In this, my last of 3 posts about my visit to GM, I get to talk a bit more about the cars. During my visit, I was given the opportunity to drive a 2010 Chevy Camaro, a 2009 Cadillac Escalade, and a 2009 Cadillac CTS and a CTS-V. There’s actually a little bit of video at the bottom of the post. But first, let me wrap up my take on GM overall.
Confidence and the Future of GM
First off, this company is working hard and fast at getting lean, getting focused, and getting the right cars into the hands of the people who want them. I know about as much as you do about what comes next. I know that they’re hoping to sell Hummer, that Saturn might be on the blocks by 2011, that Saab has a potential dark future. I know that they’re going to slim down their product offerings.
I also know that these people really want to talk about cars. I know they’ve got some great new products coming out. I know that they realize the most recent few decades didn’t go exactly the way they’d wished.
I’m excited. I want to see them succeed. I want to see a core American company get their financial legs under them, get back to contributing to the economic rebuilding of our country’s core, and move into the next era of forward-thinking technology. Their hybrid and fuel cell projects are roaring along. Volt is showing promise. There are huge potholes in the road between now and success, but I have the feeling things are moving in the right direction.
The Cadillac CTS and CTS-V
Okay, my Saturn VUE is only a few years old. I’m not yet in the market for a new car, but I admit that I got a bit excited about the Cadillac CTS. It’s a really gorgeous car, and it’s nothing like the last 20 years of Cadillac (from my outsider’s view). Upon playing with the car a bit (I got to drive both the CTS and the CTS-V, which has a Corvette engine under the hood), I am even more in love. It’s powerful, yet tasteful, and just luxurious as hell.
It’s not exactly in my price point. The CTS is in the $30K range and the CTS-V that we tried was equipped out to about $60K. They’re meant to compete with the foreign luxury market, and with a few of the most recent US entries into the space. Believe me, with the plush interior, the amazing information/entertainment systems, the killer engine, the OnStar platform and more, I’m pretty much finding ways to make the CTS my next car at this point.
So, want to see a few videos?
Videos: Brogan Goes Gearhead
I split it into 2: