The Cadillac ELR is notable as the brand’s first electric car and the most high-profile marketing misstep since the Cimarron. At least the executives realize it now.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Cadillac’s Chief Marketing Officer Uwe Ellinghaus called the $76,000 ELR “a great learning exercise.” That’s perhaps putting it mildly.
“The MSRP was, indeed, a mouthful,” says Ellinghaus. “We overestimated that customers would realize our competitors were naked at that price.”
Deals of nearly $20,000 off MSRP have been reported since the summmer, aimed at boosting sales that peaked at 196 in August, and have hovered around 100 cars per month.
The 2016 ELR, announced last month, reflects the lessons Cadillac has learned in marketing its plug-in. The sticker price is about $10,000 less than before, along with more standard equipment. While it’s unlikely to stop the heavy incentives numerous EVs have been subjected to, it should probably make for less of a fire-sale atmosphere at Cadillac dealerships.
The ELR may not have been a bad car, but its sky-high price and questionable ad campaign became the story instead of the car. If Cadillac can claim a do-over on the 2016 model, then we might be able to talk about the car itself again.
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