100_0719, originally uploaded by bwnunnally.
Low Camera skills combined with reflective Cadillacs
Here is a slideshow of the other shots I grabbed on the Kodak:
Unintentional Self-Portrait at the CTS-V Challenge
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Category Archives: Cadillac Models
October 2009 Cadillac Sales — Strong for SUVs
The 2009 October numbers for Cadillac look challenging for cars, and very good for Cadillac SUVs. The DTS sales were up for the month, so let’s lead with a DTS photo:
TexasJim's 2006 DTS Performance Sedan © Bruce W. Nunnally
Here are the production numbers just for Cadillac:
| October | (Calendar Year-to-Date) | ||||||||
| January – October | |||||||||
| Cars | 2009 | 2008 | % Chg Volume | %Chg per S/D | 2009 | 2008 | %Chg Volume | ||
| Selling Days (S/D) | 28 | 27 | 28 | 27 | |||||
| CTS | 2921 | 3997 | -26.9 | -29.5 | 31932 | 51476 | -38 | ||
| DTS | 1896 | 1590 | 19.2 | 15 | 14021 | 27380 | -48.8 | ||
| STS | 355 | 632 | -43.8 | -45.8 | 5398 | 13253 | -59.3 | ||
| XLR | 49 | 52 | -5.8 | -9.1 | 689 | 1091 | -36.8 | ||
| Cadillac Total | 5221 | 6271 | -16.7 | -19.7 | 52040 | 93200 | -44.2 | ||
| Trucks | |||||||||
| Escalade | 2127 | 1556 | 36.7 | 31.8 | 13118 | 19275 | -31.9 | ||
| Escalade ESV | 599 | 533 | 12.4 | 8.4 | 5206 | 9076 | -42.6 | ||
| Escalade EXT | 178 | 265 | -32.8 | -35.2 | 2015 | 3779 | -46.7 | ||
| SRX | 3477 | 916 | 279.6 | 266 | 12247 | 13779 | -11.1 | ||
| Cadillac Total | 6381 | 3270 | 95.1 | 88.2 | 32586 | 45909 | -29 | ||
The good news is that the SRX sales are blooming. Cadillac has a good hit on their hands and is playing to the right audience with this new model. The Escalade Full-size SUV is also doing well. This likely reflects the current moderate fuel prices, since SUV sales suffer with high fuel prices. Overall truck sales are up 88% over the same month last year.
© GM Corp
The bad news is the CTS sales are down. This is especially disappointing as it includes CTS Sport Wagon numbers, since the Sport Wagon is in Dealer showrooms now. DTS sales are up 15%, which brings overall Cadillac car sales to only 20% behind last year. The STS and XLR are both on their way out of production.
So Cadillac sold 1,050 fewer cars, and 3,111 additional trucks in Oct, 2009 compared to Oct, 2008, or a total of 2,061 more vehicles this year than last year for the month of October. Overall that seems a good result. If the SRX is siphoning some CTS sales that’s fine, as long as the overall sales numbers for Cadillac grow, which they have, increasing by 22% compared to last October.
Comparative BMW October sales by model: [Reuters]
Sales BMW of North America, LLC, October 2009
Oct. Oct. YTD Oct. YTD Oct.
09 08 % 09 08 %
1 Series 501 1,173 -57.3% 9,453 10,453 -9.6%
3 Series 8,239 9,059 -9.1% 75,459 97,329 -22.5%
Z4 486 455 6.8% 2,792 5,464 -48.9%
5 Series 3,043 3,958 -23.1% 32,733 39,289 -16.7%
6 Series 152 454 -66.5% 3,207 5,627 -43.0%
7 Series 1,209 1,096 10.3% 7,159 11,021 -35.0%
BMW passenger cars 13,630 16,195 -15.8% 130,803 169,183 -22.7%
------------------ ------ ------ ----- ------- ------- -----
X3 182 1,294 -85.9% 5,280 15,914 -66.8%
X5 2,137 2,358 -9.4% 20,787 27,021 -23.1%
X6 494 356 38.8% 3,796 3,718 2.1%
BMW light trucks
(SAVs) 2,813 4,008 -29.8% 29,863 46,653 -36.0%
---------------- ----- ----- ----- ------ ------ -----
BMW brand 16,443 20,203 -18.6% 160,666 215,836 -25.6%
--------- ------ ------ ----- ------- ------- -----
Cooper /S Hardtop 2,309 3,539 -34.8% 24,248 31,226 -22.3%
Cooper /S
Convertible 465 62 650.0% 5,395 4,760 13.3%
Cooper /S Clubman 1,402 1,671 -16.1% 9,529 9,980 -4.5%
MINI brand 4,176 5,272 -20.8% 39,172 45,966 -14.8%
---------- ----- ----- ----- ------ ------ -----
TOTAL BMW of North
America, LLC 20,619 25,475 -19.1% 199,838 261,802 -23.7%
------------------ ------ ------ ----- ------- ------- -----
The SRX outsold the BMW X-CUV's 3,477 to 2,813 vehicles.
The CTS has to get numbers competitive with the 3-Series.
BMW total sales for Oct of 16,443 vehicles surpassed
Cadillac Oct sales of 11,602 vehicles.
In the United States, October was the best month of the year so far for Mercedes-Benz.
Sales bucked the general market trend, rising by 21 percent to 18,200 units
(October 2008: 15,000).
Cadillac CTS 3L V6 vs BMW 328 3L I6
A lot of focus last week on the CTS-V Challenge with the Cadillac CTS-V racing vs the BMW M3 and M5. That was a terrifically fun event. But where the rubber meets the road between BMW and Cadillac is how their front line sedans and cross-overs compare, since this is where the sales are. The CTS-V, M3, and M5 are all terrific, but none of them will sell in big numbers.
The BMW 3 Series is the 328, with a 230hp, 3L V6 starting at $34K, and the 335 with a 3L Turbo for 300hp starting at $41,675.
The Cadillac CTS comes in base model with a 270 hp 3L Direct Injected V6 starting at $36,730, and a 304hp 3.6L Direct Injected V6 starting at $44,365.
So, let’s compare the 3L CTS with the BMW 328.
You can see a side-by-side comparison by stat by an independent firm (Polk) on the Cadillac site here.
Big picture:
- Both are sporty.
- The Cadillac is roomier, the BMW is lighter.
- They cost about the same, equally equipped. Real world prices on the CTS may be somewhat less than the BMW.
- The Cadillac has a longer warranty.
- Cadillac quality and reliability has been higher than BMW quality and reliability in initial and 4-year surveys.
Speaking of the Engines, how do they compare?
The 3.0L direct injected DOHC V6 in the CTS is a new engine called the LF1. It is a new, efficient member of the Premium V6 family that the other Cadillac V6, the LLT 3.6L Direct Injection engine belongs to. The graph below shows the engine dyno for the Cadillac LF1 3L V6:
Cadillac likely could have gotten a bit more HP out of the 3L engine, but it was clearly tuned for a very flat torque curve. That provides for ready acceleration in real-world use.
The BMW 328 makes 230 hp from an inline 6 cylinder:
Our inline six engine offers smooth power, greater acceleration and 200 lb-ft of torque at at 2750 rpms. A number of pioneering technologies make it possible. An electronically controlled water pump helps increase power output. Our patented Valvetronic system offers better fuel efficiency. And to save weight, we used a groundbreaking innovation that BMW was the first to use in a production car – an engine block made of a lightweight composite magnesium/aluminum.
The engines appear to have a similar peak torque, although the Cadillac is 15% higher. The Cadillac also enjoys 17% more Horsepower.