Cadillac inaugurates its first showcase in France

To mark its return to Europe, Cadillac hit hard this week, Wednesday May 29, 2024. In Paris, the American brand not only presented the world premiere of its new 100% electric SUV, the Optiq, but also inaugurated its first flagship in France, the second after that of Zürich (Switzerland), opened very recently.

Called Cadillac City, this showcase is located behind the Opéra Garnier. This district is becoming the new Champs-Elysées of the automobile, since Tesla, Cupra, Vinfast also have points of sale there, while Renault and Citroën have opened pop-up stores there.

On two floors, this magnificent 2,000 m² setting, which employs around ten people, can display three cars. The visitor is invited to discover the brand's universe through music, cinema and fashion, thanks in particular to partnerships with artists.

Ultimately, Cadillac plans to deploy this concept in several cities in France. “We have not yet decided on the number of sites, but we want to cover all the major cities in France in 2025,” says Ivan Badolato, in charge of direct sales in Europe. “Being in the heart of cities allows us to reach more people. ", added Jaclyn McQuaid, Managing Director of GM Europe, during the inaugural speech.

Pop-up stores

At the same time, Cadillac plans to deploy via pop-up stores or “roadshows” throughout France. "We currently have, until the end of October, a store in the Parly 2 shopping center in Chesnay (78), near Versailles, and we recently carried out tests in Bordeaux, near the Cité des vins ", presents Ivan Badolato.

The brand will be distributed only via these branches, "because as a luxury brand, we want to control the entire customer experience", adds Pere Burgal, in charge of commerce at Cadillac Europe. “At the same time, for the after-sales part, but also for BtoB commerce and remarketing, we will rely on partners who will be automobile distributors,” he continues, without giving further explanations on the terms of the contract. .

Importers for thermal models 

This strategy does not call into question the parallel distribution of Cadillac models. "GM has never left Europe, Pere Burgal would like to point out. Until now, we had a small team which supported, and which still supports, the 70 distributors who import, throughout the continent, large SUVs or pick-up from our range (Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Silverado, Corvette, Editor's note).

The inauguration of the Cadillac City in Paris was also the opportunity to preview the Optiq, a new SUV, also 100% electric, which will support the Lyriq. “This presentation of the Optiq in Paris shows the importance that Europe has for Cadillac,” said Jaclyn McQuaid, general manager of GM Europe. “It proves that we are arriving with a range of products that we will deploy, which means that we intend to establish ourselves in Europe,” adds Pere Burgal.

The Optiq, Cadillac’s spearhead in Europe

The Optiq is a D-segment SUV. 4.82 m long, it is positioned below the Lyriq, which has a very American length of five meters. It displays a power of 300 hp and 480 Nm of torque. According to American standards, it is announced at 480 km of autonomy and has an 85 kWh battery.

Prices are not yet known for this model distributed from the end of 2024. For information, it will be sold between 45,000 and 55,000 dollars in the United States, but "do not be fooled by this price", Pere would like to remind. Burgal. "As a luxury brand, we will only offer one trim level, the most equipped, and the American price is excluding tax. In Europe, VAT plus 10% customs fees must be added for the import,” he emphasizes. 

Cadillac does not communicate any sales volume, but presents itself as an outsider compared to Tesla and German competition in the high-end electric market. “In 2023, we have sold 9,000 Lyriqs, which represents a market share of 35% in its segment in the United States,” presented Jaclyn McQuaid.

It is one of the vehicles that changed the image of Cadillac, which until now was perceived as a somewhat dusty brand. “Over the last five years, our new range of vehicles has attracted a million new customers with a real rejuvenation,” she said. 

In France, the first Lyriqs will be delivered at the beginning of summer. As a reminder, Cadillac is also present in Switzerland, Sweden and Germany. By the end of the year, the brand plans to expand into the United Kingdom.