Cadillac

The rebirth of the Cadillac brand

Ten years ago, the Cadillac brand was associated with 60-year-old retirees who drove classy sedans. Despite the company's attempts to manufacture smaller attractive sedans to sell to younger individuals, the market wasn't biting. Nobody wanted to own a Cadillac because of its association with the elderly. But this all changed with the introduction of the Escalade in 2002.

The infamous Cadillac Escalade

The company was hoping that the Escalade would spark the rebirth of the Cadillac brand and help them market their products to a younger audience - and this is exactly what happened. Having rappers and hip-hop artists feature Escalades in their music videos also helped in lowering the age demographic of Cadillac consumers. But starting at $55,000, it's obvious that owning an Escalade will only ever be a dream for some.

The Escalade line includes the EXT truck version with extended cab, the ESV model which is 20 inches longer than a standard Escalade, and the ESV Platinum. The latter is a limited-edition Escalade that comes with a DVD player, dual television screens, 20-inch wheels and heated and cooled seats. Check out the specs of a standard 2007 Escalade:

• Engine: 6.2L Vortec V8 VVT
• Power: 403 HP and 417 lb-ft of torque
• Fuel economy: 13 mpg city / 19 mpg hwy
• Base price: $55,570

The manufacturer hopes that the desire to one day own an Escalade will get younger drivers into entry-level Cadillacs like the CTS sedan, with a base price just over $30,000.

Cadillac plans to stay on top

While the other luxury car manufacturers are striving for softer curves and sleeker designs, Cadillac is going with angular exterior designs partnered with luxurious, comfortable interiors - and of course, high performance. Each interior features wood grain, leather, metal accents and a GPS navigational system. It's very easy to see that these vehicles are no longer your grandparents' boring sedans of 10 years ago.

Yet despite the vast popularity of the Escalade, Cadillac sales have declined since 2005 and 2006. Perhaps this is due to the gas-guzzling qualities of their top-selling SUV. Or maybe the influential effects of the hip-hop industry are waning. Whatever the case, Cadillac has been making plans to revamp its brand, piece by piece, by implementing a few particular strategies:

• Create quality individual vehicles.
• Price their vehicles at better values but not so low that people will detect their desperation.
• Create a genuine family of vehicles where each individual car will contribute to the larger brand. They will finally be selling cars that are no longer built on Chevy frames.
• Race their cars to gain crucial performance information and credibility as an automotive manufacturer.

It used to be we could depend on the reputation and reliability of North American cars to meet our standards - but could it be the times are changing? Here in the U.S., overseas models are continuing to rise in popularity. Find out why!

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