Posted Date: 3/25/05
While the small Cadillac unveiled at the Geneva auto show this month will be sold only in Europe, Robert Lutz says the following generation will be a global vehicle.

"Our current thinking is that the next generation will be available around the world," the General Motors vice chairman said. Lutz's comments were directed at a cyberspace audience on GM's FastLane Web log.

The BLS sedan will be the smallest Cadillac offered. It was created on GM's front-drive Epsilon vehicle architecture shared by such cars as the Saab 9-3, Opel Vectra and Chevrolet Malibu. The BLS will be built in Trollhattan, Sweden. Sales begin in Europe in the first quarter of 2006.

The BLS, Lutz said, "is the first of a generation of slightly smaller Cadillacs, built on the same architecture as the Saab 9-3, that, for exchange-rate reasons, we can't profitably bring to the United States. So this generation is going to be Europe-only."

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The second-generation BLS will be developed off the automaker's Epsilon II architecture. It is expected to debut around 2010.

Cadillac General Marketing Manager Jim Taylor said the next generation could be suitable for North America. But, he said, no decision has been made.

Taylor was interviewed March 1 at a GM event in Geneva. Asked whether the next-generation BLS will be sold in North America, Taylor said: "It could be. It could be. The next generation it is up for debate."

He said GM might need to move the next-generation CTS a little upmarket to create space in the line for the BLS.

Plans to globalize the Epsilon II vehicles, allowing for production in the United States, could avoid the currency issue. Next-generation BLS vehicles may include a convertible, coupe and all-wheel-drive versions.

Thanks for all the terrific responses to the new Cadillac BLS that we showed last week in Geneva. I appreciate all the positive feedback, especially from Americans who’d like to see the vehicle on U.S. roads.

But… I have to correct one thing that I wrote. The following sentence from my previous entry is a good example of the velocity of one’s words contaminating one’s intent: “It was developed specifically for European roads and drivers, and, as such, is not intended for American needs or tastes.”

Many of you called me out on this, and rightly reacted, and I’ll paraphrase: “Audis and Mercedes-Benzes and BMWs and most of the cars that we know and love — that’s exactly the reason we buy them… because they’re engineered for unique European requirements and tastes, and not for American requirements and tastes.”

The Cadillac BLS was designed and engineered for European roads and tastes, and I should’ve left it at that. Obviously, with the number of European cars that are sold in the U.S., there is a substantial segment of the American population that prefers the European driving dynamic. Nobody knows that better than I do, believe me.

What I should have said is that BLS is the first of a generation of slightly smaller Cadillacs, built on the same architecture as the Saab 9-3, that, for exchange rate reasons, we can’t profitably bring to the United States. So this generation is going to be Europe-only. Our current thinking is that the next generation will be available around the world.

Let me tell you, yes, I think this car would work in the United States, all things being equal, and it would be a great car, much like an Audi or a BMW or a Saab 9-3, but we can’t profitably do it this time around. Current thinking, as we all know, is always subject to change, but we’d love to see a vehicle like this in U.S. Cadillac dealerships in the future.

Cadillac Continues Global Growth


Four-door premium mid-size sedan
Three gasoline and one turbodiesel engines delivering 150 to 255 hp
European start of sales planned for spring 2006


The Cadillac global product offensive is in high gear. Following the launch of the CTS in 2003, the XLR and the SRX in 2004, the STS in 2005, and the recently announced addition of the STS-V and XLR-V, the General Motors premium brand will debut the production Cadillac BLS at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt. This new premium mid-size sedan adds another important element to Cadillac’s growing international presence.



The front-wheel drive BLS offers expressive design, outstanding ride and acoustic comfort. It also marks a new era in the brand’s history, with its first turbodiesel variant and is fitted with a maintenance-free diesel particulate filter. Like the gasoline versions (175, 210, and 255 hp), the turbodiesel (150 hp) offers the dynamic driving performance that customers have come to expect from Cadillac.



“The BLS was developed for luxury customers, with particular attention to the demands of the European and other international markets,” said Jim Taylor, Cadillac general manager. “BLS is an important addition to our Cadillac portfolio, it provides a critical entry with which to grow our business in key international markets.”



The exterior: Unique Cadillac style


The Cadillac BLS design was conceived by an international team of designers led by GM’s Vice President of Design Ed Welburn. The vehicle has clear, sharply defined contours, striking wedge shape and an elegant interior.



“The most striking feature is the vertical lines at the front and rear,” said Welburn. “The V-shaped chrome-plated grille, a Cadillac cue, is picked up again by the trunk lid. The large side faces communicate a sense of strength and solidity.”



The BLS also features jewel-like headlamps, fog lamps integrated into the body-colored bumper and a wide air intake below the grille. A narrow chrome strip runs along the lower edge of the side windows. The latest LED technology is used in the center high-mounted brake light, which is prominently positioned on the trunk lid and extends across the vehicle. It also functions as a spoiler. The vertical taillights leave no doubt the BLS is a Cadillac.



The interior: A luxurious atmosphere and state-of-the-art infotainment systems

The BLS interior is highlighted by a three-spoke leather steering wheel and an analog clock in the center stack. The circular instruments have white numerals and red needles on a black background.



The state-of-the-art infotainment systems include high-quality audio units from American hi-fi specialist Bose, among others, a DVD navigation system with touchscreen operation, a Bluetooth-enabled cell phone system with a handsfree kit, and remote controls on the steering wheel.



The engines: One turbodiesel and three gasoline engines


In a Cadillac first, the BLS will be available with a turbodiesel variant. The 1.9L four-cylinder unit, with common-rail direct injection technology and 150 hp, is fitted with a maintenance-free diesel particulate filter and complies with Euro 4 emissions standards. The range of gasoline engines – all turbo-charged – includes two 2.0L four-cylinder versions (175/210 hp) and a high-tech 2.8L six-cylinder unit at 255 horsepower with twin-scroll turbocharger and variable phasing of the intake camshafts. The BLS offers five- or six-speed manual transmissions and five- or six-speed automatic transmissions, depending on engine type.



The chassis: Emphasis on comfort and driving dynamics


The chassis, which has McPherson struts in front and a four-link rear axle, is designed for the powerful engines and the high demands of a premium vehicle. The chassis tuning ensures dynamic handling performance without compromising comfort.

Cadillac will build a station wagon version of its European BLS entry-level sedan.

General Motors' premium brand will start producing the BLS sedan next month at Saab's factory in Trollhattan, Sweden. Sales begin in March.

Starting in mid-2007, a station-wagon version will be added to the line there, GM executives told Automobilwoche at the Detroit auto show this month. Automobilwoche is owned by Crain Communications Inc., which also owns Automotive News.

"We are going to build a few thousand units of this version annually," said Carl-Peter Forster, GM Europe president.

"This model is important for our factory in Trollhattan and for the Cadillac image," said Fritz Henderson, former chairman of GM Europe, who became GM's CFO on Jan. 1.

The BLS station wagon is expected to debut no later than the Geneva auto show in March 2007.

Cadillac plans to build 10,000 units annually of the lower-premium BLS, which is based on the Saab 9-3. Saab, a GM subsidiary, needs the BLS to boost volume at its underused Trollhattan factory.

Two high-volume models -- the Saab 9-3 and 9-5 -- now are assembled there. Their successors will be built at GM subsidiary Opel's factory in Ruesselsheim, Germany.

Cadillac also could build a third model at Trollhattan, a crossover, say company sources.

Forster says Cadillac could sell 20,000 units in Europe by 2010, up from 2,000 units last year.

"A luxury brand can't grow more quickly than that," Forster said. "It would not be healthy."

2006.5 CADILLAC BLS
ON SALE: Now (not in North America)
BASE PRICE: $34,000 (est.)
POWERTRAIN: 2.8-liter, 255-hp, 258-lb-ft turbocharged V6; fwd, six-speed automatic
CURB WEIGHT: 3600 lbs
0 TO 62 MPH: 7.5 seconds (mfr.)
FUEL MILEAGE: 22 mpg


2005 was Cadillac's best year in Europe, with sales up 73 percent. Cadillac sold just 2145 CLS, STS, SRX and XLR models, but still, that's something to crow about.

The BLS—B Luxury Sedan to most, “Bob Lutz Special” to others—has received lots of guff since its debut at the end of 2004. Back then it was open season on the “Saabaru” 9-2X, and the Saab 9-3-based BLS initially struck us similarly. Luckily, we can now report this time GM got it pretty dang right.

Yes, the BLS is mostly like the 9-3 sport sedan underneath. And the steering wheel and handbrake are exactly as in the Saab. But 85 percent of the BLS exterior and 80 percent of its interior are re-created. The tires are different, for a softer ride, and the suspension is slightly softer.






The BLS is a legitimate European sports sedan with proper ride and handling that helps bridge the difference between U.S. tastes and European needs. Besides changes to the damper rates, the engine mounts and bushings are less dense, and the insulation from road and wind noise exceeds the 9-3.

Front-drive steering that remains very light even at high speeds is a Saab trait. In snow, ice and mud, or at low speeds, the Cadillac's feathery steering is perfect. At high speeds, it is less than optimal.

GM's BLS team assures us the car's steering feel occupied the most time of anything in the planning stages. The result is a notable difference in the weight of the steering action. Ideally the BLS would have gotten variable speed-sensitive steering, as its German rivals have, but this was beyond the budget. The BLS's steering and handling are a bit more grounded than on the 9-3.





There are three 9-3 engines of interest to us: two 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbos, one making 175 hp, the other 210 hp; and a 2.8-liter, 255-hp V6 turbo from Holden. Both the six-speed automatic and six-speed manual transmissions from the 9-3 are available for European BLS buyers. The BLS estate will arrive by mid-2007.

We drove the BLS with V6 and Sentronic automatic, and on the tough roads of southern France we bonded with this car. It's not the same feeling we have for its German rivals, but we're impressed both Cadillac and Saab exceeded our best expectations.

And we like GM's realistic plan for the BLS: Prices are up to 10 percent below the similarly equipped Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class, and advantageous leasing terms are available.

By 2010 Europe should account for 7500 of the projected 10,000 BLS units built per year. North America could get the BLS, but only if the dollar-to-euro exchange rate improves. A BLS-V is under discussion, and both rear-wheel and all-wheel drive are on the horizon if all goes well.

We foresee little to prevent that.

General Motors had high hopes for its Cadillac BLS sedan, which went on sale this April in Europe only. But according to Sweden’s Göteborgs-Posten sales of the car have fallen far short of the projected 7,000 to 10,000 units per year. The car — which is built in Sweden alongside the Saab 9-3 — has sold just 400 units since sales began. What’s more, production has fallen to units daily. At that rate, GM would build less than 1,500 units annually. The Leftlane Perspective: Are Europeans simply taking their time to warm up to Cadillac? Will they ever? The BLS has received largely positive reviews in the region, but its seems brand snobbery may still be a major factor.