Cadillac - can they make it in India?

V-16 · 26th January 2009, 02:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by amit

- No diesel engine.

- What petrol engine will they have? The 3.6L V6?

On the contrary Amit, Cadillac has a great range of Diesel engines which are used throughout the GM range. I dont know whether these will be introduced in India.
Around a week ago I saw a Silver CTS whizz past me opposite the Oval. It was too darn trafficy to get a quick pic. I guess its being tested.

Coming to the success or failure of Caddy sin India, one really cant tell. If the price is right, which means a lot lower than the corresponding Mercs and BMWs, then they might just get the cash reguisters ringing. On the other hand if they price it like the VW cars, they better not even enter.

I would definitely go for one if the price is good.

hillram · 26th January 2009, 02:47

O dont think Cadillac will be a hit in India for simple reasons that it doesnt have brand recall at all in India.GM will burn their hands.

kuttapan · 26th January 2009, 02:55

This one will be a stillborn in India as there is no brand recognition for cadillac, unlike the Germans. Though a very capable car, the edgy lines will put many off. The escalade would have been a better option for India, I guess - Though it would have been too pricey.

ritz830 · 26th January 2009, 06:55

dude, ofcourse IMO the cadillac will be a good buy compared to the audi and bmw.

People mind sets are changing and they arnt blindly going for the BMW. Driving a cadillac will set you apart and give you more respect in any sense.

jayguar · 26th January 2009, 10:57

A.S.S in par with Mercedes, BMW and Audi will bring success for Cadillac in India.

gshanky · 26th January 2009, 11:35

I would like to think that the indian public (at least those who could afford around 30-40 lakhs for a car) to be savvy. They sure would know what they like when they see it.

Cadillac in USA, as well as in other countries is well recognised and it compares well with Mercedes, AUDI and BMW. One of the factors that works for caddys in USA is the "American Car" factor.

But if they launch it in india at a competitive price along with onStar, then it will be a huge success and they would have opened a new battlefield in A.S.S and customer service which others will find a little hard to match.

Here is a link that compares the features of cadillacs with other cars - http://www.cadillac.com/comparator/r...VehicleId=5162

lynx · 26th January 2009, 11:36

Post deleted by the Team-BHP Support : Do NOT post one word / one line replies that add no value to the thread. We advise you to read our board rules before proceeding any further

nukeblitz · 26th January 2009, 11:45

Now, cadillac might not be a well known brand in india but this will give it an exotic feel. I'm pretty sure people who are willing to spend this much to buy a car do want their car to be unique.

Other than that, cadillac will have to find a niche in the premium sedan market. It could be VFM, performance(3.6L V6...) or comfort or simply anything that sets it apart from other cars in this range especially since its design evokes responses from both ends of the spectrum. I totally LOOVE the way it looks but I'm pretty sure there are a zillion others who think it's soo ugly it makes them puke...

Yeldo · 26th January 2009, 20:52

Cadillac may have some prestige value as the US President's ride, but the marque is bogged by poor fuel efficiency, low resale values & reliability issues. I wonder whether it would get anywhere after the initial novelty value wears off- just look at imported Hummers in India, Cadillac would be somewhat a copy of the case.

Mpower · 26th January 2009, 22:03

Caddillac needs to closely study how Volvo is being received in India before they decide on a marketing strategy.

They simply cannot expect instant market acceptance like Merc, Audi and BMW... pricing, diesel, a.s.s etc notwithstanding.

f450 · 26th January 2009, 22:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by gshanky

I would like to think that the indian public (at least those who could afford around 30-40 lakhs for a car) to be savvy. They sure would know what they like when they see it.

Cadillac in USA, as well as in other countries is well recognised and it compares well with Mercedes, AUDI and BMW. One of the factors that works for caddys in USA is the "American Car" factor.

But if they launch it in india at a competitive price along with onStar, then it will be a huge success and they would have opened a new battlefield in A.S.S and customer service which others will find a little hard to match.

Cadillac may be famous and popular in America, but everywhere else in the world it is considered just another useless American brand. Except for Chevrolet, Ford, GM and a couple of other companies, I can't think of any American car manufacturers that are actually popular anywhere else in the world. Chrysler and Cadillac especially are considered the epitome of all that is American- unreliable, expensive, low fuel economy and bad for the environment!

The"American Car' factor actually works against it!

fx45 · 26th January 2009, 22:50

The First car cadillac should launch here is the SRX which is redesigned recently and then the Escalade and then the CTS.

Forget about the STS and the big daddy XLR they aint worth it.. and DTS is also a NO NO ..

I said Escalade and SRX first because the number of Porsche Cayyanes and Hummer H3/H2s and LCs shows people buying heavy metal SUV's here in India.

Of course Cadillac has the bling factor with its Escalade and SRX is also a worthy contendor to the M class and Q7 territory..

CTS might do good if Cadillac comes in with a DIesel Engine.. and if possible BLS could be another good contendor which can be launched in a category which is between 20-30L in India.

anjan_c2007 · 26th January 2009, 22:52

Read the news that the Cadillac CTS is to be launched by GM to revamp its image. But our buyers have more affinity towards Japanese and European brands so its not clear as to how the CTS will fare in our market. After decades of loyalty to American brands till the 1970's, the car buyers of the pricey cars switched over to Mercs and mostly Mercs. The cars were imported or acquired through auctions by the State Trading Corporation, that resold used cars of the diplomats to long queues of filmstars, tycoons and the like.
Cadillacs were aplenty till the 1950's but the second coming is eagerly awaited in a market full of sedans from Audis, Mercs, BMW's and lately Jaguars along with other brands in the Rs 50-60 L bracket.

ritz830 · 26th January 2009, 23:54

The best thing American brands like Chevy do in India is that they release cars which are still in international market. While most other car manufacturers just give out of print cars.

Atlblkz06 · 27th January 2009, 01:44

It seems some of you have already judged the car before even looking at it...
Someone even called it a muscle car. A muscle car?! The CTS-V was put on the ring, but not the rest. These cars were not "tuned at the ring".
They're luxury cars, and dont belong on a track to begin with.

It is very important to understand that each car has a certain set of principles it aims to satisfy.

BMWs try to edge out the others by having great handling, and the soul of a sports car. They tend to have marvelously engineered engines and a well behaving chassis. The interior is unapologetic and the formula does not vary very much.

MB specializes in presence and a sense of opulence and prestige. The cars are meant to bee seen in - and dont concentrate on performance or driving pleasure all that much. This is evident when you consider that the the AMG series is all auto-only.

The Cadillac is a distinctly American expression of luxury and affordability. The whole car is very comfortable, but you wont find anything over-the-top. The V8 under the hood will have plenty of grunt and you can pass over speed bumps while sipping coffee in the back seat.

If GM wants to sell Caddys in India - they will have to price them below BMW and MB.

Caddys are what I call affordable luxury. If I were in charge, I would only release a select few models there - Maybe the CTS or STS and the SRX - with the escalade available by special order.

26th January 2009, 02:47	#32
hillram Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 2,941 Thanked: 1,329 Times View My Garage	O dont think Cadillac will be a hit in India for simple reasons that it doesnt have brand recall at all in India.GM will burn their hands.
	() Thanks

26th January 2009, 02:55	#33
kuttapan Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Melbourne Posts: 1,155 Thanked: 27 Times View My Garage	This one will be a stillborn in India as there is no brand recognition for cadillac, unlike the Germans. Though a very capable car, the edgy lines will put many off. The escalade would have been a better option for India, I guess - Though it would have been too pricey.
	() Thanks

26th January 2009, 06:55	#34
ritz830 BHPian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: chennai Posts: 355 Thanked: 4 Times	dude, ofcourse IMO the cadillac will be a good buy compared to the audi and bmw. People mind sets are changing and they arnt blindly going for the BMW. Driving a cadillac will set you apart and give you more respect in any sense.
	() Thanks

26th January 2009, 10:57	#35
jayguar BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 300 Thanked: 218 Times	A.S.S in par with Mercedes, BMW and Audi will bring success for Cadillac in India.
	() Thanks

26th January 2009, 11:35	#36
gshanky BHPian Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Coimbatore / Bangalore / New York Posts: 717 Thanked: 14 Times	I would like to think that the indian public (at least those who could afford around 30-40 lakhs for a car) to be savvy. They sure would know what they like when they see it. Cadillac in USA, as well as in other countries is well recognised and it compares well with Mercedes, AUDI and BMW. One of the factors that works for caddys in USA is the "American Car" factor. But if they launch it in india at a competitive price along with onStar, then it will be a huge success and they would have opened a new battlefield in A.S.S and customer service which others will find a little hard to match. Here is a link that compares the features of cadillacs with other cars - http://www.cadillac.com/comparator/r...VehicleId=5162
	() Thanks

26th January 2009, 11:36	#37
lynx BHPian Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: TN-09 Posts: 164 Thanked: 4 Times	Post deleted by the Team-BHP Support : Do NOT post one word / one line replies that add no value to the thread. We advise you to read our board rules before proceeding any further Last edited by GTO : 26th January 2009 at 18:56.
	() Thanks $Received Infraction$

26th January 2009, 11:45	#38
nukeblitz BHPian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Posts: 158 Thanked: 63 Times	Now, cadillac might not be a well known brand in india but this will give it an exotic feel. I'm pretty sure people who are willing to spend this much to buy a car do want their car to be unique. Other than that, cadillac will have to find a niche in the premium sedan market. It could be VFM, performance(3.6L V6...) or comfort or simply anything that sets it apart from other cars in this range especially since its design evokes responses from both ends of the spectrum. I totally LOOVE the way it looks but I'm pretty sure there are a zillion others who think it's soo ugly it makes them puke...
	() Thanks

26th January 2009, 20:52	#39
Yeldo BHPian Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Kochi Posts: 762 Thanked: 783 Times	Cadillac may have some prestige value as the US President's ride, but the marque is bogged by poor fuel efficiency, low resale values & reliability issues. I wonder whether it would get anywhere after the initial novelty value wears off- just look at imported Hummers in India, Cadillac would be somewhat a copy of the case.
	() Thanks

26th January 2009, 22:03	#40
Mpower Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 10,399 Thanked: 1,735 Times View My Garage	Caddillac needs to closely study how Volvo is being received in India before they decide on a marketing strategy. They simply cannot expect instant market acceptance like Merc, Audi and BMW... pricing, diesel, a.s.s etc notwithstanding. Last edited by Mpower : 26th January 2009 at 22:49.
	() Thanks

26th January 2009, 22:50	#42
fx45 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: mumbai Posts: 1,823 Thanked: 386 Times	The First car cadillac should launch here is the SRX which is redesigned recently and then the Escalade and then the CTS. Forget about the STS and the big daddy XLR they aint worth it.. and DTS is also a NO NO .. I said Escalade and SRX first because the number of Porsche Cayyanes and Hummer H3/H2s and LCs shows people buying heavy metal SUV's here in India. Of course Cadillac has the bling factor with its Escalade and SRX is also a worthy contendor to the M class and Q7 territory.. CTS might do good if Cadillac comes in with a DIesel Engine.. and if possible BLS could be another good contendor which can be launched in a category which is between 20-30L in India.
	() Thanks

26th January 2009, 22:52	#43
anjan_c2007 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: India Posts: 8,708 Thanked: 22,849 Times View My Garage	Read the news that the Cadillac CTS is to be launched by GM to revamp its image. But our buyers have more affinity towards Japanese and European brands so its not clear as to how the CTS will fare in our market. After decades of loyalty to American brands till the 1970's, the car buyers of the pricey cars switched over to Mercs and mostly Mercs. The cars were imported or acquired through auctions by the State Trading Corporation, that resold used cars of the diplomats to long queues of filmstars, tycoons and the like. Cadillacs were aplenty till the 1950's but the second coming is eagerly awaited in a market full of sedans from Audis, Mercs, BMW's and lately Jaguars along with other brands in the Rs 50-60 L bracket. Last edited by anjan_c2007 : 26th January 2009 at 22:54.
	() Thanks

26th January 2009, 23:54	#44
ritz830 BHPian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: chennai Posts: 355 Thanked: 4 Times	The best thing American brands like Chevy do in India is that they release cars which are still in international market. While most other car manufacturers just give out of print cars.
	() Thanks

27th January 2009, 01:44	#45
Atlblkz06 BHPian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Atlanta Posts: 164 Thanked: 25 Times	It seems some of you have already judged the car before even looking at it... Someone even called it a muscle car. A muscle car?! The CTS-V was put on the ring, but not the rest. These cars were not "tuned at the ring". They're luxury cars, and dont belong on a track to begin with. It is very important to understand that each car has a certain set of principles it aims to satisfy. BMWs try to edge out the others by having great handling, and the soul of a sports car. They tend to have marvelously engineered engines and a well behaving chassis. The interior is unapologetic and the formula does not vary very much. MB specializes in presence and a sense of opulence and prestige. The cars are meant to bee seen in - and dont concentrate on performance or driving pleasure all that much. This is evident when you consider that the the AMG series is all auto-only. The Cadillac is a distinctly American expression of luxury and affordability. The whole car is very comfortable, but you wont find anything over-the-top. The V8 under the hood will have plenty of grunt and you can pass over speed bumps while sipping coffee in the back seat. If GM wants to sell Caddys in India - they will have to price them below BMW and MB. Caddys are what I call affordable luxury. If I were in charge, I would only release a select few models there - Maybe the CTS or STS and the SRX - with the escalade available by special order. Last edited by Atlblkz06 : 27th January 2009 at 01:45.
	() Thanks