Time to Consolidate: The Cadillac XTS (NAIAS 2010)

[TVC]

My guess is that half the people there are trying to build a good car and the other half are trying to build a car to a sheet of specs handed to them from the non-engineering guys.

You bring up a good point. 👍 One reason American cars are at times not designed as well as European and Japanese cars is because of this. They have a lot of designers and the more people you have making the choices the more people you are going to have disagreeing. That is why sometime American cars seem to have odd designs or seem like they could be easily made better in some ways. One group of people want one thing, another group wants something else, and then another group wants something totally different.

 

[Jim Prower]

There's a mentality within American Corporations, and it goes straight to the top, of "I'm the only opinion that matters." Kinda like GTP. I doubt we could ever build a decent car.

 

[TheCracker]

Except that they're trying to kill the Aussie Falcon instead of using it or the platform the world over, and short of the Mustang the Falcon is probably their best car. Actually, maybe the Falcon is better, better at being a sedan than the Mustang at being a coupe?

The world over doesn't want a large RWD saloon with a non-premium badge. The US and Australia are the only places you could possibly sell them.

 

[Jay]

I like this Cadillac, especially the size. I would prefer a little more less 'CTS' in the styling though, something a little more classy and less aggressive but not bland and boring.

 

[Omnis]

There's a mentality within American Corporations, and it goes straight to the top, of "I'm the only opinion that matters." Kinda like GTP. I doubt we could ever build a decent car.

The paintjob itself would be indecent.

 

[YSSMAN]

See: The engineers in charge of the Lambda crossovers versus the engineers in charge of the Theta crossovers. Respectively.

Solid point. But there are relative successes and failures in each. If I had it my way, we'd only have the Enclave and Equinox. But if it truly was Brad's GM, it probably wouldn't be a well-liked company.

I almost think that in itself deserves a thread: Design your own GM and Chrysler-FIAT lineups.

 

[Paulie]

The world over doesn't want a large RWD saloon with a non-premium badge. The US and Australia are the only places you could possibly sell them.

Well they should, the FG is an absolutely excellent car, I seem to recall Top Gear complaining of all the soccer Mums doing the school run in fourbies, maybe it's because they don't have cars like the Falcon, cheap, excellent and practical family sedans, and fast for Dad too, or fast for any one with interest in cars. It'd probably been a month or more since I had driven an FG XR6 until today again, and it's just awesome. My only beef with it is if you had a manual, the key fob is HUGE and you'd never be able to heel-toe because it'd get in the way of your knee, but if I understand correctly, there is a police accessory that allows you to remove the key with the engine still running, just fit that then and you can heel-toe.
What? This thread is about a Cadillac? I don't think Cadillac should build a V8 version of this, why kill their CAFE standards for a car that will never be capable of real speed anyway other than a monster top end? Wait, I forgot, is this chassis even capable of longitudinally mounted engines?

 

[TheCracker]

Well they should, the FG is an absolutely excellent car, I seem to recall Top Gear complaining of all the soccer Mums doing the school run in fourbies, maybe it's because they don't have cars like the Falcon, cheap, excellent and practical family sedans, and fast for Dad too, or fast for any one with interest in cars.

It's not that it's a bad car or anything, i'm sure it's not, it's just not a market sector that anyones interested in outside of a few markets (US & AU). The Vauxhall VXR8 (HSV Clubsport) gets great reviews in all the mags and on Top Gear, and it's certainly priced well below the equivalent BMW or Merc product, yet nobody buys them?

 

[Paulie]

It's not that it's a bad car or anything, i'm sure it's not, it's just not a market sector that anyones interested in outside of a few markets (US & AU). The Vauxhall VXR8 (HSV Clubsport) gets great reviews in all the mags and on Top Gear, and it's certainly priced well below the equivalent BMW or Merc product, yet nobody buys them?

You need the 6cyl variants as well then I think.