There A Huge Debate Brewing About Whether Cadillac Should Be A Car Or A Brand

It's the eternal debate in the auto industry. Which is more important, ultimately? A great car, or a great nameplate?

At Fortune, Alex Taylor III zeroes in on the eternal question in an analysis of the relatively striking changes that Cadillac is currently going through. General Motors' luxury division has a new leader, Johan De Nysschen; has moved its marketing and sales teams to sexy New York from dowdy Detroit; and is throwing down the gauntlet for what it considers to be its natural rivals, BMW and Mercedes.

The general alarm about all that Taylor recounts is: Oh no! Cadillac is going to juice the brand at the expense of the cars!

The marketing people are taking over!!

The engineers are out!!!

This can't end well!!!!

Here's Taylor:

Well, maybe. The thing is that Cadillac, while ostensible a luxury brand, is actually in terms of its product more of an exotic brand. The sedans and SUVs are a bit extreme, a bit over-the-top. And they have been for a decade.

Or maybe a bit more than over-the-top. As proof, I give you...the Cadillac Escalade:

In any case, as far as the steak goes - Caddy has some pretty awesome steak. And it's profitable steak. In fact, we will soon learn just how profitable, as GM will break out Caddy financials from the rest of the enterprise.

As for the sizzle...well, it's the wrong kind of sizzle. It's the sizzle of excessive, flamboyant luxury, not the seductive aroma that wafts from BMW, Mercedes, Audi.

That German new car smell, if you will.

Again, Taylor:

So maybe it's time to spend a few billion reframing the brand.

As a true luxury brand.

It's worth a shot.