How can you call yourself the “standard to the world,” if your only real market is the United States?

That’s the conundrum Cadillac has faced in recent years. It’s not that the automaker hasn’t tried to develop demand in Europe and other parts of the world, but despite some high-profile introductions, it’s so far found little success. Now, as General Motors pumps an estimated $6 billion into Caddy’s nascent comeback, going global isn’t just a nice idea, it’s absolutely essential.

Recent additions to the product line, such as the edgy CTS and STS sedans, as well as the XLR roadster, show some promise, but Cadillac officials are betting that the best way to gain traction in the tough European market is with a model designed exclusively for overseas luxury buyers. What they have in mind will take its formal bow at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, but TheCarConnection was given an early preview of the sedan that will carry the designation BLS.

The basic shape of the four-door will likely seem familiar to those who have followed the evolution of Cadillac’s new Art & Science design theme. The bold grille and vertical head and tail lamps are pure Cadillac, as are the tall and angular body panels, with a wedge-shaped stance designed to suggest power and performance.

At 184.25 inches in overall length, the BLS will be nearly six inches shorter than Caddy’s current entry model, the CTS. But that shouldn’t be a problem outside the States, where buyers are less likely to link size with price. “Premium is not a question of size, but purely of excellence,” declared Bob Lutz, GM’s Vice Chairman and global product chief.

The BLS will certainly have plenty of premium touches, including bi-xenon headlamps, leather seats, Bose audio hardware, and a touchscreen DVD navigation system. Bluetooth-equipped cellphones will be able to link to the Caddy sedan’s hands-free phone system.

While the new BLS might visually fit into the Cadillac brand, it remains to be seen if European consumers will accept the sedan’s pedigree. This particular Caddy started out life as a Saab, or rather the global GM Epsilon platform shared with the Swedish automaker’s 9-3 lineup along with other vehicles such as the Pontiac G6 and Chevy Malibu. The decision was anything but unexpected considering Saab’s ongoing sales problems and excess production capacity.

The automaker already has gotten plenty of cash, engineering, and marketing assistance from GM and the other members of its global alliance. The new Saab 9-7X is a rebadged version of the parent company’s big SUV, and a version of Fuji Heavy Industry’s sporty Subaru WRX was launched in the U.S. last year under the Saab 9-2X nameplate.

Beyond basic expediency, there are some advantages to using the 9-3 as a starting point. It gets Caddy into this very global segment far faster than if it had started developing an all-new product entirely on its own. Saab also makes it easy for Cadillac to offer a right-hand-drive model for Britain and various export markets, such as Japan or Australia .

The BLS won’t be your typical Cadillac in the powertrain department. Diesels now account for nearly half the overall European automotive market, and perhaps counter-intuitively for Americans, these highly efficient engines are particularly popular among luxury buyers. The BLS will be offered with a 1.9-liter, four-cylinder turbodiesel, a first for the luxury marque. Alternately, buyers will be offered a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine and a 2.8-liter V-6, both also turbocharged.

Preliminary specifications suggest Caddy’s version of the 9-3 platform will get unique suspension tuning designed to enhance the car’s sporty feel. Additional sound insulation is also part of the package.

Though the BLS will take its bow in Geneva next month, it won’t hit showrooms until spring 2006. That will give Cadillac time to mount an aggressive introduction campaign for a brand virtually invisible to the typical European luxury buyer.

http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=8120

 

Looks like they are taking the basic look/design and making it smaller. Well I suppose that sort of worked for them in the 80's :chuckles:

 

Cadillac's problem for Europe is that the CTS is as big as a Mercedes E-class or BMW 5-series. They need something smaller which can compete in what are more tightly defined vehicle segments which are regimented based on size. The BLS is still six and eight inches longer than theh Mercedes C-class and BMW 3-series, respectively, but at least it's still smaller than the next step up the model ladder.

What's potentially really great for Cadillac is the BLS allows the CTS and STS to be positioned say, a half-step below the E-class/5-series and S-class/7-series. And since the cars are built here in America and paid for in dollars, selling them in euros gives Caddy a nice bump in profit due to the current state of exchange rates.

 

The overall shape kind of reminds of the TSX. I can't quite decide if I like it. I think the greenhouse is too tall, and I think the rear-end looks a little too "old-person" Cadillac. Still, it's definitely a step in the right direction for a Caddy, and they definitely needed a smaller model if they wanted to compete in Europe.

And couldn't they have come up with a better name than BLS? Sounds like an abbreviation for Bullshit, which is definitely not what you want your car to be.

 

I like it. But why would someone buy this over the Saab 9-3?? Isn't GM going to be eating into their own sales with this??

 

to develop the cadillac brand/status in europe. if this car helps push cadillac upwards in the european luxury market, the rest of the lineup may see more success. in this respect, it's worthwhile for them to sacrifice a few saab sales if it means the success of an entire division.

also, just think about how many variants of the trailblazer there are in america........ :ugh:

 

Please don't say you are referring to the Cimarron.

 

I said no such thing.

 

Good because nobody thought the Cimarron worked. It came from the american car era of Chrysler Corinthean Leather.

 

the sides remind me of the saturn L series.