Why it’s not wise for Cadillac to come back to Europe
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Cadillac is pretty tough. After numerous failed attempts to break through in Europe, the American brand is trying again.
The fully electric Lyriq is the first model to make the crossing. Oddly enough, Cadillac is not choosing to launch in a typical EV country like Norway or the Netherlands, but in Switzerland.
Cadillac Lyriq with 528 hp
The Lyric will be available there as an all-wheel drive vehicle with 528 hp, a 102 kWh battery and a range of up to 530 kilometers. It is a large SUV with a length of 5 meters and a wheelbase of 3.1 meters.
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What is the Lyriq comparable to? It is slightly larger than an Audi Q8 E-Tron or a BMW iX. It is by no means light, with a weight of at least 2600 kilos for the 4WD version.
In Switzerland the Lyriq will cost more than 85,000 euros. In the USA, a comparable version costs no more than 59,000 euros. It is not known whether Cadillac will also bring the Lyriq to the Netherlands.
Cadillac in the Netherlands
Cadillac has been officially present in our country for more than ten years since the turn of the century. The American brand was unable to prevail against Audi, BMW and Mercedes.
In 2005, Cadillac was “most successful” with only 234 registrations. The best-selling models of these years were the CTS (331 units), the SRX (323) and the BLS (268).
The Dutch (read: European) consumer is quite conservative. That’s why Lexus never achieved a real breakthrough. In the premium segment, only Audi, BMW and Mercedes perform well.
Image problem in the USA
In the US, Cadillac no longer has the status it once had. Long ago the brand could compete with Rolls-Royce and before the 1980s it was mentioned in the same breath as Mercedes.
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Cadillac then lost ground in its home market compared to German and Japanese competition. The brand was stuck with outdated chassis technology, slow and thirsty V8 engines and a yawn-inducing design.
This changed after 2000, but the damage was already done. Cadillac had an older image and even the spectacular V label could do little to change it.
Source: Auto visie
I’m Jamie Bowen, a dedicated and passionate news writer for 24 News Reporters. My specialty is covering the automotive industry, but I also enjoy writing about a wide range of other topics such as business and politics. I believe in providing my readers with accurate information while entertaining them with engaging content.
