2005 Cadillac BLS Concept

GM's Best Badge Engineering Yet

The old saying, "Run with the big dogs, or get off the porch," has many applications, but one of the better ones involves

Currently, the American definition of luxury is a world apart from what the global definition is. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)

cars, particularly entry-level luxury cars. This highly competitive segment includes some of the best vehicles in the world, including the BMW 3-Series, Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The importance of this category is so significant, that it has caught the eye of traditional large luxury car makers, Jaguar and Lexus, prompting them to conjure their own compact offerings, the X-Type and the IS 300 respectively.

America, as you might have noticed, is not a part of this picture. Our brands, Lincoln and Cadillac, have had European assistance with the design of the Jaguar-based LS sedan and the Opel-derived Catera, now the CTS, but they have never lived up to levels set by the European and Japanese. Part of this can be attributed to differences in what luxury is perceived to be. The American definition of luxury is a world apart from what the global definition

GM of Europe is losing ground in the entry-level luxury segment, something which it hopes Cadillac can turn around. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)

is, and as a result, on the international level, American-made machines are often ranked sub-par.

Not surprisingly, the entry-level luxury segment generates a great portion of sales for the car industry's giants, as it is the doorway for buyers of prestige nameplates. The 3-Series, for example, accounts for nearly half of BMW's automobile sales, a truly impressive statistic. General Motors hasn't had the same luck with its mainstay European brands, Opel and Saab. Uninspired products and a lack of badge merit have left the General with a tiny proportion of the market which, as we speak, is currently diminishing. This is where Cadillac, America's most respected luxury carmaker, will come in.