When Joel Ewanick was installed at General Motors as the new marketing chief, Cadillac reached back into its history to proclaim itself “The New Standard of the World” once again.
There’s a lot to live up to in that slogan, and products like the CTS-V lineup (especially the gorgeous Diamond Edition, pictured) meet that level. Elsewhere, Cadillac is working to make that proclamation a reality.
In the highly competitive luxury segment, manufacturers have been steadily upping their game by offering free comprehensive maintenance programs. Cadillac is now joining in with its own offering, named Cadillac Shield.
We like the clever name – Cadillac Shield. It has a nice ring and ties in with the brand’s shield badge. The basis for the program starts off with Cadillac’s warranty offerings, which include a five-year, 100,000 mile powertrain warranty and four-year, 50,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty coverage.
For the duration of the bumper-to-bumper warranty, Premium Care Maintenance is included as part of Cadillac Shield and it includes scheduled oil changes, tire rotations, replacement of engine and cabin filters, along with comprehensive well vehicle inspections. 24/7 roadside assistance is included for five years or 100,000 miles. This level of service is far beyond what was standard in the industry just a few years ago. In addition, all Cadillacs now come standard with a year of OnStar’s Directions and Connections plan.
Also new is a myCadillac smartphone app that will offer buyers the ability to set parking reminders, schedule maintenance, request roadside assistance and locate a dealer. This is in addition to the OnStar application that enables owners to track diagnostic information and access common key fob functions like starting the engine, unlocking doors and turning on the lights.
With Cadillac Shield, it clearly shows the brand is intent on offering an all-encompassing luxury experience for customers. Now just bring on the product – the new ATS, an updated CTS and suitable flagship, please. Cadillac Shield will begin to be marketed by Cadillac dealers over the next few weeks, and it will apply in retrospect to all buyers of 2011 model Cadillacs.
