Book 'em Again, Danno: Cadillac's Revised Subscription Service Coming Later This Year

Matt Posky
by Matt Posky

General Motors is readying another automotive subscription service after canceling “Book by Cadillac,” which was deemed too costly to keep operational, several months ago. However, whether that was due entirely to its own failures or related to the fact that the company is aggressively hunting for capital through its restructuring program is up for debate.

There were grumblings that the program’s complete lack of dealer involvement was a good way for Cadillac maximize profits (without sharing them). But, with it failing, it was also an excellent way to incur unnecessary costs. As a result, the brand intends to make its expansive dealer network an integral part of the fast-approaching “Book 2.o.”

“Book 2.0 really works even more closely with our dealer network because we think there’s a lot of opportunity as you go forward,” Cadillac marketing chief Deborah Wahl told Automotive News at the Detroit auto show. “We’re going to base it off the dealer network.”

The old program’s $1,800 monthly fee covered insurance and other costs, like maintenance. Subscribers could also swap between models with no extended commitments. They only had to order a replacement vehicle online, select a pickup point, and then wait for their corporate concierge to deliver the new car. However, leaving Cadillac solely responsible for every aspect of that plan created problems for the brand.

It’s unclear whether dealers would own the vehicles or simply handle the exchanges in the updated subscription program. Wahl only said the new service will include different messaging and technology, creating a lessened focus on customers being able to switch between vehicles. Cadillac has said fewer customers were swapping between models than initially expected. Though, we were under the impression that was the biggest draw for subscription plans since they don’t make a lot of financial sense to the customer otherwise.

The new program wants to tap dealers to help cope with upcoming changes in vehicle ownership patterns and keep any swapping that does happen more fluid. “We have to recognize that all of us — from the manufacturers to the dealer networks — we have to evolve our models to keep up with where consumers are,” Wahl explained.

The first phase of the revamped program will include pilot programs in select cities, most of which were included in Book 1.0. New York, where the program was initially launched and Cadillac was formerly headquartered, will not be involved. At least, not immediately.

Cadillac President Steve Carlisle said the program should launch around the end of the first quarter of this year, or possibly the second if progress is slow. “We have some things to work out, but we think will be better all around — from a consumer point of view, from our point of view, from a dealer point of view,” Carlisle said.

[Image: General Motors]

Matt Posky
Matt Posky

A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.

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  • Buickman Buickman on Jan 21, 2019

    "You Book 'em Steve, I'm tired of this bs". Danno

  • FreedMike FreedMike on Jan 21, 2019

    On the subject of Cadillac: I got a little "lot time" in an XT4 yesterday. I'll issue this challenge to everyone: go check one out, cover up the badges, and tell me what kind of car you're sitting in. I guarantee you that you won't have a good answer to that question. What a disappointing, cheap, uninspired little lump that thing is. Yes, you can say the same about just about every other vehicle it competes with. But the same lot had a Lexus NX, and even by that vehicle's low-set bar, the XT4 is just pathetic. It's a nicer Equinox. From what I've read, it's uninspired to drive. Will it sell? Of course it will. The XT5 sells. The XT6 will sell. And that means the only Cadillacs that sell will be the ones that suck. I was ready to go full DeadWeight, but you know what? I'm too sad to do it.

    • See 1 previous
    • Jkross22 Jkross22 on Jan 21, 2019

      It sounds like you were surprised at how bad it was. Cadillac has been at this 'Mark MSRP up to the level where we want to sell' without providing a car or SUV that comes close to the quality of that price. The foolishness is astounding. Volt and Bolt proved GM has engineering capabilities. GM can make good looking concepts. Their interiors are crap - I shouldn't say that - their interiors are uncompetitive. Everything from design to materials used to the font they use for gauges and infotainment to how carpeting is fitted. They're improved from 10 years ago, but so has everyone else. A brand new Cadillac CUV should have been a showcase of what GM can do. Instead, it's just another inflated MSRP with what looks like a phoned in effort.

  • CanadaCraig You can just imagine how quickly the tires are going to wear out on a 5,800 lbs AWD 2024 Dodge Charger.
  • Luke42 I tried FSD for a month in December 2022 on my Model Y and wasn’t impressed.The building-blocks were amazing but sum of the all of those amazing parts was about as useful as Honda Sensing in terms of reducing the driver’s workload.I have a list of fixes I need to see in Autopilot before I blow another $200 renting FSD. But I will try it for free for a month.I would love it if FSD v12 lived up to the hype and my mind were changed. But I have no reason to believe I might be wrong at this point, based on the reviews I’ve read so far. [shrug]. I’m sure I’ll have more to say about it once I get to test it.
  • FormerFF We bought three new and one used car last year, so we won't be visiting any showrooms this year unless a meteor hits one of them. Sorry to hear that Mini has terminated the manual transmission, a Mini could be a fun car to drive with a stick.It appears that 2025 is going to see a significant decrease in the number of models that can be had with a stick. The used car we bought is a Mk 7 GTI with a six speed manual, and my younger daughter and I are enjoying it quite a lot. We'll be hanging on to it for many years.
  • Oberkanone Where is the value here? Magna is assembling the vehicles. The IP is not novel. Just buy the IP at bankruptcy stage for next to nothing.
  • Jalop1991 what, no Turbo trim?
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