Comments on: Confirmed: Cadillac to get Lambda CUV in 2012 — potential Escalade replacement!

By: jackjimturkey

jackjimturkey — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 16:27:39 +0000

This is just damn stupid. If Caddy get’s a lambda, the general should kill Outlook/Acadia/Enclave.

By: TOZO

TOZO — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 20:25:37 +0000

There were 6 GMT360 variants. So, this move will bring the Lambda up to 5. And if Isuzu stayed, there would probably be 6 variants of this one anyway. Suzuki will probably want a version anyway. There really should be a limit on badge engineering. Two or three makes sense, but a car company should really not go overboard.

By: mr_hunter

mr_hunter — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:21:21 +0000

I think Caddy needs to be rear drive. I don’t see why GM Ford or chrysler can’t make a rear drive unibody SUV for this segment. All of the luxury brands have one even VW does. Caddy being a luxury brand should have 1 too. They should make another SUV on the CTS platform like they did with the SRX.

By: bigp

bigp — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 05:09:05 +0000

well they are going to keep that thing moving intil everything from the colbatin riding on that thing

By: mazdaman

mazdaman — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 22:25:08 +0000

It looks like GM is starting to lose control of their turnaround plan just a little bit. I wish they would come up with clear, cohesive product strategies for their brands.

I think Buick should be combined with Cadillac to form a luxury dealer network for GM (after Saab and Hummer are sold off). Buick should get the FWD luxury cars (Delta, Epsilon platforms) and FWD/AWD luxury crossovers (Theta, Lambda platforms). Cadillac should only focus on RWD cars (Kappa, Alpha, future SigZeta, future C7 platforms). I think the Enclave is upscale enough to handle the large luxury crossover segment on its own.

Another Lambda could be eliminated by moving GMC to commercial sales only and combining Saturn (FWD cars/MPVs and FWD/AWD crossovers) with Pontiac (RWD cars). The dorky Outlook could be discontinued and the Acadia could be moved to Saturn (I actually would change “Saturn” to “Opel”). This would cut the number of Lambda products down to 3 (Chevrolet Traverse, Opel Acadia, and Buick Enclave).

The same could be done with SWB Theta (Chevrolet Captiva, Opel Antarra, Buick Rendezvous?) and LWB Theta (Chevrolet Equinox, Opel Bravada?, Buick Centieme?). Basically, just one FWD/AWD crossover platform mate at each dealer network.

By: Payton Byrd

Payton Byrd — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 21:19:32 +0000

@howsmydriving

Just as a further point, I drive an ‘04 Titan SE 4×4 King Cab. I bought it because I need a truck and I have a family. It gets 13 MPG on Regular, 15 MPG on Premium (premium makes a difference in engines with computer-controlled ignition). I can afford this beast, and it fits my needs, but it’s out of warranty. I’ve been seeing all the advertisements and news stories about the abysmal truck market and decided to go see if I could find something that I like just as much but might get better gas mileage and provide a warranty too. Here’s what I discovered:

1) Mid-size trucks are too small for a family, even with 4 doors. There simply is not any leg-room in the rear. You’d think small children wouldn’t require as much leg room as an adult, but you’d be wrong. When you place a 4-year-old in a government mandated booster seat his legs stick out straight in front of him, thus placing his feet on the back of whatever seat is in front of him. In a full size truck such as the Titan this is tolerable, in a mid-size truck it’s torture for both the 4-year-old and the person in front of him.

2) Full-size trucks that get better than 15 MPH on the combined city cycle can be counted on 1 finger: The GM twins. To purchase a Chevy/GMC 4-Door full size truck with 4×4, premium audio, towing package and off-road package (to match my Titan) costs $40,000 MSRP. Even with today’s incentives that’s about $33,000. That’s $12,000 more than I paid for my Titan 3 years ago. It would not be possible to have a repair bill of $12,000 on a truck that’s now worth $12,000 that didn’t result in the purchase of a new vehicle at that point in time. There’s no economic benefit to me or my family to get rid of my gas guzzling, road stomping, off-road loving, appliance hauling, family cruising, grandma visiting, super-comfortable, very quick and much loved Titan.

By: Payton Byrd

Payton Byrd — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 21:08:33 +0000

@howsmydriving

“Q. What’s stupider than an SUV?
A. A LUXURY SUV. I hope gas goes to $6/gallon just long enough to ensure the death of this monstrosity….”

So, is it the SUV you don’t like, or the fact that some people can afford both the SUV and the GAS that you don’t like?

If there will be a true survivor in the large SUV market it will be the ones that provide the most luxury and comfort for a family of upper-middle-classers.

By: SamG

SamG — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 21:05:22 +0000

Sickofgarbagemotors, I simply was stating that my experience with Cadillacs has been very positive regardless of my age and again this thing that the Escalade is for gangstas/hip hop artists and so on is again a cheap shot to the majority of Escalade owners. Please do some statistics(I hope you know what that is) and come come back with bonafide figures as to the demographics of Escalade owners. One thing that you will find out is that gangstas and hip hop artists make up only a miniscule portion of the population and if Cadillac had to rely on that it would be a financial suicide. I don’t know where you live or what you drive but I see many normal looking people driving Escalades (more young then old). Also not all Escalades are blinked to the nth degree again the superblinked ones with 22 and over inch rimmed are only a fraction again a common misconception about Escalades. You should also refrain from stereotyping because it is unfair. By the way I also have a sport car but I don’t use to it to take my family to a restaurant, I only use it when I go cruising and look for chicks.

By: SickofGarbageMotors

SickofGarbageMotors — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 20:27:03 +0000

Saturn and Saab should go next, and if desparate, then kill Pontiac. One car isn’t going to keep that brand afloat.

GM needs to take a good look at their portfolio and cut the fat. Brands that have consistantly declining sales get the axe, simple as that.

By: RaineMan

RaineMan — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 20:18:21 +0000

The last thing I heard is that GMC is looking to get the axe anyways. So that will be one less Lambda to worry about right there. All GMC sells is rebadged Chevy trucks… they’ve got what 2 vehicles right now that get over 20MPG? I imagine it would really suck to be a GMC salesman right now. Gonna follow Hummer right down the tubes.

By: A4

A4 — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 20:09:57 +0000

still not a ballin truck

By: SickofGarbageMotors

SickofGarbageMotors — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:59:50 +0000

Hopefully by then the camshaft problems will be ironed out and those flukey transmissions will be properly programmed once and for all.

By: SickofGarbageMotors

SickofGarbageMotors — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:57:55 +0000

You answered your own question SamG. No offense intended but to Cadillacs like the Escalade cater to gangstas and rap artists, while the cars are catering to the older crowd like yourself. Maybe when your age and hopefully retired maybe I’ll like Cadillacs as well, but right now I’m more interested in something a bit more youthful like a BMW or and Audi or even a Niisan/Infiniti.

What’s with the rebadging btw? I thought GM was getting away from that?

By: SamG

SamG — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:18:37 +0000

I don’t know what is wrong with most Escalade bashers. The caddy/Tahoe comparisons are tiresome and unfair. I leased a 2004 and currently waiting for a 2009. Although some items are shared there still many features that justify the price increase e.g. the larger engine, the plushier seats, the redesigned dash and center console and the front and back of the vehicle. The HID lamp system along with the LED is far superior to the Chevy Tahoe. Normally the electronics(bose systems) are better in the Escalade then the Chevy. My Escalade never game me one iota of problem I serviced it regularly and was treated like a human being at the delearship. I am 66 years old and I have 2 Caddys, the aforementioned Escalade and a 2004 DTS. Neither vehicle has given us any problems. Maybe I am easy to please but for the money and luxury packages in the Caddy you need to go 20 to 30 K on either the Lexus(rebadged Toyota) and Mercedes Benz. A 70 plus K Mercedes SUV does not have a driver memory recall i.e. one has to push the 123 button on the seat whereas all the the drivers preferences are recalled on the FOB on the Caddy. The GM Onstar has become the benchmark for telematics up to the point it has become a “good samaritan” tool. So enough is enough. Any one who thinks that an Escalade is not good looking inside and out needs to take closer look at their reflection in the mirror.

By: johnnycanuck

johnnycanuck — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:55:43 +0000

This is the one vehicle that GM should just take Ford’s lead and leave it the f*ck alone for the next decade or so. The only change should be to add even more chrome so that on a sunny day satellites can pick up the reflection from orbit.

By: brassmonkey

brassmonkey — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:51:54 +0000

Hemi – Some of those milfs are HOT!
-
I don’t think GM is willing to kill one of the Lamdas. So we’d have the Acadia/Outlook/Enclave/Traverse/Whatever. Great, now we’ll have 5 flavors of **** to choose from. They should kill the Buick. Overpriced, and I hardly ever see ‘em on the road. I do see a lot of the Outlook and Acadia, surprisingly, since they are complete ****. Read up on them before you call me a GM hater. Fuel vapor coming into the cabin, leaking sunroofs that cannot get repaired, that’s enough for me to say no way.

By: Stealth E34

Stealth E34 — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:48:03 +0000

If it is true that “this wreath and crest CUV may come at the expense of one, or even two, of the current Lambda cars,”
then I think that GM will axe the Saturn Outlook (stupid vehicle, never should have been built). GM would have sold so many more vehicles if they foremost developed the Chevrolet Traverse, instead of the Outlook, and skipped the Outlook altogether.

Then I think GM will axe the GMC Acadia, especially if the rumours that GMC itself is getting killed off are true. GM then pares down the line-up to an entry-level Traverse, the mid-level Enclave, and a top-level Escalade, which is a perfect model mix.

I say good move, there is no market for the GMT-900 trucks anymore.

By: RaineMan

RaineMan — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:14:44 +0000

As long as it’s still got that big chrome grille up front and the Escalade name all the ******* will still buy it, slap some 26″ chrome rims on it, and cruise through the hood like they own the place. It doesn’t need to perform well, it doesn’t need to get good mileage, it just needs to look “pimp” and be endorsed by enough hip-hop/rap losers to sell.

By: cdsmith

cdsmith — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:20:59 +0000

moto – your comparison isn’t exactly fair. While the Caddy is overpriced, it is still half the price of the Cayenne Turbo.

cookie – the caddy is gravy for GM. I think that margin beats quantity for any company when available. See Porsche.

By: moto-racer13

moto-racer13 — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:05:07 +0000

Z06 its so easy to make comment about someone else. Yes I have rode in one, many times, once it overheated while driving through Nevada. I have driven in much classier and much better luxury SUV’s. My current boss drives a Cayenne Turbo which is more luxurious and will run circles around that mexican built caddy. I have also driven the Range Rover sport which is many times more impressive and can actually be driven off road unlike the escalade which can only handle a mildly bumpy gravel road.

By: cookie4me

cookie4me — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:02:31 +0000

Amazing how GM never really learns any lessons. Bad habits are hard to break…….

By: howsmydriving

howsmydriving — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:59:16 +0000

Q. What’s stupider than an SUV?
A. A LUXURY SUV. I hope gas goes to $6/gallon just long enough to ensure the death of this monstrosity….

By: Fromes

Fromes — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:58:03 +0000

I don’t care what anybody says, Having driven the Enclave and the Acadia I can assure you that the current Lambda offerings are nothing more then the exact same vehicle with a few styling changes up believe it or not up close in becomes quite obvius that the Acadia, Enclave and the Outlook are the exact same vehicle, knowing GM you can bet that this ‘new’ escalade won’t be much different

By: Z06ified

Z06ified — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:54:14 +0000

moto-racer – you’ve obviously never rode in one to make those comments. I suspect you don’t have enough class to know anyone wealthy enough to own one.

Bottom line is the Escalade is the best selling full size luxury SUV in America. It holds that title because it’s a great vehicle.

By: moto-racer13

moto-racer13 — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:47:19 +0000

These escalades are the complete opposite of class and sophistication. They are tacky piece of junk with the handling of a waterbed. Escalades look like they were designed by gypsies.

By: tripleonefive

tripleonefive — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:40:28 +0000

Great another Lambda More **** ont he road but this one will have a crest on it

By: HemiRoadRunner

HemiRoadRunner — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:58:07 +0000

Looks like just another ginormous $H!TBOX that some 40 year old milf will be driving while yacking her head off on her cell phone with NOBODY else riding in this thing.

By: xyunya

xyunya — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:57:14 +0000

Reminiscent of ’80’s when during press conference Cadillac product manager was asked what the difference between Chevy and Caddy. The answer “Uhm, about 5 grand”

By: archcommus

archcommus — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:56:36 +0000

Can Lambda handle the task of Cadillac’s largest truck?

Sure, I don’t see why not, the Lambdas are plenty big.