Confirmed: Cadillac to get Lambda CUV in 2012 — potential Escalade replacement!

http://www.leftlanenews.com/confirme...placement.html

 

There was something in the news last week about all future Tahoes, Yukons and Escalades being downsided and moved over to Lambda.

http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl...8727/1530/FREE

 

Why would it not be an SRX replacement? That would make the most sense to me.

 

Because the SRX is going on another architecture. Smaller than Lambda.

 

So now there will be 5 GM lambdas?
Traverse, Enclave, Outlook, Acadia & now Escalade.

 

Should go on Zeta a la the GMC Denali XT show vehicle (with a roof over the cargo box of course).

 

The Escalade has better brand recognition. It makes more sense to kill off the SRX instead of the Escalade.

 

The Escalade is essentially a Tahoe with added bells and whistles. My daily driver is a Tahoe, yet I had the opportunity to rent a SRX while I was in LA last month. If I were buying a Cadilliac SUV today, I would take the SRX over the Escalade. Too me it better fits Cadillac's image and target audience, and for me it would be a better fit. (The wife loved it and she loves her Tahoe so much she won't part with it despite gas being $4.75/gal in these parts.) But then I'm now an empty nester. If I had kids, I might want the extra room the Escalade has to offer, but then if they downsize the Tahoe, Yukon and Escalade down to Lambda, who knows?

 

The Escalade also has the reputation of large rims and guzzling gas. Not exactly great when gas is $4 and looking like it is going up.


For the guys saying the Tahoe might be on lambda in a few years, do they plan on making the platform larger? The lambdas are already quite large. They don't have the near the towing capacity of the GMT900s. I don't think a crossover is going to save anyone gas if it gets any bigger than the lambda or more towing capacity etc.

 

My question is, Why? What will this accomplish? Save in mileage?

I would like to see some figures. What I suspect will happen is that Lambda will grow, there will be a potent 6-cylinder engine stuffed in there that will barely move the barge and will suck gas same as a small V8. Then you will be given an optional V8, since it's an Escalade, and it will probably not be any more fuel efficient than the current, traditional GMT900 Escalade.

I also think it's an overreaction by GM.

 

Don't forget the 9-passenger Tahoe evolved from a two door full size Blazer and essentially replaced the full sized station wagon. Tomorrow's crossovers are essentially the next evolution.

I don't see them making Lambda bigger. I see SUVs gettings smaller and eventually being replaced by the crossover. Will a small number of people still desire a bigger vehicle? Yes, but it won't be the volume seller the Tahoe/Yukon/Escalade has been over the last 10+ years.

 

Why?

Skyrocketing gas costs. Changes in market demand. CAFE.

 

I don't know about dumping the whole line up. People will still need a heavy duty type SUV to haul/tow stuff with. Sales have slacked off because people are looking else where for a family hauler. But people with boats and other big toys will still need SUVs or trucks to haul them with, and if they can afford boats, etc. then they can afford the gas that goes in them.

 

And those people will purchase trucks and large SUVs like the Suburban and Yukon XL. Heck who's to say a properly equipped Lambda crossover won't be able to haul a small trailer/boat and be enough for 50% of those buyers? The point is soccermoms and weekend warriors are already looking elsewhere; the drop in sales of large SUVs and trucks says this. There just isn't the demand for them anymore.

Don't get me wrong, I love my 9-passenger Tahoe. As its paid off, I wouldn't trade it for any money in the world. And in the late 1970's I'm sure my dad loved his 1970 Kingswood Estate wagon as well. However there comes a time when such vehicles are no longer practical for a majority of consumers. When they stop buying, the manufacturers shift gears and build what the people want. Right now its crossovers. Ten years from now, it will probably be something else.

 

Maybe you missed his points about a lambda to replace large SUV's wouldn't save gas. That wouldn't help with gas prices, changes in market demand, or CAFE.

The lambda's are big vehicles, almost the size of the tahoe/yukon/escalade. I don't see how you can replace these vehicles with lambdas when you already have the traverse coming and the acadia already there. I think GM should keep the large SUV's around, but scale production down. Small efficient cars is where the market is going. How many people need 7-8 seats on a daily/weekly basis? The lambda's are great vehicles, but the May sales numbers were down for them. There isn't much of a need to work on larger vehicles than the current lambdas.