Cadillac CT5 To Compete With The Germans At Only $37,890 - But Isn't Being Cheap The Japanese Forte?

Cadillac needs to buy market share even if they lose money on every car. They need to get their volume up and then doggedly take care of those customers.

Now if you could get a nice Chevy LS option in the CT5 for cheap, that would be a brilliant move. Imagine a Cadillac V8 for the price of a Hemi Charger. THAT is the game to play.

I see your point, however, the Cadillac Escalade is one of the most expensive premium SUV’s on the market and is a HUGE success, practically carrying the brand.

Instead of Cadillac wanting to be German one generation, then Japanese the next, they need to be proud and return to the American roots that the Escalade has never left, being big, bold, a little flashy, but most importantly full of presence.

I don’t want to buy a Cadillac to save money, I’d get a Buick instead. I don’t want to buy a Cadillac to race around the track, I’d get a Bimmer or Benz instead.

I want to buy a Cadillac for the same reason you used to in its heyday, to arrive, to make a statement, and say I’ve made something of myself.

Return to your roots Caddy, u can’t be a better Mercedes than Mercedes or better Lexus than Lexus....Do YOU

C4L - nice to agree with you, completely...

And Cadillac is catapulting toward no market because no one wants to pay the price of admission.

MD is right, you have to earn your way up to German prices with consistent product and execution. Cadillac to date has not done that. This shows that somebody is paying attention.
Genesis has excellent products and realize they have to build the business.

Cadillac HAS built sedans as good as the Germans, but they have also priced their sedans like the Germans which was their downfall. The real turkey is going to be the XT6 that NO ONE will buy for $60-70K.

I'd do something really crazy and replace the Accord roofline with that of a 76 Seville. The result would also be polarizing, but it could be good for Cadillac. Ditch the CT5 and have it reemerge as the Seville.

Cheap is the koreans category. Hyundai/kia/genesis. Though they outpriced themselves with genesis which is why the brand is a fail.

Though oddly more robust than Alfa Romeo

Finally a smart move from GM/Cadillac. Bigger than the “import leaders”, plus value, better pedigree than the upstarts... Genesis offers so much value but currently no pedigree. Now Cadillac needs to revamp their ho hum CUVs...

Except premium car buyers are not looking for value, they want the latest and greatest.
Cadillac still has to deliver a compelling car.

If you think people who spend $$ on expensive, luxury cars are not looking to get an amazing product for their dollar (VALUE) then you dont know what you're talking about... which is more likely. People who buy Porsches or Ferrari's buy because they can but also buy the products which provide "value" for their cost.

@Truthy you're completely wrong, but you are not on the sales side, so how would you know?

Cadillac has delivered compelling cars. The ATSV and CTSV were world class good.

The reason the BMW X7 exists is because of the Escalade easily selling for $100K and BMW having nothing in the size class. Ditto the latest GLS.

Buyers of this strata of car DO WANT value and the demographic research reflects that amply.

The mindset is that "I've spent a lot for this car therefore I had better get a lot in return...because I've spent a lot of this car."

Thus, perceived value is important.

The CT5 indeed looks cheap and is placed in the marketplace to complete with the Korean shoe boxes.

Just visually the CT5 will be up against the Kia Stinger and the Stinger is far better looking.

The roof line looks ill proportioned and the C pillar gimmicky.

The restyling of the ATS as the CT4 is brilliant by comparison. Why they did an awkward hatchback looking style is beyond me.

I wouldn't pay more than $20K for a car this ugly.

And why is this car now undercutting the 3 Series? That means the CT4 will undercut the A-Sedan/A3. When their XT4 and XT5 seem to want to play in a segment above their paygrade.

Things sure have changed at Cadillac.

The CT4 is coming in comfortably under $30K.

Cadillac is buying market share. This is an excellent strategy. Just too bad the CT5 is so ugly.

Not sure they're going to buy anything with ugly products. The CT4 is a rehashed/facelifted ATS so not sure how the buying public will respond to that.

I agree, the C pillar and roofline would look good on the CT5 and improve the proportions.
Take the styling risk on the less expensive model.

The CT4 will lease well.

What is Happening is exactly what I and others thought should happen YEARS ago

The First new Cadillac CTS was a "Tweener" - it sold in the price of a 3/C Series Compact - but was actually Larger than that class of car - and it sold well.

However - when Cadillac came out with the CTS/ATS duo - the cars were actually reduced to "class" size but were actually even SMaller than their competition because of poor packaging. Cadillacs are not supposed to be the smallest in the class. Even the CT6 - is actually a little smaller than an S series as well.

Now - what Cadillac is doing is taking the current CTS which competed in the E/5 class - and making that SIZE Vehicle but to compete price wise against the 3 series. SO you can almost get a car a full class larger for the same price with the Cadillac CT5, ANd the New CT4 will also do the same - being 3 class size but competing with the entry level CLA / 1-2 class cars. Since the Sigma cars have been every bit a Handling, power, and sophistication as the Germans, they actually will now come in as the Largest in each class as well - for Americans - the extra size will be quite an advantage.

Noting that they have NO real American company competition as well - the Lincoln in the lower class is FWD - FCA American Brands do not compete in the Category. - means Cadillac has competitive product again at least. Along with likely greater discounts at the dealer - might mean greater sales - IF they can manage to sell Sedans again

Agree 100%

Wow this has really stirred the comments and from a styling point of view in a negative way. Overall it is not a bad look, the from 3/4 is nice and even the faux hatchback looks ok in an A5/A7 kind of way. However that C pillar has to be changed!!! Also they need the meaty V8 and an excellent hybrid version that can cover almost any normal city driving range.

The Japanese have always been inexpensive, not cheap per se.

Really, this signals Cadillac is abandoning the true luxury market. They have decided they can only compete on price, which is the antithesis of a luxury product.

Will it result in more market share? Maybe, it could, I don't dispute that. I just don't see that as being a relevant demarcator of a luxury brand.

I'm also not saying this is good or bad. Personally, I think it's regrettable how far Cadillac has fallen, but in the grand scheme of things, it just is what it is.

Cadillac shall now be mentioned alongside Acura and Infiniti, not BMW, Mercedes, Audi, and Lexus.

No. This signals that Cadillac is buying market share so that it can stay in the segment. BMW will have to do the same given how sedans are no longer cool.

Right, they're buying market share by competing on price.

That doesn't make them an equally good luxury brand as the Germans.

They can't compete on quality, so they lower the price. This will probably net them market share. It also indicates to me that they are no longer worthy of consideration as a true luxury brand.

As a business decision, I can't fault it. It is what it is, Cadillac is now confirmed to be "near luxury" or "premium", whatever you want to call it.

Ford should drop a large Town Car back into the market, and then chase it with a 4 door coupe called the Mark IV. All RWD, and all V8. Cadillac would have to pack it up and go home.