Volt Birth Watch 103: You Should Have Been Born A Cadillac!

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

After tearing the Volt a new one last week for being expensive, overhyped and incapable of charging its own batteries, Automotive News Editor David Sedgwick is suffering from what we at TTAC like to call a “bile hangover.” After lunching with the suits at RenCen, Sedgwick is back-peddling furiously. And how exactly does the Volt make sense now? Change the badge to Cadillac, baby! Now, I may not get invited to the RenCen for poached salmon with Cadillac GM Jim Taylor, but I’ve already asked why the $40k-ish Volt isn’t being sold as a Caddy. Sedgwick says that the Caddy Volt concept is fueling internal debate between Cadillac’s futurists (who vote aye) and traditionalists (who want a new STS/DTS flagship). Yes, but– if Caddy it is, GM will have wasted hundreds of PR billable hours trying to convince everyone that a $40k mainstream Chevy isn’t an outlandish proposition. And the Volt’s bailout-fodder status requires some kind of volks wagen appeal; while a $40k Chevy is a tough pill to swallow, a taxpayer-funded Cadillac could create a nasty backlash. Besides, Sedgwick’s claim that the Volt would be “the world’s first green luxury car” conveniently forgets the LS600h in the room. Or am I just jealous that I don’t get invited to lunch with Cadillac honchos?

Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • Geotpf Geotpf on Sep 26, 2008

    It would make sense to make a Caddy version of the Volt at some point. Lexus has three hybrid models; there's no reason for Caddy not have some (except the fact that GM's hybrid schemes, including the Volt, are all fairly retarded).

  • Geotpf Geotpf on Sep 26, 2008
    skygreenleopard : September 26th, 2008 at 2:17 pm It might be crazy enough to work, though. Prius convinced people in Silicon Valley who used to drive BMW SUVs to downgrade to a Prius, which is an overpriced Corolla that gets you maybe 7-10 more mpg (the economics make little sense unless you own it, which these people don’t - they’ll lease it then get something new in 3 years). Well, considering that the resale value of a three-year old Prius is approximately 90% of the original list price, I would imagine one could get a very good deal leasing a Prius.
  • John Horner John Horner on Sep 27, 2008

    A Cadillac Volt? Why not, but at least have the guts to call it the Cimarron II :).

  • Charly Charly on Sep 27, 2008

    After some googling i found out that a BMW SUV start around $38.500 so my guess is that people save a lot of money if they choose to drive a prius instead of a bmw x3. I think GM is after that market of people who can't been seen driving in a $20k car (except the prius) but are to cheap/wise to buy a more expensive car

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