General Motors 2014 Annual Report Download - page 18

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18
have received rave reviews and numerous
awards, including
Motor Trend’s
Truck of the
Year and
Autoweek’s
Best of the Best Truck.
We have 10 distinct brands around the globe
and we are working to strengthen each of
them to inspire passion and loyalty in the
markets they serve.
A critical component of GM’s business plan is
to restore Cadillac to a position of leadership
in the global luxury segment. We took a
significant step late last year by establishing
Cadillac as a separate business inside General
Motors. The brand experienced a 5 percent
sales increase in 2014, led by a 47 percent
increase in sales in China and the resounding
success of the new Escalade.
The luxury segment is an important part of
the auto business today, and it’s going to be
even more important over the next decade.
By 2020, the luxury segment is expected to
expand globally by 35 percent or more. To take
advantage of this rising tide of sales, we are
investing heavily in new product for Cadillac.
Over the next five years, we intend to launch
eight new models, several of which will be new
segments for the brand.
Another element of our strategy for Cadillac is
to position the brand as the flagship for industry
leading technology. In the 2017 model year, we
plan to introduce vehicle-to-vehicle connectivity
and Super Cruise, a GM developed system
that allows drivers in certain circumstances
to operate the vehicle without touching the
steering wheel or pedals.
It will take time to see results, but we have
confidence that, as we execute our strategy,
Cadillac sales will grow over the next few years.
Chevrolet performed well in 2014, with sales up
4 percent in the U.S. The new Silverado, Tahoe
and Suburban had great sales momentum and
they each gained market share. Chevrolet also
had record sales in China, and it retained its
market leadership in South America.
With more than 70 million customers around
the world, Chevrolet is one of the best
positioned auto brands in the industry. Our
challenge is to better leverage Chevrolet’s
extraordinary assets so it can continue to
grow in the U.S., while expanding rapidly in
China, Brazil and other developing markets.
An example of Chevrolet’s potential is the
all-new Trax, a small crossover that competes
in one of the fastest-growing segments in the
To take advantage of this rising
tide of sales, we are investing
heavily in new product for
Cadillac. Over the next five years,
we intend to launch eight new
models, several of which will be
new segments for the brand.