On the way home from the office the other day, the Brad Paisley and Keith Urban song “Start a Band” came on the radio. It’s a musical tutorial on how to figure out what to do with your life, spend time with your buddies, get girls, and possibly “buy your mama that Cadillac.” That particular line struck me and made me ask myself this question: What is the modern version of a “new Cadillac”?
A car from Cadillac used to be an aspirational vehicle. It was a rolling status symbol that showed the world you had made it—or a family member how much you loved them. Investor and “Shark Tank” star Robert Herjavec said the best thing he ever bought was a pearl white 1989 Cadillac for his father, who viewed a Cadillac as a sign of success. That way of thinking is present in movies such as “GoodFellas,” in which one of the mobsters buys his wife a pink Cadillac—at the worst time: right after pulling off the lucrative Lufthansa heist at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in 1978.
That’s not to say modern Cadillacs aren’t aspirational vehicles. I’m sure plenty of people want a CT5-V Blackwing or an Escalade, but those are far from the massive, cushy sedan or coupe or convertible that a Cadillac dream car used to be. And keep in mind that the company killed off the CT6, its largest, most luxurious sedan, several years ago.
There’s definitely a generational component to this, although I’d argue it’s not universal. For many people of a certain age group, a new Caddy might still be a goal to reach, but my “Baby Boomer” parents are not among them. When my mom was able to drive, her dream car was a Jaguar. My dad would rather have a new Toyota truck to help him with his never-ending home improvement projects, but I know he wouldn’t complain if a new Lexus LS 500 showed up at his house with a massive bow on it.
What is the modern “new Cadillac” to you? Is it an Escalade or something from a different brand? Tell us in the Comments section below.
