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Cadillac moving to NY as separate business unit

Cadillac is under new leadership, and the automaker is committed to turning itself (back) into a global luxury powerhouse. It's got a strong product offensive (of products currently in showrooms, and much more on the way), and now it will have a new location to call home.
Following earlier speculation, GM has confirmed that it is moving Cadillac's base of operations from Detroit to New York. Lest you think it might rent offices in the Chrysler Building (which is, after all, one of the tallest in the city), the new Cadillac global headquarters will be located in the Soho area with a "multipurpose brand and event space in conjunction with modern loft offices." The company is still evaluating which staff will move along with it to Manhattan, and which will remain in Michigan where technical operations will still be based.
The move from Detroit to New York is the first major change being instituted by new Cadillac chief Johan de Nysschen, who previously undertook a similar shift in moving Infiniti away from Nissan headquarters to its own facility in Hong Kong. Ford had attempted a similar move in relocating its luxury portfolio under the Premier Automotive Group (which then included Lincoln, Mercury, Land Rover, Jaguar, Aston Martin and Volvo) from Dearborn to Irvine, CA, but ended up moving Lincoln (the last one still under the Ford umbrella) back to Michigan. Other luxury automakers like Audi (Volkswagen) and Maserati (Fiat) are headquartered away from their parent companies as well, but have a longer history of independent operation.

Cadillac Super Cruise wins the 2019 Autoblog Technology of the Year Award

Autoblog's 2019 Technology of the Year winner is Cadillac's Super Cruise. The SAE Level 2 semi-autonomous system allows for hands-free highway driving, reducing driver fatigue and improving safety. Additionally, Super Cruise packs in safeguards that force a driver to stay alert, bringing in a level of accountability not found in other Level 2 systems. Cadillac beat out Infiniti's VC Turbo technology and the EQ Boost 48-volt system from Mercedes-Benz, the other two finalists. General Motors mapped more than 130,000 miles of highways across the country, so Super Cruise always knows where you are. A camera on the steering column keeps an eye on the driver to make sure they're watching the road. Stray your gaze too long and the system forces you to take back over. Super Cruise has its limitations — it won't change lanes for you — but it is the most well-rounded and refined semi-autonomous system we've ever tested. There's no ping-pong effect as the car finds the center of the lane, and it always seems to leave a comfortable gap between you and the car ahead. Super Cruise launched in the CT6, which is ending production this year. But the sophisticated technology will migrate to other Cadillacs in 2020. The system is as easy to use as any other adaptive cruise control. Indicators in the instrument cluster and a light on the steering wheel indicate when and if the system is able to work. If you're off the defined grid, you can still use the car's regular adaptive cruise control — you just have to keep your hands on the wheel. Autoblog editors were also impressed with Cadillac's responsible approach to marketing the tech. The company doesn't even promote it as a Level 2 system, as it doesn't want to over-promise and under-deliver. Quite the opposite actually. Super Cruise simply works, and it works well. That's why it's our 2019 Technology of the Year. We'll present the award next week at the Detroit Auto Show. Come back for video of the event. Related Video:

Johan responds to critics again about Cadillac's NY move

Cadillac's new President Johan de Nysschen has faced a fair amount of criticism since assuming his position at the head of the American luxury manufacturer. From the company's move to New York City to a controversial new naming scheme, the first few months of his tenure have not been smooth sailing. Now, the embattled exec is firing back against his critics, notably Automotive News Editor-in-Chief Keith Crain, in a new column running in AN.
De Nysschen countered Crain's claim that the move to the Big Apple, "can only mean that someone wants to live in New York."
"The relocation decision is entirely unrelated to the personal living preferences of any Cadillac executive. No corporation would tolerate such indulgence by its leadership," de Nysschen wrote. "It is about structurally entrenching a challenge to the status quo by reinforcing the psychological and physical separation in business philosophy between the mainstream brands and GM's luxury brand."