QOTD: Advice From a Wise Old Sage?

In Newfoundland, a quick rejoinder to the comment “Can’t complain,” is “No one’s listening anyway!” followed by a couple of hearty guffaws and a nod n’ wink. Hey, give us a break; we’re all loopy from the cold.

Regardless of whether people are listening or not, people — especially opinionated gearheads — are likely to complain and provide unsolicited advice. Here is today’s question: if a major OEM were to ask for and promise to implement one of your recommendations, what would you say? And to whom?

Keeping it relatively simple — and not asking for the likes of flying cars or a windshield wash reservoir routinely filled with Thousand Island dressing — I’d ask Cadillac to bin its alphanumeric nonsense and return to an actual naming system.

The disarmament campaign arguably began back in the 2002 calendar year when the creased and angular CTS appeared on the scene. Built and marketed as a rear-drive return to performance, the CTS was a Detroit thumb in the eye to Das Germans. In that initial 2003 model year, Cadillac showrooms were also cluttered with the Seville, de Ville, and Escalade. Only one of those nameplates remain today.

It wasn’t long before lots were filled with trunklids bearing DTS, SRX, STS, and other alphabet soup. Yes, some of those letter trios existed prior to 2004 but they were preceded by an actual name, such as Seville STS, for example (making the car’s official name the Seville Seville Touring Sedan — we’ll leave the conversation about that for another day).

I’m not saying that Cadillac should wantonly pull names from its history and slap them on the existing lineup. Fleetwood, while appealing to this author, might not work in today’s market. A quick look at Lincoln proves a company can shed alphanumerics in favor of creative names.

What’s your advice? And to whom?

[Image: General Motors]