1973 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible on 2040-cars

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GM lays off 450 at Lansing Grand River Assembly

General Motors will lay off 450 employees at its Lansing Grand River factory, The Detroit News reports, which is 100 more than the company said it'd be letting go last month. Lansing Grand River Assembly currently builds the Cadillac ATS and CTS, both of which have suffered sluggish sales, with the smaller sedan down 20 percent through last month and the larger model down 2.3 percent, The Detroit News reports. "We are adjusting plant production capacity to better align with market demand. Beginning in January 2015, the plant will operate on a single shift," a GM statement read, before explaining that not all the laid off Grand River employees will be jobless. Of the employees that have been laid off to make room for the single work shift, around 200 will transfer to the Lansing Delta Township factory, home of the Lambda-platform crossovers, GM's statement confirmed. The News expects this one-shift arrangement to continue until at least late next year, when the Alpha-platform Chevy Camaro transitions from General Motors' Oshawa, Ontario factory to Lansing. Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen said at last month's LA Auto Show, "It may not necessarily be permanent, a time may come when we've gained momentum and we can reinstate it. But for now, the adjustment to production capacity is in alignment with our plans for 2015."

Grab this 1960 Cadillac hearse just in time for Halloween

Halloween is just around the corner, but if you act fast you can still get yourself a suitable ride. Might we suggest this 1960 Cadillac Superior hearse for sale right now on eBay? This awesome hearse is sure to strike fear into the hearts of all who see it (particularly neighbors concerned with their home values). The '59–'60 Cadillacs make spectacular hearses, and this Superior-bodied example is no exception. We love the wraparound rear glass, which mimics the wraparound front windshield, and the sweeping arc of the roofline is perfectly executed. Of course, the prominent, pointed fins provide an emphatic contrast with the otherwise rounded bodywork. On offer in Las Vegas, Nevada, this hearse is full of scary elements. According to the seller, there's rust in the body, a leaking transmission, rot in the rear wood floor, and exhaust leaks. If that's not frightening enough, the seller says, "I'm sure there are many other things wrong with it." Against that, there's a new carb, new fuel lines, an electronic fuel pump, and the gas tank has been boiled out. The seller claims to run the car around town, with no overheating. And the odometer shows just 34,000 miles. The asking price is $19k, but the seller is open to offers. Make a deal, then roll in style this Halloween.

Why Cadillac thinks it needs to succeed in Europe to sell cars elsewhere

Ward's Auto has taken an interesting look at the renewed focus General Motors is showing towards Cadillac in Europe. Susan Docherty, president and managing director of Chevrolet and Cadillac in Europe (pictured), says in order for the luxury brand to thrive in China, it first needs to succeed in the old country. The reason? Chinese buyers look to Europe for cues as to what's deemed worthy of the term "luxury." There are hurdles to the plan, however. In addition to the fact that the EU is flooded with high-end nameplates, GM doesn't necessarily have the distribution network in place to put buyers behind the wheel.
Combine that with persistent economic woes and Cadillac's checkered past marred by a lack of diesel engine options and a bankrupt distributor, and the road ahead for the brand looks like less of an uphill climb and more like a straight-up cliff face. But Docherty is optimistic and says she has a plan for the brand. We recommend heading over to Ward's for a closer look at the full read.