Flummoxed

Posted by swade on August 29th, 2006 14 Comments Printer-Friendly

The whole Cadillac-in-Europe thing is still getting my goat. It’s really annoying to hear of developments at Cadillac, of which there are a few doing the rounds at the moment (a coupe for example), whilst Saab hasn’t featured on any of the news services for some time now.

I took a quick look at a Caddy STS-V review at Autoweek this morning. I think this picture should sum up my thoughts on Caddy pretty well.

Now, the STS-V isn’t available in Europe but GM want to grow Cadillac in that market so I think it’s fair to be taking a look at what they want to push there eventually. Can you imagine a European market accepting this?

This has got to be just about the ugliest car interior I’ve ever laid eyes on. It’s vile. It’s the automotive equivalent to a bad case of crabs. The only person I could really imagine liking it is Rodney Dangerfield, and only if he was in character.

For some reason, GM sees fit to give European development, promotion and production dollars to the company that produces this crap rather than give further support to Saab.

Saab are doing better in Europe in 2006, but with the German market still in it’s infancy and other markets emerging, the potential is huge.

Global Premium Brand?

Prove it.

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zippy said:

Swade, Id say it was the automotive equivalent of a bad case of syphillis. I thought Caddie was headed in the right direction but someone made a swift about turn here!

You are right its VILE!

-August 29th, 2006 at 11:21 am
fred@dzlsabe.com said:

Me thinks the sales #s have em rethinkin this.

-August 29th, 2006 at 1:10 pm
saab9x said:

that interior looks “sophmoric” to me.

-August 29th, 2006 at 1:32 pm
Ben W said:

i’d vouch for the auto equiv of genital herpes, actually. it’s truly something that makes you feel nauseous while you clutch your nads in pained discomfort, trying to remove the image from your mind.

-August 29th, 2006 at 1:47 pm
Kraig said:

….and to add a further insult, its price tag is a whopping $77,000 US.

-August 29th, 2006 at 2:33 pm
Gunnar Heinrich said:

You’re right on about Cadillac’s half-assed attempt at turning Europeans’ heads. Considering that the BLS is on the same damn platform as the 9-3 (and Opel), I can hardly see the incentive except for those who would like to see the same vandals who bash in the Mickey D’s down la rue to come and torch their Caddy, too.

-August 29th, 2006 at 2:59 pm
Mats said:

Change the screens to monschrome green and that interior just screams 1986. And we all know that the 80’s was the pinnacle of good looks.

http://www.wallpaperbase.com/wallpapers/movie/miamivice/miami_vice_2.jpg

-August 29th, 2006 at 3:18 pm
ctm said:

Exactly… Is this actually a _new_ car on sale today?

-August 29th, 2006 at 8:42 pm
Robin Capper said:

You mean you don’t like red vinyl leather?

-August 29th, 2006 at 9:27 pm
Ted Y said:

I thought 1970’s. Maybe the designer just wants to relive his/her younger years. Unfortunately, the 1970’s were the ugliest years in history for American cars.

-August 29th, 2006 at 9:29 pm
Bram said:

Swade,

Count your blessings. You have obviously never had the displeasure of riding in a 1980’s vintage Camaro or you would never call this the ugliest interior ever.

-August 29th, 2006 at 10:13 pm
ctm said:

I recall that article in the Swedish issue of Auto Motor & Sport a couple of months ago. I think it was there I saw it… Someone (maybe Lutz) was talking about how the american auto-industry ( = GM) was at working with interior design these days. They had really started to concentrate on it with the help of design folks from outside the industri. In fact, he thought, they were so good that the European companies ( = Opel, Saab) could learn a lot from them.

(I’m not making this up!)

-August 29th, 2006 at 11:18 pm
Robin Capper said:

“…European companies ( = Opel, Saab) could learn a lot from them”

I agree, they can learn what not to do!

Although you have to admit it’s spectacular how they’ve combined orange (lcd panel?) with blue (instruments/GPS) and several shades of red in one interior…

-August 30th, 2006 at 6:31 pm
saabassguy said:

Rodney, haha! just the character i was thinking of (CaddyShack) when you mentioned him. Ugly IMO as well.

-August 31st, 2006 at 6:21 am