Cadillac CEO smack talking

[chillindrdude]

http://m.motortrend.com/wot/cadillac...rs_lovers.html

When you gotta trash talk to just bring attention to your product, you know you're in trouble...

I will keep an open mind, but i dont care for the styling of the CTS. They better be bringing out new suspension geometry, better damping, and chassis improvements if they wanna match M.

[M3SSY]

dont feed the trolls...

[rubber_ducky]

I, for one, truly hope that their bite matches their bark. I'm rooting for them. I couldn't care less if the ATS-V, in the hands of a pro driver, ends up being marginally faster around a road course than my M3. My driving skill will never be at a level where being a second or two faster around a 2 mile road course will ever really matter.

Go caddy. Make us Americans proud again.

[Damasconian]

This guy keeps writing checks his Chevrolets wont be able to cash

[fecurtis]

Originally Posted by chillindrdude

http://m.motortrend.com/wot/cadillac...rs_lovers.html

When you gotta trash talk to just bring attention to your product, you know you're in trouble...

I will keep an open mind, but i dont care for the styling of the CTS. They better be bringing out new suspension geometry, better damping, and chassis improvements if they wanna match M.

Cadillac V's haven't had much of an issue holding their own against M, AMG, and RS in the past. I have no doubt the ATS-V and the CTS-V will be no different.

I wouldn't say they're in "trouble", he's doing exactly what he needs to be doing. Bring attention to the brand, Cadillac's products have gotten largely positive reviews with their driving dynamics apparently better than BMW's current crop of cars which have admittedly gotten softer. Plus I'd love for an American company to be viewed in the same light as the Germans one day. We have the talent, we have the resources, so I'd love to see the Americans as a viable alternative 5-10 years from now.

Their problem is brand image, he's working on that so I hope he pulls through. We as consumers with more viable product offers keeps everyone on their toes and gives us more options.

I have no doubt that the ATS-V will probably out perform and out dance an M3, all the while providing more feedback than BMW, hell the ATS and CTS already reportedly provide a lot more feedback than the 3 Series and 5 Series respectively. GM's magnetic shocks are some of the best in the business, the problem in my opinion is the styling. It just doesn't resonate well with me.

[ShocknAwe]

I'd be happy to buy a Caddy. Fix your brand image, and make a car that isn't as big as a house. They did partially address that latter bit with the ATS, but man, it's seriously hideous.

I'd like to see something driver focused, about as big as the 1/2 series, coupe with a 2+2 seating arrangement, front engine, RWD, Manual, and LSD.

Honestly if they did that, I'd consider it.

[NickyC]

Originally Posted by Damasconian

This guy keeps writing checks the American tax payers wont be able to cash

Fixed it.

[Vigilante375]

Yea, the American muscle car might be back but its not in a Caddy badge nor at a Caddy price tag.

This kind of stuff is stupid. Trash talking for what? Some ugly looking cars that would have been designed better by a 10 year old?

I don't see the new CTS V selling any better than the previous CTS V. The ATS V isn't going to sell well neither. At least they have the Escalade to keep them afloat, oh wait! They're cutting back on that!

[Nitrousbird]

I'd take a 2nd or the upcoming 3rd gen CTS-V over an M3/M5 any day.

[fecurtis]

Originally Posted by ShocknAwe

I'd be happy to buy a Caddy. Fix your brand image, and make a car that isn't as big as a house. They did partially address that latter bit with the ATS, but man, it's seriously hideous.

I'd like to see something driver focused, about as big as the 1/2 series, coupe with a 2+2 seating arrangement, front engine, RWD, Manual, and LSD.

Honestly if they did that, I'd consider it.

They're building something that will accommodate that. I don't know if it'll be a coupe or sedan of both though but they are working on something that will be aimed at the CLA and A3 and Cadillac as said that it'll be RWD.

[Sassicaia]

American cars will never be on the same playing field as german cars IMO. The gap is to large, and when the US catches up german cars have move that much further ahead.

The problem with american cars is the design. Engine specs are on thing, but overall design and implementation is what really holds back american cars.

Just my two cents, but im 37 years old and have yet to see it happen, and would bet it never does.

If I could talk to the executives at american car companies and give some advice it would be "make cars people want to buy".

[BMW269]

Originally Posted by rubber_ducky

I, for one, truly hope that their bite matches their bark. I'm rooting for them. I couldn't care less if the ATS-V, in the hands of a pro driver, ends up being marginally faster around a road course than my M3. My driving skill will never be at a level where being a second or two faster around a 2 mile road course will ever really matter.

Go caddy. Make us Americans proud again.

And yet, it matters that much that the M4 is faster than the RC F...

Originally Posted by Sassicaia

American cars will never be on the same playing field as german cars IMO. The gap is to large, and when the US catches up german cars have move that much further ahead.

The problem with american cars is the design. Engine specs are on thing, but overall design and implementation is what really holds back american cars.

Just my two cents, but im 37 years old and have yet to see it happen, and would bet it never does.

If I could talk to the executives at american car companies and give some advice it would be "make cars people want to buy".

And yet the Germans can't build anything to compete with the Tesla S. So much for German superiority.



If as a business consultant what you would say is "make cars people want to buy", no surprise you CAN NOT talk to executives. "I want to buy" is so far away from "I am buying, take my money". Take Toyota for example, looks like no one wants to buy their cars, yet so many are sold.

As for my case with regards to German cars, "No, I do not want to buy a 'me-too' overpriced underequipped 4 cylinder diesel car with a 'badge'!".



I'm not defending Cadillac, but given the European market situation (ad nauseam BMW, Audi, Mercedes, even Porsche) I'd even take a Cadillac.

[CirrusSR22]

I'm guessing this is related to Cadillac getting Nurburgring times this week. I bet the V cars destroyed anything German. I think the CTS-V has the best shot. The M5, E63 and S7 are significantly overweight and incredibly underpowered compared to the new CTS-V.

[rubber_ducky]

Originally Posted by Levi

And yet, it matters that much that the M4 is faster than the RC F...

Not to me it doesn't. It too can be faster around a road course than the M4 for all I care.

That said, I don't have much in the way of patriotism for a car manufactured in Japan.

[ShocknAwe]

Originally Posted by fecurtis

They're building something that will accommodate that. I don't know if it'll be a coupe or sedan of both though but they are working on something that will be aimed at the CLA and A3 and Cadillac as said that it'll be RWD.

Sounds perfect. Any idea what the concept is called? I'd like to look it up.

[fecurtis]

Originally Posted by ShocknAwe

Sounds perfect. Any idea what the concept is called? I'd like to look it up.

Nope, all we know is that it's in development and will be a future model:
http://gmauthority.com/blog/2015/01/...-opinion-desk/

[Powerslide]

Originally Posted by Damasconian

This guy keeps writing checks his Chevrolets wont be able to cash

And then the next thing you know he'll be flying cargo planes full of rubber dog $hit out of Hong Kong...

[BMW269]

Originally Posted by ShocknAwe

I'd be happy to buy a Caddy. Fix your brand image, and make a car that isn't as big as a house. They did partially address that latter bit with the ATS, but man, it's seriously hideous.

I'd like to see something driver focused, about as big as the 1/2 series, coupe with a 2+2 seating arrangement, front engine, RWD, Manual, and LSD.

Honestly if they did that, I'd consider it.

What for? Isn't there already the BMW 2 Series/M235i/M2?

Originally Posted by fecurtis

They're building something that will accommodate that. I don't know if it'll be a coupe or sedan of both though but they are working on something that will be aimed at the CLA and A3 and Cadillac as said that it'll be RWD.

You forgot the FWD 1 Series Sedan.

[ShocknAwe]

Originally Posted by Levi

What for? Isn't there already the BMW 2 Series/M235i/M2?

I didn't realize BMW making a car precluded Caddy from making one. What a dreary automotive landscape that would be.

Originally Posted by Levi

You forgot the FWD 1 Series Sedan.

Which will suffer from FWD.

[BMW269]

Originally Posted by ShocknAwe

I didn't realize BMW making a car precluded Caddy from making one. What a dreary automotive landscape that would be.

In my view it is already dreary as you say. But that the is case of most activities in our today's society (looking at phone/smartphone industry for example).

[ShocknAwe]

Originally Posted by Levi

In my view it is already dreary as you say. But that the is case of most activities in our today's society (looking at phone/smartphone industry for example).

Pretty valid point. Could be worse though. Imagine if Honda and Toyota weren't both gunning to come back to the performance market? Imagine if Jaguar and Caddy weren't actively reinventing their images. Competition breeds success. It won't be overnight but I dream of the performance car saturation of yesteryear coming back.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by ShocknAwe

I'd be happy to buy a Caddy. Fix your brand image, and make a car that isn't as big as a house. They did partially address that latter bit with the ATS, but man, it's seriously hideous.

I'd like to see something driver focused, about as big as the 1/2 series, coupe with a 2+2 seating arrangement, front engine, RWD, Manual, and LSD.

Honestly if they did that, I'd consider it.

LOL. Okay, so maybe your not tuned in as much as you think. One of the complaints about the ATS is the size of the back seat and trunk, which is 2-series class sized. And the ATS Coupe is pretty much exactly what you described as what you'd want: 2+2 seating arrangement, front engine, RWD, Manual, and LSD. BMW doesn't even offer a LSD until you get to a M. And having driven several ATS over hundreds of miles, I can assure you the car is far more "driver focused" than any 3-series (non M) I've driven lately. Also, the ATS chassis is lighter than BMWs 2 and 3 series chassis. Every magazine writer has said the same thing about the ATS.

In the most recent Car and Driver test between the ATS, Audi S5, and the Lexus RC350F-sport the ATS beat both cars hands down in driver focused metrics (stopped, steered, and handled better). It lost because the CUE gets bad ratings from mag writers (but owners who have spent lots of time with CUE seem to like it), and the N/A GM V6 didn't make power like the supercharged 3L V6 in the Audi (there's a surprise...).