-J-P-L-

Seems to work for BMW and Mercedes. And Porsche's redesigns are almost unrealized with each generation.

I would say Cadillac's redesigns are more significant. Comparing the the first gen CTS to the 2nd is hugely different.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

don't know when you last drove one. it was about 5 years for me, and i'd driven every generation of it back into the 80s (when it was sedan de ville, right? - ex's relatives had 'em one after another) - and they had gotten progressively firmer and firmer, esp. with northstar engine, with particularly hard tires it seemed. the suspension still could float but i don't know if they'd put stiff anti-roll bars on 'em or something but they were nothing like caddy's of old. for example, going over speed bumps in a parking lot road was very noticeable - the car did not just 'soak them up' like an old caddy would.

also, those old boat suspensions may have been comfy, but were a huge liability in evasive maneuver or bad weather conditions. thankfully, they're never coming back.

anyway, i completely disagree about caddy needing a big heavy smooth soft-riding car for the old folks. old folks need a smooth, soft-riding CUV! one they can get in and out of easy, but isn't huge so they don't hit things while parking. they will also have interior 'blue hair detectors' and flash rear lights when detection occurs. ok, that last part i keed i keed.

actually, i'm seeing older folks around here buying priuses, sonatas, the new taurus... but i did recently take a trip down to "The Villages" nearby which is a GIANT 55+ community (over 35,000 homes!) and was amused to still see some giant hulking old school town cars and crown vics with two round bellied guys up front and two 'q-tip' frail women in back)

tons of options. buick. toyota avalon. even the prius with standard 15's is pretty darned soft.

ah, catching up to this part of your post, seems like we're more on the same page.

IS-SV

Only on the internet, lol.

The best of the major automakers don't make big efforts selling to the aged demanding geezer-pleezer gas guzzlers with vomit-inducing/low control suspension. Often this subset of less than astute buyers will be losing drivers license soon enough (or worse losing the ability to drive or function or breath), on a fixed income, don't purchase cars with near the frequency that normal car buyers do, in general a low growth market to say the least.

Yes, I am the one that brought up several months ago how advancements in suspension systems have improved ride/handling combos.

T0ked

iTrader: (2)

I think people underestimate the demographics Cadillac is targeting with this car. I see it as the same split Lexus is doing with the IS and the ES. Both cars are in similar price ranges but are focused on distinctly different buyers. I support Cadillac and their XTS, which I see as the "ES" side of the equation... There will always be a market for them as seen by the sales success of Buick. So as long as they do something to address the big void above the CTS, the so-called "IS" side of the equation. They need a flagship model.

T0ked

iTrader: (2)

Unfortunately or fortunately, this segment of the population is going to compose the largest percentage of our population very soon. Baby boomers are reaching retirement age. This is the same group that have posed the greatest purchasing power and purchasing influence for the last 30 years and continue to do so. To say they are suddenly going to stop buying cars is inconceivable (whether they should or shouldn't is another topic). And as you get older you want more comfortable things. I'm sure this XTS is going to be far from the wallower the Caddys of the dark days were, but it will be softer sprung than the CTS. I don't think there is a coincidence that Buick is seeing a resurgence (after style and reliability were addressed).

Continuing to make a car that caters to this segment is smart on GM's part. Make it look nice, have good reliability and coddle its occupants is not a bad formula to follow. To be honest, my father falls into this segment. He's still looking for a car to buy. His auto ownership pedigree goes from a 71' Mustang Boss, to Caddy Deville, LS400, to S500. He thinks my S550 on 19s rides too hard. He prefers the LS but doesn't like the styling. If he takes to the XTS's design, it may be on his shopping list. And he still has a lot more purchasing power than I do, with properties scattered around NYC. Caddy is going down the smart path with the XTS (now that the CTS as paved a way making the marque respectable again). Actually, big luxo names who refuse to cater to this group will be losing out.

IS-SV

My original post said nothing about ignoring this huge segment of population known as the baby boomers and nothing about baby boomers not buying cars anymore. I only mentioned one subset of less astute buyers that are a minority of the total baby boomer generation. Lexus and Mercedes specifically for example cater to the older crowd and will continue to do so with biggest volume models being more comfort-oriented as usual. The reality of selling premium cars in volume has nothing to do with -F's, AMG's and M-series hot rods. I agree the CTS has made Caddy respectable, and Buick's turnaround resulting from very good products that are both comfortable, competent and stylish.

I know this segment of the population very well, being one of the oldest CL members here and I have retired parents and know exactly what they buy (a lot of cushy CUV's lately).

LexBob2

I've been to The Villages, and you're right, it's HUGE. We have friends who live there and they say the population is 70,000+ now. One does see a lot of big U.S. brand cars there. I didn't notice too many imports, other than Avalons and Camry's, maybe because the dealers are down in Orlando and hour and half or so away.

Hey, with any luck we'll all be old round belly dudes some day.

IS-SV

^ We have the Villages (55+) here here in San Jose hills, but only a few thousand people live there, not nearly as big as the Florida version. My "senior" tennis team (of older guys like me) plays away matches against them, good fun. Imports are prevalent but American cars are not uncommon too.

I look forward to being an old dude (lol, without the round belly) and hanging out at the club.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

i believe the reason there's so many u.s. cars there is a HUGE number of people in the villages are from the midwest, and in particular michigan.

TJW98LS

iTrader: (1)

With all the cheesy chrome in the cab, you might go blind on a sunny day.

rkyat

i actually like it. Maybe we'll see an XTS-V sooner or later like the STS-V

MPLexus301

iTrader: (3)

Even with AWD, it would be interesting to see them pushing 600hp out of a platform that will also underpin the Lucerne replacement and Impala.

MPLexus301

iTrader: (3)

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/11/09/c...ed-appearance/

MPLexus301

iTrader: (3)

This is sad, IMO.

Art and Science could have translated into a wicked looking full-size flagship with very little effort: take the CTS, push the wheels all the way out to the corners, add more aggressive fender flares, another few inches of wheelbase, sharpen up some of the design cues and make a few nice wheel options available. It could have been very aggressive and very classy at the same time.

This XTS, to me, looks like a Taurus or Avalon competitor...not something to compete with the LS, S and 7, or even Equus. FWD or AWD, if the rumors are true, and only V6 or hybrid powertrains.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

^^ disagree, i think it looks great.