Why is the Cadillac CTS Coupe important?

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Cadillac pointed out earlier this month that the Cadillac CTS Coupe is selling well.  It has a 27% take rate in the CTS Family, which is well above the industry average of 9% for a coupe model.

A Cadillac is a luxury vehicle, but it is also used by people who have practical needs in their choice of transportation.  One might expect that the Cadillac Buyer has a bit more latitude in choices available to them.   I agree however that the higher take rate for the CTS Coupe is remarkable, if not unexpected.  The CTS Coupe is literally rolling art.  If there are compromises in the design, they were taken in the function, not the form.  The dual central rear exhaust is beautiful.  I am sure it is functional as well, but certainly probably not ideal for exhaust flow.  The rear seating comfort suffers dramatically for the Coupe over the CTS Sedan.

But the CTS Coupe is an important vehicle for Cadillac.

The Cadillac CTS Coupe reminds Team Cadillac and we the Cadillac buying public what Cadillac is supposed to be about — what the core values for Cadillac are:  Beauty, Performance, Advanced Technology.    Cadillac models should take your breath away when you see them on the street.   They are premium models carefully engineered to be aspirational and achieve a luxury performance contact and contract with that young entrepreneur, artist, or business person who can afford one.

 

Cadillac ATS-2T4 or ATS-2T6?

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The powerplant rumor mill for the upcoming Cadillac ATS is now in full swing.  The original favorite was the 3L V6 for around 270hp.  This engine was mostly dropped from the Cadillac line, being supplanted by a variant of the 3.6L V6 in the SRX where it makes 304 hp.  The 3L is still the ‘standard’ engine in the CTS.

The export version of the ATS will likely have the new 2.5L Ecotec 4 cylinder for 190 hp.  The base engine for the US market Cadillac ATS may be a 2L Turbo 4-cylinder making 270-290 hp (2-T4 for twin-turbo 4 cylinder?)  An upcoming twin-turbo 3L or 3.6L V6 perhaps making around 400-425 hp may be the either the Premium ATS engine, or perhaps reserved to the ATS-V, (2T-6 for Twin Turbo 6 cylinder?)

I would still like to see an LSX V-8 variant of the ATS as the ATS-V, with 450+ hp.  So I am hoping that the twin-turbo V6 is the premium powerplant.  A lot will depend on the shipping weight for the ATS as to what engine at what power output works well for the new Sports Sedan.  The target is BMW 3-Series performance, so unless the weight comes in at the same point as the 3-Series then the engines will need to rev up to compensate.

The price point will also be interesting; the standard Cadillac ATS needs to arrive as a beautiful, athletic package at under $30K if it is going to be successful in hitting 3-Series sales levels.

Cadillac CTS and SRX sales up 22%+ in Sept 2011

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Cadillac CTS and SRX sales continue to shine, at over 4500 of each sold in September.  CTS sales were up 24% and SRX sales were up 22% compared to 2010.  The last of the DTS model are clearing the lot, hopefully reaching homes of the people who love that model.  Cadillac continues to make strong numbers while avoiding lower margin fleet sales.

Total Cadillac sales for the month were flat with last year, but strengthened sales of key models bodes well for Cadillac when the DTS-replacing XTS arrives this summer, and the volume-leading ATS arrives in the Fall.


 September
(Calendar Year-to-Date)

January – September

2011 2010 % Chg Volume %Chg per S/D
2011 2010 %Chg Volume
Selling Days (S/D) 25 25






CTS 4,663 3,760 24.0 24.0
41,900 32,516 28.9
DTS 583 1,870 -68.8 -68.8
10,755 13,987 -23.1
Escalade 1,527 1,211 26.1 26.1
10,491 11,053 -5.1
Escalade ESV 713 824 -13.5 -13.5
5,770 5,698 1.3
Escalade EXT 174 180 -3.3 -3.3
1,415 1,376 2.8
SRX 4,901 4,027 21.7 21.7
39,861 36,730 8.5
STS 180 745 -75.8 -75.8
2,986 3,473 -14.0
XLR 0 3 ***.* ***.*
12 180 -93.3
Cadillac Total 12,741 12,620 1.0 1.0
113,190 105,013 7.8

Summary:  Good numbers for CTS & SRX.  Escalade recovering a bit.   New 0% financing offers may help strong sales for Oct.

Release Summary:

Cadillac : Combined sales of the Cadillac CTS sedan, coupe and wagon increased 24 percent compared with September 2010. In addition, the Cadillac SRX was up 22 percent. Cadillac reduced its fleet sales by 54 percent.