Why is the Cadillac CTS Coupe important?

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 June 2011 CTS, SRX Sales Doing it Right

Cadillac CTS sales held at over 4K for June, just surpassing Cadillac SRX sales of 3,951 for the month.  With the overall change in model mix total sales were down for June by 11%.  Retail sales increased by 5%, but this increase was offset by planned reductions in lower margin rental sales.

DTS sales are in close-out mode; the XTS is in my mind overdue for its showroom appearance, and won’t be along until next Spring.  The last few XLR and STS models are also finding happy owners.  Escalade sales continue to show effects of high fuel prices.

Overall situationally a good sales month for Cadillac.

Sales Details:


June
(Calendar Year-to-Date)

January – June

2011 2010 % Chg Volume %Chg per S/D
2011 2010 %Chg Volume
Selling Days (S/D) 26 25





CTS 4,198 4,193 0.1 -3.7
27,005 19,085 41.5
DTS 879 1,591 -44.8 -46.9
8,738 9,014 -3.1
Escalade 957 1,008 -5.1 -8.7
6,945 7,514 -7.6
Escalade ESV 577 607 -4.9 -8.6
3,797 3,388 12.1
Escalade EXT 142 147 -3.4 -7.1
896 813 10.2
SRX 3,951 3,804 3.9 -0.1
26,200 22,655 15.6
STS 147 409 -64.1 -65.4
2,529 2,145 17.9
XLR 9 29 -69.0 -70.2
12 171 -93.0
Cadillac Total 10,860 11,788 -7.9 -11.4
76,122 64,785 17.5

Press Release Summary:

Cadillac: Cadillac reported total sales of 10,860 for June, an 8-percent decrease versus last June due to planned reductions in sales to rental accounts. For the month, retail sales increased 5 percent. June was the 17th consecutive month of year-over-year retail sales gains. CTS retail sales continued to be brisk – up 16 percent – driven by the popular CTS Coupe. For the year-to-date, Cadillac total sales are up 18 percent to 76,122 (read more).

Cadillac Sales up 54% May 2010

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.