Filed under: Trends, Economy, Hatchbacks, Cadillac
Watch out 1-Series: Cadillac considering rear-wheel drive compact hatch
Bob Lutz has hinted that Cadillac may introduce an entry-level compact in its European lineup that fits below the Saab 9-3-based BLS sedan. The case for such a car is substantial considering the success BMW has had with its small 1-Series. Inside Line claims the car would likely be a rear-wheel drive hatchback built on a secret new rear-wheel drive platform being developed by Holden in Australia, although Lutz is quick to point out that it's not a version of the larger Zeta platform that underpins the Commodore and the upcoming Camaro. Rumours of such a small rear-wheel drive platform began back in 2004 when Holden unveiled the Torana TT35 concept at the Syndney Motor Show. Inside Line gets its anacronyms mixed up, however, when it refers to Cadillac's current entry-level model in Europe as the BLX. It's not, it's the BLS as previously mentioned. The BLX is the rumoured small crossover vehicle that Cadillac is preparing. Either way, this new premium compact would likely share its platform with one of these two vehicles. If it were the BLS, that car would switch from front- to rear-wheel drive and give Cadillac a companion to the CTS in its battle with BMW's small cars.[Source: Inside Line]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
John 3:35PM (10/19/2006)
This would be soo cool, Cadillac would have to sell it in the US too, we're the home market!
Awesome!
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BOB 3:37PM (10/19/2006)
CaDDilac and a small hatch? LOL! A PERFECTLY AMAZING QUOTE ---"The case for such a car is substantial considering the success BMW has had with its small 1-Series" -- BMW IS NOT PART OF A CORPORATION THAT INCLUDES CHEVROLET AND PONTIAC. LOOKING TO INCREASE THE CADILLAC BRAND IN EUROPE? PUTZING AROUND WITH STICKING CADILLAC GRILLES ON "WHATEVER" IS NOT SUCH A GOOD IDEA. MAYBE THEY TRANSFERED IN SOME OF THE "GM GENIUSES" FROM PROCTOR AND GAMBLE TO WORK ON THIS.
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Joe 3:42PM (10/19/2006)
MAKE IT A PONTIAC! How out of it are these people? I mean I like the domestics, i cheer for them to do well, but then they forget that they have brands that are there for a reason, instead of just styling differences the brands should mean something, but no, never gonna happen. As a caddy this will fail, as a pontiac it would sell like crazy...
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Sue Esponte 3:50PM (10/19/2006)
I'm not sure how or why you think the case for such a car is substantial. Cadillac doesn't have much of a presence in Europe (where the 1-Series has so-far proven successful) because the vast majority of its fleet guzzles too much gas and is too big for Europe's smaller byways, garages, etc. Could it be used as a foothold for Cadillac to strengthen its line-up in Europe? Sure, if executed properly; but I'm not sure what kind of demand there would be for a tarted up Holden in Europe. The plan sounds an awful like more of the badge engineering that GM is so famous for. Could this be Caddy's sequel to the Cimarron?
And, the reason a 1-Series could be successful here in the US (if executed properly - remember, many are still fearful that it will be a disaster like the previous 318ti or Compact, as it was known in Europe) is because it could be seen as an aspirational vehicle. Its a slightly upmarket Rabbit/Golf with a BMW label and, therefore, a means for the general populace to get their hands on a geniune Bimmer. While the CTS has proven itself a relative success, its sales numbers don't come near the success of the 3-Series class of cars with which it competes. And, the average age of a Caddy buyer is still significantly higher than that of a BMW, which leads to the obvious question:
If Cadillacs appeal to retirees and BMWs appeal to a much younger group of buyers, why would anyone think that a tiny Caddy would be a sales success with young buyers?
The appeal of a BMW over a Cadillac to younger buyers in North America has little to do with the size of the cars and everything to do with performance, image, luxury and those intangible elements that Cadillac only holds with the bling-bling Escalade crowd. I have nothing against the V cars, but let's face it, most of those Escalade owners are more likely to prefer sharing their garage space with a 5 or 7 than a STS or DTS.
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JS 3:52PM (10/19/2006)
Horrible idea considering they wanted to bring Caddy back to prestige...and then they want to make a RWD small hatch....doesnt quite fit with "prestige". They need to stick with the nice sedan's they are making as it seems to be working pretty well so far.
They could do Pontiac and make it a Fiero successor which wouldnt be all bad as that was a fun little car to drive around (when it worked). Maybe make pontiac a bit more competent overall and give the peeps a different offering than re-branded Holden's.
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naggs 4:08PM (10/19/2006)
if this car makes it to europe and not the US im gonna scream
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bernie 4:15PM (10/19/2006)
I haven't seen double D's in a "Caddilac" since Linda Vaughn worked the Detroit Auto Show! LOL
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Phelix 4:16PM (10/19/2006)
I was excited until I read the "european lineup" part.
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jg 4:22PM (10/19/2006)
' Horrible idea considering they wanted to bring Caddy back to prestige...and then they want to make a RWD small hatch....doesnt quite fit with "prestige". '
Interestingly when I tried to rent a BMW 120d in europe I was told its a prestige car so that's why the rental would cost twice as much as a BMW 320d. A prestige hatchback? WTF?
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Jamie 4:40PM (10/19/2006)
Wrong again!
The crossover is the BRX not the BLX.
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Dun dada 4:47PM (10/19/2006)
Bad idea for Cadillac in the US. Thank God it will never happen but what is even worse that someone on here think a Pontiac version would make sense. Uhmm... ask yourself did buy any past Pontiac hatchbacks? If no why would now? The last hatch was the Daewoo made Lemans. What makes you think GM can make a real appealing, great engineering hatchback if they can't even build one now. They are always looking for a short cut to produce such vehicle. They out source it to a cheaper automaker usually Asia.
What a joke!
Even Mercedes stop sending there C230 hatch here which I'm disappointed but I do understand sales did not meet what they were looking for.
Also regarding being a replacement for the Pontiac Fiero.... That car was a 2 seater not 4 seater like the BMW 1 series is. Also we already have a replacement for the Fiero it is called a Soltice. Do your research.
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risingsun 4:55PM (10/19/2006)
Cadillac should start with making the $100K XLR worth $100K. Let Chevy have a RWD 1-series fighter using the Kappa platform, make it affordable and fun, under the Solstice and Sky roadsters. It would be another good way to stretch those Kappa dollars and wring more profit out of the platform..
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rwdmtparkingonly 4:56PM (10/19/2006)
#2 is wrong, a small RWD Cadillac, or other GM for that matter, is the antithesis of what GM's Proctor and Gamble marketing recruits stand for.
The P&G marking people would advise GM to strategically market their cars and create brand identity, possibly getting some reality show product placement, but definitely defining, realizing, actualizing and positioning. They would be all for using a cheap FWD platform; don't worry, the designers can try to make it look rear wheel drive like Alfa Romeo does.
Sue Esponte sounds a bit like a P&G marketing person. Obviously the European Cadillac market is small and the American Cadillac owners are old. The lack of a small Cadillac is the reason for that, that is not the reason to not build a small Cadillac. A small but serious (RWD) car is what Cadillac needs to expand in Europe and lower buyer ages in the US.
The people criticizing this as platform sharing don't know what they're talking about. A rigid, balanced, IRS RWD platform completely fits the Cadillac image, who cares if it comes from a full range Australian subsidiary that most American's are unaware of. This is miles apart from rebadging a crap FWD Chevy.
BMW isn’t some magic car god, they simply stuck with RWD cars when others cheaped out with FWD because, as a closely held company, they weren’t a prisoner to quarterly earnings. BMW is running scared; I’m sure that in their ideal world they wouldn’t sell a twin turbo 335i for only slightly more than the previous naturally aspirated much less powerful 330i went for. Right now the G35 and IS250/350 are the big threats, but anyone that can make a good RWD car has a shot at BMW’s sales.
That said, a hatchback couldn’t sell for more than $30K in the US, and Cadillac shouldn’t go below that number, so this would probably make more sense as sedan or coupe in the US.
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DC_1 5:14PM (10/19/2006)
Sounds horrible..It would tank the first year.
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Richard Warren 5:30PM (10/19/2006)
Ladies and gentleman, the new Cimarron!! No, sorry Catera!! oh, whatever.
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GOKARTN 5:46PM (10/19/2006)
The 22" chrome wheels with spinners would look silly on such a little car.
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Jon 5:46PM (10/19/2006)
As a consumer I'm not adverse to a small high end luxury car but my perception is that small(I'll say Golf sized)cars are still made to be entry level in their execution.I had two GTI's and they were fun as long as they held together so I wouldn't even consider laying out the dough for a Volkswagen based Audi A3.So my point is,if Cadillac wants to do this for the sake of their luxury standard bearer image,it'd better exceed expectations.
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geo 6:03PM (10/19/2006)
"Inside Line gets its anacronyms mixed up, however..."
Autoblog gets it's nouns mixed up, however, when it refers to acronyms as being anacronyms. ;)
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Howard Kerr 8:56PM (10/19/2006)
Cadillac just recently started selling the BLS (a re-bodied Saab) and it's overwhelming success (please note sarcasm) has told them there is a SUBSTANTIAL case to be made for a B class RWD sedan/hatch?
This should NOT be built for no other reason than Cadillac and small car are nearly oxymoronic in concept. Yes, M-B and BMW, both have small cars. But as another poster noted, NEITHER of those two companies are produced by multi-brand conglomerates.
By the way rwdmtparkingonly...BMW wasn't STUCK with RWD when other companies went to FWD. BMW STAYED with RWD because they felt STRONGLY that it was part of their brand image. That RWD was necessary if they wanted to make all their cars as close to balanced (front to rear) as possible. Nearly every BMW car on the road today has a 50/50 weight bias. They purposely did not want to be like other car companies. M-B only uses FWD on it's A class cars....did they stick with FWD because they couldn't afford to switch? DON'T THINK SO.
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TalD 10:29PM (10/19/2006)
I do remember Cadillac introducing 2 "small" Cadillac automobiles. 70s/80s I beleive.
Don't remember the model names but believe they were not of original Cadillac design but Chevrolet.
Someone must have had a brilliant idea to make silk purses out of sow's ears but it did not work. Although ,the larger of the two was a Chevelle or Nova makeover; hey, that was a long time ago and the "baby Cadillacs" must have been very forgettable.
I guess my point is: If they want to bring a smaller rear wheel drive Cadillac to market THEN why wont't Cadillac take the time, money and effort to develop and design an ORIGINAL smaller, rear wheel drive Cadillac instead of trying to dress up an existing automobile, currently on the market, and call it a Cadillac??
They have been rather successful with the CTS; that is original Cadillac is it not?
Ahh, I did forget the "European Cadillac" from just a few years ago; it was highly sucessful and quite memorable too, was it not?
GM/Cadillac, do your OWN thing.
Don't try to sell some else's left-overs.
#15 My apologies ,I should have read all of the above before writing this. Yes , Cimmaron and Catera but what was the name of the 3rd small Cadillac?
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