The News Wheel
No Comments

Uwe Ellinghaus Calls German Automakers “Cold, Soulless, Sterile”

Decrease Font Size Increase Font Size Text Size Print This Page

Man, does Uwe Ellinghaus have big you-know-whats. In a recent interview with Car and Driver, Ellinghaus laid it all on the table. He somehow managed to called German automakers like BMW, Mercedes, and Audi “cold, soulless, sterile” and essentially gave a big middle finger to everyone who disagrees with the new alphanumeric naming system for the brand, all at once. And we think he’s absolutely spot on.

Cadillac Chief Marketing Officer, Uwe Ellinghaus

Cadillac Chief Marketing Officer, Uwe Ellinghaus
©GM

In the interview, Uwe Ellinghaus, the chief marketing officer for Cadillac, praised the V-Series and admitted that it could come to represent something of a performance halo for the brand. Ellinghaus also spoke well of the Escalade but was very clear that the Escalade is “not the pinnacle of Cadillac.” Many fans of the brand may disagree, but it’s this belief that will push Cadillac to develop fantastic sedans down the line.


Related: 2015 Cadillac Escalade Is Epitome of Crafstmanship


Ellinghaus also had kind words for the CT6: “Just imagine a car that has the driving characteristic of a 5-series but the dimensions of a 7-series. That is what the CT6 will be.”


Related: New Cadillac Flagship Sedan to Debut in 2015


His words for his German competitors were not so kind, however. While he had high hopes for the future of the “new Cadillac,” he himself was not a fan of the “cold, soulless, sterile German perfection.”

As for Cadillac’s new naming system, Ellinghaus believes it’s absolutely necessary, not to mimic what’s being done in Germany, but to put the cars in their proper “mental places” so that consumers can reference them against their competitors.

And possibly the best thing to come from the interview? Confirmation that Ellinghaus, too, like any human being with common sense, hated the “Poolside” ad. A marketing guy that knows what he’s doing? Hallelujah.

News Source: Car and Driver