Cadillac Chat 2016-04-07

[Bruce Nunnally]

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[Bruce Nunnally]

WARREN, Mich. – Ed Welburn, vice president of General Motors Global Design, told employees today he will retire effective July 1, following a 44-year career with the company.

Michael Simcoe, a 33-year veteran of GM Design and vice president of GM International Design, based in Australia and Korea, has been selected to succeed Welburn. He will be the company’s seventh design leader and begins transitioning into his new role on May 1. His replacement has not been named.

• Photos, Videos and Highlights of Ed Welburn’s 44-year career at WelburnDesign.com

Welburn, 65, has been celebrated inside and outside the industry for his extraordinary achievements. He has led GM Design since 2003, and globally since 2005, the first African American from any automaker to do so.

“GM Design is among the most respected and sought-after organizations in the industry because of Ed’s leadership. He nurtured a creative, inclusive and customer-focused culture among our designers that has strengthened our global brands,” said Mary Barra, GM chairman and CEO.

Under Welburn’s leadership, GM built a network of 10 GM design centers in seven countries. His team of more than 2,500 creative men and women – based in the U.S., Germany, South Korea, China, Australia, Brazil and India – collaborate on the design development of every GM concept and production car, truck and crossover globally.

Mark Reuss, executive vice president, Global Product Development and Global Purchasing and Supply Chain, announced Simcoe’s promotion and commended Welburn.

“Given his deep global experience and passion for breakthrough design, Michael is the right person to lead GM Global Design,” said Reuss. “He is known for his ability to take diverse ideas and mold them into great products that surprise and delight our customers.”

Reuss recognized Welburn for his creative imprint on four decades of iconic vehicles and his leadership in identifying and developing world-class talent.

“Ed’s team turns out one award-winning product after another … and his strong bench will keep GM Design on top for years to come,” Reuss said.

Simcoe has been in his current role since 2014, overseeing GM’s production and advanced studios in Korea, Australia and India. He is known for applying global design excellence and creativity to the company’s distinct brands.

He joined GM in 1983 as a designer at Holden in Australia, and is Holden’s brand champion. In 1995, he became director of Design for GM Asia Pacific and in 2003, was named executive director of Asia Pacific Design and led the development of the new GM Korea design operations under Welburn’s leadership.

The following year, he became executive director of North American Exterior Design, responsible for critical and commercial successes like the GMC Terrain, Buick LaCrosse, Chevrolet Camaro and Equinox and Cadillac CTS.

More recently, he led the team responsible for the award-winning Buick Avenir Concept. Last month, he introduced the Chevrolet Colorado Xtreme and Trailblazer Premier show cars at the Bangkok International Motor Show.

[Bruce Nunnally]

Cadillac sold 22,442 new vehicles globally in March, an increase of 1%, as the brand launched two products, the all-new CT6 flagship sedan and the first-ever XT5 luxury crossover.

Initial deliveries of the innovative new CT6 began in limited quantities in March. Shipments of the XT5 are scheduled to begin in April in the U.S., with Cadillac launching the new crossover into the strongest segment in the luxury marketplace.

“Launching new products into our largest markets expands our portfolio, continues to build our product substance, and reinforces the rising stature of the brand,” said Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen. “Consistently, we see consumers selecting a richer mix of models, driving transaction price growth. In the U.S., the average transaction price of a new Cadillac topped $54,000, highest among full-line luxury brands."

Cadillac’s March sales showed global growth, driven by a 14% increase in China.  All Cadillac product lines experienced growth in March, with the exception of the SRX.  The SRX has begun its phase-out, as the first-ever XT5 takes its place in the portfolio.

“The new XT5 is enhanced and more sophisticated in every conceivable facet, from its new design, to improved driving dynamics, elevated efficiency, power and safety performance,” de Nysschen said.

Cadillac sales in key regions appear in the table below.

GLOBAL SALES BY PRODUCT LINE
	Mar-16	Mar-15	% Change	YTD-16	YTD-15	% Change
ATS	4,758	4,720	0.8	12,011	12,897	(6.9)
CTS	1,862	1,767	5.4	4,812	5,297	(9.2)
ELR	105	101	4.0	267	326	(18.1)
XTS	5,042	4,724	6.7	13,717	13,209	3.8
CT6	395	0	-	395	0	-
SRX	6,476	7,686	(15.7)	20,207	20,058	0.7
Escalade	3,864	3,230	19.6	9,739	9,179	6.1
Other	0	0	-	15	1	-
Total	22,442	22,229	1.0	61,163	60,967	0.3
GLOBAL SALES BY COUNTRY
	Mar-16	Mar-15	% Change	YTD-16	YTD-15	% Change
United States	13,053	13,756	(5.1)	35,633	37,175	(4.1)
China*	7,588	6,635	14.4	20,691	19,508	6.1
Canada	947	933	1.5	2,443	1,968	24.1
Middle East	318	509	(37.5)	936	1,250	(25.1)
Mexico	162	148	9.5	497	416	19.5
EU** & Russia	237	75	216	499	229	118
ROW	137	173	(20.8)	464	421	10.2
Total	22,442	22,229	1.0	61,163	60,967	0.3

 

[Bruce Nunnally]

About a dozen trucks from major manufacturers like Volvo and Daimler just completed a week of largely autonomous driving across Europe, the first such major exercise on the continent.

The trucks set off from their bases in three European countries and completed their journeys in Rotterdam in the Netherlands today (Apr. 6). One set of trucks, made by the Volkswagen subsidiary Scania, traveled more than 2,000 km and crossed four borders to get there.

http://qz.com/656104/a-fleet-of-trucks-just-drove-themselves-across-europe/

[Bruce Nunnally]