Cadillac News

Former Holden and GM Daewoo designer, Max Wolff is person behind the styling of the sleek 2+2, which was unveiled today at the Los Angeles Motor Show.  Wolff is now exterior design chief for Cadillac, reporting to former Holden design chief, Mike Simcoe, who is now General Motor's executive director of North American exterior design. And Wolff is clearly – and understandably -- proud of his latest project. "Cadillac has always been an emotional brand,'' he says. "it's about delivering art regardless of body style.  With the CTS Coupe, it was about taking something very strong - the CTS sport sedan - and extending its potential." Cadillac general manager, Bryan Nesbitt, says the coupe is an expression of the company's technical and design capabilities.  "It is intended to appeal to a new generation of car enthusiasts,"  he says.  The car's design carries over virtually unchanged from the concept car that was introduced at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in 2008. The coupe is a classic 2+2 layout bolstered with advanced technology, such as a rear-view camera system and a performance-oriented suspension system coupled to rear-wheel or all-wheel drive.  It has same wheelbase as the CTS, but the roofline is 51mm lower and the overall length is also 51mm shorter. Although it draws from its sport sedan sister, the coupe shares only the instrument panel, console, headlights, mudguards and grille.  Some of the key design features include: classic hardtop styling, with no conventional B-pillar;  touch-pad operation for the doors removes the need for conventional door handles; windscreen laid at a faster angle (62.3 degrees) and a long, nearly horizontal backglass area combine to create a dramatic profile. There are other Cadillac family cues like the signature vertical rear lights and spoiler integrated into the rear high-mounted stop light.  Initially, it will be powered by a 227kW/370Nm 3.6-litre direct-injection V6 with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic. However, a hotter ``V'' version using the same 415kW/747Nm 6.2-litre supercharged V8 from the CTS-V sedan, will be available next year.

GM Holden will be shipping at least 2500 2.8-litre versions of its Australian-made Alloytec V6 engine to the Ramos Arizpe plant in Mexico where the 2010 SRX is manufactured."I guess that means there will be a little bit of Aussie heart in those Cadillacs," GM Holden Australia boss Mark Reuss says.The fillip for Holden's export aspirations couldn't have come at a better time as the company is still reeling from a disastrous six months at the hands of the global financial crisis.So far this year plans to sell a Pontiac version of the VE Ute to the United States were canned, then Pontiac itself fell over the in GM global restructure taking with it more than 30,000 potential Commodore-based G8 exports.And to top it off sales of the VE into the Middle-East have also taken a hit as economic reality bites. "When you lose that sort of percentage (around 70 per cent) of half of your production it is always going to hurt," Reuss conceded at the recent launch of the Cruze small car.However, the news of the Cadillac order is just the sort of pick-me-up the local manufacturer needs. "It (the engine plant) won a GM global quality award and on the back of that came the order for 2500 of the engines for Cadillac," Reuss says. "That is pretty pleasing."There is no indication whether more orders will be forthcoming but that is a distinct possibility. Reuss says that following meetings in Detroit he is comfortable that the action plan for GM Holden will give the company the best chance of coming out the other end of the global restructuring as a working entity."We feel very good about what we have done here and where we are in the future (of General Motors)," Reuss says. "There are no guarantees in any of this. None at all ... and we have treated it that way from day one."However, he says he believes that the Holden operation and its historic position in the Australian market makes the company far more attractive to GM as an internal asset rather than as one to be auctioned off."I think it has huge value internally (to GM). Holden is a very powerful tool as a product and branding standpoint ... I would say if anything this (situation) has focussed our business on what we need to do to be a good company in Australia first and anything we do outside that as an exporter is a great thing but to have any entity fully dependent on export markets in this world we are dealing with today is probably not the right business model."Reuss says that the company has not run a survival scenario that does not include Commodore. "That is not something we have studied. We are still the best selling car here and we think the things we are going to do to Commodore over the next few years maybe makes us potentially the only game in town. Some of our competitors have revealed some questions about future business plans on their products ... and I am overjoyed (with that)."

Although put on hold `indefinitely’ last week, GM-Holden chairman, Mark Reuss, has not ruled out the premium GM brand being sold here at some point in the future.

The brand is on hold "indefinitely". The decision has now cast a shadow over two other marginal GM products, Saab and Hummer. However, GM-Holden remains committed to the slow-selling pair despite being put under a "strategic review" by the parent General Motors. GM-Holden chairman and managing director, Mark Reuss, said the company remained committed to Saab and Hummer. "We made commitments with our dealership body on that so we're prepared to honour those commitments," he said. Cadillac was to be the third make, along with Saab and Hummer, in the GM Premium Brands porfolio. Reuss has blamed the global and local car industry downturn for the Cadillac decision. "It's a tough call but we only really had one chance to launch the brand here in Australia," he said. "But in these challenging times we figured we couldn't give it the chance it deserves as our flagship brand."' Reuss said the decision was taken just weeks ago before the investment started to cost big dollars. He said the initial outlay in the luxury brand was "not significant". GM insiders believe it to be in the "low millions" for local compliance. "From a launch expense standpoint we haven't crossed over into the place where we started spending big yet," he said. GM-Holden had already certifying 89 CTS sedans for sale but these cars will now be on-sold into other right-hand drive markets. The CTS sedan was to spearhead the Cadillac brands return within weeks, with other models to join the lineup later. Reuss said the company would turn its attention on building the small four cylinder car in Adelaide. "We have to refocus ourselves on reinventing Holden and the small car," he said. Reuss has not ruled out Cadillac being put back on the agenda when the economy picks up. "We'll revisit it on a month-to-month basis," he said. But in the short term, the luxury franchise is on hold. "There's a tough road ahead from GM and the whole situation that we've gone through with the US governemnent is very tough," he said. "So we have to make some tough calls and good calls on where we focus the resources we have. "In Australia we are focusing everything we have on our core fundamental activities." GM Holden had already appointed 14 dealers nationally and three in New Zealand to handle the franchise. Reuss said discussions were being held with two dealers over compensation for some of their investment. "We're prepared to work through those issues with the dealers," he said. General Motors had wanted to make the Cadillac brand the global flagship for the company.  

The SRX is intended to be a rival to the BMW X5, Mercedes ML and Lexus RX and was planned to be built in both left- and right-hand drive, enabling it to be sold in Australia.

The Cadillac Converj coupe has a petrol-free driving range of 64km but when equipped with a petrol generator can travel up to hundreds of kilometres between refills – the same as the Volt.

Cate Blanchett, Jennifer Hawkins, Sandra Sully and Ian Thorpe all drive shiny new Audis, Laura Csortan has a Cadillac, Jim Stynes and Matt Shirvington drive Volvos and horse trainer David Hayes has a BMW.But none of them pays.It cost Michael Clarke more than $250,000 to slide Lara Bingle into a raunchy new Aston Martin V8 Vantage but car brands are so keen to connect to potential buyers that they are happy to loan cars to A-list celebrities and sports stars.Most of the cars are high-cost flagship models, from the Audi TT coupe and Q7 four-wheel drive to the Volvo XC90 SUV and the Cadillac CTS which goes on sale in Australia next month.The list of occupations of the ambassadors is almost as long as the companies involved, including athletes, environmentalists, radio jocks and fashion folk.Audi runs such a big freebie fleet that rival brands call it the United Nations - because it has so many 'ambassadors' - at an estimated cost of more than $1 million.The German brand currently has 18 ambassadors on its books, with Collette Dinnigan, Cathy Freeman, Sarah Murdoch, Grant Hackett and George Gregan among its other famous faces.Volvo has environmentalist David Ireland on its books, as well as Shirvington and footballer Matt Giteau."It is another way of raising awareness of the brand. It helps us to break through into areas where we might not otherwise have had a foothold," says Volvo spokesperson Laurissa Mirabelli."Our assocation with Matt Giteau and Matt Shirvington takes us into the sporting world, which is a new area.And she says Volvo has plans to sign more drivers."We will be expanding our program into other new areas," Mirabelli says.At Saab, Sigrid Thornton is a long-term ambassador and chef George Calombaris has also come on board.Sometimes the celebrity association goes beyond a car, with driver training as part of the package. And many A-listers get a taste for the deal through the Celebrity Race at the Australian Grand Prix, which has been backed in the past by BMW, Mini and Fiat.Homegrown brands Holden and Ford are part of the program, with the red team backing Deborah Hutton and the Australian netball team and the blue-oval brand taking on cricketers Andrew Symonds, Matthew Hayden and Michael Hussey, as well as Stephanie Gilmore.But BMW has wound back from the days when Felicity Kennett, James Morrison and Ken Done flew its flag."People are much more savvy these days. Having ambassadors is less relevant when people are more interested in the value, the technical innovation and whether the brand is something they aspire to own," said BMW Australia spokesman, Toni Andreevski."Just because a celebrity drives a car does not make it any more relevant to their purchase."And Mercedes' best-known brand rep, retired racer Mick Doohan, actually pays for his hot AMG Benzes - although not full retail."Mick is more of an enthusiastic customer," said David McCarthy of Mercedes-Benz Australia."Certainly, Mick's invovlement with AMG is very beneficiial when you see the reaction when he drives our cars in classic rallies. But, beyond that, we don't see much value."It's good to raise the profile, but how do you assess the value? The public is pretty aware."Another motorsport legend, Sir Jack Brabham, has been getting cars and bikes from Honda for decades, and is now on a team with fashion designer Akira Isogawa, Geoff Cox and Suzie Wilks."We get good value for money from our celebrities," said Honda's Mark Higgins.But Mazda has also wound back and only has Olympian Michael Klim, surfer Serena Brooks and radio personality Andy Lee on its books."It's very low-key. Everyone knows it's a commercial relationhip but we don't tend to use our celebrities like other car companies," said Mazda spokesman, Glenn Butler. CAR COMPANY BRAND AMBASSADORS:AUDI:Collette DinniganJennifer HawkinsShannon BennettAlisa CamplinJohn EalesCathy FreemanSarah MurdochAdam GilcristGeorge GreganGrant HackettMatt MoranZali SteggallSandra SullyIan ThorpeSteve WaughTodd Woodbridge BMW:David Hayes CADILLAC:Laura Csortan FORD:Andrew SymondsMatthew HaydenMichael HusseyMitchell JohnsonStephanie Gilmore HOLDEN:Deborah HuttonAustralian netball team HONDA:Geoff CoxSuzie WilksSir Jack BrabhamAkira Isakawa  MAZDA:Andy LeeSerena BooksMichael Klim MERCEDES:Mick Doohan SAAB:Sigrid ThorntonGeorge Calombaris VOLVO:Matt ShirvingtonDavid IrelandMatt GiteauJim Stynes 

Introduced early this year at the Detroit auto show, the production version of its Coupe Concept show star could fill the hole left by the retired Holden Monaro - it was even designed in the States by Aussie ex-pat and Monaro creator Mike Simcoe. The front-end has recognisable CTS design cues, and running gear is the same V6 engine as the Aussie-spec CTS. But its sculpted fastback rear is exaggerated and arresting, with genuine musclecar presence. The B-pillar is done away with, leaving a rakish side profile and a squat front and rear silhouette. The Concept sits on the same CTS platform and drivetrain, though on lower sports suspension and shod with huge 20-inch (f) and 21-inch (r) rims. It’s two-door, 2 +2 seater coupe format connects the front passengers to the rear via a continuous centre console, and features a wild black and yellow contrasting interior trim. And the good news for Caddy fans (though perhaps not so fortuitous for Monaro lovers) is the announcement that the Coupe will join the CTS sedan by late 2009.

The bold, burly American brand that brought us convertible subculture, the shark fin taillight, and inspired many a song is back in Australia after a three decade sojourn with its stonking CTS sedan range and a possible coupe to follow. The CTS is introduced here with a 3.6-litre VVT V6 developing 227 kW and 370Nm of torque through the rear wheels via an electronic Hydra-Matic 6L50 (think Grease) six-speed auto, which allows quick clutchless gear changes through the shifter. It prefers beer to champagne too, running on standard 91RON, but fuel figures are not yet available. Suspension is an independent front/multilink rear, and a sportier suspension setting is an option, though both sit on huge nine-spoke, 19-inch rims and performance stoppers. Inside, hand-made trims are bathed in a soft lighting scheme that contrasts the butch exterior. A Bose stereo linked to an in-dash retractable screen with 40gig hard drive storage and MP3/iPod compatibility is standard. Standard safety is also high, with six airbags, reverse parking sensors, tyre pressure monitors, a pedestrian pop-up bonnet, and Caddy’s ‘Stabilitrak’ stability control. Options include a full moon roof, choice of a real wood finish over the standard metal, and heated/vented seats. The CTS will join the GM Premium Brands of Saab and Hummer in early 2009, with pricing revealed closer to its release, though bets are currently hedged at around $60,000 - $70,000. Cadillac is using the Sydney show to gauge consumer interest and garner feedback on the CTS, and evaluating further powerplants for import into Australia. This means we might see the forceful CTS-V performance version in the future. However, given the Aussies’ love of powerful rear-drive V8s, we would say their minds are already made up.

After a three decade sojourn with its stonking CTS sedan range and a possible coupe to follow.