balthazar

The enviously talented Jeff Norwell / 'Norwell Equipped' ~

If ATP (what people are actually spending on an automotive purchase) is "pretty meaningless", without question base MSRP is 'completely meaningless', yet you mention it constantly. I read that Cadillac already built out all 2019 2.0T CT6s before the end of last year when such was announced, so basically your oft-touted "$50K CT6" is non-existent. It's also very likely how you mislead yourself as to Cadillac's ATPs being so close to MB and exceeding BMW & Audi.

Yet mercedes & Cadillac ATPs are shocking close, and running #1 & #2 of all volume luxury brands.

Not in the least surprising.

'42 Cadillac trunk emblem ~

Just meant to be illustrative. No; not going shopping for 6 trips, but it's nice to not have a financial albatross if one wanted to do so (or any combination of multiple destinations per day). I do errand days where I make 5 or even 7 stops. Or even just take a ride in the country. Wife & I took a ride out to a hot dog stand we both enjoy (guy has been in business since '71!)- it's a 15 mile ride. Who's going to spend $70 to buy 3 or 4 $2 chili/cheese dogs? With these costs in mind, one would naturally start curtailing their travels in order to save money. While saving money is virtuous, who wants to live that way?

I will assume they care about money though. In my example above, I could make the same trip 6 or more times a day for the same initial price of $7, whereas Uber would cost over $400. It's the same thing WRT almost all EVs- do I care about 'saving' $150/mn in fuel costs when I have to spend $30,000 more to do so? That's 200 months, or 17 years to break even. I've been Jonesing to get into a new truck for a year now, and I've got 13 years behind it's wheel this summer.

I don't think I have 75 years left in me to see that happen.

Not my future. Feel pretty safe in saying not the majority of any of our futures, either. Just price checked a ride from an old address into town to the shopping area- 26 miles round trip, $56-70 dollars (plus tip) via Uber. My truck costs me on average $7/day for insurance & fuel. Add ownership cost WRT depreciation, and it's $7.11. I'm saving money hand-over-fist owning my own vehicle.

Cadillac is not a mainstream, full-line/taxi/fleet/cargo van brand. They're not trying to "catch up".

Japanese imports grew notably with the gas crisis, but it took the germans a few decades longer because they weren't competitive for so long. And Cadillac sold 395,000 vehicles last year.

Of course they were. Mercedes were sold out of Studebaker dealers since the early 50s, and toyota came here in '57. But the bulk of 'when it worked' was the 1960s and 1970s, when multiple germans & japanese makes were sold here nation-wide.

RE : advertising- it costs exactly the same to market a 'GMC Enclave' as it would a 'Buick Enclave' (broadcast & print). Hardly any print brochures anymore. Same with badges. Same with stamping a 'Buick' nose as stamping a 'GMC' nose. I'm not seeing a cost savings moving the Buivk CUVs over to GMC unless it meant eliminating the same platform CUV. Off hand, not sure which of those currently out are on the same platform- GMC doesn't have a same platform Enclave or Encore, correct? What is the current overlap?

What would the 'cost' be to keep all 3 Buick CUVs as Buicks in the US, with no cars? Buick is unilaterally paired with GMC as it is.

And this mindset is still going on with many critics. 'When is Cadillac going to build a 1-Series comeptitor?' It's unsustainable and it's NOT for every brand. I'm sure most brands out there have money-losing lines; nearly everyone is overextended. The idea that one needs a sedan/crossover for every half foot of overall length is ludicrous. That's not what did it- it was eroding marketshare. At GM's size then, a long decline in volume would not be sustainable with the then-current footprint. But I disagree on China- there's no reason I've ever seen clearly stated that says Buick could not be a China-only brand. NOT THAT I WANT THAT, I'm just saying. Just like 'full-line brands', not all brands need or can be global.

'59 DeSoto in the Mobilgas Economy trials. Came in 3rd in the 'Upper Medium Price' class, with 19.06 MPG

^ The irony is, during those years of your visions, there was just as much 'redundancy' as in recent times. More actually.

My Pontiac dealers list is up to about 3860 entries. - - - - -

Saw Mitsu Lancer with a Plymouth 'GTX" badge on the back.

How can you tell??

The Plexi-roofed Crestline/Crown Vic is the Skyliner, built '54-56 (in '56: 'Crown Victoria Skyliner'). The convert was the Sunliner. The '56, with the roofline 'basket handle', is definitely the swankiest.