Automotive News Late, Wrong On Cadillac XTS De-Livery News

by Mark Stevenson

Published: August 1st, 2015

automotive news late wrong on cadillac xts de livery news

Automotive News reported earlier this month the death of the Cadillac XTS — expected to happen when the new, range-topping CT6 arrived at dealers — has been stayed until 2018 or 2019 thanks to the livery market and sales in China, sourcing “three people familiar with General Motors’ plans.”

Sorry, Mike Colias, but you are about 3-and-a-half months too late and have the narrative all wrong.

The CT6 is the first model in Cadillac’s lineup to sport the brand’s new nomenclature and will also trigger similar changes to other models; the next Cadillac to be renamed will be the Cadillac SRX when the XT5 is introduced later this year.

At the media preview of the CT6, a model widely rumored to be the death knell for the front-wheel drive XTS, I was able to ask Cadillac head honcho Johan de Nysschen exactly what the new CT6 meant for the similarly sized, large, front-wheel-drive sedan.

“Ultimately, a car like XTS when it reaches the end of its lifecycle, will not be replaced,” de Nysschen said of the XTS at the CT6 preview event.

Speaking of the livery market specifically, de Nysschen continued, “We will not have a car that will lend itself to these kind of modifications and we will probably withdrawal from those markets.”

This narrative makes the most sense as Cadillac looks to position itself as a more premium offering against the likes of BMW and Audi. Offering up a model from the Cadillac range for stretch limousine and funeral service would only contribute to prolonging the brand’s image of building vehicles for the Florida snowbird set.

While Automotive News is reporting Cadillac will “XTend” life of its XTS into 2018 or 2019, the fact of the matter is 2019 is the planned end-of-life for the large sedan anyway — and when it dies, Cadillac’s livery business will likely die along with it.

Automotive News does highlight one worry, however, and that’s where the Cadillac XTS will be built after 2016. Currently, the large sedan is built in Oshawa, Ontario, and we all know how secure that facility’s future is these days.

#2019 #Cadillac #Canada #China #Limousine #Livery #Ontario #Oshawa #Production #XTS

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11 of 43 comments

PrincipalDan on Aug 02, 2015

What I really want is a 2010 DTS with a reliable engine.

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- SC5door on Aug 02, 2015
  
  It's called the Buick Lucerne.
  
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- Budda-Boom on Aug 03, 2015
  
  Why? They still had that cheap-feeling FWD every GM car had from the first Citation 'til only a few years ago as these old-gen platforms were replaced. The Sonic I drove last fall felt more planted and solid than any DTS I ever drove. My wife's 2011 Equinox LTZ has a similar solid feel. I'll take the XTS. Or an Impala LTZ w/the 300HP V6 and pocket the difference.
  
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- Corey Lewis on Aug 03, 2015
  
  @Budda-Boom You know I've sort of liked the DTS as well, even in old man white pearl like Dan, with Performance package color key grille. She's a looker in that trim. But getting up close with one at a lot, it all fell apart pretty quickly. And as I pulled on that door handle shared with a 2001 STS, and felt the cheapness in my hand... Disappointment spread over me, in an awesome way. EDIT: Thought - I wonder what the take rate would have been on a DTS-4. I feel like that could have done pretty well, and certainly would have been most of them sold up here. Most of the CTS models I see around are 4's.
  
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- 28-Cars-Later on Aug 03, 2015
  
  @Corey Lewis GM G-body wasn't built for AWD. I imagine if it had been, the AWD result would have been similar to the amount of Mercedes you see with 4-matic.
  
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- Corey Lewis on Aug 03, 2015
  
  @28-Cars-Later I forgot it was also the Bonne and the Lucerne, for a sec. I see lots of 4MATICS! Most of the E and S models I see driving about have it. PS. I'm already noticing 2010-era E-Class models looking ratty with hazed headlamps as well.
  
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- 28-Cars-Later on Aug 03, 2015
  
  @28-Cars-Later That's because heaven forbid the lenses are glass.
  
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- Derekson on Aug 03, 2015
  
  @Corey Lewis "EDIT: Thought – I wonder what the take rate would have been on a DTS-4. I feel like that could have done pretty well, and certainly would have been most of them sold up here. Most of the CTS models I see around are 4’s." At least here in the Northeast, almost all luxury branded cars I see are AWD now, even BMW 328i and 535i models. I really don't think people consider a car without AWD a true luxury car anymore, in one sense. This might be different in the sun belt.
  
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- Corey Lewis on Aug 03, 2015
  
  @28-Cars-Later I was just thinking they probably cheaped out on the plastic. Because I see plenty of older cars with plastic lenses that don't have such issue! I notice the 05+ RL has common clouding issues too.
  
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John on Aug 03, 2015

This "We'll show our fancy pants car in a bad neighborhood" advertising is designed to convey the message "Buy our car, and you'll be the ONE PERCENTER in your 'hood", instead of the real message "Lease this car, and you'll LOOK like a one-percenter for four years, until you have to give it back, and own nothing".

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- Corey Lewis on Aug 03, 2015
  
  Where's this? Can you show?
  
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