XLR Sales Problems

[Rob Gerace #16100]

Hi Everyone,
   It appears the XLR is going the way of the SSR.  Apparently, sales were very strong in the beginning, but have fallen off sharply lately.  Maybe building a $76,200 Cadillac wasnt the right thing to do.  Heres the link to the article:

http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=101909 TARGET=_blank>http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=101909

Rob
66 SDV (much less than $76,200)

[Bruce Reynolds # 18992]

Gday Rob,

Will the XLR be the future collectable?

One mustnt forget the Broughams of the 57 to 60 years.

With the price of one of those, I could tour the world for a couple of years.

Bruce,
The Tassie Devil(le),
60 CDV

[Rich Sullivan CLC #11473]

Its too bad for Cadillac that these cars have not kept up their momentum. Maybe if they were more visible on the road (i.e. more of them out there), then more people would be aware of the great looks of this model. In person, for some reason, it looks so much better than in the photos, in my opinion. Of course, I also think the price was set too high for the initial offering of a totally new model in a new product niche for Cadillac. Many of Cadillacs loyal base of wealthy, older demographics buyers, were turned off by the very high tech instrumentation that is on all of the XLRs, and they could have afforded these cars. I wonder how the numbers for the advance orders for the XLR V-Series cars are?

[Johnny]

It appears for whatever reasons Cadillac just cant be successful with a 2 seater.  Ironically they do quite well with the trucks!

[Dave Leger CLC#19256]

I just bought a new T-bird, and frmo the readnig I did, it appears that higher end 2 seaters are not selling well across the board.  I dont think its a refelection of the XLR.  I work for a GM supplier, and I did notice that the exclusion from supplier pricing on the XLR was lifted, which is a sign GM isnt too happy with sales.  Id have bought one if it were in my price range!  Were also a Ford supplier, and between dealer cash back, and that discount, it was almost $10,000 of the sticker on the T-bird.  Even Mercedes was recently offering $1,000 off on the new 350 SLK here in Denver.

[David #19063]

I would imagine that the XLR-V will end up more collectable than the XLR.  Now there will be a market in the future for the XLR, but the V will be the premium.  

Maybe like the differences between a 59/60 62 series and the Eldorado Barritz?

I mean, if you can afford a new XLR, they you probably can afford the XLR-V.  Why buy the lesser model?

And 5, 10, 25 years from now, the V model will be worth more as well.

David

[Bruce Reynolds # 18992]

What is the world coming to when a General Motors Supplier can also be a Ford Supplier.

Talk about a conflict of interest.

Bruce,
The Tassie Devil(le),
60 CDV

[Mike #19861]

 The good old days, the 1920s.

 The River Rouge plant where coal, raw steel, and raw timber went in one end and completed cars out the other.

 But even still, Ford did outscource some things like the ignition boxes. GM counted more on its inhouse suppliers, but did outscource many components, often the same suppliers that supplied their competitiors. This was the heyday of the "assembled" car. Things like Timken Bearings, carburetors were outscourced by GM. But then too, many competitors bought from GM suppliers such as Delco-Remy.

 Even in the 70s and 80s Ford bought components from GM such as AC compressors and Saginaw steering components.

  Mike

[Dave Leger CLC#19256]

I work for a large aerospace & electronics company.  We purchased one company which had been a GM supplier.  We just began working with Ford 2 years ago.  I imagine that many electronics companies supply components to multiple automotive manufacturers.  I know I have seen Motorola components in GM, Chrysler, and Ford cars.  Its not quite the same situation as if custom mechanical components are being produced.  Its amazing the web of makers GM and Ford represent.  Our GM discounts apply to GM and Saab, while the Ford discounts apply to Ford products and Mazda, Volvo, Land Rover, Jaguar, and Aston Martin.

Dave

[Robert Koch 21150]

And in the reverse direction I once worked for a company that made a machine to track where Navy vessels have been, by drawing on a map. It used custom made screws (24" long, 3/4" diameter, extreme precision) to move the (I am not making this up!) mechanical pencil.
Of course I figured out a better purpose for this $850K machine. A simple program in the test computer would cause it to draw, um, other things. Does the name Vargas mean anything to you guys?
BTW, the screws were over a thousand dollars apiece.

[Robert Koch 21150]

Saginaw. Geez, I forgot the point of the message...

[Bruce Reynolds # 18992]

Gday Mike,

Oh, silly me!!!!!

I was thinking of the Supplier being a Dealer, as in Supplier of cars, and not parts for cars.

Yesterday, I chastised myself severely, and had to have a good nights sleep to recover from the beating I gave myself.

Bruce,
The Tassie Devil(le),
60 CDV

[Mike #19861]

 Well, at least you had a good nights sleep! Ill chastise myself, then everyone else gets on the bandwagon and then I have to go to work all night to work it off.

 Point taken!

 I suppose business is business. They all deal with the lowest cost supplier that meets their criteria. If then they buy from the same supplier, so be it.

  Mike