Cadillac may not yet have released final pricing, but the reps at the D.C. show told us that it would have a huge range of prices.....starting around 53-55K and run and running as high as 90-95K loaded.

The Lincoln people at the show quoted about the same starting price for the Continental (53K), but did not comment on the highest possible prices.

 

Well, it is true that, with a typical dealer-discount, you could buy two Town Cars for the price of one S-Class. When my old Flight Instructor (we've been friends all these years, and still comes to me for car advice) later got a job driving company limos, he took me along one day to get the company a new Town Car.....to check it out, make sure there no defects in it, etc....
I don't remember the exact price, but I think he took it home for around 41K out the door.


A little off-topic maybe, but if I pulled up at a posh NYC hotel, I'd probably want to get inside before all the waiting panhandlers started hitting me for money LOL


That's by choice....not necessity. I could easily afford a more expensive car if I wanted to. I'd rather spend less on a new car every 4-5 years than really splurge and have to keep it longer to make up. besides, I felt the Verano was better-built than many more expensive Buicks and Cadillacs. That was simply a judgement call on my part.

We can both agree, though, that the Town car was never very popular in the enthusiast mags, for obvious reasons. Although it's interesting that, a couple of years ago, Peter Egan, who wrote the long-standing "Side Glances" monthly column for Road & Track magazine, bought a used Caddy DTS a couple of years ago as a daily-driver, because he simply got tired of bouncing around all day in his restored British-roadster projects.....wanted some comfort.

 

Whether its by choice or necessity it doesn't change the fact that you're not the target consumer for this vehicle. If somebody were the target consumer they would not make that choice. What matters is what matters to that target consumer....and that target consumer cares about prestige. Sharing the car with every airport sedan driver, limo driver, and funeral home operator limits that prestige.

 

Even thought the ATS and CTS are having a little bit of a hard time being accepted they are far superior car than what is offered under Buick. Especially when it comes to prestige.

Any sort of fleet sale is the wrong idea for the CT6. XTS fine, I can accept. As for the CT6, another issue of perception and image is the fact that the hybrid model is going to be made in China and exported to the USA. Just the idea of China will make it a tough sale to the upper class type of buyer.

 

And with Cadillac being the quintessential American luxury car the idea of them being built anywhere else doesn't seem right...

 

I don't judge a car by prestige, Jill. ...but by the nuts and bolts.

Let's not put the cart before the horse.....which I think is what some people here are doing. This car hasn't even been officially released to the public yet...only to the press. It won't be, for several more months. I think it's a little too early to try and predict what percentages will be fleet-sales and what will be private purchases/leases. Same with the Continental.

 

I don't judge a car by prestige, Jill. I judge it by the nuts and bolts.

Let's not put the cart before the horse, which I think is what some people here are doing. The CT6 hasn't even been released to the general public yet.....won't be for several more months. Only the auto press has access to it right now. I think it's a little too early to try and predict what percentages will be fleet-sales and which will be private purchases/leases.

And, since you're on the subject of "superior cars", look at what J.D. Power just published: There's a thread on it elsewhere here in Car Chat that Hoovey posted:.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/car...ml#post9381028

2016 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study

Compact car

Highest Ranked: Buick Verano

Toyota Corolla

Toyota Prius

 

But the buying public does judge a car based on prestige...and thats what we're talking about here...how the car will perform with the buying public in its target market. Cadillac has shown that they can build a car that can draw critical acclaim, but that hasn't translated into real sales success yet. Why is that? Because buyers are selecting cars they feel are better cars at the price points these Cadillacs are listed at. If the Cadillac wins the tests and is quantifiably a better car...why are consumers not buying them? Their perception of the brand for the value.

And please...lets not also make this a conversation about Buick and the Verano. Seriously at this point they should just add "Verano" to the list of blocked words for the forum.

 

Like I said, let's see how it actually does. Right now, IMO, trying to guess future fleet-vs.-private sales is putting the cart before the horse.

Fair enough...I'll buy that. But I'm not always the one that brings it up.

 

Exactly. Cadillac should have bitten the bullet and spent a few years pricing their cars under their competitors (even if they are equally as good) to give themselves an edge and grow their brand through 1) people seeing them on the road and 2) having satisfied owners spread the word to others. Instead, they priced in the same market range without having the brand cache to back it up.

Lexus went through that period, and even now still does with some models, and it has worked well for them in terms of moving inventory and developing a brand. You have to have the cars on the road before people can take you seriously.

 

Thank you! Also no mention of being built on an Opel platform.

 

AND....no mention of the Cruze and Verano being brothers.

 

See how image plays such a roll....

 

I agree and I also disagree. Cadillac took a big swing and it didn't produce the hit they thought it would. When I first saw the CTS (MT car of the year) I was just blown away......but as time passed, I still thought the Audi/MB/BMW and the Lexus brand was far superior. Looking back, the prices should of been cheaper to start with, but it was a risk to take that dodnt pay off.

As for Lexus, I think they are going to take the next steps with the LS and LC and move those MSRP further up market. They seem to believe the Lexus brand cam achieve the price increase. And I think they will be right.

 

We are on the same page. Lexus spent many years priced below the competition (in some cases they still are) but have now built enough of a brand that they can introduce cars that can compete at the same price level. That is what Cadillac needs to do.