What Would Happen If Cadillac Produced A C8 Based Sportscar Of It's Own?

If there’s something Cadillac is good at, it’s at making concepts. Remember the spectacular Elmiraj? What about the Ciel or the Escala? Going back further in time, one of the most interesting concepts cars to ever carry the Cadillac crest was the Cien back in 2002. The mid-engined supercar never saw the light of production day, which is the same thing we can say about this purely hypothetical machine that only exists in Photoshop.

Using Cadillac’s latest and greatest design language, the folks over at Car Lifestyle have envisioned a sleek mid-engined machine with a sharp design that might actually remind you of the Cien. With massive air intakes and beefy splitter up front corroborated with a gigantic diffuser and fat exhaust tips mounted up high at the back in McLaren style, the imaginary American supercar screams performance.

CANADIANCOMMENTS - 8/26/2019 2:13:56 PM

+1 Boost

If it can use much of the same platform as the Corvette and just have a different interior, why not? Keep the production line humming at 30-40k units vs having it drop down to 15k when the shine is off the C8. I'd give it a green light.

edwardfrancis - 8/27/2019 9:31:02 AM

+2 Boost

Not many people believe that Cadillac can change their image as a maker of good cars for older, richer people. A mid-engined car is very unlikely to succeed with the Cadillac brand. Remember these past failures:

https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ee15d3fe2adbb7eb21f898b35478d5994362b123d6bb37f60b8beea1899f4754.jpg

It is hard to believe that GM is so out of touch that they now want the Cadillac team to take the lead in electric vehicles, too!

https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/df9e515e1e7fa4fcf6eca6d7d5fa2320f9f07a743645ad87062ce16a4871574b.jpg

Attention Mary Bara: Start Over!!!

TauronB2G - 8/26/2019 2:18:34 PM

+7 Boost

It wouldn’t sell... just like the XLR didn’t sell.

TauronB2G - 8/26/2019 2:18:37 PM

+6 Boost

It wouldn’t sell... just like the XLR didn’t sell.

mre30 - 8/26/2019 3:37:33 PM

+2 Boost

..A Cadillac C8 would be a doorstop like the ELR and the XLR were.

For example, Audi sells about 800 R8's per year in the US market and they have a demo who might care to buy such a vehicle.

Cadillac does not have a demo who would buy a mid-engined Cadillac and they could expect to sell much less than 800 per year.

Chevy sold about 25,000 to 35,000 Corvettes per year in the US from 2014 to 2018 (18,000 in 2019) so adding a Cadillac variant would be stupid and any volume would not move the needle.

However, GM should immediately launch a Corvette SUV (ala Lambo Urus). Such a vechicle would sell in volume. It could be priced like an Escalade but be smaller and sportier - maybe based on Traverse/XT6 platform with 600 HP.

#Foolish

cidflekken - 8/26/2019 4:30:20 PM

+3 Boost

Why would anyone forego a $60K C8 for a much more expensive Cadillac? They wouldn't.

Section_31_JTK - 8/26/2019 5:00:07 PM

+1 Boost

Cadillac would ruin the C8 by making it look like a big angular doorstop with a big gaping grill. And then they'd use the cheap hvac controls from the Escalade that attract fingerprints. No thanks.

skytop - 8/26/2019 7:03:13 PM

+2 Boost

Cadddy already made a Corvette based Cadillac called the XLR (2004–2009) and it was a total, dismal FAILURE.
Hopefully Cadillac will learn from its many mistakes and failures.

runninglogan1 - 8/26/2019 8:58:44 PM

+4 Boost

Don't do it Cadillac. Nobody wants this. Focus on what you're good at.

MDarringer - 8/26/2019 9:20:03 PM

+1 Boost

Agree completely. This would be a horrific stumble.

A new Eldorado coupesedan EV should be their move.

CANADIANCOMMENTS - 8/26/2019 10:20:37 PM

+2 Boost

That V16 coupe concept would have been great. But like all the others, nothing gets built.

ricks0me - 8/26/2019 9:36:55 PM

0 Boost

RL1 said: Don't do it Cadillac. Nobody wants this. Focus on what you're good at.

Rick ask: What is Cadillac good at?

valhallakey - 8/27/2019 1:41:43 AM

+4 Boost

Agreed with Matt, Cadillac should do a long luxurious Eldorado EV with looks somewhat like the El Mirage and a little 67-70 vintage mixed in a bit.

TomM - 8/27/2019 6:46:03 AM

+4 Boost

Cadillac spent its load producing a really really good Alpha Platform for its smaller sedans that could compete with the best - and the Omega Platform for the large sedans. Of course - the market has moved to Crossovers - leaving the cookie cutter Cadillac offerings well behind the market.

I would rather see Cadillac produce a large crossover based on the Omega Platform - that could really compete at all levels with the best in the world. They will be selling out all the Corvette production for the next year plus.

SuperCarEnthusiast - 8/27/2019 8:54:52 AM

+2 Boost

XLS!

dumpsty - 8/30/2019 4:06:56 PM

+1 Boost

I think Cadillac learned some big lessons with the Corvette-based XLR/XLR-V. It's not just about giving the platform some int/ext bits & maybe a special engine. If the Cadillac version seems like a badge-engineered clone - that effort is considered a failure.

VW figured this out for the 911/R8/Gallardo which shared a common platform & basic engine foundation. Today Porsche/Audi/Lambo still share, but it's not as easy to put a finger on where/how.

And the market trends isn't right for Cadillac to even consider doing a new rear-engine sports car today. Only the established players can keep their more popular models going minimally.

skytop - 8/29/2019 9:18:53 AM

+1 Boost

Cadillac blew it by not producing the gorgeous "Ciel" roadster shown in 2011.