Cadillac Has A Long Drive Ahead of Them

"Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind) 02/21/2017 at 22:10 • Filed to: Cadillac

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Automakers for the past decade have been in the habit of lying about their real intentions. Much like when Hyundai said the Veracruz was a Lexus RX competitor, we have many instances of automakers saying a vehicle is one thing just to make sure it isn’t compared to its real rival. When it comes to Cadillac, the ambition is not to contend with the German Trio (those three are their own segment, honestly.) No, the goal is to be a near exotic brand, to be that 4-door Porsche competitor that only the Maserati badge (rarely the products) could be.

It wasn’t until I got into an Escalade two years ago that I realized Cadillac is building American Jaaags. But what many forget is that Jaguar is situated below Land Rover when it comes to premium and while Jaguar has moved slightly down market from being its old Porsche/Maserati flavor of near-exotic, Cadillac has been working its way up after a long fall to “a better Buick, probably.”

For over a century Cadillac has been GM’s super brand, the top of the totem pole, the trail blazer ( bad choice of terms. ) So if Cadillac is stuck on the third rung of the ladder then no other GM brands can climb any further. They can’t, well aren’t supposed to, occupy the same rung without a Corvette badge! This has been killing poor Buick! Heck, all of Buick’s design cues REQUIRE the vehicles to be RWD in order to make any sense!! Seriously, they have cues similar to Maserati and Bentley but are trying to make them work on a Malibu! It’s amazing the new cars are looking so dang good!!

Back when Cadillac was at its branding peak it commanded so much of a premium that GM had a legitimate reason to place EIGHT other brands below them just so customers could work their way up to that Caddy! Heck, even Buick was a long ways away!! The plan was for you to start driving in a Chevy, get a Pontiac, then an Oakland, move to an Oldsmobile, bump up to a Viking, one up that to a Marquette, finally get that fancy Buick! But if you were extremely successful with your life’s work then you could earn your way from a Buick to a LaSalle, and then finally, FINALLY, marry into the Rockefellers and have your corpse placed in the back of a Caddy. Ya made it, Maybel!! Oh baby, 1929 was incredible until everyone was at the club turning up on a Tuesday...

Unfortunately, GM has a habit of keeping way too many brands below Cadillac. It’s risky because whenever Caddy starts to falter (and Chevy starts to pick up because Camaro and Corvette) all the brands in the middle get sandwiched together and spill out of GM’s hands. But once again we are entering into another high hope era.

Cadillac is really putting down more effort than I think GM is used to seeing. I’m talking well outside of the typical business case known as, “Ford did WHAT?!!!” Cadillac is physically separating the brand from the rest of the GM crop as far as business goes and it’s looking as if the products will follow the same path. The performance and handling are already ahead of the class. They are doing more tech than any of us are comfortable with, plus they are hitting the wow factor with motorized cup holder covers, camera mirrors, and some pretty sweet signature designs. All that’s really missing is finesse and getting the engineering to turn into craftsmanship. That’s the Porsche difference.

*We look at where Hyundai and Kia have moved to in the last 15 years but I’d argue Cadillac had/has an equally expansive journey.

Everyone cites how GMC sales about 1 in 4 vehicles in Denali trim but that just tells you that buyers feel they have no other option but to buy fully loaded just to get the car they want with the content and build they EXPECT from the brand! If 25% of S-Classes were in the Maybach trim then you’d know it’s pretty much middle of the line for how high that model could go.

With GM consolidating their markets, the announcement of Buick going upmarket with Avenir, and the upcoming loss of Opel, it’s becoming apparent that GM believes Cadillac is moving up high enough for their middle line brands to move up as well. Thank goodness!! And with Chevrolet being the most competitive I’ve ever seen it be during my little life, I say to you that the GM turnaround is just hitting its stride.

Keep working hard Cadillac and take on the position that Maserati has failed to hold on to as the 4-door Porsche competitor. No matter what they drive they’ll end up in a Caddy!

Land_Yacht_225 > Wobbles the Mind 02/21/2017 at 22:14

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Speaking for those of us who were alive to see the Cadillac boats of old, and liked them for their sloppy American boulevard luxury, we’ll be over at the Genesis dealership test driving the new G90.

404 - User No Longer Available > Wobbles the Mind 02/21/2017 at 22:23

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Here’s the problem though: they tried both strategies, moving down AND up. They’re stuck both ways.

Original CTS was marketed as a 5-series for 3-series money. That didn’t work. Going head to head with the Germans with the ATS and current CTS for size and money, we all know how that went. Now they’re back with the CT6, S-Class for E-Class money, and so is the XT3, which is said to be X3/Q5 for X1/Q3 money.

There’s still that stigma that people won’t pay good money for a Cadillac as it’s a GM product.

My two cents, is that Cadillac’s saving grace is the V division. They should go all out on that one, V-Sport and full blown V for all cars, and make all of them sporty and fun to drive, even the regular trims. Push those looking for traditional comfort to Avenir. What you have as a result, is a relationship like BMW and Alpina.

Wobbles the Mind > 404 - User No Longer Available 02/21/2017 at 22:34

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It’s hard changing minds and you have to play to where you are while showing where you want to be. Cadillac is still in that awkward middle spot of making sure the foundations are right before making the brand match it’s intentions. No use moving up if you stop making money.

Starting from a blank slate is easier than switching perceptions within the same group of people. If someone remembers you as one thing then you’ll always be that, especially if it’s something negative, no matter what you do. You can be sober for 40 years but I guarantee those that knew you prior will ALWAYS let people know that you were an alcoholic.

interiormaterialsrater > Wobbles the Mind 02/21/2017 at 22:37

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Cadillac needs to step up their materials quality. They look nice in pictures, but if you sit in a GS/LS, 5 Series, or Jag XJ, the difference between those and the CT6 becomes very apparent.

Audistein > Land_Yacht_225 02/22/2017 at 00:37

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Yup. Haven’t driven either but I’ve been around/inside both and the interior on the G90 is nicer than that in the CT6. The Cadillac is a little more interesting design wise, but overall not better looking inside and some of the plastics really fall short, even compared to the Hyundai.

Of course, the S-Class blows them both out of the water, but that’s a different price range. A 1-2 year old CPO W222 S550 does align price wise with a new top-of-the-line CT6 or G90 though.

Audistein > interiormaterialsrater 02/22/2017 at 00:39

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Nice username

Land_Yacht_225 > Audistein 02/22/2017 at 01:16

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The key feature for me in the Equus/G90 compared to any Cadillac/Lincoln/Mercedes etc. has always been that 5.0 Tau V8, specifically it is the last DOHC, naturally aspirated V8 in a rear wheel drive luxury car in the American market. That, coupled with the four corner air suspension, makes the Equus/G90 the last remaining vehicle built using late 90s and early 2000s ideas of what American style luxury vehicles should be. And that is EXACTLY what I, personally, am intetested in as a consumer.

camarov6rs > interiormaterialsrater 02/22/2017 at 01:25

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I haven’t sat in a CT6 but the the ATS is easily competitive with the 328/A4 as far as materials and especially design. The German design language is funtional but lacks a bit of “it” factor that makes the caddy feel so fresh to me. The higher end might be different but the 5 series doesn’t feel much different than the 3.

Audistein > Land_Yacht_225 02/22/2017 at 02:07

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Are you sure that the G90 has air suspension? I thought it just had adaptive dampers. Could be wrong.

As for being the last naturally aspirated engine, the old Lexus LS is still around for this year at least; that still has an NA V8 and air suspension. You could probably pick a new one of those up new for close to the price of a loaded G90, but you’d be getting less features and an older platform. It will be gone quite soon while the G90 will be around for a while though. The new LS F-Sport may also get a NA V8 considering that the new LC500 has one but we’ll have wait and to see.

There are also a few new last-gen Porsche Panamera GTS’s for sale with an NA V8 and air susp., but that’s a completely different price range ($120k-$150k). Also they’re mostly barren of luxury/technology features and comforts. Rides quite rough too, even with the air.

I recently just traded my NA V8 full-size LWB luxury car for a twin-turbo V8 LWB one, and I must say that it still feels like a proper V8 but has way more torque. While I had less than 350 lb-ft before, now there’s well over 500 lb-ft, and from less than 2k RPM. I would never own a car with an engine like this off warranty, but as long as there are still 8 cylinders under the hood, these cars are great to drive.

Both my old car and new one do have air suspension and I like that very much. It’s possible that 19 in wheels and some really soft tires on the G90 could almost ride as well as 20 in wheels and run-flats with air suspension that I have now though. The run-flats are getting replaced with conventional tires soon though. I’ll probably replace them before they fully wear out because they’re that bad, but I don’t want to have to change the tires twice while I own the car (which is probably 3-4 years and I don’t drive that many miles).

NojustNo > Wobbles the Mind 02/22/2017 at 02:15

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Good OPPO!

A similar pic of the DeVille I owned for nostalgia. Creamy leather and smoothest ride I have owned.

xyzabc > Wobbles the Mind 02/22/2017 at 07:38

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Cadillac really needs to “protect” their design language and features from Hyundai ( HCD & Vision Coupe) and other emerging Asian OEM designs.

Some of the freshest stuff is coming from “the other side of the planet” and it’s been maturing rather well. The Lexus LC-500 Coupe is simply stunning...

IMHO, Lincoln is just derivative, narcoleptic styling. “Dinner Rolls” with Wheels.

Land_Yacht_225 > Audistein 02/22/2017 at 09:14

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I assumed the G90 had air suspension because I know the Equus had air suspension with adjustable ride height. If they’ve done away with it then I guess I will only be able to buy an old Equus, and shame on them. Also, there was a time when I wouldn’t willfully discount the Lexus LS from any discussion of possible luxury cars...this time was before the entire Lexus lineup looked like a family of angry catfish. That car’s mother couldn’t love its face. An old LS460 L, maybe, but good luck finding one of those with the who-the-hell-remembers-what-it-was-called luxury package that included the fixed rear console with the ease it takes to go on cars.com and just search for an Equus in Ultimate trim where everything is included.

I really like my S600. You are right that turbo chargers are capable of making some truly insane torque figures (MB quoted 590 for the V12 Biturbo in 2004, and I’m sure that was an intentionally conservative figure) but I still like the simplicity of an engine without them. As much fun as it is to never have to go more than 50% throttle, I don’t mind wringing out a big V8. That’s my guilty pleasure, driving a land yacht like it’s a Miata. And I guess that’s why I like the hydraulic setup in the S600 too, the ride is harsher than Airmatic, but it handles far better and feels completely stable above 100. Maybe one day I could be enticed by a Panamera Turbo LWB, but I would never daily one so I would never buy it anywhere close to new. Plus, I’m just not a Porsche guy.

spanfucker retire bitch > Wobbles the Mind 02/22/2017 at 13:15

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When it comes to Cadillac, the ambition is not to contend with the German Trio

When have they said they’re not competing against the Big German 3? Lincoln seems to be the one that doesn’t want to be compared to them.