DGS49
Diamond Member
I have always liked (some) Cadillacs, and I tend to "root" for them in their competition in the American auto marketplace.
In recent years, I like what they did with the CTS and especially with the ATS, and according to the car magazines both of them are "on par with" most of the sacred cows of Europe, as far as quality and performance. (I regret to report that I haven't had an opportunity to drive an ATS yet, but from all reports it is a great car).
So it was with some distress that I learned recently that BMW, Audi, and Mercedes are all kicking the shit out of Cadillac in the marketplace. EACH of them sells far more than Caddy both in their main line cars and with the exotics. If you would combine their sales and compare "German luxury cars" versus Cadillac, it would be on the order of ten to one in favor of The Huns.
There is an article in the current Car & Driver magazine (my last one) that says the CTS and ATS lines are being temporarily shut down due to dealer over-supplies, which are over 100 days. They are growing cobwebs on the steering wheels, sitting in dealers' lots.
The writer says that they are too expensive, and in fact the pricing is ridiculous. The base prices of all of the Caddy's are "high," and with the normal compement of options even an ATS runs well over 40 grand. And the CTS recently saw a big price increase, with no apparent increase in "value."
But the same is true of the German cars.
Furthermore, I don't think Cadillac falls down on the secondary factors - maintenance cost, reliability, and resale value - as they might have in the past century. Their styling is "distinctive," which is to say that it might turn some people off, but who cares about styling anyway?
What is it? Why are they failing in the marketplace? Is it a prejudice on the part of the buying public - they just assume that German is better? Or are the cars really not worthy of being competitive?
Inquiring minds want to know.
In recent years, I like what they did with the CTS and especially with the ATS, and according to the car magazines both of them are "on par with" most of the sacred cows of Europe, as far as quality and performance. (I regret to report that I haven't had an opportunity to drive an ATS yet, but from all reports it is a great car).
So it was with some distress that I learned recently that BMW, Audi, and Mercedes are all kicking the shit out of Cadillac in the marketplace. EACH of them sells far more than Caddy both in their main line cars and with the exotics. If you would combine their sales and compare "German luxury cars" versus Cadillac, it would be on the order of ten to one in favor of The Huns.
There is an article in the current Car & Driver magazine (my last one) that says the CTS and ATS lines are being temporarily shut down due to dealer over-supplies, which are over 100 days. They are growing cobwebs on the steering wheels, sitting in dealers' lots.
The writer says that they are too expensive, and in fact the pricing is ridiculous. The base prices of all of the Caddy's are "high," and with the normal compement of options even an ATS runs well over 40 grand. And the CTS recently saw a big price increase, with no apparent increase in "value."
But the same is true of the German cars.
Furthermore, I don't think Cadillac falls down on the secondary factors - maintenance cost, reliability, and resale value - as they might have in the past century. Their styling is "distinctive," which is to say that it might turn some people off, but who cares about styling anyway?
What is it? Why are they failing in the marketplace? Is it a prejudice on the part of the buying public - they just assume that German is better? Or are the cars really not worthy of being competitive?
Inquiring minds want to know.