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Cadillac

According to GM’s latest sales report, demand for Cadillac vehicles is on the rise, which has been made evident by the automaker sales of 32,016 units this month alone. It’s part of an 18 consecutive month of growth for the brand. Adding to that, year-to-date sales are up by 18.5%, totaling 321,721 units.

“We have positioned ourselves to have a successful 2017 and are on track to have one of the best sales years in the history of Cadillac,” said Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen. “Our SUV sales remain strong and we are seeing growth in the sedan segment, with both the ATS and CT6 performing well globally.”

In its home market, the gradual decline in demand for luxury cars, has affected Cadillac somewhat. But it has managed to partially offset the deficit with stronger sales of the XT5 and the ever-popular Escalade. This has resulted in an 8.1% growth in SUV portfolio sales for the year.

Despite this, China continues to be a strong market for the brand. There has been an increase of 53.7% in Cadillac sales compared to the same period in 2016. Following suit are Canada, South Korea, the Middle East and Japan, all of which, recorded an increase in sales this month.

Cadillac’s XT5 luxury crossover is still the best selling vehicle in its product portfolio. It has recorded 129,971 units delivered worldwide this year, and the ATS did equally well too, achieving a 20.2% increase in demand.

Worldwide, the company has achieved a 3.7% growth in sales figures, which isn’t groundbreaking, but proves that Cadillac vehicles are still in demand. Though the luxury car market might be shrinking, the figures show that the American automaker is still going strong.

Cadillac, also known as the Rolls-Royce of the US market, has unveiled a new limited edition version of its sporty CTS-V called the Glacier Metallic Edition. This car has been introduced to commemorate the company’s 115-year history, and only 155 examples will ever be produced, which is quite fitting.

Though remarkably similar to the regular CTS-V, the Glacier Metallic Edition does have a number of tweaks that make it seem more special. It gets illuminated door handles, dark red Brembo brake calipers and 19-inch forged polish-finished alloy wheels with Midnight Silver painted pockets.

Further customisation can be done if buyers opt for one of three different packages. The list is as follows:

Carbon Fiber Package:
Carbon fiber front splitter
Carbon fiber hood vent
Carbon fiber rear spoiler
Carbon fiber rear diffuser

Luxury Package:
Tri-zone climate control
Split-folding rear seat with armrest
Heated rear outboard seating positions
Power rear-window sunshade
Manual rear side-window sunshades
110-volt power outlet
Rear Camera Mirror

Next-Generation Cadillac user experience:
Cloud-based driver preferences
Predictive navigation with available real-time traffic
Collections application suite

On the inside, Cadillac has given the car jet black RECARO race-inspired sport seats, the Performance Data Recorder system featuring Cosworth Toolbox analysis software, UltraView sunroof, the industry–first Rear Camera Mirror and the next-generation Cadillac user experience infotainment system.

Under the hood is the same 6.2-litre supercharged V8 engine as the regular car. It produces 640bhp and 855Nm of torque. Thanks to direct fuel injection, an efficient and compact supercharger as well as Active Fuel Management (cylinder deactivation), the powerplant is able to offer decent fuel consumption figures.

Power is sent to the rear wheels via an 8-speed sport automatic transmission that utilizes technology called Performance Algorithm Shifting for better efficiency. There’s also a system called Performance Traction Management that has five track-oriented modes and works with Launch control to ensure that the car can adapt to any track condition.

As icing on the cake, Cadillac will be offering owners of all V-Series models including the Glacier Metallic Edition, tuition and accommodation at the 2-day Cadillac V-Performance Academy at Spring Mountain (offer valid for 1 year).

Beginning in September, the company will beginning offering this anniversary edition car in its US showrooms. And because it is being produced in such small numbers, these cars should be snapped up in no time.

Customer Convenience seems to be of paramount importance to Cadillac when it comes to cramming new tech into its cars. As a result, they have now made it even easier for their customers to interact with its vehicles with just a smartwatch.

Through the use of the myCadillac app which is only available for iOS, Cadillac owners can now control functions such as:

  • Vehicle locate
  • Remote start and stop
  • Lock and unlock doors
  • Activate and cancel horn and lights
  • Walking directions to vehicle

These functions can be controlled with an Apple Watch (Watch OS 3) via its Apple CarPlay compatible infotainment system. The technology is standard across the automaker’s lineup and offers other features such as quick access to phone contacts, messages, music and navigation as well as wireless phone charging.

“The Apple Watch integration is another example of the seamless integration of technology Apple aficionados have come to expect from the Cadillac brand,” said John McFarland, director of Global Digital Experience.

For those who have an Escalade or CT6, things get a bit more intereting. Passengers of these vehicels will be able to stream their favorite shows from devices such as Apple TV to the rear infotainment screens using the HDMI port and the vehicle’s built-in Wi-Fi connection.

Apple CarPlay is a proprietary bit of software that allows vehicle infotainment systems to play nicely with iPhones and their various functions. Many carmakers offer this tech in their latest offering but very few are able to match the flexibility and ‘ease of use’ of that offered by Cadillac.

The myCadillac app was launched in 2010 but it was only recently that it became available across the entire model range starting with those of model-year 2011 and newer. The American automaker has stated that it has recorded an increase of 50% in usage of its app as of 2017. The seamless connectivity functions, especially with the Apple Watch has intrigued many and should boost sales somewhat.

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