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Is Cadillac's Image Dying and Does Anyone Care?

6186 messages,  Last post on Mar 26, 2013 at 6:19 PM

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

    

Messages Page 471 of 619

#4696 of 6186 Re: Meanwhile, back in 2008... [claires] by bumpy

Mar 01, 2008 (11:13 pm)

Replying to: claires (Mar 01, 2008 10:32 pm)
Short answer: no. GM has decided that the CTS should be a 300C with a better interior; the SRX, STS, and DTS are slated to die at the end of the decade, and the replacement for the latter two will be a rebodied Holden sedan; the Escalade will continue to to be a gadgetologized Tahoe (to borrow a Rockyism); and the XLR will continue to be an overpriced angular body on a Corvette platform. Nice enough if you like that sort of thing, but the Hyundai Genesis has as much a claim on "Standard of the World" as anything Cadillac has in the fold.

#4697 of 6186 Re: Meanwhile, back in 2008... [claires] by circlew

Mar 02, 2008 (7:25 am)

Replying to: claires (Mar 01, 2008 10:32 pm)
No.
 
Regards,
OW

#4698 of 6186 Re: Meanwhile, back in 2008... [claires] by fintail

Mar 02, 2008 (10:29 am)

Replying to: claires (Mar 01, 2008 10:32 pm)
Seeing as the "standard" had to do with standardized parts more than any kind of "luxury standard" , no...as even British cars today have standardized parts.
 
Caddy is for all intents and purposes a North American brand. It has gone over like a lead balloon in Europe, and I don't see this changing. It really isn't anything "of the world", and it doesn't have to be.

#4699 of 6186 Re: Meanwhile, back in 2008... [claires] by laurasdada

Mar 02, 2008 (10:42 am)

Replying to: claires (Mar 01, 2008 10:32 pm)
Who would even make that determination? The whole "Standard" title has been documented here. I suppose if they were again awarded the Dewar Trophy for their world leading build "standards," then Caddy could lay claim to that title given that criteria.
 
And, does it matter? Will every car built by every mfg. conform to the needs, wants and desires of every buyer? My guess is that as long as there are three people on earth, there will be at least two different opinions on almost any given subject. Especially cars!
 
I personally don't care about brands and labels (much... ). I use the auto rags and internet to help me narrow a list of cars down to those most likely to fit my bill. But, since Edmunds, CR, C & D, R & T et. al. aren't paying for my car, I make the decision on what is my "standard." Right now the single best car in the world resides in my side of the garage. The Evil Wife has her "standard of the world" on her side of the garage...
 
For many, many years GM built cars that appealed less and less to their former, and future, constituency. In fact, for years Caddy's weren't Caddy's. Just rebadged all other GM brands, e.g. Cimarron. But the past is just that. Including Dewar Trophies, Cimarron's, Allantes, Humped back Sevilles and V8/6/4 engines. It appears that years and years of wait 'till next year are now becoming next year. The CTS is good, the SRX isn't horrible, the STS isn't horrible, even the XLR isn't bad. WHere Caddy has stumbled a bit imho is with pricing. Without the discounts/rebates, Caddy's are competitive cars at non-competitive prices.
 
Saw a black '08 CTS the other day with full faux tan convertible top and much gold special edition badges. Those that don't learn from the past are destined to repeat it...

#4700 of 6186 Re: Meanwhile, back in 2008... [laurasdada] by circlew

Mar 02, 2008 (11:10 am)

Replying to: laurasdada (Mar 02, 2008 10:42 am)
Now, that's what I,m talkin' about! Very eloquent and exact, in deed, Dada!
 
My Dada aspired to Caddies and the dumped the brand for Buick. Wonder why?
 
Regards,
OW

#4701 of 6186 Re: Meanwhile, back in 2008... [circlew] by laurasdada

Mar 02, 2008 (11:32 am)

Replying to: circlew (Mar 02, 2008 11:10 am)
I''m assuming that as my Dad went from Queens, NY to a New England liberal arts college, he was there bitten by the imported car bug during those years. My first car recollection of his car was a red Borgward. My earliest memory of my mother's car, a white Buick convert with red interior.
 
BUt they gave up on domestics in the early '70s after a string of bad experiences, culminating with a Ford LTD Country Squire wagon(IIRC). I still remember riding in the rear facing seats, sans seatbelts, waving to cars behind us... Saabs, Mercedes, Renault (!?), Datsun, Acura, Honda, Mitsubishi and even VW graced his garage. He did return to domestics in the '90s, didn't want to hold a grudge his whole life... A Chrysler Concorde that treated him well and a Caddy Catera that sent him back to the imports. He defended the Catera as a nice drive, unfortunately most of the driving was done by mechanics...
 
I'm not sure if I hate to admit it, but cars didn't mean much to me until... the Fiat X1/9! Something about that car just caught my fancy, I had a big poster of it on my walls. Never owned one as by the time I could drive/afford to buy a car I knew well of Fiat's reputation and they were exiting our marketplace. I've been mostly Japanese car-wise my whole life but my very first car was a used '78 VW Scirocco. Loved that car, hated to see it rust away...
 
But, being fair and balanced as I am, my prior ride was a '99 Chrysler 300M that, while I would award it no build quality trophies, I too loved. Reliable enough, with personality, decent performance/handling for such a large-ish car and decent mpg. Much better in the snow than my TL. Enjoy the TL, too...
 
Having said this, I want a Jag XK. Thank you.

#4702 of 6186 Re: Meanwhile, back in 2008... [laurasdada] by circlew

Mar 02, 2008 (11:54 am)

Replying to: laurasdada (Mar 02, 2008 11:32 am)
Yes, forgiving is the key...I forgive the US Car manufacturers, just am bored stiff with the offerings. Now that I have the 3 series, can I ever really go back to domestics?
 
We shall see.
 

 
Nice!!
 
Regards,
OW

#4705 of 6186 Re: Meanwhile, back in 2008... [laurasdada] by lemko

Mar 03, 2008 (6:43 am)

Replying to: laurasdada (Mar 02, 2008 11:32 am)
...a Caddy Catera that sent him back to the imports.
 
Actually, he already was back at the imports as a Catera was really an Opel Omega underneath and made in Germany. Not surprised that the Ford Country Squire sent him over to the imports in the first place. My Dad had a 1972 Ford LTD Country Squire and it was easily the worst car he ever owned.

Messages Page 471 of 619

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