With around 34% of the world's population driving on the left hand side of the road, in countries like the United Kingdom, Australia, India and Japan, any automaker that aspires to go global needs to produce right-hand drive (RHD) vehicles.
With only a few exceptions like the fifth generation Seville (built from 1998 to 2004), Cadillac has for the most part shied away from RHD markets. But this is about to change as the wreath and crest brand is getting more serious about increasing its presence in markets outside of North America.
Aside from the product presentations like the new BMW 3-Series rivaling ATS sedan that will eventually be offered with a diesel option as well, Cadillac is also getting ready to introduce right-hand drive models.
“We’re geared up for right-hand drive now. We’re working on it," says General Motors marketing chief Joel Ewanick, according to a report from Autocar magazine.
One of the first models to get a RHD version will be the Cadillac CTS-V that sports a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine with 556-horses.
Ewanick also reiterated Cadillac's newly found commitment to global markets during the interview.
“There wasn’t a commitment to the product before and we didn’t design cars to the market demands,” he said. “The Germans do this very well. There is now a full resource commitment and a vision to get this right. Bankruptcy refocused GM.”
But it's not all good news for Cadillac fans as when asked about the well-received Ciel Concept shown at Pebble Beach last summer, Ewanick said that it's not among the company's top priorities:
“The Ciel reaction was very good. But we’ve got lots of other Cadillacs to do. It’s the busiest time in our history for all our GM brands. It was a strategic time to introduce a luxury concept to the brand, but you need to remember where we are with Cadillac at the moment; the Ciel is a much higher type of luxury.”
12 Comments:
don't bother, oversize ugly American cars don't fit in country like the U.K.
Thats what you think, sir.
That's the thing, they aren't oversized barges.
Like others have said, this automobile is not large. I have to say to say that if I were to import the automobile embodiment of what America is best know for this would likely be one of my choices. It's an automobile were the horsepower was increased via shoehorn accompanied by a large V8. Not the most eco-conscious automobile, but as the world changes, probably the last of the V8 Mohicans to traverse our shores, and now others.
Ignorance is bliss. The US built Cadillac CTS-V will crush all its competition with brute force especially UK cars. Oh that's right, the UK really doesn't even own its car industry - foreigners are at the helm of nearly all of their brands. The Cadillac coupe is indeed handsome and well proportioned - far from oversized. Educate yourself before posting.
Now be realisitic. The CTS is okay, but it's not going to make a dent in the UK; especally when Cadillac is still unfairly assoctiated with its past of chrome boats.
In V trim, the CTS is fantastic, but don't expect it to unseat the perennial favourites.
I agree, but at least it is a decent starting point. Don't forget it took decades of polishing the brand for Audi to get to the place it is and the reality is outside the U.S market Cadillac is starting from zero. Even if it is as good as promised ( and every new Cadillac as long as I can remember has been a "World Beater) it has to get past major image problems
If Cadillac are going to re-approach the UK, it won't be the cars that will make a lasting dent, but rather a decently funded after-sales service network. After a heavily flawed effort to expand the UK network post 2004 GM is back to the same point from 14yrs ago, with one new sales dealer for the whole of the UK!
GM to date still offer the second gen CTS in RHD in the UK, but just don't sell a single one. If GM are to get this right, take notes from Nissan and its brand new UK Infinity network. Where money has been spent TODAY to establish a high quality after sales network for the long term future. GM, product commitment is worthless without service commitment too.
FYI Carscoop; Cadillac UK figures - CTS sedan gen 1 (2.8 & 3.6) available in RHD 05-07, sold an estimated 155 units. CTS sedan gen 2 (2.8 & 3.6) available in RHD since 08, sold an estimated 120 units. STS (4.6) available in RHD 98-04, sold and estimated 400 units. STS (3.6 & 4.6) available in RHD 08-10, sold an estimated 40 units with less than 5 units being V8.
Well to hell with the UK then! In South Africa, with only seven Caddy dealers selling RHD Caddys, and almost zero advertising or brand awareness, Caddy sold 380 cars in 2008 (307 BLS, 20 STS V-8, 31 SRX 3.6, 23 CTS 3.6) and in 2009 after the financial collapse and Cadillac’s decision to withdraw from South Africa and the end of BLS supplies (they stopped production in June 2009) they still sold 150 Caddys (72 CTS 3.6, 19 STS V-8, 27 SRX 3.6 and 35 BLS). Instead of bothering with the CTS-V Caddy should focus on making the CTS coupe RHD as well as the SRX and XTS. Then build up a dealer network in countries which would give caddy a chance - ie outside the arrogant and sanctimonious UK. Try South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Japan (they have a small presence there already). That would create demand sufficient to justify a RHD program, and then the number of RHD counties in which caddy has a presence can be increased.
Just like GM you easily miss the point.
That is to say the UK market is an important market (dare I
say arguably more important than ZA, AU, NZ and JP), so GM treat it
as one and give Caddy a chance. Infinity have shifted in excess of an estimated
400 units over the last two years since launch, while fighting economic
stagnation and have even less brand recognition than Caddy. Purely on the
back of proper investment in dealers UPFRONT, and a couple of easily missed
tiny magazine campaigns.
I didn't even include BLS sales in the UK (which totalled an estimated
740, 06-11). The reason I didn't include them is because that was really a Saab
effort, rather than a Caddy one. Although I did genuinely forget the
SRX (3.6 & 4.6) available in RHD 07-08, sold an estimated 55 with around 7
with the V8.
After 14yrs, including a genuine economic boom, what do GM have to show
for it? 1 Caddy dealer, and a little over a 1250 owners (cars still on the
road) with no local after-sales service.
First refocus on yourself Shoddylack.
I agree. Audi didn't get where it is overnight, and to their credit the long road to being included in the "German 3" needed a combination of product, marketing, service, and public image.
Part of me wants to see Cadillac rise to such heights, but I know it's not something that will happen unless GM drops loads of money into Cadillac's overseas operations. At present, a RHD model is good, but not good enough.
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