Bowser benefits from the Cadillac turnaround

While older brother Gary Bowser Jr. looks after business at the Bowser Pontiac Buick GMC dealership at Rt. 51 and Lewis Run Road, younger brother Kurt has responsibility for Bowser Cadillac, on Washington Boulevard in McMurray. The Cadillac Store was added to the Bowser list of franchised new-car and truck dealerships in 2004. A “single-point” store that deals exclusively in Cadillac sales and service, it has become what the Bowser brothers have said is “the fastest growing Cadillac dealership in western Pennsylvania.”

Kurt, 34, joined the family business in 1996, after graduating from Westminster College. He started at the Pontiac Buick GMC dealership, learning all aspects of the business. That included stints in the parts and service departments, as well as time spent with new and pre-owned vehicle sales. When the Cadillac franchise was brought into the fold in the fall of 2004, Kurt became general manager.

The timing of the Cadillac acquisition was propitious, for General Motors was well on the way to a successful restoration of the brand’s legacy as something special. With an engine developed by Henry Leland, the Cadillac was first manufactured in 1902. It was named after the 17th century French explorer Antoine de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac, who founded Detroit in 1701. Powered by its 10.25 horsepower engine, the car went on to win acclaim.

From the beginning, Cadillac was distinguished by its refinement. People the world over came to think of the brand name as synonymous with high quality.

In time, however, the prestigious luxury vehicle became known for senior-friendly vehicles. Its image had grayed. With the brand’s reputation showing signs of weakness, Cadillac set out to refurbish the image in terms of design and performance. “They changed their image,” said Kurt Bowser. “Someone who has not driven a Cadillac for a while would be shocked at the great performance of these cars.”

A new emphasis on a younger generation of clientele turned things around. By the 2000s, Cadillac had a bold new look, including the introduction of its first truck-based vehicle, the popular Escalade.

The turnaround hit a high-water mark in 2008, with the CTS. Indeed, no less an authority on automobiles than “Car and Driver” had this to say about the 2008 CTS: “This second-gen CTS conclusively fulfills General Motors’ goal of turning Cadillac into a world class luxury competitor.”

If further confirmation of Cadillac’s emergence was needed, it came with the announcement by “Motor Trend” magazine that the 2008 CTS was the “Motor Trend Car of the Year.”

Angus MacKenzie, editor-in-chief of the magazine, said: “Among its many excellent qualities, perhaps the most valuable one is that it shows Detroit can build a world class car to compete with the best Munich, Stuttgart and Toyota City have to offer. Detroit is officially back in the car business, not just the truck or SUV business.”

It was not, however, the first time Cadillac had earned the “Motor Trend Car of the Year” award. Cadillac and General Motors had won the very first such award, which was presented in 1949.

The CTS proved itself a winner in the safety category, too, earning the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Top Safety Pick for 2008. It was a result of winning the Institute’s highest ratings in front, side and rear crash testing.

The CTS, in fact, has earned accolades far beyond the shores of the United States. Early this month the “Motor Trend Car of the Year” was named “2008 Saudi Auto Car of the Year” by the auto magazine “Saudi Auto.” Praise was given for the dramatic design, power, ride quality and safety of the CTS.

The base model 2008 CTS includes a 263-horsepower, VVT V-6 (an optional 304-horsepower direct-injection version is available), eight-speaker Bose audio, 17-inch wheels and a dual zone climate control. In addition to offering a classy, distinctive interior, superb fit and finish, and tailored design, the six-speed automatic version of the CTS goes from 1-to-60 in 6.3 seconds.

For the CTS as well as every 2008 Cadillac, General Motors warrants each car, light duty truck or van for five years, or 100,000 miles—whichever comes first—with no deductible. In addition, there is 100,000-mile/five years of 24/7 Roadside Assistance, and 100,000-mile/five-years of Courtesy Transportation.

While the 2008 CTS sports sedan has earned accolades and new owners, Cadillac will launch the 2009 CTS-V in the fourth quarter of 2008. The all-new CTS-V is meant to combine the serious performance of an elite sports car with the elegance of a prestigious luxury sedan. The CTS-V delivers an estimated 550 horsepower, as well as a comprehensive suite of technical and design enhancements. The horsepower comes from a new 6.2L LSA supercharged V-8 engine.

Cadillac also just unveiled the 2009 Escalade Hybrid at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York. It is the first fuel-saving hybrid for a large luxury SUV, with Cadillac promising more than a 45-percent improvement in fuel economy in city driving. In city driving, the advanced hybrid power system enables Escalade to launch and drive lower speeds on electricity alone. As additional power is demanded, the system blends output from the battery and gas engine smoothly. Available in two-wheel and four-wheel drive, the Escalade Hybrid will go on sale this summer.

At Bowser Cadillac, Kurt Bowser said he looks forward to even better things ahead. With an inventory of some 150 Cadillac vehicles at the dealership, he has a top-quality product line. “Our job,” he said, “is to take care of the customer in every way possible.” In some cases, that means placing customers in a pre-owned rather than a new Cadillac. Such customers can get the benefit of the Cadillac pre-owned certification program, which includes a six-year, 100,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty.

These days, the only problem Bowser has is the kind he likes: “It’s the CTS—it’s hard to keep up with demand.”