When you hear Cadillac, what’s the first thing that comes to mind?
For generations, Cadillac was the pinnacle of luxury. Referring to something as “The Cadillac of such-and-such” was the ultimate compliment. e.g. if the specialist at Best Buy referred to a TV as the “Cadillac of televisions”, it meant it was the best one they offered.
For me, the first thing I think of is my grandparents’ 1995 bright red Cadillac Deville Concours. It was a massive sedan at 210 inches long – about the same length as a 3-row Ford Expedition. It had a white parchment leather interior and could seat 6 passengers thanks to the front bench seat. This immediate association of Cadillac being a method of transportation for the elderly is not uncommon as many people sadly are not aware of the models Cadillac currently produces and see the Escalade as its own separate entity. This is an incredibly unfortunate brand perception as it erases a number of impressive sedans Cadillac has produced over the last two decades.
Cadillac is in the familiar position of chasing the market rather than leading it. In the 1990s, it struggled to build sportier sedans to compete with its import competitors. Thus prompting Cadillac’s introduction of the German Opel Omega-based Catera in 1997 which gave the brand its first legitimate sport sedan contender. While it garnered a lot of praise, it did little to influence the overall brand perception. Eventually, the CTS and STS made waves in the early to mid-2000s. With their current lineup, especially the CTS and CT6 sedans, Cadillac has cemented its ability to produce modern world class performance sedans. However, there are two major problems here. The first is that most buyers, especially non-car enthusiasts, are unaware of that. The second is that even if they are producing impressive cars, the CT6 is one of the highest rated sedans ever tested by Consumer Reports, current buyers desire crossovers and SUVs so producing the best sedans is null as it will not really change their overall market share. In fact, having a sedan focused lineup further dates the brand more than anything.
The brand desperately needs to add more crossovers and SUVs to its lineup and that’s just what Cadillac is doing. Today at the New York Auto Show, Cadillac’s president, Johan de Nysschen, revealed the new XT4 small crossover. While an original and enduring luxury brand, Cadillac is focused on attracting more gen X and Y buyers. Cadillac hopes to reach these younger generations with the new XT4. This crossover will compete with the Audi Q3, BMW X1, Mercedes GLA, Volvo XC40, and the upcoming Lexus UX.
With a lot of elderly people finding crossovers to be easier to get in and out of and considering Cadillac’s historic buyer base, more crossovers should retain and preserve loyalty among that group while also appealing to the younger, active buyers seeking a crossover for their versality and family functionality.
Its sleek, clean, and modern exterior design is unlike the Cadillacs of yore while still keeping with the brand’s current design language. Disappointingly, the XT4’s interior does not look much more upgraded than other GM models.
De Nysschen spoke optimistically to the press about the company being in year four of its transformation with reshaped values and brand character. He noted that 2017 was the second-best sales year in the history of brand. Cadillac is the fastest growing luxury brand in China and sales in other export markets have increased as well. Currently, the focus in the US is on the foundation through executing disciplined go-to-market strategy. The president gave a strong declaration of intent for all future Cadillacs stating that the marque will be releasing one new Cadillac every 6 months.
Hopefully, more crossovers will be on the horizon to fill much needed gaps in the lineup. Since the original SRX was downsized and eventually became the XT5, Cadillac has been without a competitor in the lucrative 3-row crossover market. GM already has 3 entries in this segment, but given the success and growth of the segment, Cadillac should certainly have an entry too. Given the critical acclaim of their V-series performance division, Cadillac would benefit by extending those variants to their SUV lineup as well.
A frequent criticism of modern cars is that they are all starting to look the same. Cadillac has managed to establish a distinctive design language. However, even though the design is not necessarily polarizing, the design alone is clearly not attracting customers. Another area in which Cadillac has separated itself from its GM counterparts is in its much-derided brand exclusive CUE infotainment system. Meanwhile, Buick and other GM brands are often praised for their systems. For added cost, customers should be receiving an improved user experience, not worse.
Cadillac is the team that always goes far in the playoffs, but never quite makes it to the championship. What’s most frustrating is that Cadillac produces excellent cars, from the sharp-handling ATS sports sedan to the ultra-luxurious CT6 flagship. While the XT4 cannot hit dealerships soon enough, I would also like to see a Cadillac version of the Enclave, a more competitive XT5, V-series editions across the lineup, and a simplified CUE system.
Going a step further, Cadillac could produce road versions of their Ciel and Elmiraj concept cars. While these wild designs are a bit far-fetched and could easily go the way of the XLR and the Allante, they would help bolster the image of the brand by boldly demonstrating the brand’s capability beyond the Escalade.
Nobody loves a comeback more than me. I always root for the underdog. Cadillac has more than proven itself and has the pieces to complete the puzzle. The question is: Will they?
Perhaps years from now people will be saying “That’s the Cadillac of comebacks”.
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