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de Nysschen pushes to separate Cadillac, GM

Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen continues his push to separate his brand from General Motors. After controversially picking up shop and moving to New York's trendy SoHo neighborhood, de Nysschen has now gone on record as saying that within two years, the brand will enjoy "a far higher degree of autonomy and self sufficiency." That autonomy will include the brand reporting its own financial results, independent of GM. But what would such a move do for Cadillac? Well, as de Nysschen explained it to Automotive News, "Cadillac at this state makes a very sizeable contribution to the overall profit at General Motors." If that's truly the case, separating financial announcements serves to emphasize the prosperous character de Nysschen seems so keen on attaching to his brand. But that's only one phase of Cadillac's push to distance itself from GM. De Nysschen is eager to revamp the company's dealership model so that it stands out from other GM brands, calling it a "very profound focus." Those moves, according to AN, including a change to the current dealer incentive model with a particular emphasis on building the brand rather than nailing sales figures. "If you aren't strengthening the brand perception, you should have less reward," de Nysschen told AN. While his goals seem clear, de Nysschen's statements have left us wondering whether they're also somewhat counterintuitive. Emphasizing Caddy's prosperity to potential consumers while incentivizing dealers to move less metal seems more like a tactical move rather than a strategic one. And there's no telling how the new dealership model will impact de Nysschen's goal to hit 500,000 global sales by 2020. Related Video:

This '59 Cadillac is now on display at Toyota's museum in Japan

The Toyota Automobile Museum is different from a lot of other automaker collections in one very interesting way: It doesn't focus solely on Toyota's own automobiles. While the home team is certainly well represented, the love is spread to plenty of non-Toyota brands and vehicles that are significant to automotive history. And that permanent collection now includes the 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz convertible you see here. Yes, the '59 Caddy has the biggest tail fins ever, which makes it measurably significant. You still wouldn't expect to see it in a museum in Japan, though. After updates to the facility and its exhibits finish early next year, the 67-vehicle collection will also include such greats as a Renault 5 (known here as the Le Car), a '64 Ford Mustang, an Audi Quattro, a first-gen Honda Insight, and a Lotus Elite. Someone over there has good taste. You can visit the Toyota Automobile Museum the next time you're in Nagakute City, which is right outside Nagoya. We're booking our tickets now. Related Video: Cadillac Toyota Automotive History cadillac eldorado

2018 Cadillac XTS does its best CT6 impression

Although the Cadillac sedan lineup almost exclusively consists of rear-drive sedans, one last bastion of the old front-drive Caddy exists in the XTS. And it looks like the old-school XTS isn't going anywhere, since it just got a refresh that makes it look more like the CT6 and the CTS. This of course is a bit ironic considering the fact that the CT6 will look different in the near future. Until then, though, this update does make the XTS look more up-to-date. The main part of the headlights end higher up on the front fascia, while a strip of LED accent lights waterfall down the front bumper. The grille has slightly more sculpted slats, and the front badge has been scaled down a bit. There are no longer creases that unify the main grille and the lower one in the bumper, which help the car appear lower and wider than the outgoing model. At the back, the license plate position has been moved down to the bumper, and the trunk lid has more lines and creases. The taillights now have horizontal elements that extend toward the middle of the car. The exhaust finishers and the reverse light also look larger and more prominent now. The refreshed XTS also brings a couple of new trim options. There are new wheel designs both in 19- and 20-inch sizes. Inside, XTS buyers will be able to choose from three new color and upholstery combinations. Two of them, however, are exclusive to the Platinum trim level and come with semi-aniline leather seats. There's not really anything new mechanically with the 2018 XTS. The only major change seems to be a new tire design that is quieter and provides a smoother ride. Otherwise, the XTS will remain available with either the standard 3.6-liter V6 making 304 horsepower, or the optional 410-horsepower twin-turbocharged 3.6-liter V6 in the V-Sport model. The standard engine comes with either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, and the V-Sport is only available with all-wheel drive. Pricing has yet to be released for the 2018 model year. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2018 Cadillac XTS Image Credit: Cadillac Cadillac Luxury Sedan cadillac xts