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Seventies super-salesman challenges new car-sales record

Some of the fondest memories from my youth were the Sunday afternoons spent walking between rows of new and used cars. This preceded the advent of widely available internet, so the cars didn't sell themselves online: A tentative buyer had to come see the cars in the metal, with old-school salesmen taking well-earned smoke breaks after putting someone behind the wheel of a new Saab 900. All-inclusive subscription services were unheard of. If you open a Guinness records book and look up car salesmen, you'll find Joe Girard. The definitely old-school Detroit salesman regularly sold over 1,000 new cars per year, with a particular high point of 1,425 cars in 1973 guaranteeing him a mention in the Guinness book. To reach that kind of sales figure, you had to be a pretty special salesman, and Girard was. He didn't take breaks unless absolutely necessary, and even his lunch hours were dedicated to selling more cars instead of shooting the breeze with other sales persons. By 1977 he was worn through, having sold over 13,000 cars in his career, and his physique couldn't take it anymore. He's been a motivational speaker since. Now, 44 years later, a Dearborn, Mich., Cadillac and Chevrolet salesman named Ali Reda has reportedly broken Girard's record. The books at Les Stanford Chevrolet Cadillac say Reda sold 1,530 new cars and 52 used cars in 2017, averaging 130 vehicles per month. But after Girard, 89, heard of the sales record, he called his attorney, not letting his record be broken without a fight — or at least an audit. The Dearborn dealer isn't too concerned about Girard's doubts, at least according to Gary Stanford, whose father founded the dealership. "It's very official, trust me," said Stanford to the Detroit Free Press. "Ali is the hardest worker I've ever seen. And if someone doesn't believe the data, well, they're more than welcome to consult with GM. It's all there in black and white." What Girard doesn't get is that Reda was honoring him with the accomplishment. "I read his book, 'How to Sell Anything to Anybody,' and it said it would teach you how to become the best," said Reda, who at age 44 was a newborn when Girard hit his peak. "He's an absolute legend in the industry. Your whole career, you're chasing his name.

Cadillac Elmiraj Concept slinks in Leno's Garage

Jay Leno's Garage has moved to Pebble Beach for the week. This time around, the affable comedian is taking a look at the Cadillac Elmiraj Concept that debuted during the Monterey car week, and is talking to General Motors vice president of global design, Ed Welburn.
There's plenty of reminiscing about what concept cars were like when these two were kids, before a fairly deep dive into the striking Elmiraj Concept itself. Welburn shares a few anecdotes about the design process behind the two-door concept, including how his designers changed his mind on the grille design.
After bringing up the Cimarron, Leno makes a solid point that the Elmiraj would be a solid production car that could even spawn a four-door variant. We couldn't agree more. Take a look below for the full video from Jay Leno's Garage.

Cadillac president reveals XTS sedan refresh, flagship vehicle plans

Update: The second paragraphed has been changed from the original text to make it clear that de Nysschen, not Autoblog , claimed the report by The Detroit Bureau is inaccurate. Cadillac has been on a tear ever since the automaker poached Johan de Nysschen from Infiniti, becoming a more profitable automaker while delving deeper into the luxury market. While some reports indicate that Cadillac may be limiting its lineup, de Nysschen just put everything out in the open. In the comment section of an article by The Detroit Bureau that claimed Cadillac would cut its lineup down, de Nysschen stated the report was inaccurate and outlined the automaker's future. The Cadillac CEO wrote "Some of what you report is correct, some incorrect, most is conjecture." A Cadillac spokesperson confirmed that de Nysschen did write the comment, but did not comment on any of the details. The Detroit Bureau's Paul Eisenstein told Autoblog that he stands behind the information in the report. In any case the most interesting tidbit in de Nysschen's comment is the major refresh for the Cadillac XTS. The news directly contradicts previous reports that indicated the XTS would be killed off by 2019. In Cadillac's pursuit to add some space between it and GM, the XTS was expected to get the axe in favor of more profitable vehicles. The sedan, which was introduced in 2012, shares its underpinnings with the latest generation of the Chevrolet Impala. To the contrary, Nysschen stated that "We ARE planning a major refresh for XTS." What the major refresh will bring the aging sedan is still a mystery, but the vehicle isn't dying. The move to keep the XTS in its lineup is a bit of a surprise as Cadillac has filled its lineup with track-oriented sports cars, rear-wheel-drive sedans, and extravagant crossovers. The boat-like XTS with its front-wheel-drive layout and available all-wheel-drive system sticks out like a sore thumb, even if it were to receive a major overhaul. The only real explanation is that Cadillac hopes the vehicle will still appeal to its old-school customers that are unwilling to compromise interior space and ride quality. In our most recent review of the XTS, we thought the luxurious sedan was a great long-distance cruiser, but not a talented sports car – no surprises there. It's unlikely that Cadillac will focus on driving pleasure with the refreshed XTS, focusing instead on pure comfort and luxury.