New small RWD Caddy sedan?

[akirby]

 

Cadillac aims to go with a rear-wheel-drive layout. This despite research that apparently indicates that a surprising 80 percent of owners think that their BMW 1 Series is front-drive. It's the driving dynamics and styling proportions that motivate Ellinghaus and his colleagues to stick with rear-drive, however.

 

http://www.autoblog.com/2014/08/18/cadillac-sub-ats-small-rear-drive-sedan-report/

 

These clowns really have no clue how to run a car company/division/brand. It's like a bunch of kids spending their parents money with no accountability.

 

[grbeck]

For GM's sake, I was hoping that this story was from The Onion, but it's apparently not.

[fuzzymoomoo]

This is also going to fuel the "LINCOLN NEEDS A DEDICATED RWD PLATFORM" talk too.

[AlRozzi]

Since Cadillac employees seem to envy BMW more than anything else why don't some of them go apply for a job at BMW? Perhaps they might find a level of satisfaction they otherwise cannot attain working for GM?

[92merc]

[Fgts]

I can't see how they'll fit this one in unless a Chevy version is made (Code 130R). The article did mention the ATS will get bigger in it's 2nd generation.

[RichardJensen]

unless a Chevy version is made (Code 130R)

 

That looks like a pretty good fit for the ol' "Now you have *two* problems" joke.

[jpd80]

The pool of Luxury and premium brand buyers is probably large enough that it doesn't make much of a difference which vehicle is offered,

While RWD performance is the traditional default,a FWD AWD hybrid capable mid sizer like MKZ or Lexus ES has just as much appeal.

 

To be brutally honest, Cadillac could have done just as well with its own versions of GM's corporate cars and Utilities

and saved a fortune of trying to chase after buyers of BMW and MB who wouldn't have bough Cadillac in any regard.

Vehicles like Regal, Commodore, Caprice, Camaro, Encore, SRX, Traverse, Escalade would have given Cadillac

a great showroom at a fraction of the cost and probably connect better with actual Cadillac buyers.

 

The problem with the above of course is that GM has allowed Buick and GMC to flourish and grow as mid brands

to the detriment of Cadillac above and Chevrolet below. For the above to succeed, GMC and Buick would need to

curtail their higher trim levels to allow GM room to place Cadillac at a more appropriate price point, similar to Lincoln.

Edited August 19, 2014 by jpd80

[twintornados]

You know something...I think it would be cheaper for GM to just buy BMW....then they wouldn't have to keep trying to build the "BMW fighter"...

[fuzzymoomoo]

You know something...I think it would be cheaper for GM to just buy BMW....then they wouldn't have to keep trying to build the "BMW fighter"...

 

BMW would be a debacle in 5 years if that would happen

[jpd80]

You know something...I think it would be cheaper for GM to just buy BMW....then they wouldn't have to keep trying to build the "BMW fighter"...

 

Good Luck raising the finance, market Cap on BMW is $58 Billion

[akirby]

By the time they're done, they may spend more than that.

[630land]

How small can they make a sub-ATS?

A RWD version of the Chevy Spark?

[BrewfanGRB]

"This despite research that apparently indicates that a surprising 80 percent of owners think that their BMW 1 Series is front-drive"

 

This is all I ever need to say from now on when people mindlessly clamor and whine that Lincoln needs a RWD platform. PEOPLE DO NOT BUY BMWs BECAUSE THEY ARE RWD. Ok, fine. SOME do. But clearly not enough to make any meaningful impact. Look, if your buyers don't even know what they're buying, why bother making it RWD just because "enthusiasts" say its better. You only need to remember what I always say in this situation (and you know what that is). If you want a RWD sedan, so damned bad, buy something else and stop whining about what Lincoln is doing.

[grbeck]

It depends. I think a lot of 3-Series and 5-Series buyers DO care.

 

The fact that 80 percent of 1-Series buyers do not know (or apparently care) which wheels drive the car suggests that BMW is stretching its brand too far with that car. When too many 1-Series start showing up in the driveways of people who before could only afford a V-6 Accord, the BMW brand could suffer a serious erosion of "cachet."

Edited August 29, 2014 by grbeck

[fuzzymoomoo]

By that same token, It can also be a good thing that they have a car that appeals to those who could only afford a V-6 Accord or whatever. I don't see a problem with a so called "entry level" car that appeals to the masses. Word of mouth travels fast, maybe these people have friends or family that really like that 1-series and leave a showroom with a 3 or 5-series. As long as BMW doesn't try to get too silly with it, the 1-series shouldn't hurt their brand perception much. It's a lesson that you would think GM would have learned with Caddilac back in the late '80s and early '90s when they tried to pass off a Cavallier as a Caddilac.

[RichardJensen]

To the extent that enthusiasts lend credibility to a brand, the things enthusiasts care for matter.

 

However, it is Ford's cold-blooded analysis that enthusiasts will not advocate for Lincoln products, regardless of their objective performance, and that's basically why they are not targeting that niche w/marketing and branding--and certainly why they are not investing a fortune in products for that niche.

 

GM, on the other hand, seems to think that they can convert 'taste leaders' from BMW to Cadillac, with the result that in some lengthy time frame after that, Cadillac will supplant BMW as the most popular luxury brand in the US.

[jpd80]

GM has painted itself into a corner with Cadillac ATS and CTS, preoccupation with chasing BMW is costing the brand in other areas.

Cadillac should have a full line up of Utilities but because that would impinge on Buick and GMC offerings, the brand suffers.

And where is the Cadillac buyer in the middle of this, what message is GM sending to them, German prices for half baked vehicles?

Edited August 29, 2014 by jpd80