Cadillac wants to tempt Yuropeans away from the 4 Series

"El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First!" (lightningzone) 09/28/2014 at 18:30 • Filed to: None

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...with Piece Of Cheese Coupe.

Europeans laugh and still buy 4 Series, with the more original ones buying the Lexus RC.

Cadillac doesn't realize that you have to offer something other than conservative styling if you want to be noticed in a new market.

Still, Cadillac is lucky to have a guy who knows a thing or two about premium brands, as its fearless leader, so this won't stop here.

PS9 > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 09/28/2014 at 18:40

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ATS's first year numbers were almost half that of it's main rival, the 3-series. That would put it in the top three for executive compact cars if not the top five.

I would say that qualifies as 'getting noticed'.

DoYouEvenShift > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 09/28/2014 at 18:40

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Isnt BMW the king of conservative styling?

Steve in Manhattan > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 09/28/2014 at 18:46

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That steering wheel is essentially the same one that's on the Volt. It'a also essentially the same one that they put on the Camaro to replace its original and lovely throwback wheel. Damn and blast.

Crest > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 09/28/2014 at 18:47

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I thought what yuropeans wanted most was conservative styling not stupid fender flares because it would be as ridiculous as wearing chrome cowboy boots to the queens tea party

JR1 > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 09/28/2014 at 18:50

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What you call conservative I call beautiful

Sweet Trav > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 09/28/2014 at 18:55

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De Nysschen is a fool. He brought Infinity from the basement into mediocrity and gets get a job at Cadillac. I'm not sure if mediocrity has ever been rewarded more.

Honestly, I feel like he is ruining an American brand to make it a mediocre global brand. Same stupid naming scheme as all the rest. Cadillac is as good being turned into a second rate BMW. I don't want my Cadillac to be a second rate copy of another car company, that might work for Infinity and Lexus, but Cadillac is a company with heritage and at least in the US, a bit of prestige. Instead of bucking the stupid alpha-numeric trend introduced by the soul-less Germans he goes and announces a meaningless branding strategy. Oh you want to make it so people know if you have the small, medium, or large Cadillac based on the numbers and this scheme promotes the brand as a whole? Bullshit. There was a time when each of the Cadillac marquees were known for their prestige independently, because they were that good of a car. It's time to return to the era where Cadillac truly builds the best luxury cars in the world. even Infinity gaining some real credibility wasn't because of De Nysschen and a goofy naming scheme, it was the engineering behind and the fact that the 350z made a pretty good sports-luxury car when tweaked a bit.

He now wants to waste money developing a modular engine just for Cadillac, this is one time where i want Mama Barra to sit down and explain something to De Nysschen about the way things are done at General Motors. People may complain that GM motors all come from "the parts bin" which O.K. yes, engines are shared, but GM builds some of the best engines in the world and undeniably THE best V8 in the world. Saying you have to stick the to "Parts Bin" for an engine is like saying you have to pick a spouse from the current Victoria's Secret super models. There simply isn't a bad choice.

Honestly, if the badge whores gave the ATS, CTS-V, or CTS V-sport the "Pepsi challenge" they'd see that Cadillac is at least on par with what Europe has to offer. Yes the SRX and XTS are garbage re-badged Chevy's but those were on the block to be fixed before De Nysschen showed up. Plus the bias that Europeans are going to have against American cars is one that is going to persist, there are still pockets of the US that you wouldn't DARE buy a Japanese car, even though they still build a fine automobile, and the in the areas where they are popular, it isn't because the Japanese cars are so much better than their current US counter parts, its because from the early 70's-90's the US was building shit for cars and that lingering bad taste has kept people from buying American. But as they say perception is reality.

Sweet Trav > DoYouEvenShift 09/28/2014 at 18:57

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That died when the hired Chris Bangle. The Conservative styled BMW's Nu-Classe till about 2003 are the some of the best looking cars, dare i say EVER to come out of europe.

DoYouEvenShift > Steve in Manhattan 09/28/2014 at 19:00

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Hmmmm, I do notice the similarities in the roundness! Haha JK. Doesnt bother me. Im willing to bet 99% of the people that sit in it wont notice.

El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! > DoYouEvenShift 09/28/2014 at 19:00

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Yes, but the people in the EU, who want conservative design will go for the established conservative styled, German, cars. Cadillac needs to offer something that looks like 21st century premium and that's also authentically American, rather than watering it's design down just for the sake of it.

NYC

Munich

This difference of mentality should be reflected in Cadillac's design too.

El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! > Steve in Manhattan 09/28/2014 at 19:01

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That's the least problem, this car has.

MultiplaOrgasms > PS9 09/28/2014 at 19:03

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Note how it says Yurope in the title. And I know for a fact that Cadillac sells way less cars in Yurup than fucking Lancia.

DoYouEvenShift > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 09/28/2014 at 19:08

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What about the people that dont want to drive conservative?

I will say, some of the least conservative styled cars come from Europe.

El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! > Crest 09/28/2014 at 19:08

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Those are the British, I think, and Nigel Farage would like to remind you that Britain is not Europe.

He also hates the Euro-dollars, thinking the pound is like some sort of super currency.

DoYouEvenShift > Sweet Trav 09/28/2014 at 19:11

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I like these guys.

El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! > Sweet Trav 09/28/2014 at 19:25

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I think he is mixing a bit of the old German way, with what Marchionne is doing for Alfa right now with the whole independence thing, I am looking forward to see where this is going, as the results I am anticipating for this combination are quite intriguing.

Also, heritage is worth nothing if you're dead. Just ask Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Triumph, SAAB and many more, and to be honest, we can all be glad that GM is finally parting with some of its old habits.

El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! > MultiplaOrgasms 09/28/2014 at 19:33

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I was hoping the number plates would be obvious enough.

Sweet Trav > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 09/28/2014 at 19:38

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http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2012/10/cadill…

Cadillac is nowhere near close to death it is behind in sales to BMW Lexus and MB but above Infinity and Acura. Making that argument for Lincoln however...

KirkyV > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 09/28/2014 at 19:44

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They need estates, and they really, really need a decent set of diesel options. Until they do, no matter how competitive their petrol saloons might be, Cadillac will remain a teeny, tiny niche brand in Europe.

Axial > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 09/28/2014 at 19:45

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I actually agree. I was rather disappointed with how soft and same-y Cadillac's cars turned out to be after how bold the last CTS Coupe was. We need more from Cadillac along the lines of that CTS Coupe and the Elmiraj and such, not a sedate, conservative "refinement" that isn't even backed up by super solid construction.

Leon711 > MultiplaOrgasms 09/30/2014 at 10:14

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I have seen one caddy that was purchased in the UK, rather than an imported classic. it's a BLS and it's really a Saab. Chevy are pulling out of europe as well.

MultiplaOrgasms > Leon711 09/30/2014 at 10:30

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I can understand Chevrolet pulling out of Yurup, though. They were cannibalizing sales of their Opel/Vauxhall division by selling nearly identical (apart from the proper 'murican stuff), slightly more korean cars. Not the most intelligent of sales strategies.

Leon711 > MultiplaOrgasms 09/30/2014 at 10:58

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not only cannibalising sales from Vauxhall/opel but also not competitive pricewise with other offerings. A Spark LT is more expensive than the fully loaded Renault Twingo dynamique, and a Spark LS costs as much as a fully loaded Dacia Sandero. The Cruze has been successful in BTCC, but as MG are currently showing, success on the track does not guarantee success in the dealers.

MultiplaOrgasms > Leon711 09/30/2014 at 11:37

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Agreed, although a certain nationalism also plays a part in those sales figures. People like to buy "local" products. Just look at all the countries with a healthy automotive industry.