Pistons buzz is Cadillac shake up the image

Helps a brand new model slipping sales boost Cadillac? CNBC's Phil LeBeau reports on the efforts of major General Motors has to revive sales caddy.

By Paul A. Eisenstein, msnbc.com of mysteries
Cadillac is hoping what shake - quite literally - with the introduction of its new flagship sedan.

XTS called, it features a new "awareness driver package", that hidden can place before a car into the blind spot, meaning, if the driver accidentally slides into the adjacent lane or if there is a potential for a collision with the car forward. Instead of flashing lights or sound a buzzer, begins the sedan driver's seat to vibrate.

But Cadillac wants to shake up the established order in the U.S. luxury market. There was a time, not many years ago, when the brand from General Motors mainly dominated its competitors, import / domestic. Car is now little more than an L2 competitors at home and all but forgotten in other countries.

"We want to regain our coat as the standard of the world", Don Butler, Cadillac said Vice President of marketing, during the first drive of the new XTS, "and we think that we have to do the login information."

The XTS replaces effectively two outgoing Caddy models, M., and DTS. But perhaps more importantly, it is part of a wave of new products, which promises to be the GM Division, roll-out in the coming years. The large sedan goes against the BMW 5 series and Mercedes-Benz E-class. The new ATS, which will start slightly later in the year, addressed such as the BMW 3 series and Audi A4.

Butler tips on the whole, the Cadillac one still up market in the not-too-distant future production version of CIEL concept car is moved, which raves on the auto show circuit moved this year. A prototype of an updated, could according to sources on next January Detroit Auto show presented.

Even then, Cadillac officials admit her line-up still relatively thin are compared to competitors such as Mercedes. The German manufacturer now offers a score of coupes, sedans, convertibles, crossovers, sports car and all-terrain vehicle.

While Caddy do not intend a one match it will roll out at least one brand new model annually for the foreseeable future continue to GM CEO Dan Akerson during an appearance on the Beijing motor show in April announced.

"they are still a work in progress," said analyst Aaron Bragman, IHS automotive. "But their share will grow simply by entering new segments."

It is not the first time that Cadillac hoped has for a turnaround. It started a much-touted 'Renaissance' with the introduction of the first generation CTS sedan a decade ago. This led the manufacturer so called art & science design theme, an edgy look, which vaguely back sounded distinctive and dominant as the huge fins 59 Eldorado to offerings of Cadillac.

But a number of subsequent products, such as such as the short-lived XLR Roadster, failed expectations, which tend to all revive but steam with the STS and DTS.

Cadillac began around things back on track with the introduction of a second generation CTS, especially if it packs from the CTS Coupe, which considered most distinctive offer in today's luxury car market. And it tightened its performance V-series, the latest CTS-V, one of the most powerful cars on the market.

CTS a core remains line-up, the Cadillac even though the next generation sedan slightly larger, better between the compact ATS and XTS full-size position will grow. In the meantime, show sources, is that at least one more crossover utility vehicle in the works as a complement to the current SRX model.

The SRX is proposing that Caddy could provide some surprises. The original version was largely ignored, but the new update is a challenge of the long-time market leader in the segment of the Lexus RX now.

Like its competitors caddy is meanwhile an increasing emphasis on technology, including not only the new driver package consciousness, but also the Cadillac CUE system. In contrast to competitors infotainment systems, a driver - such as pairing allows CUE a Smartphone or a target type - in plain English, rather than a complex hierarchy of rigid commands learn to type commands.

But commands that U.S. buyers is back in the exhibition space a different subject entirely. Until 1990, are expected to routinely one sell Cadillac quarter-million vehicles per year. Last year hardly 152,000 was almost two thirds of the volume of the main rivals such as BMW, Lexus and Mercedes. Worse, despite repeated efforts, Cadillac largely able to gain traction on the European market.

China is a different story. Where GM is itself the dominant manufacturer and Cadillac is fast on ground win. Analysts like Bragman believe it will make even better, as soon as it starts production models like the XTS it this year bypassing hefty import duties. CEO Akerson told reporters during the Beijing show that his goal is it Chinese Cadillac sales to 180,000 a year in a half decade.

There was a time when Caddy defined race. The name, Cadillac, was emphasized in the output 1913 by Webster's dictionary as the definition of the ultimate perfection - something the manufacturer with a copy of the dictionary on display in Beijing.

While the term still in use, has a long time since Cadillac as the apex of the luxury car market it was seen. But not from lack of trying. In its 2009 bankruptcy, GM is intent on regaining his broader global leadership and Cadillac, the simple, that resurrection must be.