Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Cadillac
Not so sweet Sixteen: GM says definitely no $100k+ sedan
Yeah. We're bummed too. Not surprised, just disappointed. Way back in 2003 when GM rolled this 16-cylinder beauty onto a NAIAS stage, it was easy to believe in a revived Cadillac. The grand Sixteen would be the pinnacle of all American-built cars and would lead the way for U.S. automakers' return to the forefront of vehicle design and engineering.
Automotive News reports that GM looked at the market, and decided the world just wasn't ready for the Cadillac of Cadillacs. So for now, the Escalade will just have to be the, uh, Cadillac of Cadillacs.
[Source: Automotive News (sub req'd)]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
TheOne442 9:37AM (12/27/2006)
That sux! I love this car and what great Domestic 100k Sedan, I imagine that Merc, BMW and Audi are happy they are not going to build it.
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che culattone 9:41AM (12/27/2006)
i'm disapointed that they aren't making this car...it would be nice for a domestic to get some positive momentum...
But let's be honest. who in their right mind would ever buy this car at 100K over an A8 4.2L, an S600, or a 750Li? I seriously think you couldn't find 2 people in 100 that would rather buy the cadi. Not becuase it's not a better car, but becuase at that price, you want true name recognition, and caddy's name just ain't what it used to be, and doesn't even come close to comparing with Audi or Mercedes, much less BMW...
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Mike 9:47AM (12/27/2006)
Is it me, or does the new lincoln concept look nearly identicle to this? I usually discourage the 'it looks like...' game, but I see an incredibly strong resembleance....
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Accordsforall 9:54AM (12/27/2006)
Thats just another stinking load of steaming THANX FOR NOTHING GM!
They are still putting all of their eggs in the SUV / Crossover basket.. and are STILL very content to let the 5500LB Chrome / plastic-ified Tahoe become the Escalade to lead the pack of scum now known as CADDY.
As far as BMW / M-B goes.. they both arent doing as good as they should. Both are TECHNOLADEN. And both seem to be reaching for a customer and or a niche that only 1/2 of 1% of people in the entire U.S.
People will pay.. look at Maybach and the top level LS from Lexus.
Just another batch of DUH from GM.
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Stephen 10:01AM (12/27/2006)
That's a shame. I wonder if they'll ever decide to try to compete with the super-luxury European cars.
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MikeW 10:56AM (12/27/2006)
That car had a 4 speed automatic.
Audi's new 738ft-lb diesel V12 is coupled to a 6 speed automatic.
and does anyone think MB is not working on a very high torque capacity 7g-tronic.
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Dee 10:56AM (12/27/2006)
Bad news that the car won't be built, and for the comment earlier about a Cadillac is not on the level of a Mercedes and BMW, I would never buy a Mercedes or another BMW they stay putting more miles on them driving them to the "SHOP" than you get out of enjoying them, our perception of luxury is when we can say owe my car was made overseas, or shipped to me, get over it, I buy a car because of value and quality not off of people opinions or interest.
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Richard Warren 11:26AM (12/27/2006)
Excuse me while I sneeze! Ah, Ah, Ah, Bullshit!
"I would never buy a Mercedes or another BMW they stay putting more miles on them driving them to the "SHOP" than you get out of enjoying them"
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MC 11:26AM (12/27/2006)
#9 - European cars are not desirable just because they are from Europe...try driving one sometime. And when you have to take it to the "shop," which is usually the dealer in this century, maintenance is free thanks to the service plan.
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DRFS Rich 11:34AM (12/27/2006)
Which sums up Cadillac (and in turn, GM)'s sad state of affairs right now. Their flagship product for their flagship division is a crappy badge-engineered truck with some leather seats and TVs.
Pathetic.
- R
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case 12:01PM (12/27/2006)
Looks like they will never be able to compete with brands like Bently or Mercedes. Looks like they will stick with there "pimp my ride" escalades!!!
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JOrdan 12:37PM (12/27/2006)
Now lets think about this...
1)This is a beautiful car and its design is being used over and over again by Cadillac in the new Escalade and CTS. That is usually the concept of concept cars to use the design for production models.
2)The market for for $100k+ cars are very slim and many of the market leaders have been around for 50+ years. Why would cadillac jump head first into one of the smallest segments in the entire car market? They are better to build cars in the $30-80k arena and build cars that undercut the competition in price, features, and performance.
3)Wait for the new CTS I believe that the car will have more than the grille that draws from the sixteen. I picture the car being a mini-sixteen in styling.
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Paul 2:37PM (12/27/2006)
whats the difference anyway. who would buy a $100,000 american piece of cra_ anyway.
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Phil 2:54PM (12/27/2006)
To all the Escalade-bashers, Audi's Q7 is just a badge-engineered VW with a WORSE interior than the VW, so it's price is inflated nonsense. And it's reliabilty is questionable!
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DomKing 4:11PM (12/27/2006)
This is just another example of the lack of passion and vision on the part of the current GM management. The bean-counter approach is try to make a "business case" for every car, i.e. trying to sell it in high volume. The visionary approach is to say that we are going to build 616 of these things over four years (a la 399 Ferrari Enzos) and sell them for $700 000 each, or maybe a cool mill each. Each car would be personalized and delivered to each buyer by the head of the Cadillac division. They would be able to sell them out in 12 minutes. This would generate the kind of long-term brand awareness and marketing buzz that not even tens of millions of advertising dollars could buy. It would create passion for the brand, morale for the employees, and convince a new generation of car buyers that Cadillac is simply the most badass car everyone should aspire to own. It's been said it before, there are too many accountants making decisions at GM and not enough guys who just love to drive cars.
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LoneWolf 4:43PM (12/27/2006)
But it looks waaaaaaaaay better than any Maybach, imho.
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DavidW 4:54PM (12/27/2006)
Cadillac knows nothing about what it takes to build a true $100,000 car. They don't have that standard of coach work, paint, or any other material to go into such a car. Their fit and finish can't compete with such cars. They would be out of their leauge. Saddly that was Cadillac 80 years ago.
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Green Lotus Elise 7:10PM (12/27/2006)
That last line really makes you think doesn't it, how sad is it that our "Luxury car of luxury cars" is the Escalade.
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ma dai! 7:29PM (12/27/2006)
#16 (Phil)
really? the Q7 is a badge engineered VW? really? just like the cayenne is a badge engineered vw also? just like the murcielago is a badge engineered vw also? you're an idiot. badge engineering is something strictly done by american companies. VAG has understood that badge engineering kills cars-thats why they don't do it. VW uses similar platforms and chasis to make cars in different brands. they don't badge engineer. badge engineering is when ford takes the crown vic, puts a lincoln badge on it, changes the back and front lights, and sells it for 20.000$ more. I think you just don't know what badge engineering means. Parts sharing and technology sharing is not badge engineering...
Have you even been in the Q7? It's interior is spectacular. In my opinion, its the best interior of any SUV in any market segment...better than the Cayenne Turbo S and the Range Rover.
and it's reliability is questionable? are you kidding me? Where do you pull that out of, your ass? it's been out for less than 5 months...how can you judge the reliability of a whole market segment of a brand based on less than 5 months' existence? You clearly have never sat in one, much less driven it, so please don't comment on it.
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BOB 7:52PM (12/27/2006)
They don't have a platform on which to build it, and I imagine they don't have the facilities to do higher quality, as they did in the Fleetwood days.
The styling would start to look like the STS when they make the car a more buildable shape. They would be better off to make the STS bigger, eliminate the lower trim lines, add a more deluxe edition, and reach a slightly higher price point.
Most of all, their recent efforts seem to be remedial work on the mainstream Cadillacs, fixing crap interiors and bland styling. They need to do more of that, and re-establish the brand before they could DARE spend time and money on another half-done car.
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