We know it through our steady consumption of American film, television and songs. But it may come as a surprise to many that Australians haven’t been able to buy a brand new Cadillac here, despite its well known name and 122 year history.
That’s all about to change as the premium brand will soon open the doors to its first Australian Cadillac Experience Centre in the inner-south Suburb of Rosebery. While there’s only the one model to be available initially – the Lyriq SUV, starting at $117,000 plus on-road costs – Jess Bala, general manager of General Motors Australia and New Zealand (which is the parent company of Cadillac Australia) is confident that Cadillac has what it takes to succeed down under.
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“There are a ton of brands that have been announced that are coming in the next 18 months, and a lot of them are brand new brands,” Bala said. “They’re brands that no one has ever heard of. We have the benefit of being pretty well known. People are familiar with us. And we have a long heritage already. While it hasn’t been here locally, people still know what we are and when we have driven the cars around, they’re recognising the crest on the front.”
Like many brands nowadays, Cadillac has chosen a direct-to-consumer approach rather than dealerships as the strategy for establishing real presence for the first time, which gives them the ability to have far greater control on the entire process of drawing customers in, and keeping them with a focus on being exclusive, aspirational, luxurious and unique.
As part of a recent media launch in the Centre, GM International senior vice president, Shilpan Amin pointed out.
“It’s really about that customer experience,” Amin said. “We’ve built the loyalty that then earns its way to the hundred year heritage that allows generations or them to become trusted ambassadors for the brand itself. So if you treat them right and you give them a great experience, the natural growth will happen on its own, which is why we want to own this customer experience, especially in this transition to EVs with this brand new product line that’s coming to market.
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“In the luxury segment, Electric Vehicles are still growing significantly, up 24 per cent year to date. Even in Germany, it’s still up 17 per cent year to date. It’s really, when you have the right product and the right experience, these customers just want to interact in that space.”
Taking up a healthy section of the newly restored and ‘industrial chic’ Rosebery Engine Yards precinct, the Experience Centre is surrounded by high-end lifestyle and retail products rather than other car brands, like you’d find in a traditional ‘auto alley’.
It’s about more than just presenting the car, though naturally they are the centrepiece, surrounded by exposed brick, high ceilings, open hospitality spaces and a giant LED screen with stylish landscapes and wallpapers.
Bala was happy to point out that online enquiries for the Lyriq have reached 7,500 and signed orders have been taken since commencing in October. Cadillac Australia will expand gradually as its product portfolio grows, with Bala confirming plans for more experience centres in Melbourne and Brisbane confirmed.
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“From an Experience Centre standpoint, obviously we have geographical challenges,” she explained. “We’re a huge country with a lot of nothing in the middle. So we had to look at the right places to go from a customer standpoint where we see the biggest volume opportunities and obviously that’s why Sydney, Melbourne and then Brisbane are the key ones.
“But because that customer experience will be tailored to each unique person we have processes already in place to allow us to sell vehicles to people in Adelaide, Perth, Broome, wherever you may be and work with you to get the car to you.”
But she also made it clear that this is just the first step for a brand that has waited more than 100 years to arrive in Australia.
“We’re here for the long-term,” Bala said. “So, you know, we’ve got our plans for the first two years. And then beyond that, we will constantly be evaluating to make sure we’re going to market the right way for our customers and the beauty of what we’ve planned so far will allow us to adapt as we go.”
The Sydney Cadillac Experience opens to the public on November 7, with vehicle deliveries set to commence in January 2025.
— words by Molly Carter
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