Did you buy a Cadillac in the U.S. last month? If so, you helped make the brand’s June 5.5 percent better than its last June.
In June of this year, the luxury brand’s dealers in this country sold 14,263 vehicles – 5.5 percent more than they did in June of 2015. Cadillac’s Chinese dealers were even more successful; they increased their June sales by 33.7 percent. Canadian dealers were in the middle with a 13.5-percent upswing. Despite dips – many of them significant – in other markets, global Cadillac sales were up nearly 14 percent for the month of June.
That was tempered by June and year-to-date sales decreases of a few Cadillac vehicles. By both measurements, the ATS and CTS were down. The SRX also was, but that’s an old model being replaced by the new XT5; Cadillac has sold more than 11,000 of them so far this year.
One model Cadillac hasn’t had a problem moving? The Escalade. Of course. Global year-to-date sales of the luxury land yacht are up almost five percent for the year and 15.4 percent for the month of June.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
