Thursday 23rd September 2010

Cadillac Sponsors Communist Film (Seriously)

GM to use Communist Party documentary to publicise new luxury saloon

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It's the collaboration that certain strata of US society would no doubt be keen to set up a lynch mob for - Cadillac is sponsoring a documentary made by the Chinese communist party.

Depending on how you like to translate your Chinese, it's either called The Great Achievement of Founding the Party, or The Birth of a Party and charts, in an entirely unbiased way of course (ahem), the rise of the communist party in China.

Apparently, GM is using this to publicise the new Cadillac SLS - a long wheelbase version for the SLS.

Still, it might generate publicity for the car, but a luxury sedan and a communist-sponsored documentary make strange bedfellows. After all, the SLS is hardly an expression of egalitarian communist ideals, while Cadillac itself seems to be sponsoring almost the complete antithesis of its of ideals.

Then again, perhaps it's the ultimate expression of American capitalism, GM simply saying: 'sod the politics and let's make some money'.

[louiebaby]

Cadillac is owned by GM. The US government owns a large stake in GM following the Carpocalype. So the US government is sponsoring an "unbiased" film about the rise of communism in China.

Wow.

The Chinese Army used a simple rule when it came to their armed forces: "Yes, they have better guns, but we have more solidiers than they have bullets."

[Ed.]

China is big market executive cars, then again GM has a strong union

[vintageracer01]

Well, that's most likely very close to the truth:

'Sod the politics and let's make some money'!

[Graemsay]

I visited China a couple of years ago, and there were a large number of big, black cars, typically Audis and BMWs, used to ferry around the cream of the Party hierarchy. You could tell that they were official cars because they had special numberplates and lanes to drive in.

So Cadlllac sponsoring a Party endorsed flick would seem to be a highly targetted marketing campaign.

There are reports over on Autocar's site today that Audi are having a worldwide shortage of A8s due to demand from China...

[anonymous-user]

GM is big in China where they are now selling 2.4 million cars a year with plans to increase to 3 million. Something of a success story. In comparison Ford sells about 500,000 vehicles, principally as a result of being later into that market.

Shed-loads of Chevrolets are sold (Daewoo) and 450,000 Buicks a year are bought by the Chinese so the brand lives on. (Unlike Pontiac, Oldsmobile and Saturn). The Buicks are superior to local mass-market products and come in at a level for aspiring young executives but below the fat-cats in their German imports. GM can sometimes get it right!

[JimexPL]

I seem to recall that these were going to be produced in China, for the Asian markets - Don't know if this is still the case?

The STS that it is based on is a surprisingly good car - I don't see many competitors fitting extruded alloy strut braces, Brembos, LSD's and adaptive dampers to their entry engined (direct injection V6) executive saloons, and give you the option of switching off the traction control from the steering wheel!

Only about 20 made it to the UK before the European distribution faltered.

With a reasonable dashboard (like this Chinese version), the SLS long wheelbase option and the yet to be seen (if ever) 250hp GM V6 diesel this car would have started to make inroads in the European market for Cadillac.

[willE36]

Only really started liking Caddies when the CTS came out. And it seems to have done them well seeing as all models since seem to be a variation of it aesthetics wise.
That said though, I'd have one of these. Still think they're a bit pricey though...


= )