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Cadillac to augment dealers with 700 'boutique' stores

Johan de Nysschen is on a mission to revitalize Cadillac. Since taking over as chief executive of the American luxury brand, the former Audi and Infiniti exec has set about moving the brand's headquarters to New York, switched advertising firms, launched a completely new naming scheme for its model line, and has a whole raft of new products planned. And now he's working on changing how its dealer network operates. Speaking at both the Washington Auto Show and the NADA dealers' convention in San Francisco this week, de Nysschen has outlined a new plan for its US dealers. The network presently consists of over 900 stores – some 200 of which are stand-alone Cadillac dealers, with the remaining 700 attached to other GM brand showrooms. Contrary to earlier fears, de Nysschen notes that the dealer network is larger and covers more territory than those of import brands, and has no intention of cutting that number down. But he is asking those 700 mixed-brand dealers to create a new showroom experience for Cadillac customers. In this latest announcement, Cadillac refers to a new model of "boutique" showrooms that will encompass new technologies, higher-trained staff and luxury amenities to give those attached Cadillac showrooms a more unique feel. The plan includes installing "virtual showroom" systems that will allow potential customers to configure a new car using interactive displays and "potentially even holograms." The plan also calls for "new standards for compensation... with more precise alignment of local sales and potential for each dealer" in order to make sure that the requisite investment in the infrastructure and staff training are worthwhile for the dealers. Just what form these new systems will take, we don't know at this point. Nor are we sure why Cadillac isn't including its 200 stand-alone "flagship" dealers in the initiative. But we're sure we'll be finding out more about de Nysschen's plans on the dealer front in due course. Cadillac Discusses U.S. Dealer Network Development 2015-01-22 WASHINGTON, D.C. – As part of Cadillac's overall mission to expand and elevate within the premium automotive sector, the brand today outlined its strategy to upgrade its U.S. dealer network. Speaking at both the Washington, D.C. Auto Show today, and this weekend's annual National Auto Dealers Association convention in San Francisco, Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen will outline how the brand will target enhancements in the customer experience.

Cadillac goes white-out on social media as prelude to Oscars announcement [w/video]

Cadillac appears to be in a very odd place at the moment. On one hand, Johan De Nysschen is pushing the company towards a much more luxurious image that includes converting 700 dealers into boutiques, and a blitz of new products is also supposed to be on the way in the coming years. However, at the moment sales aren't necessarily keeping pace with production, and there are reportedly heavy incentives available on some models. Now, we're seeing the earliest hint at the next strike in the brand's strategy as its social media presence goes white across the web. Go check out Cadillac's official pages on the major social media hubs, and all you can find is blank space. There's just a period on Twitter, a blank box on Facebook, another one on Instagram and the company logo is even gone from Pinterest. Perhaps most bizarre is YouTube, where Caddy is showing five minutes of absolutely nothing (embedded below) with no sound at all. The video description is only a period. All of this nothingness is supposed to be a lead-up to Cadillac unveiling a completely new advertising campaign during the Oscars on February 22. This method of blanking everything out beforehand could suggest a minimal, to-the-point message in the future. While it wouldn't be shocking for a few teasers to come out in the meantime, Caddy is keeping quite a secret before the big reveal.

Cadillac partners with Saks Fifth Avenue for limited-edition ELR

There's no softening the blow with this one - this is the limited edition 2014 Cadillac ELR Saks Fifth Avenue Edition, and it costs $89,500, including $995 for destination. The special model, limited to just 100 units, is part of a holiday season collaboration between Cadillac and luxury retailer Saks Fifth Avenue. In addition to the ELR, there will also be a special "Frozen Escalade" window display at the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship store near Rockefeller Center in New York City, which will feature the 2015 Escalade with functioning LED running lamps that, as the automaker says, "appear embedded and breaking through a wall of ice."
But back to that ELR. This Saks edition plug-in hybrid coupe commands a surcharge of $14,500 over the $75,000 base model that over 85-percent of Autoblog readers polled already feel is overpriced. For that extra coin, you get an ELR wearing exclusive (to this car) White Diamond paint matched with either a jet black or light cashmere interior. Buyers will also receive an upgraded 240-volt charging station complete with professional installation, and the cars come with Cadillac's ELR Concierge service - representatives "trained in white-glove customer care" that serve as an additional point of contact beyond the dealership when it comes to topics like like battery care, charging, service scheduling and news updates.
Folks who order the Saks Fifth Avenue ELR are expected to receive their cars in March of next year. Price aside, we're sure it'll look great parked alongside the Neiman Marcus Aston Martin Vanquish Volante in owners' garages. Scroll down for Cadillac's official press blast.