PREMiERdrum Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 Cadillac’s new CT6 will not be the brand’s flagship, the new Ford Mustang did not influence the soon-to-debut new Chevy Camaro, and the small-block V-8 is not going anywhere. So said GM executive vice president Mark Reuss in a discussion with reporters at the New York auto show. Apparently, this is all that needs to happen... Reuss described the company priorities thusly: “to grow Cadillac, and get Chevrolet back in the car game, really feed Buick and GMC, get Opel straightened around, and get our international operations profitable.” Asked where is Cadillac in the process of rebuilding its reputation, Reuss was blunt: “Year one. I think we’re talking to ourselves if we think that we’re on the consideration list of people, in volume, in the luxury segment. So let’s get real about it, and keep hammering, and keep building great cars and trucks, and people start to notice and want to try something different, and that’s our opportunity. There’s a whole generation out there whose moms and dads drove BMWs and Audis and Mercedes, and they didn’t drive Cadillacs. We need to get on that consideration list with great cars and trucks. In that sense, from a product-development standpoint, we’re more than year one. From a brand standpoint, we’re year one.” On the subject of low-volume niche products, don’t look for Reuss to ram through pet projects. “I think a big fundamental way to think about how the company’s different these days is we had single advocates—no matter what the market data said—who would push a program into production. And some would be okay, and some would fail.” Sounds like we’re talking about, oh, say, Bob Lutz. “I look at the [Pontiac] Solstice and [saturn] Sky, and some of those cars—and I owned a Solstice, so I’m not talking out of school—but the car was OK. It was very pretty, it was very nice. But those are not moneymaking cars for us. And by the way we didn’t sell that many. I think gone are the days of someone in my position pushing product on people and trying to sell and rally support on them. We’ve got to be customer-focused.” Also, that Code130R concept that was to be based off the "cheap" Alpha (lots of Kappa carryover)? It's dead. http://blog.caranddriver.com/gms-mark-reuss-cadillac-isnt-ready-for-a-sports-car-chevy-code-is-dead-small-block-v-8-isnt-in-danger/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzymoomoo Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 (edited) Well put all of that in the 'no shit Sherlock' category Stumbled on this little nugget too From a product standpoint, however, were halfway there, because weve filled out half the portfolio that our competitors have. While Cadillac will be adding more models, it sounds as if those might not extend to the very bottom of the luxury segment. Were not going to fill out some of the lower-end things with the depth of some of our competitors just to match them, Reuss said. He makes the point that since GM has small, high-mpg models in its other divisions, Cadillac doesnt need to field low-volume compliance cars in the way that other luxury brands might have to. Doesn't that directly contradict what DeNychenn said just a few days ago? Edited April 4, 2015 by fuzzymoomoo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PREMiERdrum Posted April 4, 2015 Author Share Posted April 4, 2015 I surmised in the other thread that Johann was either operating with complete autonomy, or he was being given just enough rope to hang himself with. Reading what Reuss has to say here, I'm leading towards the latter. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzymoomoo Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 Yeah, you're probably right. And people say Lincoln is a rudderless ship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzymoomoo Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 Asked whether the 2015 Ford Mustang set a bar for the new Camaro, Reuss was more succinct: No. He then added, We did the car way before the new Mustang came out. I know it's late in the development of the new camaro, but that doesn't bode well, especially since the challenger passed the camaro in sales in March. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PREMiERdrum Posted April 4, 2015 Author Share Posted April 4, 2015 I know it's late in the development of the new camaro, but that doesn't bode well, especially since the challenger passed the camaro in sales in March. Camaro has been locked up for quite a while now... it debuts May 16th. The Camaro redesign, as far as I've heard, isn't the balls-out smash that I think many are expecting. There was plenty of internal pressure to leave it alone for another several years since (until this year) it was still selling great. Common sense won out and they moved to get it off of Zeta and onto "Alpha" (grouping it as sharing any appreciable amount with the ATS is quite the stretch. Not nearly as much commonality as they'd let you believe), so it's getting a bit smaller, a lot lighter, and the styling will be freshened up. I've heard it looks much more like an MCE instead of an all new model, unless you see the 2 side by side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 Reuss actually sounds like he has a brain in his head (almost echoes exactly what we post here) and sounds like a realist. Can his voice be heard in the cacophony that is GM though? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzymoomoo Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 Reuss actually sounds like he has a brain in his head (almost echoes exactly what we post here) and sounds like a realist. Can his voice be heard in the cacophony that is GM though? And there is the $1,000,000 question Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twintornados Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 (edited) Bob Lutz eats pieces of shit like Mark Reuss for breakfast! Edited April 4, 2015 by twintornados 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 Don't forget that Reuss was on his way to becoming the next CEO of GM when Dan Akerson ran interference and anointed Mary Barra as his successor. if not a power struggle, then a lot of strategiacal jockeying is goin on. And Reuss knows a damned site more about product development and running a P & L than De Nysschen or even his own boss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
probowler Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 I know it's late in the development of the new camaro, but that doesn't bode well, especially since the challenger passed the camaro in sales in March. Nice! I'm so glad the Challenger is getting the love... It's an awesome vehicle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2b2 Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 ...it's getting a bit smaller, a lot lighter, and the styling will be freshened up. I've heard it looks much more like an MCE instead of an all new model, unless you see the 2 side by side.that sounds familiar just saying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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