2004 Cadillac Srx on 2040-cars

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Opel director Sedran to succeed Docherty as Chevy Europe boss

When longtime General Motors executive Susan Docherty announced she would be stepping down from her post as the head of Chevrolet and Cadillac in Europe, there was some idle chatter that plans for the creation of a new global overseer position for the Bowtie brand was behind the move. And while US sales chief Alan Batey has indeed assumed control of Chevy worldwide since her departure announcement, Docherty's vacancy is being filled after all, with Opel chief strategist Thomas Sedran taking up the reins.
That's according to Automotive News, who reports that Sedran will be tasked with pulling Chevy out of a sales funk, much of it pegged on Europe's stagnant auto industry, which has sunk to a 20-year low. AN notes that Chevy's EU sales plunged 32 percent to 57,584 units through the first five months of 2013, but the everyday value brand is faring worlds better than Cadillac, which has sold just 167 units in Europe over the same time period.
Sedran, 48, has been in the auto industry for over 20 years. Most recently, at Opel he had been working on long-term plans for the marque, and was appointed to the brand's management board in April of last year. Prior to joining GM, Sedran was employed as a management consultant for AlixPartners, where he worked closely with Opel for six years. Sedran will assume his new duties beginning July 1.

2015 Cadillac Escalade

Cadillac has been an interesting story in the auto industry over the past several years. Its comeback bid may be well over a decade old, but it's only recently that the Wreath and Crest has transformed from the auto industry's retirement home into its hot new thing. Today's Cadillac is a powerful marque working to instill passionate design, sound driving dynamics and cutting-edge technology into each model it builds, with vehicles like the ATS and redesigned CTS leading the charge.
Now, its latest model has arrived. This fourth-generation Escalade is among the most important new Cadillacs since the division's renaissance kicked into high gear. It's the brand's de facto flagship, and the first vehicle many young people think of when hearing the name "Cadillac." In the past, the Escalade was the chosen vehicle of the rich, flashy and famous. It's suffered over the past few years, though, particularly as new and more luxurious competitors have come to the fore.
With this latest redesign, General Motors is aiming to retake the spotlight as purveyors of the market's premier luxury SUV. To find out if it's been successful, I ventured down to the South Carolina Lowcountry to test the all-new 2015 Escalade.

Buy a Mosler Twinstar, the V16 Cadillac you almost wanted [w/video]

Cadillac was once famous for opulent, V16 luxury vehicles, but this bizarre 16-cylinder 1999 Eldorado that's for auction on eBay Motors isn't much like its ancestors. Dubbed the TwinStar, this beast features a Northstar V8 with 275 horsepower to drive the front wheels and a second Northstar with 300 hp is in the trunk to spin the rear axle. Each mill has its own four-speed automatic gearbox, and the result is a total of 575 hp of all-wheel drive fury in an incredibly weird package. The TwinStar's interior and exterior certainly don't hide the odd powertrain setup. To fit the engine in the trunk, the builders pushed the rear wheels further back and lengthened the wheelbase. There are also scoops low on each side to funnel air to the V8. Inside, there's a second ignition on the side of the center stack, and a digital instrument cluster replaces the glove box. It's sure to confuse any passenger you can convince to take a ride in this thing. Mosler, the supercar company known for models like the MT900, built five TwinStars, according to the auction. The seller links to the original review by Car and Driver, and the magazine noted that the sensation of the two engines working in tandem was rather odd. However, the TwinStar was a capable performer and ran to 60 in 5 seconds in its test. If you want to start your new year with the oddest vehicle possible, the TwinStar's auction sits at $5,600 with the reserve not met as of this writing, and it ends January 2, 2016, at 8:00 PM ET. If you can't wait that long, the dealer lists the car online for $39,900. There's also a spirited conversation on Bring a Trailer about this automotive oddity.