If Caddy is going to compare their cars to the likes of German powerhouses, and possibly beyond, do they need to have a strong presence in one of those? I assume they pulled out of ALMS because of cost, but they finally got a podium and were headed in the right direction, it seemed like their investment was starting to pay off then they just threw in the towel.

 

Racing is not neccessary for luxury/performance credibility. To the average American, ALMS is completely invisible. They might as well make a Cadillac bicycle for the the Tour de France.

 

Depends on whether or not they want to sell Cadillacs outside the US.

 

Id imainge a lot of potential XLR buyers would know what F1 is, at least.

 

F1 teams are just far too expensive to be considered for Caddy. I read awhile ago that for the cost of one NASCAR team, you could have 3 or 4 Trans Am teams. Now if theres a Jaguar XKR running in Trans AM, then why not a version of the Caddy XLR, or CTS-V. How about a team in GTS or GT for ALMS. (Well nevermind, GM would never put the XLR vs the C5-R in CTS) Put the Caddy CTS-V against the M3's and A4's in GT. The main problem with these series isnt that they're great to watch, just no one advertises them. If caddy manages to build a team, and be successful, I'd imagine the images of a CTS-V or XLR in race form would be an impressive poster in a caddy dealership.

 

Caddy pulled out because they only wanted to be in the ALMS for 2 years.This was well reported when they first started..So they didnt just "throw in the towel" they made their point and done their testing and the time came to a close.

 

I don't think that the Caddy brand needs to be in LM or F1, but I do think that the GM name has a place in both of those series. It really comes down to whether GM wants to establish a name just for Cadillac, or for the entire corporation, in Europe (as LM and F1 racing don't influence US marketing).

From a strict engineering standpoint, I don't care who's name is on the car - GM needs to get themselves into F1. While I don't think there's as much to be learned from F1 as there was in the 80s and early 90s, I feel there's still an educational opportunity.

 

I would not say that...........


Right on!!!!(they have alot to learn thats why Caddy did ALMS.Its called"engine development"

 

Maybe, just maybe, you've got a handful of buyers in the US who'd be drawn in by an F1 program. In all likelihood, though, it'd be a big waste of money to race in an LM or F1 series just for domestic marketing reasons - there's just not enough exposure. For a high-end vehicle, you're better-off putting a golfer in your ads or sponsering a half-time show

In another five years, maybe things will be better

 

it was three years and BTW i would love to see caddy back in the ALMS because i got really excited about them and i do belive thet left too early.

 

That I didnt know. Thanks for clearing it up.

Regardless, it was disappointing to see them get it right, then their time expired. The efficient, naturally aspirated, 1000 hp 16 cylinder shows what Caddy/GM is capable of on an outrageous scale, itd be neat to see that applied to a higher-class racing circuit.

 

F1 is too expensive for GM. GM is already pouring money into NASCAR, IRL, ALMS, and other racing classes. In order to win in F-1 you need a huge budget, and years of experiance. I don't think GM is willing to go into that area. I think it is much more efficient to dump some money into touring car series, and ALMS. This way the public sees the accual cars GM makes (well the racing version) and associates them with the street cars. This is alot cheaper than F-1.

 

97z28/m6

Sorry,I forgot-I thought it was 2 years,I stand correted.Thank you



Yeah GM couldnt afford to pay someone like Mike Schumacher to drive a (insert GM brand here) for 30 million a year.For the driver alone it probably close to what it costs for their entire investment in TBR (Toilet Bowl Racing).

 

Part of me wants to agree with you. And then part of me looks at Ferrari, who sells 3000 cars a year, and says that GM ought to throw a bit of their weight at this series in a serious way.

 

So if you factor that on average, a ferrari car cost $160,000 x 3000, you got $480,000,000. Not to mention how much Ferrari makes off of F1 and sponsorships, I mean really, to have your name on a Ferrari....we are talking big bucks here.

Sorry to say, Ferrari is in an entirely different league than GM, probably in a league of their own.

Personally, I dont think Chevy has the technology to enter F1 and be competitive. Its sad that America is not into F1 and ALMS as it should be. People just dont know that there is more to racing than driving in a circle.

to F1.