Posted on 01/09/2012 6:34:06 AM PST by Libloather
GM challenges German brands with small Cadillac
By Deepa Seetharaman and Ben Klayman
DETROIT | Mon Jan 9, 2012 7:55am EST
(Reuters) - General Motors Co proved with the Chevrolet Cruze it can build a top-selling compact car, cracking a market long dominated by Japanese brands.
Now the No.1 U.S. automaker is targeting the entrenched German luxury brands with a more nimble compact Cadillac.
The 2013 ATS is central to GM chief executive Dan Akerson's mission to refashion Cadillac into a global luxury brand by winning over younger buyers with a sportier image.
From the start, GM took aim at BMW's 3-Series, the dominant car in this segment along with the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Luxury compacts make up two-thirds of the luxury car market in the United States, according to Autodata.
GM has failed in this segment before, however. In the early 1980s, GM launched the Cadillac Cimarron, which Time magazine in 2007 called one of the 50-worst cars ever built.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Good luck, Caddy.
The ATS, which tested at the demanding Nuerburgring racetrack in Germany, will be built on a new rear-wheel drive platform, but will also come in an all-wheel drive version.Someone explain to me what is not to like.GM will build a diesel version of the car, which will go on sale in the late summer. The company did not disclose pricing.
GM will make the car at its Lansing Grand River assembly plant in Michigan.
For all of GM’s pronouncement’s, remember the Cadillac Cimarron? Simply a rebadged Cavalier.
GM just can’t help shooting themselves in the foot. Watch for the new Caddy to be a Cruze with leather, bling and some other trivial change to convince Germans that it isn’t a rebadge Cruze.
Catera II?.....................
Yeah, Cadillac has a track record of success with small cars. Who wouldn’t want a rebadged Cavalier?! Call it a Cimarron, and it magically becomes more than a substandard utilitarian vehicle!
GM is run by morons, and owned by crooks.
FTA: The average age for Cadillac drivers was around 59 years old in 2011, according to CNW Research. That’s a decade older than BMW and five years older than Audi, but on par with Mercedes-Benz.
We have 2 Cadillacs — a 2003 and a 2008 DHS/DTS. Both of these cars were purchased as they came off lease at about 3 years old with low mileage on them. Both are top of the line luxury models, and we love both of them. No intention to replace either. We get great gas mileage on both (22 town/29 highway) and are able to take long trips cross country and arrive fresh.
One of the reasons that we buy this model is that we have a steep driveway. In the snow, it can be slippery. Cadillac is one of the few front wheel drive cars left in the full size market. My son in law has a CTS (smaller Cadillac model) and he can’t drive it on flat ground in the snow.
How many of MY tax dollars is this going to cost?
Exactly. As bad as the Cimarron was, the Catera was also a joke.
One time I came across a Catera sitting at a local used care lot. The dealer was asking some $3800. It was less than he paid for it auction 6 months ago. The poor slob just could not get rid of it.
The car itself was in average condition; it was just unsellable.
They should call it the “Oxymoron”
What took so effing long!?
Audi, BMW and Benz have been doing this for years!
Then again, the same braintrust that eliminated Pontiac in 2009 (just when things were starting to get ‘good’ again), probably thought, back in the 80’s, 90’s, 00’s, that refined, sporty, AWD compact sedans weren’t worthwhile to build.
First Buick and now Cadillac have finally seen the light. Please don’t let a bunch of drag-racing baby boomers trying to relive their youths screw it up.
hehe
This press release forgot to mention the Catera.
That Caddy execs think the homosexual/metrosexual/mid-life crisis types who drive BMWs are gonna cross-shop Cadillacs is more proof that they’re incompetent boobs who should be Romney campaign workers instead.
I remember the tag line: “Catera, the Caddy that zigs!”
No! More like a cushy ride, corners like a couch on wheels...and don’t mind the plastic.
Have you considered the possibility that other, personal issues are clouding your judgement?
LOL.
BMW driver, are you?
Nope. Audi.
BMW’s are fund to drive, though . . . I wish I could afford one. And they also come with manual transmissions, foreign to most Americans.
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