Cadillac “isn’t chasing volume” in Australia

Cadillac says a keen focus on luxury and exclusivity means it’s aiming to sell cars in “exclusive volumes” in Australia when it launches here next year.

Set to launch with a single model in 2024 – the all-electric Lyriq SUV – before expanding to offer a “portfolio of vehicles”, Cadillac says it’s targeting BMW, Mercedes and Audi as its primary competitors.

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Given the luxury positioning – the Lyriq is tipped to cost in excess of $100,000 – Cadillac’s execs admitted they aren’t chasing high volumes Down Under.

“I mean, obviously we're not going to give numbers specifically away,” said GM’s managing director for Australia and New Zealand, Jess Bala. “When you think about luxury and exclusivity, it means you're not going to see everyone out there driving one.

“We want it to be something that's sought after, something that's ambitious. So it's not going to be mainstream volumes that a lot of people are familiar with, or you see quoted. We want to be something that's very much sought after and truly fits into that luxury space.”

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Jess Bala, GM managing director for Australia and New Zealand

GM’s president and general manager of strategic markets, Ernesto Ortiz, reiterated Cadillac’s Aussie premium positioning.

“We are not going after volume,” he said. “It’s all about customer needs and delivering a great customer experience. A luxury customer experience.”

Cadillac won’t build conventional dealers in Australia but will instead interact with its customers through experience centres in Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland.

Bala says customer service is a key pillar for Cadillac and that the brand will offer a personalised “white glove” experience.

“We're going to have a very well-trained team that is all about white glove service and that luxury experience,” she said. “Whether it's the person that's on the showroom floor with you, the person that might be answering a phone… it has to be consistent the whole way through and making sure those customers, they know that they're the centre and the whole thing pivots around them.”

One way Cadillac could tailor its customer experience is to collect and return owners' cars when it's time for a service, similar to what Genesis offers its owners.

“We’re looking at everything,” confirmed Bala. “And every customer is unique. Some might say ‘hey my car is due for a service on Monday, can you pick it up’. Others might want that more hands-on experience, so it’s really about us delivering the most seamless experience for the customer.”

As for where Cadillac will service its vehicles – given it has no dealer network to lean on – Bala said discussions are underway with several third-party providers.

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Cadillac Celestiq

“We’re working through a few different options”, she said. “There will be a strategy in place. Whether it’s working with third parties or within our own internal business that we have already.

“It's obviously going to depend on where the customer is and the location. It's something that's going to be adaptable and something that we will develop over time and we'll share more details closer to starting sales.”

When asked if Cadillac could use existing GM Special Vehicles outlets to service its cars, Bala replied: “We're going to do what's right for the customer ultimately, and what makes the whole process easier for them. And we’ll work with the right partners that we think would deliver the best experience possible.”