We've heard this before... again: GM considering Cadillac Insignia?
Cadillac Insignia - Rendered (poorly) by Autoblog
Following up on an earlier report this week about future Buicks using Opel parts and platforms, the Detroit Free Press is saying that General Motors is considering offering the Insignia as a Cadillac. The front-wheel-drive sedan would likely be offered in all-wheel-drive form to U.S. consumers, and would feature adaptive headlamps, a lane-departure warning system and other techy tidbits. The same Epsilon II platform will underpin the 2010 Buick LaCrosse, and although it's been assumed since the Insignia's introduction that Saturn would receive the mid-size sedan, with that brand's future in doubt, GM may be trying to leverage more of its European assets in the States.
Gallery: Opel / Vauxhall Insignia
[Source: Detroit Free Press]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Seminole 3:35PM (3/12/2009)
How would this fit in with the CTS? Despite it being AWD it still seems to close to the CTS.
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AMcA 8:36PM (3/12/2009)
No, no, it wouldn't be the Cadillac Insignia. Opel uses that name!
It would have to be called the Incimmaron.
James 12:43AM (3/13/2009)
Whoopie!!...a new Cadillac Catera!!...
Wait..What?!
Eric L. 3:37PM (3/12/2009)
This just shows that GM still doesn't get it. I don't mind it becoming a Buick, as having one version of this car for the NA market is a good idea. But why a Cadillac? Haven't customers figured out badge engineering by now? If Cadillac is supposed to GM's performance luxury brand, then why link it to Buick?
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P.V. 5:46PM (3/12/2009)
Exactly. This doesn't belong as a Cadillac. This is exactly why the BLS (in Europe only) is a total failure; even laypeople understand it's a Vectra/9-3 by another name. Bring it as a Buick but ONLY as a Buick; while this is quite a nice car, Cadillac's entry level car should be the Alpha platform car, not another Epsilon car.
By the way, Insignia, LaCrosse, Lucerne? Isn't there too much overlap between the Insignia and LaCrosse?
Eric L. 5:49PM (3/12/2009)
I am pretty sure the Insignia will be called the Lacrosse when it is a Buick.
Pokey 6:17PM (3/12/2009)
blah blah blah blah badge-engineering blah blah blah.......
People people people, there is a BIG difference between badge-engineering and platform sharing.
Apparently YOU are the one who "still doesn't get it".
P.V. 6:14PM (3/12/2009)
You realize that the Insignia and LaCrosse have completely different sheetmetal, drivetrain options, interiors, and dimensions, right? They aren't rebadges of each other. Maybe you confused "Invicta" with "Insignia".
Eric L. 6:20PM (3/12/2009)
Actually the Invicta was the Buick concept car based on the Opel Insignia. The production version will be the Lacrosse I believe.
Brent Malesich 10:47PM (3/12/2009)
@ Eric L.
There is a 2010 LaCrosse coming this summer from Buick as the first car on the Epsillon 2LWB platform. The Insignia is based on the Epsillon 2SWB platform. The Insignia has been approved as the Chinese market Buick Regal and will likely be the Buick Regal in NA. It is smaller than the LaCrosse in length and girth. The 2010 LaCrosse is a gorgeous car... check it out at www.buick.com
eakius 3:37PM (3/12/2009)
Nice photoshop, the rear is a nice change to the hard, drastic lines of the original. The softer lines of the insignia compliment the nose of the CTS in my opinion.
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thomas 1:44AM (3/13/2009)
photoshop job? good.
complimentary details? not so much....
soft lines on the side cant possibly compliment edges as hard as the CTS' up front or out back. i'm hoping this never gets past the speculatory photoshop stage...
Luis 3:39PM (3/12/2009)
Why not just kill Buick? This is GM's problem - 'ooooh, let's take this one car and change it a little, slap a new name on it and fool people'.
GM - you're not fooling anyone. It's time to grow up, shed the fat and get rid of antiquated business plans and dealer networks. The only way to do this cheaply is in bankruptcy court.
GM: Chevy, Cadillac, GMC (for commercial applications only). That's all they need.
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Slizzo 3:42PM (3/12/2009)
With that thinking, why not kill Infiniti, or Lexus? Or Acura?
How about Mercury, Lincoln, certain Dodge models, on and on and on?
And I still say keep Pontiac around. Performance for the every-day man. And it's more cost-effective to keep around what they're keeping than it is to shutter other brands. Dealer licensing agreements see to this (Read: Oldsmobile shut-down).
Serge 3:45PM (3/12/2009)
I don't think you're right. Buick should compete with Lexus in the calm-luxury-cruiser category, there is a big market for cars like the 2010 LaCrosse. Cadillac should remain the sport-luxury category: competing with BMW, MB, Audi and Infiniti. If GM could pull off the STS/DTS and BLS replacements as well as the CTS/CTS-V, they're all set!
Eric L. 5:57PM (3/12/2009)
Slizzo - actually that thinking about Acura and Lexus isn't quite the same. Lexus and Acura are the upscale versions of vehicles from Honda/Toyota but they also have some unique vehicles with different powertrains too. What the Insignia being spread across GM's lines would be doing is basically selling the same rebadged car to almost the same market. I can understand an Episilon 2 version as a Chevy Malibu/Impala and *one* upscale version (since is FWD, make it a Buick) but not two upscale versions. If they want to make it sporty, offer a sport package like Lexus and BMW do, but not two brands. The Dodge/Chrysler comparison doesn't work either. If Chrysler was significantly more luxurious than Dodge and offered superior powertrains, then ok, but they don't - they are just rebadged vehicles. One cannot say the same about the Japanese mainstream and upscale brands - same platform yes, rebadged no.
PJ 11:21PM (3/12/2009)
Slizzo,
ToMoCo commands a similar share of the market to GM, and they split it among three divisions: Toyota, Lexus, and Scion. Compare that to GM's eight divisions (and compare profit/loss margins, too--they're not unrelated).
Cadillac already plays to the softer edge of the sport-luxury segment dominated by BMW. The CTS, good as it is, trades some agility for more size for the money. Same applies to the STS. Buick will become irrelevant in the next 10 years as the target market turns in their licenses.
When GM owned over a third of the market (1950s-1970s), they could afford to spread their products over so many brands. Instead of paring fat as they lost market share, they added three brands (Saab, Saturn, Hummer). Now they've backed themselves into a corner where they can't afford to kill divisions outright, but are bleeding to death trying to keep them all alive. Next stop: Chapter 11.
JGuan 3:39PM (3/12/2009)
Cadillac's nose is way to sharp and angular for the Insignia's body
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jc 6:31PM (3/12/2009)
I agree.the lines on the Insignia flow beautifully.Like they were meant to be.I see an opportunity to remove some design clutter and maybe add a few upscale touches but I wouldn't graft those sharp design elements from the CTS's front end onto the Insignia it'll look contrived and out of sorts.
The Insignia looks upscale if they just refined it more they'd have a real knockout.
teamkitty 3:40PM (3/12/2009)
GM, you might as well make the Caddy Spark/Beat/Cimmeron while your at it. I hope this is just Mark Phalen making sh!t up again.
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