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New Cadillac ELR ad more educational, less controversial than 'Poolside'

Cadillac's first TV commercial for its ELR plug-in hybrid, Poolside, was a smash hit, in that a lot of people saw and talked about it. The 60-second spot didn't say the car was a plug-in, took potshots at the work ethic of all non-Americans and has raked in over a million views on YouTube (you can add one more here). Caddy's new ELR video will get a lot less media attention, but that's exactly the point. Cadillac claims it was happy with the way actor Neil McDonough strutted his way into the controversial ELR discussion. This time around, though, the coupe gets promoted in a more traditional way: with information about the car and what it can do - you know, drive on electricity, capture braking energy into the battery, go further on gas power when needed, those kinds of things – courtesy of GM's executive chief engineer for electrified vehicles, Pam Fletcher. The tone of the video has not been changed because of the Poolside controversy. David Caldwell, manager of Cadillac communications, tells AutoblogGreen that the new video is not destined for TV and is completely different because it's meant for a different audience. "It doesn't have any direct relation to Poolside," he says. "TV advertising is not necessarily the heart of marketing something like the ELR. Notwithstanding the fact that we had a very thought-provoking ad [laughs]." "We definitely have a need to communicate what the ELR is" - Cadillac's David Caldwell The way you reach out to people via the web is different than the mass-media techniques used in spots like Poolside during big TV events (it aired during the Winter Olympics). The two video spots are different because you need to offer different information in different ways, for example having an ELR website as well as an iPad filled with ELR information at the dealership. For Cadillac, TV is "not going to be the predominant methodology," used to sell the ELR, Caldwell said, "the web is closer to what you need to do to reach people. We definitely have a need to communicate what the ELR is. It's not television advertising at all." Caldwell said a handful of other short videos similar to the new one will go live in the near future, showcasing design and powertrain aspects of the car. Keep an eye out for them – just don't look for them on TV. You can watch the new video below.

Cadillac expects major growth in China

The US sales issues facing Cadillac are not being paralleled in the People's Republic of China, as a new report from Automotive News indicates the US luxury maker should see its sales increase by as much as 40 percent.
The report cites Cadillac's own forecasts, which put its 2014 sales in the PRC at 70,000 units after cresting 45,000 vehicles at the end of August. Provided the sales pace holds true through 2015, the brand would hit its new 100,000-unit sales goal, AN reports.
"We're very optimistic about the luxury market, we believe that the luxury market by 2016 here will become the largest luxury market in the world, surpassing even the size of luxury in Europe," GM China President Matthew Tsien told AN. "With [Cadillac president] Johan [de Nysschen], we have somebody that really is an executive that understands luxury, but he also is very, very keen on understanding what do we need here in China for Cadillac to be successful."

2019 Cadillac XT4 interior has actual buttons, no more touch-sensitive panel

Cadillac makes some highly stylish cars that are excellent to drive. In the realm of infotainment, there was room for improvement. The CUE infotainment system is infamous for being complex and annoying. One particular sore point was the touch-sensitive panels used for basic functions and their unrefined, "haptic feedback" clunk. Thankfully, spy photos show that Cadillac is changing tack both with buttons and infotainment controls in general. As seen above, there don't appear to be any capacitive buttons in sight. Instead, the XT4 has the "piano-key" buttons that are in vogue now. The most prominent are metal-finish buttons that control climate settings indicated by corresponding symbols above the buttons. Below that are additional buttons for seat controls and at least one safety feature, the parking warning. These should be vastly easier to manipulate than tapping and hoping you've engaged the correct function. This doesn't mean there won't be any touch-sensitive controls available, but they've at least been minimized. Other physical controls we spotted are down on the center console near the shifter. It looks as though the CT6's odd touchpad won't be making an appearance in the XT4 as there seems to be a more conventional knob instead. If it's indeed for the infotainment system, it would be a redundant controller as the upper screen's home button and fingerprints would indicate it's very much touch-operated. Like other Cadillacs and GM products in general, it's safe to say that Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be available and possibly standard. There are a couple other interesting additions besides the physical controls. There's a Near Field Communications (NFC) logo embossed in the dashboard, indicating the car will support NFC pairing of phones. The XT4 also dispatches the more traditional mechanical shifter for a more modern monostable joystick like the found in some Buicks, but with a different shape. We're currently expecting the XT4 to be revealed late in 2018. It will be based on the Chevy Malibu platform, it'll probably stick with turbocharged four-cylinder power, and offer front- and all-wheel drive. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2019 Cadillac XT4 spy shots View 19 Photos Image Credit: Brian Williams Spy Photos Cadillac Technology Infotainment Crossover SUV Luxury cue cadillac xt4 cadillac cue