GM did what everyone was whispering about for the past few days…they shook up the leadership of their brands in a major shift of the sales and marketing power structure.

Now, instead of a single brand head, the brands now have a VP of marketing as well as a VP of sales and service.

Cadillac now has Don Butler, in the new position of U.S. marketing VP and Kurt McNeil as U.S. sales and service VP. McNeil was previously general sales manager, Chevrolet.

Bryan Nesbitt is returning to design as executive director, advanced concept group, reporting to Ed Welburn, VP of global design.

Categories: News
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Rumors are swirling that GM has axed plans to bring out a Cadillac version of the Chevrolet Volt extended range EV.

Apparently (according to reports) the requirements to make a real Cadillac out of this platform would have cut EV range in half and possibly almost doubled the price of the Volt (expected to have an MSRP in the high 30’s with an effective price right around 30k.

So, the prospects of a 60k compact electric Cadillac coupe with a 20-mile EV range, combined with slow sales of hybrid luxury vehicles in general, caused GM to back off on this project – at least for now.

Expect GM and Cadillac to focus on more cost-effective options, such as traditional two-mode hybrid systems in cars like the new ATS, the next CTS, as well as the production XTS.

Categories: News
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Rumors are flying this morning of a management shake-up at GM (again).

After today’s sales call – scheduled for 10a EST – GM is expected to announce several changes in its management structure. Included in this is rumored to be the removal of Bryan Nesbitt as head of Cadillac.

This would possibly signal a weakening of the influence of Vice-Chairman Bob Lutz (who helped champion Nesbitt who worked for him at Chrysler in the late 90’s).

This, the cancellation of the Converj extended range EV, and the showing of a Epsilon II based ‘flagship’ car calls into question the commitment of new GM management to making Cadillac a true leader of the luxury segment vs. a style-driven profit-center.

Stay tuned.

Categories: News, Rumored Models
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The BurlappCars site has posted a rendering of the new ATS based on the spy photo (also suspect by many GM and Cadillac followers) we posted a while back.

While it is obvious that they were working from the spy shot, it appears that they have the hood too low and long to match what you see in the photo.

But, we’d be remiss if we didn’t bring this to you all as well.

Source: Burlapp Cars

Categories: News
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As you may have seen elsewhere online, pricing has been announced on the seat option we told you about over a month ago.

The Recaro sport seats, previously only available on the CTS-V, will now be an option on the non-V CTS sedan (and coupe when it goes into production in a few months).

The option will cost $2800 and provide a much sportier seating option than previously available to those of us without the means or need for supercharged, V-8 power.

Categories: News, CTS
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