Cadillac was once considered the standard of the world but the company brass seemed content resting on its laurels during the ’80s and ’90s and the automaker’s brand equity was severely tarnished. The American luxury car maker is back with the success of its CTS, the 3-Series rivaling performance of the ATS, and the full-size grand scale of the Escalade SUV. The rest of the Cadillac lineup is lacking and uninspired and the brand must redevelop its entries in certain segments and introduce models in others to create a respectable full model line. The decision makers at the luxury branch of General Motors must set their sights on not just reclaiming the title of “standard of the world,” but strive to surpass being just standard. They may not live up to such a lofty goal, but the quality and thought will show in their products, a level of care that is glaringly absent from some of the stop-gap models that hurt the marketability of otherwise brilliant vehicles like the ATS and CTS.
A True Full-Size Flagship Sedan
Cadillac has finally managed to develop an entry-level offering that is truly stellar. Who would have guessed that the same company that developed the woeful Cimarron would go on to create the ATS, the first true threat in two decades to the BMW 3-Series dominance of the compact luxury segment. Oddly enough, Cadillac’s problem now lies with its full-size model, the uninspired stop-gap XTS. The XTS is built around GM’s Epsilon II architecture, which is the front-wheel drive platform that also underpins Chevrolet’s Malibu and Impala models. This proletariat chassis does not offer the level of refinement that full-size luxury car buyers demand and only dilutes the precious brand cache that Cadillac has worked so hard to regain with strong models like the ATS and CTS. Cadillac must create a rear-wheel-drive-based full-size sedan to act as the luxury company’s flagship. This segment is not the one to cut corners in as you are competing with the best in the world for the dollars of the most sophisticated consumer and these buyers will not settle for “also-ran” models. The current XTS is only offered with one engine, a 3.6-liter V6 that generates 304-horsepower; this is simply not enough muscle to compete, or even think about competing with Europe’s full-size luxury sedans. The General has powerful engines to draw from and with a little tuning they could re-purpose these engines to power a full-size sedan in a refined manner. The Cadillac full-size sedan model must also exude power and class. Looks are admittedly subjective, but the XTS simply lacks the presence that is expected from high-end luxury sedans, especially those from Cadillac. Cadillac would be wise to take styling cues from its Ciel concept and use that design language as the inspiration for its flagship sedan’s aesthetics and visual appeal.
Cadillac is missing a major price-point in its SUV lineup. The American luxury carmaker offers the SRX starting at $37,155 and then the next model up in the brand lineup is the $63,170 Escalade. There is a sweet spot in the marketplace that is a glaring omission from Cadillac’s SUV lineup; the brand offers an entry-level luxury model and a high-price full-size entrant but ignores the ever important $50,000 SUV price-point. This segment is currently dominated by BMW’s X5, Mercedes’ ML, Audi’s Q7, and Land Rover’s LR4. Cadillac needs to place a legitimate contender at this price point to fill the current void between the SRX crossover and the gargantuan Escalade. The model should focus on performance to compete against its segment leaders; either fill the engine bay with a powerful engine, targeting on-road performance, or sell it on its off-road prowess as Jeep does with the Grand Cherokee. Either way, the void must be filled with a capable entrant or Cadillac will continue to see European automakers dominate the crucial price-point that sits between the SRX and Escalade.
A Corvette-Based Grand Touring Car
Cadillac has not had the best history in the sports car segment. The 1980s Allante model never garnered the praise the American luxury company was hoping for, largely due to the vehicle being built around a front-wheel drive architecture at a time when such a design was not even a consideration when building a true luxury sports model. Cadillac tried again from 2004 to 2009 with the XLR model but that was ultimately a commercial failure, as well. The vehicle was built around the Corvette platform which would lead one to think that the brand had learned from past mistakes. Unfortunately, General Motors chose to put the NorthStar engine in the car, instead of staying with the Corvette powerplant. The General has always been protective of its Corvette model and does not want anything to surpass it as the corporate halo performance model, which is fine but it’s hard to sell a $100,000 Cadillac roadster when the consumer knows that a more affordable Corvette packs a more performance-oriented engine. How can General Motors reconcile this conundrum? Take the Corvette C7’s platform and market a grand touring car wearing the Cadillac emblem. The vehicle should feature truly world class interior materials and fit-and-finish in order to justify the increased cost of entry. Keep the Corvette power train intact so the vehicle isn’t seen as being artificially handicapped by the General. You may be asking how will General Motors keep this car from cannibalizing sales from the Corvette and ruining its carefully curated brand equity. Build the Cadillac version of the Corvette around an elongated version of the Chevrolet sports car platform and call it a grand touring model with 2+2 seating. The extra weight and size provides an organic way to keep the model from threatening the Corvette’s unquestioned performance crown, while the added seating is something that would be unthinkable in a vehicle wearing the Corvette emblem. An American competitor to the Aston Martins of the world, you ask? That sounds like something Jeremy Clarkson might even like.
