(08:30 Dec. 15, 2003)
A Cadillac Cunningham? Lutz aiming to place Cadillac on top of luxury heap
By AUTOWEEK

ONE OF GENERAL Motors vice chairman Bob Lutz’s goals is to return Cadillac to the top of the luxury car heap. Not necessarily in terms of sales, Lutz told AutoWeek, but certainly in terms of prestige.

The beginning of the ascent, according to Lutz, could be a car codenamed ULS, or Ultra Luxury Sedan. GM is looking at developing a big sedan that would come in three model ranges: a V8, a high-performance V8, and a V12. Lutz said prices would start around $80,000, moving up to $120,000 and, at the top, $300,000, where a salesman would come to your office to help you pick out the wood, leather and other options.

Lutz’s desire to create a world-class American supercar is no secret. Past projects include the ill-fated effort to build a V12-powered Cunningham C7 grand tourer, and last January’s Detroit show stopper, the 1000-hp V16-engined Cadillac Sixteen.

Lutz said he believes only Cadillac and Lexus are poised to continue to be true luxury brands. Because all Mercedes and BMWs must wear the luxury badge, customers are beginning to no longer associate true luxury with those brands, Lutz says. That’s why Mercedes had to invent Maybach, he notes.

In addition, Lutz says, only GM and Toyota can afford to spread the engineering costs for luxury cars across an entire range of vehicles.

Lutz foresees a rising Cadillac fighting it out with Lexus for high-end buyers—not in total sales, but in terms of cachet. Lutz says he’d be happy if Cadillac general manager Mark LaNeve never again had to talk about being the luxury car sales leader. Instead, Lutz wants LaNeve talking about selling the best luxury cars. —ROGER HART & WES RAYNAL

http://autoweek.com/cat_conten...61946
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I saw this discussion here: http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1153152

This is quite interesting, however, I disagree in the respects of Cadillac and BMW. Cadillac has launched a few exciting products lately such as the CTS and Escalade but I believe BMW still dominates the luxury sport niche and despite numerous attempts no other automaker has been able to replicate (although certain brands such as Audi have come close) BMW's "driving soul". Cadillac has vastly improved over the past few years in areas of product design and quality, but I still don't think it has proven to be a "worthy" contender in the current luxury market.

Perhaps only time will tell....

 

He has some interesting points and I believe that if BMW, with their current and future bodystyles only had Lexus powered engines to power them along with their current reliability, they would be in a heap of trouble. Lexus has decent power but great styling and near perfect reliability so everything is pretty much a trade off. MB, now that it is backed by Chrysler has such a slim chance of going anywhere soon. Even if sales dropped for some reason and there was nothing else mercedes could do, Chrysler could still ween them back to life using many techniques and all their money they have. For Cadillac I do see them making some big moves and within 5 years the persepective on them will be greatly changed and although I still don't think they will be BMW/MB/Lexus level, they will pass Infiniti, Lincoln etc and be a reputable, respectable, American luxury car company like they were back in the day.

James

 

they've got a very long way to go... their cars are still crap to me; made out of cheap GM plastic and their styling is far too gawdy for them to be a luxury brand with any kind of competition to the name of BMW, Mercedes, or Lexus... i still havent seen one i'm impressed with yet...

Infiniti is not a luxury marque; its a sports-lux... and when the new GTR comes out in 2007, it'll have its claim to fame (not coming up with that number, i've heard it quoted from several different unrelated people)

 

Lutz is no dummy, he has always been a visionary I would think he may be kind of right.

How was the Lexus brand regarded 10 years ago compared to what it is now?

 

as affordable, stylish, reliable luxury vehicles

same as it is today... remember back then there was no one else... Mercedes all looked like boxes on wheels along with BMWs... and the Acuras were nothing but dressed up accords with sub-par interior quality (for a luxury car anyway)

 

I agree with much of what you say...with some exceptions. BMW is going to be a has-been very soon, thanks to Chris Bangle's awkward designs and BMW management (thought they are still too stubborn to admit it). Mercedes-Benz is still popular but the word is getting out about their deterioration in build quality....their future is going to be iffy. Lexus always did and still builds excellent cars....as does Infiniti.
Acura has good quality but, except for the RSX, big marketing problems. Cadillac is solving its marketing problems and senior-citizen-only image but has a way to go in the quality of its interiors and fit-and-finish. In fact, I sat on a focus marketing group for the CTS and pointed that out...the cheap interior plastics. GM is addressing this somewhat in the CTS Type V next year. This will be a banner car for GM, but not as much a the GTO....which you can also thank Bob Lutz for.

 

I think he has some valid points. Although, I think it will be very hard in the next few years for any brand to gain the type of clout and prestige that the name Mercedes-Benz carries. I think Cadillac is just trying too hard. They're new designs may be innovative, but as many people have pointed out, they are still built with cheap-feeling materials. I believe the Escalade's biggest problem is its interior. It still just looks like a yukon or tahoe from the inside with a couple logo's stamped here and there. Its only saving grace was that hip-hop artists made it the thing to want. I believe Cadillac needs to seperate all of its models as far from the rest of the GM lineup as it can inorder to regain any territory in the luxury niche. They have some serious ground to make up with the germans and japanese.
While all of us on this site here are sold on Lexus, a good portion of the public is not. Many people still view the Lexus designs as bland an unemotional. Granted, Lexus is obviously doing something right looking at the sales figures, many of the european enthusiasts still won't acknowledge Lexus as a true luxury car. But yes, I can see MB and BMW getting into trouble as the next few years go by. I am very interested to see where Infiniti goes though... they make great cars, and they have definetely changed their image thanks to the G35 and FX. Hopefully the upcoming Q and M models in the next several years will have the same great styling and enjoy the same success.

 

First, Cadillac must match or exceed Lexus in quality and reliability. In addition, the styling of the new Cadillac vehicles are just not my taste. $80K - $300K for a Cadillac, no thanks!!!

 

I for one don't doubt it...

Lexus and Cadillac are continuosly improving on already nice cars without all the electrical engineering woes of Benz & Bimmer. Not to mention the FACT that you get MUCH more ameneties and just as good service (if not better) from L & C. And of course there is "Price Point" where there is no comparisson. Obviously the Rich & Affluent will always have the "Status Symbols" and what not, but in terms of PRODUCT, they have been losing for a while...Except in the PERFORMANCE segment.