Supercar, Europe on Cadillac Agenda

Cadillac may not have a supercar in its lineup until 2008, but General Motors Corp.'s luxury division could confirm within the next six months plans to build an entry-luxury model in Europe, Ward's is told.

“The big thing we need to do next is an ultra-luxury product,” says Mark LaNeve, Cadillac general manager. “Or for lack of a better term, a $70,000 to $150,000 sedan. Something that really puts a stake in the ground for what you're capable of from a design and performance standpoint. That's what we're ambitiously lobbying for within the company.”

While it is unclear what platform the supercar would use, LaNeve envisions it equipped with a V-12. “You would hope, but we don't have a car yet,” he says. “So I can't speculate.”

Although a U.S. Cadillac supercar is a ways off, sharing a platform with Saab Automobile and building a Cadillac entry-luxury vehicle in Europe is a possibility, but not guaranteed.

LaNeve downplays Cadillac's European strategy.

“We're very modest in our ambitions and our business plan,” LaNeve says. “We don't have a plan anywhere that gets us above 10,000 units (annual sales) in Europe by the end of the decade. That would be doing a great job.”

Meanwhile, LaNeve says Cadillac has no plans to drop the DeVille from its lineup. The front-wheel-drive sedan is receiving a major upgrade in 2005, although it will remain on its current platform, LaNeve reveals. It is likely the DeVille nameplate will be replaced by DTS.