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^^^^ I'm curious if Johan will stay longer than two years at Cadillac? He definitely seems very busy and hard at work turning Cadillac around with all the plans he's making. Now we see how well he executes his plans....we will wait and see...
^^^^ I'm curious if Johan will stay longer than two years at Cadillac? He definitely seems very busy and hard at work turning Cadillac around with all the plans he's making. Now we see how well he executes his plans....we will wait and see...
I'm sure Cadillac is hoping that too . Honestly though this seems like a better fit for him. Infiniti wasn't exactly functioning on all cylinders so with all that needs to be done, I'd wager this is far less a headache for him. He did well for Audi, I'm sure Cadillac can only benefit from his expertise too. I wish Johan and Cadillac luck
I still think Cadillac has lost a good majority of my parent's generation though. They have done a HORRIBLE job of marketing to the 45 to 65 crowd IMO. My parents were around for the lame *** days of the 80's, right when they were getting established in pretty good jobs, had some disposable income for a nice car.
Without a doubt, Cadillac produced IMO THE WORST cars out of any General Motors division in the 1980's. This is in terms of styling, driving dynamics, and mainly reliability. It was just really dark, horrid times for Cadillac.
I will take exception to the 86-89 Brougham, which was still an old boat carryover from the 70's with a finally reliable but slow Oldsmobile engine under the hood.
Anyways, baby boomers stayed clear of Cadillac in the 1980's, most people who bought them back then were old pensioners from the greatest generation. Things improved massively in the 90's in terms of the styling and driving dynamics of the cars(reliability still sucked on any car with the N* engine, which was most of them). Still the baby boomers stayed away in droves.
I still think in that very affluent 45 to 65 crowd we have today, a Cadillac is something their old man drove, that they wouldn't be caught dead in. Despite today's Cadillac being nothing like the cars of old.
You bring up a really good point, but it is not that I think of a Cadillac as my old man's car. Yes, he did own Cadillacs, but they downsized their models in the 80's (after the fuel crises of the 70's) and put out some real crap cars as you mentioned. My father had an '85 Sedan DeVille, and the engine blew up and had to be replaced. He traded the Cadillac for a Toyota Cressida, which optioned up was a pretty nice car for its time He then replaced that with a '91 Lexus LS400. He totally swore off American cars after that. So, I followed his lead and decided that Japanese was the way to go. I've owned Acura, Infiniti, Lexus, BMW, Audi, Nissan, Mitsubishi... nothing American. My father's bad experience with Cadillac was what shaped my opinion about cars. As a baby boomer, I would gladly go back to Cadillac now if they would get rid of the ridiculous CUE system. I know they make great, fun-to-drive cars. Also, they haven't quite gotten the interiors up to par, but they have still priced the CTS on par with their German and Japanese competitors. Fine tune the CUE system and introduce some real-world pricing and I would have no qualms about buying a Cadillac. No stigma there for me.
As a baby boomer, I would gladly go back to Cadillac now if they would get rid of the ridiculous CUE system.
Also, they haven't quite gotten the interiors up to par,
Actually, the latest Cadillac interiors ARE pretty much up to par (even on the XTS with its other disappointments), but I agree with you that the present CUE s**ks.....it is dragging down the brand's reputation.
Actually, the latest Cadillac interiors ARE pretty much up to par (even on the XTS with its other disappointments), but I agree with you that the present CUE s**ks.....it is dragging down the brand's reputation.
I don't quite agree. The interiors are much better, but Cadillac doesn't have the details right yet IMHO. Still some bad plastics in bad places (overhead consoles, buttons and switchgear), and the finishes aren't up to the level you find in a Lexus, BMW, Audi, MB, etc. Look great in pictures, in person less so. Big issue is gauges when you don't have the full TFT cluster....which isn't available on the ATS.
This does not belong in a luxury sport sedan:
In fact, I think the XTS has their best interior right now.
I don't quite agree. The interiors are much better, but Cadillac doesn't have the details right yet IMHO. Still some bad plastics in bad places (overhead consoles, buttons and switchgear), and the finishes aren't up to the level you find in a Lexus, BMW, Audi, MB, etc. Look great in pictures, in person less so. Big issue is gauges when you don't have the full TFT cluster....which isn't available on the ATS.
This does not belong in a luxury sport sedan:
In fact, I think the XTS has their best interior right now.
Gauges are pretty bad, but you posted a picture that was taken with a potato instead of a camera.
There is also the optional lcd dispay which is much nicer
Actually, the latest Cadillac interiors ARE pretty much up to par (even on the XTS with its other disappointments), but I agree with you that the present CUE s**ks.....it is dragging down the brand's reputation.
Really? is suck a bad word now .
Cue is pretty bad right, however it should be better in the next gen cars.I don't think its dragging the brands reputation. Remember how bad iDrive was when it first came out? It didnt stop bmw you from selling any less cars.
I'm not sure I understand your comment. That picture is what the gauges look like in person when you're out in direct light.
I noted that the TFT display was much nicer, but its only available on very highly optioned CTS and XTS models, and not available on the ATS at all.
A sport sedan needs to have an attractive set of sport gauges, not something that looks like it belongs on a 1998 Buick Lesabre.
What I meant to say was, the picture you posted is very grainy and over exposed. Yes the gauges are bad but the poor picture quality makes the look worse than they actually are.
What I meant to say was, the picture you posted is very grainy and over exposed. Yes the gauges are bad but the poor picture quality makes the look worse than they actually are.
Actually I chose that picture because to my eyes it most accurately represents what the gauges look like when driving around in bright sun during the day. Have you driven a Cadillac with that cluster? Its also the layout and the half moon speedometer. Doesn't get any less sporty or enthusiastic than that.
same gauges and this edmunds editor thinks they look fine.
I completely disagree. These gauges are some of the most unnatractive, uninspired gauges I've seen in a modern car. The lighting is better in that picture, but again my question for you is have you driven a Cadillac equipped with these gauges out in normal daylight? I have driven several, and in real life out in the sunlight they look more like the picture I posted than your picture.
I'm honestly not kidding, I would pass on a car just because of that cluster alone. A sport sedan should have a nice set of clear, well marked, elegant and functional gauges.
You bring up a really good point, but it is not that I think of a Cadillac as my old man's car. Yes, he did own Cadillacs, but they downsized their models in the 80's (after the fuel crises of the 70's) and put out some real crap cars as you mentioned. My father had an '85 Sedan DeVille, and the engine blew up and had to be replaced. He traded the Cadillac for a Toyota Cressida, which optioned up was a pretty nice car for its time He then replaced that with a '91 Lexus LS400. He totally swore off American cars after that. So, I followed his lead and decided that Japanese was the way to go. I've owned Acura, Infiniti, Lexus, BMW, Audi, Nissan, Mitsubishi... nothing American. My father's bad experience with Cadillac was what shaped my opinion about cars. As a baby boomer, I would gladly go back to Cadillac now if they would get rid of the ridiculous CUE system. I know they make great, fun-to-drive cars. Also, they haven't quite gotten the interiors up to par, but they have still priced the CTS on par with their German and Japanese competitors. Fine tune the CUE system and introduce some real-world pricing and I would have no qualms about buying a Cadillac. No stigma there for me.
Caddy has real world pricing--you just need to do it through incentives and cash back. Check TrueCar prices--$1000s off MSRP. Loyalty bonuses; conquest bonuses; military bonuses, etc.
10-11-14, 11:16 AM
. Honestly though this seems like a better fit for him. Infiniti wasn't exactly functioning on all cylinders so with all that needs to be done, I'd wager this is far less a headache for him. He did well for Audi, I'm sure Cadillac can only benefit from his expertise too. I wish Johan and Cadillac luck 
.
