2010 Cadillac SRX

A sneak peak at Cadillac's restyled crossover
In Pebble Beach yesterday, Cadillac introduced their new SRX at a special sneak preview.

Clay Dean, Cadillac design director, said, "The next-generation SRX is the result of the continued exploration and refining of Cadillac design language, with the goal of creating dramatic presence in the luxury crossover space."

Cutting edge styling
I don't think Cadillac needs to worry about creating a "dramatic presence" in the crossover market or any market for that matter. Their new design philosophy makes a statement and is unmistakable from any other vehicles on the road.

But this plays into Cadillac's hands quite nicely. Their styling makes a statement, one that easily sets it apart from others. You could easily argue that they gambled a little but I think it's paid off.

BMW, as a competitor, is a good example. With the arrival of the new 7-series in 2001, BMW announced a styling breakthrough for the German auto maker. The automotive press, however, was not kind. Today, BMW is clearly toning down the "Bangle butt" styling in favor of something less overt. Did Chris Bangle's design hurt BMW sales, and likewise, their brand? I'll leave you to speculate.

Art and Science
I guess you can take the same approach with Cadillac. Not everyone is crazy about their Art and Science approach. But while BMW's 7-series caught flak and criticism, Cadillac's CTS, with its introduction in 2003, could be argued as relaunching Cadillac's brand. The CTS rejuvenated Cadillac, possibly saving it from extinction. It brought the younger buyers into Cadillac's showrooms, buyers that they had been trying to attract since the 1990's.

It's clear with the new SRX that Cadillac has no plans of changing their philosophy. But even though their current styling isn't new, it's not wearing thin. It will be interesting to see what they do in the future.