Cadillac, GM’s luxury brand, is considering a plan to develop a new flagship sedan and two-seat sports car, according to newly appointed Cadillac global vice president Robert E. Ferguson during an interview with The Detroit News. He also said that the Escalade’s interior will receive an upgrade. GM had previously said that it is developing a flagship sedan for Cadillac that won’t just define the brand but will also be competitive against cars such as the BMW 7 Series and Lexus LS. The 2013 Cadillac XTS full-size sedan could be the largest sedan in the brand. However, the front-drive-based four-door isn’t a flagship car. Ferguson said that when people see the flagship sedan, they will say, “Wow, Cadillac is smoking.”
Cadillac is also developing a sports car. He admitted that GM executives have entertained the possibility and that the approval of this car will depend on how the market responds to the new 2014 Jaguar F-Type. Cadillac had previously made the two-seat Corvette-based XLR convertible and the front-drive Allante convertible.
Cadillac has released the refreshed SRX crossover and new ATS and XTS sedans so now it is working on making the Escalade stand out from other full-size GM SUVs with an interior that’s one of a kind. If the next-generation Cadillac Escalade had an interior that’s significantly different from the GMC Yukon, Cadillac could better justify premium prices. By 2015, Cadillac will have a totally revamped lineup with the addition of the third-generation CTS and new ELR PHEV Coupe. The question now is whether Cadillac has to have a flagship sedan and a two-seat sports car to make it competitive as a first-tier luxury brand.
