Cadillac Sales up 54% May 2010

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Cadillac Sales were up nicely for May 2010.  Cadillac SRX sales topped 4K per month, up a bit from 3,904 in April, and of course far ahead of the previous SRX.  CTS Sales were somewhat improved at 3,489 vs 3,278 in April, and well improved over 2,914 in May of 2009.  Cadillac DTS sales were also up, selling 2,263 versus 1,785 last month or 1,520 in May of last year.  Overall a good month for Cadillac; a larger version of the results chart can be viewed by clicking on the chart.

You can find monthly sales reports posts and comments in the Monthly Sales Reports category.

Cadillac total sales rise 54 percent in May led by SRX, CTS

DETROIT – Cadillac reported today U.S. total sales for May of 12,328, a 54 percent increase compared to the same month last year and the fourth consecutive month of year-over-year increases.  For the calendar year, Cadillac total sales were up 32 percent over last year.

Cadillac posted its best month of the year for both retail and total sales volume.

Cadillac’s retail sales for May, compared to May 2009, increased more than 100 percent in the Miami, Atlanta, San Diego, Pittsburgh and Detroit area markets.

SRX sales rose 654 percent for May, compared to the same month last year, for its ninth straight month of triple-digit percentage total sales increases.  Redesigned for the 2010 model year, the SRX mid-size luxury crossover had its best month of the year.

CTS total sales rose 20 percent in May, recording its highest total sales volume since December of 2009.  The results come as Cadillac prepares for the launch of the CTS Coupe in August. The Coupe will join the CTS Sport Sedan and CTS Sport Wagon to expand the award-winning CTS line.

“Cadillac is getting stronger as the year progresses,” said Kurt McNeil, U.S. vice president of Cadillac sales. “SRX has quickly become a leader among mid-size luxury crossovers. CTS Coupe will put Cadillac design and performance in a dramatic form that’s expected to attract new luxury car buyers to the brand.”

Car and Driver magazine recently named CTS to its “10 Best Cars” list for the third straight year.  Cadillac also took top honors for the third straight year in the 2010 AutoPacific Vehicle Satisfaction Awards, which use feedback from new car and truck owners to rank vehicles and brands. Escalade ranked first in the Luxury Sport Utility Vehicle category of the AutoPacific awards.

Chevrolet-Buick-GMC-Cadillac Post 32 Percent Sales Increase in May

• Fifth Consecutive Month of Double-Digit Combined Sales Gains for GM’s Four Brands
• Calendar-Year-to-Date Sales for GM’s Four Brands are up 31 Percent
• GM Crossovers Sales Are up 81 Percent Year-to-Date

DETROIT – For the fifth straight month, Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac together posted a double digit sales gain, with combined sales increasing 32 percent over last May. Year-to-date sales for GM’s four brands have risen 31 percent to 874,749 units – an increase of 206,994 units compared to last year, which is almost twice the volume lost from brands the company has discontinued.

According to Steve Carlisle, vice president, U.S. Sales Operations, GM’s brands have outperformed the market this year on the strength of the company’s newest products. Year-to-date, combined sales of the Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Camaro, Buick LaCrosse and Regal, GMC Terrain and Cadillac SRX and CTS Wagon are up 323 percent.

“Each of our brands has new products that are being received well by customers. In fact, these new vehicles now account for about one in every four retail sales in the U.S.,” said Carlisle. “With each brand launching new vehicles in the next few months, we are optimistic about the remainder of the year.”

Since 2005, crossover sales as a percentage of industry sales have almost doubled. During the same time, sales of GM’s crossovers as a percentage of the company’s sales have more than tripled. May sales of GM’s crossovers – Chevrolet Equinox, HHR and Traverse; Buick Enclave, GMC Terrain and Acadia; and Cadillac SRX – were up 83 percent compared to May 2009, and are up 81 percent year-to-date. Through May, GM leads all automakers in total crossover sales.

According to Carlisle, the company’s crossover growth is an example of its ability to quickly adapt to shifts in the marketplace. “We’re a much leaner and more agile company today and can take advantage of movements in consumer tastes,” said Carlisle.

Chevrolet dealers reported sales of 167,235 – 31 percent higher than May, 2009. Retail sales for the brand were 19 percent higher for the month. Retail sales for Chevrolet’s popular full-size pickups, Silverado and Avalanche, increased 14 percent, while retail sales for the Suburban rose 73 percent. The Chevrolet Silverado, Equinox, Traverse, Avalanche, Malibu and Camaro all posted year-over-year retail sales increases of 10 percent or more (read more)

Buick sales rose 37 percent for the month to 12,582 – the eighth consecutive month of double digit year-over-year sales increases led by the LaCrosse and Enclave. Retail sales for Buick rose 46 percent during May. Buick LaCrosse retail sales increased 191 percent for the month. Year-to-date sales of the LaCrosse have increased 162 percent (read more)

GMC sales of 30,160 were 26 percent higher than last year, while retail sales for the brand were up 37 percent. Retail sales of the GMC Terrain continued to gain momentum, with sales increasing 350 percent for the year-to-date (read more)

Cadillac sales increased 54 percent to 12,328, while retail sales improved 43 percent for the month. CTS retail sales improved 7 percent for the month, and year-to-date sales of the SRX are 439 percent higher than a year ago

Month-end dealer inventory in the U.S. stood at about 408,000 units, which is about 22,000 lower compared to April 2010, and about 267,000 lower than May 2009.

May Key Facts:

  • Eighth Consecutive Month of Combined Sales Gains for GM’s Four Brands
  • Chevrolet: Total sales up 31 percent compared to a year ago; retail sales up 19 percent; Chevrolet Equinox retail sales increased 228 percent; Camaro retail sales continued to set the pace for the sport segment with 8,402 deliveries; Chevrolet Traverse retail sales were up 11 percent for the month, and are up 10 percent for the year; Silverado retail sales were up 11 percent for the month.
  • Buick: Total sales up 37 percent; retail sales up 46 percent; Buick LaCrosse retail sales rose 191 percent and are up 162 percent for the year; Buick Enclave retail sales rose 14 percent in May and are up 12 percent for the year.
  • GMC: Total sales up 26 percent; retail sales up 37 percent; GMC Terrain retail sales were up 569 percent for the month and 350 percent for the year; GMC Acadia retail sales increased 18 percent for the month and are up 24 percent year-to-date
  • Cadillac: Total sales up 54 percent; retail sales up 43 percent; Cadillac SRX retail sales were up 605 percent for the month and 439 percent for the year; Cadillac CTS had its best month of the year, with retail sales up 7 percent.
  • GM Full-Size Pickups, Full-Size Utilities and Full-Size Luxury Utilities sales rose 17 percent for the month and are up 9 percent year-to-date
  • Fleet sales for GM’s four brands were 83,305 for the month.

The Surprising Result of Test Drives

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Recently I have done weekend test drives of the Cadillac CTS-V, the Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon, the Cadillac Escalade ESV, and the Cadillac SRX 3L.  You can find all of my test drives under the ‘Test Drive‘ tag.

I have enjoyed each vehicle.  A part of testing each vehicle is trying to understand that individual design, what the Design Team had in mind, who the target audience for the vehicle is.    With the Cadillac CTS-V, I fit within the demographic that the team is targeting.   People who want maximum sport, with all the luxury appointments of a Cadillac.   That one was easy for me to ‘get’ and to understand.

The Cadillac Escalade ESV offers amazing space and storage ability, along with 3 rows of seating.  It is a terrific vehicle for when you need to tow, or carry a large family, or frequently carry large items.  It drives well, and is extremely well mannered regardless of size, but especially for a large vehicle.

The Cadillac Sport Wagon offers the feel of the sedan — lower weight, lower center of gravity, more sporty handling — while providing easy access storage space and utility.  The Cadillac Team has carefully engineered the cargo storage and seat configurations with actual uses of the Sport Wagon in mind.

The Cadillac SRX was a real surprise to me.  The inherent goodness of this vehicle is very high.  The package as a whole is delightful.   Integration of a digital display in the dash, along with thoughtful features like folding mirrors and predictive pathing on the back up camera display push this Cadillac very high on my list of desirable vehicles.  Before I drove one, I was pleased that the SRX was selling well for Cadillac, but would never consider it as a daily driver.  After driving one, I not only appreciate why they sell so well, but would consider purchasing one.

And therein lies the interesting side-effect of my test drives.  My palate is expanding.  I have come to appreciate an even wider variety of Cadillac designs and choices.  While I am fond of pointing out that “every Cadillac does not have to be a CTS-V”, now I feel that more than ever.

I have been shopping for a low-mile 2008 Cadillac STS-V as my next vehicle.   Now I plan to consider a low-mile 2009 Cadillac CTS Premium Model as well until the 2009 Cadillac CTS-V prices come down to my budget.  Before I valued the V-series packaging and absolute acceleration/braking/cornering; now I appreciate the balanced packaging of the current Cadillac line.

2010 Cadillac SRX Test Drive — Luxuriant Space, Efficiently Used

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I have a 2010 Cadillac SRX 3.0L Premium Crossover from Crest Cadillac in Plano for a weekend test drive review.  You can find all of my Test Drive reports tagged Test Drive.  All articles regarding the SRX can be found in the SRX category.

The SRX is a larger Crossover inside than you might judge from the outside.  It gets great gas mileage and is a very good size for getting around or parking; it is about the perfect size for a daily driver.  It has plentiful seating room for 4 or 5, and has good space behind the rear seats for groceries, baggage, whatever.

2010 Cadillac SRX inviting front seat room

The interior styling is well done, and consistent with the exterior styling.   My Wife and I both found the seats comfortable.  My Brother had good space in the rear seats, and this makes a good vehicle to carry 4 or 5 adults.

The steering wheel has tilt and telescope, and the gas/brake pedals are adjustable for height.

2010 Cadillac SRX rear seats offer lots of room

The rear seats are very comfortable.  The test car also has the rear entertainment system, which adds video screens on the back of each front seat.  The Premium model has 3-zone climate control, so that the rear passengers get their own climate control options.

Here is a view down from the open Ultraview (double size) sunroof, to give an impression of the plentiful head room:

2010 Cadillac SRX UltraView Looking in

I also shot a couple of pictures with me in the frame (which I try to avoid!) to show fit.  With the driver’s seat adjusted as I normally would without regard for head room, I have about a hand-span of room left in the SRX, so 3-4 inches of extra space.  I am 6’2″ tall, but since proportions differ by individual please use as a general suggestion that there is lots of head room.

2010 Cadillac SRX Headroom Shot

Shoulder space — I have to completely extend my elbow to reach the passenger seat.  So again, I would say there is a lot of shoulder space in the SRX.  We have got to get better models for this type of shot!

2010 Cadillac SRX Shoulder Space

Quick grocery trip — I know this is not a week’s worth of stuff, but you get the idea of the space:

SRX rear cargo space

I love the electric rear lift gate.  As in the Sport Wagon, it is selectable to 3/4 or full height.  In the SRX you can also ‘program’ it to a custom height by showing it the height you need it to open to then storing that height.  Luckily I have no physical problem opening or closing but certainly I prefer opening the rear gate from the remote, or from the door, and simply pressing a button again to have it glide closed.

Also as in the Sport Wagon in this shot you can see the fully adjustable cargo anchor rail system in the floor of the cargo area.  Cadillac has carefully thought this vehicle out so that it has the utility you need.

One feature of the Premium Model SRX is heated and ventilated seats.

2010 Cadillac SRX Ventilated Seat Control

The upper right button controls seat heating, and the lower right button controls seat ventilation.  Each are selectable in 3 settings, low, medium, and high.   The small lights illuminate to show which setting is currently selected.

My Host for this test drive is Crest Cadillac of Plano, Texas.  They are located at 2701 North Central Expressway, Plano, Texas.  You can contact them by phone Toll-free at 1-866-697-9144 or locally at (972)578-7511, or on Twitter or Facebook .  Please let them know you read about the SRX here on CaddyInfo!