Topic: Test Drive: 2013 Cadillac XTS Premium Collection AWD

[Vanstar]

"But yeah, other than Grandpa, this thing doesn't appeal to anybody. "

Oh, I don't know about that. I think it will appeal to a lot of the fleet buyers at the various rental car companies. 

Airport taxi crowd since Lincoln doesnt make the town car anymore.

Of course this is what this car is deigned to do and I highly doubt many will go out the door with a $60k transaction cost.

GM is dead in the water; the only brands that should remain are Chevrolet and the GMC trucks. The rest is a waste of tax-payer resources. I'd rather see a new library in my area, for example.

[sailor723]

All joking aside, given the advances and product improvement Cadillac seems to have made recently with the CTS, ATS, etc this car seems like a real step backwards to the bad old days. The reabilitation of Cadillac's reputation is fragile enough without bringing out a car like this.

[Northernridge]

Although it is not a flagship, the new XTS is a comfortable cruiser that should make many Cadillac customers happy.

Read More...

Judging by the build and ride quality, as well as the execusion of this car, hopefully this will be the last generation of the "traditional buyer" who can continue to bail GM despite its continued uttermost disrespect for the buyer.

Having read this review, someone wanted to convince me that the ATS is a better car than the 3-series? As long as GM keeps cranking out these piles of dung, I won't be anywhere near any of its dealerships.

I guess I'll skip on the Implala too. No need to even take one for a test drive if this XTS is any indication.

I think this is the problem with Cadillac – it's hard to buy in to a performance-oriented pitch (ATS/CTS-V) at the same time as having to contemplate this grandpa-digger. I can see it now...ATS buyers going out of their to explain that they didn't buy THAT Cadillac.

[Fobroader]

Although it is not a flagship, the new XTS is a comfortable cruiser that should make many Cadillac customers happy.

Read More...

Judging by the build and ride quality, as well as the execusion of this car, hopefully this will be the last generation of the "traditional buyer" who can continue to bail GM despite its continued uttermost disrespect for the buyer.

Having read this review, someone wanted to convince me that the ATS is a better car than the 3-series? As long as GM keeps cranking out these piles of dung, I won't be anywhere near any of its dealerships.

I guess I'll skip on the Implala too. No need to even take one for a test drive if this XTS is any indication.

I think this is the problem with Cadillac – it's hard to buy in to a performance-oriented pitch (ATS/CTS-V) at the same time as having to contemplate this grandpa-digger. I can see it now...ATS buyers going out of their to explain that they didn't buy THAT Cadillac.

Thats the problem with Caddy, theyve been seen by everyone as cars for people who have one foot in the grave for years. Slow, floaty, kinda relaible but no one cared because they were traded in every 3 years, big.....this car just just reinforces their attachment to their nearly dead clientele but also makes potential CTS or ATS buyers wince and shy away.

[Weels]

I'm curious as to why GM tossed the keys of this thing to you guys to review in the first place... the retiree target market isn't looking for car reviews on this site or anywhere else online (generally speaking)... i'd think they would just show up on the Caddy lot and start kicking tires & ask for a brochure.  I'm thinking of my dad here... he's retired, barely knows what an internet is.. he wouldn't buy one of these anyway, he's too cheap.
 
What this review has predictably done is generate posts lambasting it.. (IMHO it is what it is - wouldn't bug me in the least that an XTS was in the same lot as an ATS).  GM will sell a handful of these to the snowbird set - but i'd bet a bunch of these folks would buy a Lacrosse instead for a bunch less.

[Northernridge]

Although it's not a flagship...did Cadillac ask you to say that? Sounds like an apology.

Cadillac releases a brand new $62,000 dollar car and the byline is that it's not a flagship.

The new Lexus GS starts under 60k.

Well, I guess grandpa will be happy.

Thinking about this further...let's say a sixty-two-thousand dollar laden XTS buyer reads this article and notices that auto-journalists and perhaps Cadillac doesn't want him to think that this is Cadillac's flagship. Puzzled because he wants it to be for his 62 grand and inquires...how do you explain this to him?

Cadillac's newest and most expensive car (the specialized CTS-V notwithstanding) doesn't sufficiently represent what the company is all about...but we'll happily sell you one.

[Fobroader]

Although it's not a flagship...did Cadillac ask you to say that? Sounds like an apology.

Cadillac releases a brand new $62,000 dollar car and the byline is that it's not a flagship.

The new Lexus GS starts under 60k.

Well, I guess grandpa will be happy.

Thinking about this further...let's say a sixty-two-thousand dollar laden XTS buyer reads this article and notices that auto-journalists and perhaps Cadillac doesn't want him to think that this is Cadillac's flagship. Puzzled because he wants it to be for his 62 grand and inquires...how do you explain this to him?

Cadillac's newest and most expensive car (the specialized CTS-V notwithstanding) doesn't sufficiently represent what the company is all about...but we'll happily sell you one.

Sorry buddy, should have bought a CTS-V......

[sailor723]

At 62K I have no problem with it not being the flagship. I do have a problem with it not seeming to be a viable competitor to an E class, 5 series, A6 or Lexus ES

[Northernridge]

At 62K I have no problem with it not being the flagship. I do have a problem with it not seeming to be a viable competitor to an E class, 5 series, A6 or Lexus ES

The Infiniti M37 and Lexus GS are in this price range as well (60ish) and both are very good cars.

[Vanstar]

Although it is not a flagship, the new XTS is a comfortable cruiser that should make many Cadillac customers happy.

Read More...

Judging by the build and ride quality, as well as the execusion of this car, hopefully this will be the last generation of the "traditional buyer" who can continue to bail GM despite its continued uttermost disrespect for the buyer.

Having read this review, someone wanted to convince me that the ATS is a better car than the 3-series? As long as GM keeps cranking out these piles of dung, I won't be anywhere near any of its dealerships.

I guess I'll skip on the Implala too. No need to even take one for a test drive if this XTS is any indication.

I think this is the problem with Cadillac – it's hard to buy in to a performance-oriented pitch (ATS/CTS-V) at the same time as having to contemplate this grandpa-digger. I can see it now...ATS buyers going out of their to explain that they didn't buy THAT Cadillac.

Thats the problem with Caddy, theyve been seen by everyone as cars for people who have one foot in the grave for years. Slow, floaty, kinda relaible but no one cared because they were traded in every 3 years, big.....this car just just reinforces their attachment to their nearly dead clientele but also makes potential CTS or ATS buyers wince and shy away.

I agree the Cadillac was "kind of reliable." The Northstar engine was perhaps the best engine coming out of GM since the Vega's stellar 2.3 litre mill.

[revalations]

I'm curious as to why GM tossed the keys of this thing to you guys to review in the first place... the retiree target market isn't looking for car reviews on this site or anywhere else online (generally speaking)... i'd think they would just show up on the Caddy lot and start kicking tires & ask for a brochure.  I'm thinking of my dad here... he's retired, barely knows what an internet is.. he wouldn't buy one of these anyway, he's too cheap.
 
What this review has predictably done is generate posts lambasting it.. (IMHO it is what it is - wouldn't bug me in the least that an XTS was in the same lot as an ATS).  GM will sell a handful of these to the snowbird set - but i'd bet a bunch of these folks would buy a Lacrosse instead for a bunch less.

I agree here. This is a stop gap car untill the RWD flagship come out. This is for the traditionalists, livery companies, coach builders etc...and why not? They can turn a profit then go. I'm interested in a ATS or maybe the new CTS and I'll check one out in my quest for a new car, it matters to me zero if they sell a car like this as well. I've read several reviews on this car and in the end it nails what its intended to be and its certainly not a bad car imo.

[ArticSteve]

What this review has predictably done is generate posts lambasting it.. (IMHO it is what it is - wouldn't bug me in the least that an XTS was in the same lot as an ATS).  GM will sell a handful of these to the snowbird set - but i'd bet a bunch of these folks would buy a Lacrosse instead for a bunch less.

The last car a retiree should be driving is a Lacrosse.  Visibility is worse than a panel van.  Dead quiet though.  Although, the retired set may require advanced warnings.

The MARKET says the Lacrosse is a DUD.  Hardly matters when you're the spoiled child of government. 

 

GM again trims Malibu, LaCrosse output to ease excess

Automotive News -- February 5, 2013 - 3:08 pm ET

 
Malibu stocks stood at a 94-day supply on Jan. 31, GM says. That was down from 129 days on Jan. 1 and 164 days on Dec. 1.

General Motors has idled the main plant where it builds the Chevrolet Malibu and Buick LaCrosse for two weeks, the second time in two months that GM has curbed production of the sedans.

GM will suspend work at its Fairfax plant in Kansas City, Kan., this week and next, resuming the week of Feb. 17, according to the Web site of UAW Local 31, which represents the plant’s 3,561 hourly workers.

A.J. Shumate, the local’s vice president, confirmed to Automotive News that the plant will be idled for two weeks to allow demand to catch up with supply.

The shutdown follows three weeks of idle time at the plant in December and early January that also was intended to ease high inventory, in addition to seven days of planned holiday downtime.

‘Matching supply to demand’

A GM spokeswoman said the company does not comment on production schedules. “We’re matching supply to demand,” she said.

Malibu stocks stood at a 94-day supply on Jan. 31, GM said. That was down from 129 days on Jan. 1 and 164 days on Dec. 1, according to the Automotive News Data Center.

LaCrosse supply stood at 117 days on Jan. 31, GM said. It had a 98-day supply on Jan. 1 and 124-day supply on Dec. 1, Automotive News Data Center numbers show.

Many Chevrolet dealers have been disappointed by sales of the Malibu, which was redesigned for the 2013 model year.

Last month, Malibu sales rose 8 percent to 15,823 units. That lagged sales of mid-sized sedan rivals the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Ford Fusion and Nissan Altima, which all topped 20,000 units for the month.

Malibu’s sales volumes “are still somewhat disappointing relative to a segment in the market that’s got some good growth,” Credit Suisse analyst Chris Ceraso remarked to GM sales executives during a conference call last week.

Gains in six straight months

Chevrolet U.S. sales chief Don Johnson said he was pleased that Malibu sales increased in each of the past six months, since the ’13 models were fully rolled out.

“We’re on the trajectory we expect to get the share that we expect in the segment,” Johnson said.

Also last week, GM executives said they were comfortable with the company’s overall inventory of 737,885 units on Jan. 31, a 95-day supply, given their expectation of rising sales this year.

Kurt McNeil, vice president of GM’s U.S. sales operations, said the company would use a variety of tactics, including production cuts, to ensure that supply aligns with demand.

“We feel very good about where we are,” McNeil said. “So no immediate obvious production cut.”

Last week, GM said it will invest $600 million to build a paint shop and make other improvements at Fairfax. GM said that work, scheduled to begin this year, will not affect production.


Be great to be a GM spokesperson.  Get paid to fib all day.  Sounds like fun.