In a move that that will be mourned by…well, I am not sure by who, the lone surviving Cadillac retailer in England has closed its doors. English trade journal Car Dealer Magazine reports that dealership Bauer Millett in Manchester shut down just before Christmas. Citing the high cost of doing business and increased competition, owner Mitch Millet also gave up his Alfa Romeo, Abarth, Jeep and Chrysler franchises.
Millet did not say, but we imagine selling large left-hand drive American vehicles would be quite a challenge in the UK.
Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen has previously announced that Caddy will return to England in 2019, complete with diesel models. No word if the automaker is going to open an office on Savile Row.
Paging DeadWeight, paging DeadWeight…
Can we have a moment of silence before DeadWeight gets here, Thank you
The Surburban was another Crudmobile from the 1990’s we would rather forget
We would? It was rated as one of the long lasting vehicles made. It has one of the highest percentages of vehicle with over 300K miles on it still in use
That’s what I’m thinking. It’s not like they get good MPG or have spectacular interior quality, but they’re very capable and spacious with people, towing, and gear, and can be equipped with a comfortable Auto Ride suspension. They run forever with not a ton of maintenance.
@CoreyDL
As well you can add no Off Road capability, appalling interior and build quality, poor ride(we did not like the ride), marginal towing ability. Overall epic fail here
It lasted with poor sales for about 2yrs from memory, most were happy to see the back of it
They’re Chevy trucks they go forever
“There Chevy Trucks they can go forever” We did not get that impression., the pits from GM North America at the time
Oh, I know why, they hate running around upside down, clogs the fuel line
Oh, I know why, they hate running around ups1de down, clogs the fuel line
It should be renamed Seville Row then. Ha. And the entryway to the new HQ can be filled with old Pontiac HQ floor mats.
Nice one! Seville Row, how did I miss that?
How long had Cadillac been selling cars in the UK?
I also wonder what the UK price of a CTS or a XTS was compared to a Chrysler 300. That must have been an interesting showroom.
Nice and quiet I would imagine
No doubt you could here a pin drop
The XTS was only around during Lancia Thema times!
But was not available in the UK anyway.
http://www.bauer-millett.com/cadillac/new-cars/
Looks like a circa 2002 photo, since the new RR was not around yet, but we are post 00 because of the DeVille.
Saw one of those DeVille models the other day, a formal roof 6-door funeral limo. The grille had been replaced with a Merc grille and large logo, and the crest on the hood was a Merc star as well. I was very confused for a moment.
That’s the President’s car
That’s the Pres1dent’s car
That one pictured is actually not the current Presidential Limo, aka The Beast (built 2009). That one is more Chevy Kodiak than it is Cadillac.
Instead, the one above looks like the 2005 Presidential Limo used by GWB. That was the last to be an armored, coach-worked Cadillac — in that case, the DTS. Look at the headlights — The Beast uses Escalade eyes, and the previous DTS version used standard DTS lamps.
A new Beast, even more robust than the current one, will be coming soon, also wearing the Cadillac badge.
It is indeed a DTS but a 2006.
For 2006, the DTS got more upright rectangular headlamps for the redesign. This model is pre 06. As well, you’d assume they have a current model Range Rover for such a convoy, which puts this photo as between 2000 and 2003.
I could see what is clearly a modified G-body MY00-05 Deville being labeled as an MY06 from the factory for an oddball special order, so he might be right.
It all seems too coincidental though!
-An 05 DTS being modified and labeled as 06.
-A Range Rover which would then be at LEAST 3 years old, traveling in a state convoy. England-land would trot out their newest and best for such a thing.
-The Suburban is pre-06 as well then.
Ok, guys the image info
“George W Bush Britain Visit November 17, 2003”
The more you know…
I feel such vindication and correctness.
That’s why we call you Mr. Wonderful
D’awww.
Don’t be too sure about that Rover being anywhere near new. The British don’t roll like that. They were using ancient P5B Rovers to cart the PM around in for decades, and the Queen liked her old crock Daimlers too for eons. That’s a P38 Rover like mine, and it could be anything from ’94 to ’02. It’s probably armored too.
The Suburban following the Rover contains the Royal Rover Mechanic
It’s comforting to know that even the British heads of state get royally screwed too
All hail Chile’s ’66 Galaxie! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Official_state_car#Chile
Isn’t that odd, Queen Elizabeth gave the Chilean President an American Ford Galaxie
Guess he like Galaxies, he had strange politics and strange tastes in cars
Isn’t that odd, Queen Elizabeth gave the Chilean Pres1dent an American Ford Galaxie, were they out of Jaguars?
I for one am saddened by this reduction of diversity. Especially since England is such a great European country to buy a car in.
The same happened with Lexus in Denmark previous year.
Back then the exit lead to an article by the leading Danish car mag stating that they were sad to see the brand go. Rarely have I seen such crocodile tears. The rag had been defecating up and down every single Lexus they had ever gotten their hands on. Comparisons were sometimes obscure (like letting an IS lose a comparison with a Volkswagen Passat) to downright fraudulent claiming 15km/l in the CT.
It would be no surprise to see the same story unfold for Cadillac in England. Cadillac has been much more of an underdog than what the products deserve.
Don’t be sad you get to go play with a Jeep Renegade that we have to wait until spring for
Nah. It’s OK. I can just import a Cadillac from Germany.
Still. I see a thousand 3 series, and a billion 1-series for each Cadillac. And even then, the Cad might be BLS where GM for unknown reasons thought an “L” in the name would somehow divert people from the true nature of that mistake.
Would it also be a reasonable bet that something like 999 of those thousand 3-Series be diesel-powered company cars that Cadillac had nothing to compete against?
Escalades from 77.5UKP – gulp, that’s $117K. Plus the cost to feed one in the UK boggles the mind, and where would you park it??
This is UNPOSSIBLE!
Johan de “Dare You To Flex On Me, Brah!” Nysschen & “The vehicles are an afterthought, it’s the brand that matters” CT-Melody Lee have promised that Cadillac will be a global contender to successdully take on ALL competiters in the luxury/premium space!
Tribute to Cadillac of UK – RIP:
https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2012/05/how-gm-could-save-the-cadillac-ats-from-its-otherwise-inevitable-fate-of-complete-marketplace-failure/
https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/2013-Cadillac-ATS-3.6-AWD-010.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_Urban_Luxury_Concept
http://www1.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Melody+Lee+Artists+Wynwood+Walls+Honored+Miami+JGjHQupz8uel.jpg
http://i754.photobucket.com/albums/xx185/sploaterboi/Ace1W/481973_340635109350406_1201368952_n.jpg
Europeans don’t even buy Lexus cars in much volume why would they buy Caddy’s? When you have 3 great German brands plus JLR then risking your earned cash on non European brands often seems pointless.
“we imagine selling large right-hand drive American vehicles would be quite a challenge in the UK”
In the UK, that would be the appropriate location for the steering wheel.
(Right-hand drive = steering wheel on right. US-market cars are LHD.)
Good catch. It appears Caddy was selling only left-hand drive cars in England.
Yes it was, strangely not many were interested. Forgot no diesel version either
Pretty certain the BLS was available in both RHD and diesel. Not that it helped sell any more Saabillacs.
Nope, Cadillac had manufactured right-hand-drive vehicles in the late 1990s and early 2000s, specifically for the UK and other countries such as South Africa, Japan, and Hong Kong.
Seville (fifth generation, 1998-2004)
STS (first generation, 2008-2010)
SRX (first generation, 2004-2009)
CTS and CTS-V (first generation, 2003-2007 and 2008-2014)
Then logic deserted them and they imported LHD vehicles. Cadillac’s negative image killed the RHD conversions, not enough being sold to make it worthwhile
Makes sense. Been asking from day 1… why would anyone buy an ATS over a 3 series? No answers yet and the market is responding appropriately.
“As good as” is not good enough.
Well, I could see it if you lived in Billings, MT and the closest BMW dealer was 9000 miles away, but there was a Cadillac dealer at the end of your street. The right ATS is not a bad car, by any means. Bound to be tons cheaper ATP too. In the UK – HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
last remaining cadillac dealer closes in the U.K.
When did the other one close!!!
To give a little more context – Bauer Millet was actually a GM Franchise – for the US Side NOT Vauxhall – for 40 years – Before one of the Many attempts to bring Cadillac to the US.
When I still lived there they sold or could obtain any of the GM Range and provide Factory Support. Back then they existed as a Niche seller- for a while they were the only GM/Cadillac Dealer in the UK, although I think there was one in London as well. For a time in the 90’s they also sold Harley’s though they lost the franchise because they sold more merchandise than actual bikes.
This truly is the end of an era – this story from the local news gives a little more detail.
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/bauer-millet-car-dealer-administration-8348785
I wonder what country that picture was taken, it’s odd to see an old Range Rover in a lineup with the presidential caddy and a SS suburban.
The flags and the title of the article give you a hint. The photo was taken in the UK.
The Presidential limo gets transported by plane whenever he is on overseas visits.
Since my other post died…
I wonder what country that picture was taken, it’s odd to see an old range rover in a lineup with the pres1dential Caddy and a SS Suburban.
Based on the Range Rover and Union Jack in the picture, I’m going to guess the UK.
I think when the photo was taken, it was a contemporary Range Rover with the pres-dential limo and Suburban.
When the 75 Seville was imported they chopped & swopped the dash round. Some extensions for the linkages. Don’t know how many sold, curiosity shop/chop to the Silver Shadow.
They’ve got Opel/Vauxhall for schmaltz.
Maybe Jaguar should close in the US since their sales are so poor.
Jaguar sales in the US are positively booming compared to the meagre numbers they were moving in the UK