1-2 punch of automotive bad news.

Cadillac's global reach just had it's wings clipped. It's not going to Australia afterall, and it's likely to see a retreat from Europe as well in the very near future. You can draw any conclusions you want about Cadillac's retreat's immediate effect on the Alpha platform.

The fact is the S2000 is dead this year. The rumor behind the S2000's death is that Honda is diverting money (and production capacity) towards Acura's upcoming supercar.

Over at Chrysler, the PT Cruiser is gone by summer.

The Chrysler 200 concept will be in production within the next 2 years. It apparently is NOT a replacement for the 300, but a new model (quite possibly the Sebring's replacement).

Pure speculation on my part:
The RWD 200 forms the basis for the Challenger's replacement?

Chrysler is looking to sell Viper and the PT Cruiser's tooling if anyone is interested.

 

Heard about the CTS contraction from Australia. Maybe it's a good move, maybe not. Time will tell.

I think I heard about the s2000 as well or maybe I'm confusing its fate with that of the NSX... I'm not sure.

So if Cadillac retreats from Europe that will put the screws to the desire to make a smaller than CTS RWD car, it may even put the screws to the lifespan of the CTS wagon since wagons are more popular across the pond.

With signs emerging from Washington about emissions and fuel economy standards moving ahead perhaps that will spur Alpha development - smaller, lighter easier on gas (maybe)....

GM's freezing of future product development - excepting the Volt is not a good sign since future product is the lifeline of an auto company.

 

1) The loss of PT saddens no Chrysler dealer that I know. The cars have been the darlings of rental fleets since the "who can tell me the differences?" MCE for '06. What started as a bold, innovative, hot-selling idea in 2001 has all but been forgotten...which proves something I've said for a long time. HOW CAN YOU RE-DO A RETRO CAR? Unless it has heritage like the Mustang, you flat cannot...

2) I already figured 200 = Sebring replacement. However, unless Fiat has a RWD mid-size replacement (lets assume for a minute that 200 could be based off of a Fiat chassis), what makes you assume the Challenger will be based off of it? Everyone I've talked to within Chrysler has said that while 200 is based off of LX for the purpose of the show, its set up to be about 10" shorter than LX...and FWD...

 

Bad idea imo. Who's going to buy a $140-200k Acura?

I actually like the s2k. I was hoping they'd make a new one with a 280+hp version of the turbo 2.3L in the RDX.

 

I heard rumors about the S2000's death long ago - and this just nails it down. I will not weep at its passing (as it was not the darling of the class), but I will shed a tear for some of its highlights.

An Acura supercar? That wont last long. The NSX was an amazing car. I remember when Top Gear reviewed it they loved it - but it was still a Honda. It was too well mannered, to vanilla, and to predictable to be a supercar.

Cadillac's retreat from Europe I agree will signal the death of the CTS wagon. Alpha (sorry guys) is also doomed unless the Aussies engineers go nuts on the idea. European markets made sense for a smaller CTS just as much as a wagon. But even the increases in emissions and mpg wont save it... Why save a tiny bit of CO2 and mpg with a smaller CTS? Why just make the new V6 FWD Opel into the new CTS?

We're talking about a traditional GM knee-jerk reaction. Its already started, and since their 'bailout' the old GM culture has yet to get kicked out. So it will continue. And that is how it will be for GM.

 

Is the CTS being killed Down Under due to exchange rates? Just a thought... It might not be profitable since the Aussie Dollar took a slaughtering recently.

 

I don't know if you'd actually call what Cadillac is doing in Europe a retreat, since a retreat implies previous advances. Right now Cadillac is going nowhere fast.

Since Taylor left, Cadillac's leadership and focus seem to be in full on dysfunction. Europe? Forget it. Not without Alpha. The Epsilon BLS is a complete sales flop there.

There are those within Cadillac who'd press for a version of the upcoming Regal and call it a day. I suppose they'd need to charge more for it than Buick does, huh? Not too long ago, these people would be cut off at the knees - not so anymore.

Cadillac's renaissance is officially shelved, with the $5 billion already invested in it, pretty much flushed down the crapper. This seems to be GM's maddening m.o., no wonder they're on the verge of collapse.

Someone needs to take charge of this divison before it's too late. Someone with a vision and some *****. Someone who's not afraid to fight for distinctive, luxury products for Cadillac. Cadillac has the building blocks to return to greatness - and on a global scale. But sadly, it is leaderless.