As part of its ongoing program to become a true, globally focused entity, General Motors recently announced the appointment of Robert E. Ferguson to the newly created position of vice president, global Cadillac. Ferguson, a former telecommunications executive who joined GM 2010, was previously the automaker’s VP for public policy in Washington D.C.
Cadillac has been making inroads over the last decade, though GM brass still believe there is considerable work to be done to make the brand a true, worthy, worldwide competitor to the likes of BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Cadillac has been expanding its product portfolio with the likes of the ATS, a rear-drive, BMW 3-Series fighter that aims to make a dent in the all-important entry-level luxury segment. It’s also planning an updated CTS and Escalade SUV as well as a plug-in ELV electric vehicle. During a recent interview, Ferguson said the brand is planning to introduce a flagship model, designed to compete against the BMW 7-Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. He said it will be a car that people will look at and say “wow! Cadillac is smoking.” He also said that executives have been toying with the idea of a two-seater sports car, perhaps a Mercedes SL competitor in the spirit of the old XLR, though beyond the fact that GM plans to “refresh the entire lineup by 2015,” Ferguson hasn’t yet provide any specifics.
Since axing the bread and butter DTS and also the STS, Cadillac sales have fallen significantly in North America – in the U.S. only 1 in every 20 GM vehicles currently sold is a Cadillac. Ferguson said the plan is to make the brand more distinctive than it is today. “We want the consumer to know from incubation to delivery, from initial design through customer care, this is about American luxury.”
So far, plans include a separate stand at next year’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit, which could perhaps pave the way for standalone Cadillac retail stores, a tactic adopted by other manufacturers that contain luxury brands in their portfolio, such as Volkswagen with Audi and Nissan with Infiniti.
