiring.

I agree. Cadillacs feel like a design clinic has decided the design parameters with bizarre results. The cramped rear seats--even the CT6 could use more--is a sales killer as is the dull styling.

It is hard to believe - but the CT6 actually has more room inside - and more room in the Back seat - than a Panther based Ford Crown Victoria or Mercury Grand Marquis - or Lincoln Town car. Yes - the trunk is 25% smaller - but otherwise the interior room is about 10% more than the Panther cars. The place where it lacks room is width - but it is not often that you put three across.

However - if you compare at price points - the CT6 is huge inside when compared to the E-class/5 series that it is priced against - and take home price may even be lower. Marketing has failed to show just how big the Ct6 really is.

The current roster of Cadillac sedans reminds me of the upcoming Lincoln Continental, completely devoid of styling. Boxes on wheels.

And yet there is demand for the Continental, but the CT6 hasn't caused a stampede.

They are giving 10k off on 15' models....what do you think that does for resale value....LOL!!

Not only can you get $10K+ off remaining 2015s, but the 2016s also have steep discounts as well. Resale value is terrible as a result which is why Cadillac is pushing incentivized leases like crazy. To its credit, GM is not making dealers take the financial loss for the steep discounting.

I'm beginning to think that the ATS, CTS, and CT6 should be reskinned and turned into Buicks.

I'd then kill all the Cadillac line except for the Escalade. I'd then replace all Cadillac dealers with Cadillac boutiques.

New vehicles: Ciel (4 door convertible), Elmiraj (large coupe), Biarritz (S Class sedan) and price them starting at $100K

GM can afford for Cadillac not to make money while Cadillac stops trying to compete as a BMW wannabe and starts creating new, game-changing American premium icons.

Let Buick be the American wannabe BMW, but let Cadillac be truly great.

The CT6 and XT5 are good cars, but they are not great Cadillacs.

I'm beginning to think that the ATS, CTS, and CT6 should be reskinned and turned into Buicks.

I'd then kill all the Cadillac line except for the Escalade. I'd then replace all Cadillac dealers with Cadillac boutiques.

New vehicles: Ciel (4 door convertible), Elmiraj (large coupe), Biarritz (S Class sedan) and price them starting at $100K

GM can afford for Cadillac not to make money while Cadillac stops trying to compete as a BMW wannabe and starts creating new, game-changing American premium icons.

Let Buick be the American wannabe BMW, but let Cadillac be truly great.

The CT6 and XT5 are good cars, but they are not great Cadillacs.

MD: I hope someone from Cadillac is reading this. Those prototypes they have been showing is EXACTLY what is needed to fix Cadillac.

Cadillac has had years to improve dealers and failed. I wonder if it's the dealer's that push back.

A few years ago I thought about buying a Cadillac CTS. Personally a great car. Handled well, was well built, good feature content, the only thing I really didn't like was the gauges. Would have bought had it not been for the dealeship experience. My closest dealer kerbeck Cadillac-all the salespeople were fat slobs, at least nicely dressed. They do not have offices only cubicles so you can hear everyone else's deals going on. The ICing on the cake was the "mandatory" 1999 package which costs $1999 and includes such gaudy crap as pinstripes. That basically made me walk. The best part was the salesperson never even made a follow up phone call.

You think they would have learned from Lexus's success back in the 90s. Provide exceptional service and price products consiberably lower than the competition to steal market share and then slowly ramp up prices.