With GM in the situation it's in, what do you think will happen to Cadillac if GM fails? Bought out? Gone foreign? Fully discontinued (God forbid)? Any thoughts?

Anybody's guess as to what will transpire. Stand back and look at a Cadillac or any car, for that matter, and try to guess how many different companies, within the main company and outside contractors, supply parts to make a vehicle. If GM goes bankrupt, as it now appears is inevitable, one of two things will happen in a hurry: Either the government will try to prop the company up for some indefinite period (money down the toilet), or GM will be sold off, part and parcel. The outside contractors will wither and die, and the current recession will quickly turn into a massive depression due to the sheer numbers involved in the factory shutdowns and job loss. GM goes down and Ford and Chrysler are close behind. None of this current financial mess is going away for a very long time. Several very fine automobile manufacturers completely disappeared during the last depression and a half-dozen or more motor car companies survived by becoming "GM". This time around, Who knows ?? LOTS more worldwide heavy hitters in the industry now.........

Too bad that the beginning 1960's moves of a significant percentage of this country's heavy manufacturing and steel business overseas weren't more carefully analyzed. When we began the shift from operating as a supplier country to being a "user", the slow downfall began.

I fully expect the greatest Cadillacs ever once they're owned by someone other than GM. Not that GM is not capable - they're just broke.

Well based on today's news from GM's auditors it doesn't look good. I have a feeling that the economy is still on the way down and that GM will not be able to restructure fast enough to stop the inevitable. I don't think selling off various brands will be enough to help. I think the economy is quickly approaching a state where there aren't going to even be any bargain hunters around to pickup the brands. We'll see how quickly GM can sell Saab but I can realistically see them not finding a buyer. If it came down to selling the rest of the company off I would hope someone would buy-up Cadillac. I think they are the one and only shinning star in the GM lineup. Only time will tell.

That said, Cadillac to be viable has to overcome a tremendous brand-image problem. Many people still think Cadillac makes big boats for grandpa to drive, there is the perception that they are unreliable, and now who would buy a car whose parent company is going/went out of business? It's a lot to overcome.

I don't own a Cadillac but I'm pulling for them to see this through. They have so much potential and if GM does go down lets hope Cadillac is bought by someone that will let them flourish.

GM is likely to reorganize under Chapter 11 and Cadillac will remain as a semi-premium brand. Vehicles will likely be CTS and badge-engineered versions of the Equinox (SRX), LaCrosse (DTS/STS replacement), and Enclave (Escalade replacement). They may be good vehicles or not.

That's GM's problem right there ^^^. They take a car, and rebadge it in another brand. Like Cadillac. If they take a Buick Lacrosse and make it a DTS/STS, then screw that, I aint buying it. Why would I pay $50,000 for a rebadged Buick? Cadillac should structure like the big luxury brands. Lets take Mercedes. Mercedes has the S-class. Other than maybe a CL500, what other car can the S-Class be shared with? None. They don't use multiple platforms for one car. The CL-500 or 550 and the S550 are like twins, other than 2 and 4 door differences and little stuff. Cool. NOw you have the E-class. Nothing like a S-class. Cadillac uses Impala steering wheels in the new DTS's. I had an 06 Impala and it had the same steering wheel as a DTS, except for the emblem in the steering wheel was different. Literally rebadged. They should be making cars that have a soul of their own and not sharing parts or anything from lesser brands. Not saying Buick isn't good, but Cadillac should be trying to be like a Premium Luxury brand like Mercedes and Lexus. Cadillac should start acting like it and stop borrowing or sharing stuff and keeping everything in-house. Even the engines. The Northstar is used in the Lucerne. Stop sharing! I dunno. Well thats the reason I didn't get a new DTS. They are cheap enough but I don't want a cheap caddy and I believe they went cheap. Stop being cheap. Being cheap is what is really costing them money. I bought a 04 DTS, and that's probably gonna be my last Caddy for a while. Nothing in the new lineup I want except for a CTS-V. That's only because of the power. I can get a Vette or something, but I would rather have a caddy than a vette. Anyways, I digress. Maybe cadillac should be sold, to a company that can invest in making improvements and coming out with cars that have their own identity and look and won't be so cheap looking and feeling.

Too bad that the beginning 1960's moves of a significant percentage of this country's heavy manufacturing and steel business overseas weren't more carefully analyzed. When we began the shift from operating as a supplier country to being a "user", the slow downfall began.

^^One of my biggest political frustrations right there, and why the stimulus package would be WAY more effective if we had some trade protectionism, because we're sending all this money we're generating right out of the country. But yeah basically I just hope Cadillac stays American and doesn't decrease in quality. Hopefully if they are bought out, the new parent company would do the opposite, and improve them even more. I don't like wondering what's going to happen to Cadillac though..I just want to know how it's all going to pan out..

It's not like if GM goes bankrupt it will be the end of the company. In fact, bankruptcy might even be good for them. First of all, all UAW contracts will become null and void, meaning that GM won't be paying $80,000 a year to the guy who puts sunroofs on. This will save them a tremendous amount of money. During this time, all the money-losing assets of the company will be sold off, and only the real classic brands will remain (Chevy, GMC, Cadillac, Buick). GM will survive, albeit a smaller company, but it will still be there.

Remember the saying "As goes GM, so goes the nation"? Well, the nation isn't done yet, and even though it may look like it, GM isn't either.