GM is predicting a double digit a rise in January sales over the previous year, which saw a 30% drop in sales. GM believes that signs of recovery in the industry and the general economy will boost the companies performance. It certainly doesn’t hurt that GM has come to terms with the sale of Saab and is in the process of phasing out or selling Saturn, Hummer, and Pontiac. There are already signs GM’s business is improving. Some of its models, including the Cadillac SRX are in short supply, and could require the reopening of factories closed last year. Also, one of GM’s Japanese competitors, Toyota, is dealing with troubles in the form of recalls. When you combine that with the fact GM that is offering discounts for car-buyers trading in the that company’s vehicles, it’s easy to see how GM could gain an increased market share. GM has even agreed to make $1,000 worth of payments to Toyota on behalf of lessees.

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The Cadillac XTS Platinum concept is wowing folks at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show, and may be turning heads on roads as early as 2012. It’s a full size luxury car that seems designed with chaufered CEOs in mind. This probably makes sense considering GM has stated their vision of this concept being an “automotive personal headquarters.”
Built on an Epsilon platform variation (that may also underpin a future Chevy Impala), the XTS is an All Wheel Drive sedan combining a gas-buring V-6 with plug-in hybrid technology. As with any true luxury car built nowadays, connectivity is a major focus. With this concept, Cadillac aims to herald “a new approach to in-car electronics that improves the form and function of the car’s entertainment, navigation and information systems.” Details are lacking, but you can definitely expect touch screen controls to replace hard buttons and switches and Organic-LED displays in place of standard instrumentation.
It looks very fresh compared to the DTS and STS models that it reportedly will replace, but does keep the main design elements of Cadillac’s Art and Science repertoire, including those vertical headlights and taillights. Speaking as someone with only so much love for the Cadillac boats of yesteryear, this big caddy looks good enough to put in the same sentence as the CTS-V coupe – the newest sexy CTS rolling into dealerships this summer.
More Cadillac XTS info.

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