Cadillac launches two new models and expanding its dealer network in Europe to once again push the sales in the region controlled by premium rivals such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi. However, the updated target European sales of the luxury brand General Motors is relatively modest, compared with the latest plans, which, however, failed to achieve.
In 2006, GM has predicted that they will be able to sell 20,000 Cadillac a year in the region by 2010, significantly increasing sales 2,019 machines in 2005. Cadillac Then made a major bet on its the BLS mid-size sedan on the basis of the Saab 9-3, the BLS, however, was a failure.
Now Cadillac is going to reach annual sales of 5,000 cars in Europe by the end of the decade. The forecast includes the sports cars GM: the Corvette and Camaro in Europe are sold by Cadillac dealers. Last year GM sold in Europe 1,131 models Corvette and Camaro and only 579 Cadillac-s.
Leading “product offensive” of the brand will be a large sedan, CT6, the new flagship model of the brand, and the mid-size crossover XT5 comes to replace the SRX.
“We wish to achieve the natural growth,” says Barnabas Vincze, Manager of advanced planning and product marketing Cadillac in Europe.
The key to such growth is the dealer network of the brand, he said. “We sell in 12 European countries. Certain countries have only one dealer. This is an incorrect basis for business.”
Cadillac is struggling in Europe with the big German premium trio of BMW, Mercedes and Audi, which, together, accounted for 85 per cent of the premium market in the region.
Vincze said that Cadillac in the region will remain a niche brand.
So Cadillac is not the diesel models, despite their high popularity among buyers of premium European. On diesels account for about half of prodanovich cars in Europe, and in some premium segments, they account for an even greater part.
Also Cadillac does not produce right-hand drive versions to sell them in the UK, auotmobiles the second largest market in Europe after Germany. Right now the largest for the brand are three of the European market, Germany, Switzerland and Sweden.
“Unconventional alternative”
Cadillac executives say the goal of the brand is to attract European buyers offering well-equipped petrol cars positioned as a model with a good ratio quality/price, which is non-standard alternative for wealthy urban buyers, not just to ride something different from German premium models.
The future Cadillac will benefit from improved efficiency, so that the brand will be able to compete with dominant market diesels, said Vincze, without going into details.
Model CT6 and XT5 will go on sale in Europe since 5 September. Sedan CT6 will cost in the range of up to 73,500 94,500 euros in Germany. The price of the XT5 crossover will be between and 48,800 66,800 euros.
According to sources close to GM, CT6 will be available also in the version of the plug-in hybrid.
Currently, the most fuel-efficient engine Cadillac offered in Europe is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo engine offered in the sedans ATS and CTS. Now there is no plans to adapt this engine to CT6 or XT5, which use gasoline engines V-6, said Vincze.
GM established a new European division, which shall promote and distribute their cars. The former importer of the brand, Kroymans, closed in 2009.
A new Chapter in Europe, Felix Weller, to commence work in September. Weller was head of sales and marketing for Cadillac in the middle East, and before that worked at Audi and Mercedes in sales and dealer strategy.
