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Is Cadillac's Image Dying and Does Anyone Care?

6189 messages,  Last post on Jun 14, 2013 at 7:47 AM

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What is this discussion about? Cadillac Escalade, Cadillac XLR, Cadillac STS, Automotive News

    

Messages Page 429 of 620

#4273 of 6189 Re: Can we get back to Cadillac [mr215] by louiswei

Jan 07, 2008 (10:41 am)

Replying to: mr215 (Jan 07, 2008 6:57 am)
I would agree based on people I see driving every Lexus except the RX and IS.
 
You are right.
 
The ES is their biggest seller
 
Wrong, the RX is their biggest seller so see above.
 
By the way, what Cadillac product have the youngest owner age? I would bet it's the CTS and maybe the Escalade. But according to the JP Power data we can see that even with the new 2008 CTS, Caddy is not attracting many owners under the age of 40.

#4274 of 6189 Re: Can we get back to Cadillac [mr215] by habitat1

Jan 07, 2008 (11:01 am)

Replying to: mr215 (Jan 07, 2008 9:53 am)
I wasn't attempting to vent anger or be confrontational in my previous post. I was merely responding to your comment suggesting that Cadillac can/should/might drip V8's from their line-up because of your opinion that the buying public doesn't "need" them. "Need" is not the issue. As long as they are desired by a segment of the luxury performance sedan market, it would be somewhat risky, IMO, for Cadillac to drop them from their model lines while Mercedes, BMW, Lexus and Infiniti have them.
 
The fact that 80%-90% of sedans are sold with a I6/V6 can also be misconstrued. BMW sells 85%+ of its 5-series with an automatic transmission. But their image as being king of the hill in the sport sedan segment almost mandates that they cater to the enthusiast minority, many of whom require a manual transmission. A decision by BMW to drop the manual transmission would, again IMO, have an impact beyond the 15% that actually buy a manual.
 
On the side note of confusing Acura with Cadillac, I have been unbashful in my criticism of Acura in other forums for not using its engineering prowess and Formula One expereince/success more to its advantage. This in spite of having a 2004 TL 6-speed and 2005 MDX in our garage. Nevertheless, let's not confuse a RWD platform, 50/50 weight balance, and a marketing show at "The Ring" with world class driving dynamics. Acura may be guilty of conservative underachievement (with the exception of the Honda S2000), but Cadillac is no BMW when it comes to driving dynamics.
 
I do agree with your point that the new fuel efficiency / CAFE requirements are going to result in some changes in both attitudes and model offerings. I myself am looking forward to my first drive in a BMW 535d. My marketing director has a E320 Bluetech and routinely gets in the high 30's MPG at 75 mph on the highway. She claims to have never gotten worse than 24 for a tank in mostly city driving. The high performance diesels, in my opinion, are likely to be the big victors in this battle to achieve better fuel efficiency.

#4275 of 6189 Re: can't read graphs [mr215] by louiswei

Jan 07, 2008 (11:02 am)

Replying to: mr215 (Jan 07, 2008 7:01 am)
You need to read the original post again, the average buyer age data is from 2005 (the most recent that I can found) but the IS and CTS owner age breakdowns are for 2008 model. Just in Case you missed it I'll post again.
 
JD Power Model Age Profile (all 2008 models except the Lexus LS which is 2007):
 
Cadillac CTS:
Ages 16-35 - 12%
Ages 36-55 - 34%
Ages 56+ - 54%
 
Cadillac STS:
Ages 16-35 - 5%
Ages 36-55 - 22%
Ages 56+ - 73%
 
Lexus IS:
Ages 16-35 - 41%
Ages 36-55 - 43%
Ages 56+ - 17%
 
Lexus ES:
Ages 16-35 - 8%
Ages 36-55 - 38%
Ages 56+ - 54%
 
Lexus GS:
Ages 16-35 - 30%
Ages 36-55 - 30%
Ages 56+ - 40%
 
Lexus LS:
Ages 16-35 - 6%
Ages 36-55 - 29%
Ages 56+ - 65%
 
Cadillac really don't have much of a case here declaring it has a younger image than Lexus except maybe the ES. However, even the ES has the same age profile as the CTS, the youngest model of all Cadillac. What more amazingly is that even the Lexus LS has a younger age profile than Cadillac's "sports sedan" STS.
 
Cadillac is getting younger buyers as time goes forward. I dont think we can say the same about lexus.
 
Really? Lexus is getting a whole lot more buying into their 2nd generation IS and with the age profile it has I am sure it has contributed A LOT to getting Lexus younger. On the other hand, Cadillac really can't say that about their new 2008 CTS because very unfortunately, the old 2007 CTS has a younger age profile:
 
2007 CTS:
Ages 16-35 - 14%
Ages 36-55 - 39%
Ages 56+ - 47%
 
I can tell you most drivers I see of the SRX, CTS (especially V) and Escalade are under 50
 
2008 Escalade:
Ages 16-35 - 23%
Ages 36-55 - 53%
Ages 56+ - 24%
 
2008 SRX:
Ages 16-35 - 4%
Ages 36-55 - 41%
Ages 56+ - 55%
 
You maybe have a case here for the Escalade but the cold hard data from JD Power doesn't support your statement for the SRX and CTS. I am sure CTS-V has a lot young owners but unfortunately Cadillac doesn't make those in significant numbers so it has little say to the overall picture.

#4276 of 6189 Re: Can we get back to Cadillac [habitat1] by fintail

Jan 07, 2008 (11:19 am)

Replying to: habitat1 (Jan 07, 2008 11:01 am)
Interesting you mention the Bluetec...I read MB is coming with a diesel hybrid S-class for 2010 (estimated 40mpg highway), and it is slated to be sold in the NA market. Hybrids are coming to the upper end, will Caddy have one too?

#4277 of 6189 Re: can't read graphs [louiswei] by habitat1

Jan 07, 2008 (11:24 am)

Replying to: louiswei (Jan 07, 2008 11:02 am)
I wonder what the age breakdown is for a Ferrari 430 or a 911 Turbo? My guess is that a high percentage of buyers are in the 56+ category, not because the car doesn't appeal to a younger demographics, but rather because of affordability issues. I would think the Lexus LS, especially the $100k hybrid version, suffers a little of this.
 
Lexus doesn't exactly have a young "hip" image but, on the other hand, Cadillac still has an image among some of appealing to the very old and dead demographic. Perhaps that is changing. But they do spend as much advertising dollars on the Senior PGA tour as the regular PGA tour. Saw that in the WSJ a few weeks ago. Author joked that they should come with Viagra (another big Senior Tour advertiser) in the glove compartment.

#4278 of 6189 Re: can't read graphs [habitat1] by louiswei

Jan 07, 2008 (11:39 am)

Replying to: habitat1 (Jan 07, 2008 11:24 am)
I agree that comparing who has a younger image between Lexus and Cadillac is like comparing who is less messed up between Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears. What I was trying to point out is that the perception of "Lexus is quickly becoming Buick and Cadillac is getting younger than ever" couldn't be as more wrong.

#4279 of 6189 Re: Can we get back to Cadillac [louiswei] by 62vetteefp

Jan 07, 2008 (12:24 pm)

Replying to: louiswei (Jan 07, 2008 10:41 am)
But according to the JP Power data we can see that even with the new 2008 CTS, Caddy is not attracting many owners under the age of 40.
 
Very true but if we look at Mercedes their average age is 59, 6 years older than Cadillac (53). Heck Rolls is a dead old age of 63 . Lexus is just under Cadillac with 49. Even BMW with their very youthful/sporty/performance high volume 3 series has an average of 46.
 
So it really looks like the major reason that Cadillac and others in the same $ ball park are buyers with an average of close to 50 is due to wealth, and most of the wealth in this country is held by older folks.
 
And if you look at the younger average ages you see that they are all low priced marques. Who woulda thought!!
 
But there is no doubt that if Cadillac wants to attract the same buyers as BMW they have their work cut out for them. CTS is just a start. When they drop the DTS next year most of those buyers will swap over to the STS but many will just keep their DTS untill they can no longer drive. In the short run dropping the DTS should drop Cadillacs average age but in the longer term they need to continue to go after the baby boomers with a different kind of product.

Messages Page 429 of 620

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