Where GM Leads Ford: Caddy vs. Lincoln
DETROIT (
) -- The
Ford
(F) - Get Report
success story continues unabated, but in one important automotive segment,
General Motors
dominates its long-time rival.
Cadillac is the fastest-growing luxury brand in the industry, GM said. Through October, Cadillac sales rose 40% to 118,406. Lincoln sales, by contrast, were up 6.3% to 70,120.
Toyota's
(TM) - Get Report
Lexus, the segment leader in total sales, was up 9.5% to 183,529 units.
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In October, Cadillac continued to outperform, rising 15.4% to 13,393. Lincoln sales rose just 1.5% to 6,834. Lexus rose 12.2% to 21,091.
On the Ford sales conference call, analyst George Pipas reminded that Ford is starting the process of
revitalizing Lincoln.
"The Ford brand where we started to reinvent our company has been outperforming not only Lincoln but all of the major brands in the U.S.," Pipas said. "The fact that Mercury and Lincoln are falling behind the Ford brand probably shouldn't come as a surprise. We're encouraged by the early results on MKS and MKZ.
"We will be able to reinvent the Lincoln brand," he said."We've outlined what our plans are. We know we have a ways to go"
Here is a look at some of the best performers among Cadillac and Lincoln vehicles in October.
Cadillac SRX
Sales of the Cadillac SRX luxury crossover rose 27% in October to 4,423 unit. Year-to-date through October, sales are up 236% to 41,159 units, making the SRX the best-selling Cadillac model. The SRX starts at $33,830.
On the sales call, Cadillac sales manager Kurt McNeil said the SRX is taking sales from competitors in the mid-sized luxury crossover segment. "54% of SRX business is from non-GM competitors," including Lexus, Mercedes and BMW. He said the Lexus RX has "lost the majority of the share in that segment." Year-to-date RX sales are up 4.6% to 76,465.
Cadillac CTS
October sales of the Cadillac CTS luxury sports sedan rose 46% to 4,242 vehicles. For the year, sales are up 15 % to 36,758. The CTS starts at $35,165.
Overall, GM is "definitely seeing continued strength in cars," said Don Johnson, GM vice president of U.S. sales operations. He noted that GM continues to be generally optimistic. "We don't see a big risk at all of a double dip," he said. During October, Cadillac retail sales grew 41%, as SRX retail sales grew 56% and CTS retail sales increased 70%.
Lincoln MKZ
The MKZ luxury sedan was Lincoln's top seller in October with sales of 1,850, up 11% from a year earlier. For the full year, MKZ sales totaled 17,466, down 3.8%. The MKZ starts at $34,330.
Hybrid buyers are also opting for the MKZ. Ford said the hybrid version accounted for 25% of retail sales of the 2011 model MKZ.
Lincoln Town Car
The Lincoln Town Car remains a luxury standard, the favorite, for instance, of
New Yorkers who hire limos.
"
It's the workhorse of the industry," said limo industry veteran Selwyn Glasser, managing director of privately-held
My Sedan.
"It's built for Manhattan streets and it's as comfortable as any other sedan on the road."
Glasser gives the Town Car an edge over Cadillac. "Cadillac is more prestigious as a car to own, but the Town Car has more room in the rear," he said.
In October, with new models coming in, sales of the Lincoln Town Car surged 174% to 988 units. For the year, sales are up 9.2% to 9,885 units. The Lincoln Town Car starts at $46,925.
-- Written by Ted Reed in Charlotte, N.C.
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Ted Reed
