Inventory of the wildly popular Cadillac Escalade luxury SUV was at just 30 days in September 2023, according to a report from Cox Automotive.
In other words, Caddy dealers had – on average – just enough supply of the Escalade on hand to answer demand for approximately 30 days, which is significantly lower than 60 days’ supply, a figure considered optimal by many US automotive sales professionals. By comparison, new Cadillac vehicle supply was 46 days during September 2023, which is still far below optimal levels, but not as low as the Escalade alone.
The low supply of the Escalade at the dealer level is not at all surprising, especially considering that the full-size luxury SUV continues to absolutely dominate its competitive segment in terms of sales volume and share. During the third quarter of 2023, the Escalade and Escalade ESV recorded 10,700 deliveries; that’s more than double that of its closest competitor, the Lincoln Navigator, which only posted 4,527 sales during the same time period. In short, the Escalade is flying off dealer lots.
| MODEL | Q3 23 / Q3 22 | Q3 23 | Q3 22 | Q3 23 SHARE | Q3 22 SHARE | YTD 23 / YTD 22 | YTD 23 | YTD 22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CADILLAC ESCALADE | +11.62% | 6,821 | 6,111 | 36% | 43% | +9.32% | 19,609 | 17,938 |
| LINCOLN NAVIGATOR | +46.03% | 4,527 | 3,100 | 24% | 22% | +46.28% | 13,385 | 9,150 |
| INFINITI QX80 | +73.29% | 3,095 | 1,786 | 16% | 13% | +98.26% | 9,225 | 4,653 |
| JEEP GRAND WAGONEER | +21.85% | 2,867 | 2,353 | 15% | 16% | -13.95% | 8,135 | 9,454 |
| LEXUS LX | +100.44% | 1,828 | 912 | 10% | 6% | +94.68% | 5,274 | 2,709 |
| TOTAL | +34.19% | 19,138 | 14,262 | +26.70% | 55,628 | 43,904 |
Across the greater automotive industry, ongoing United Auto Workers (UAW) strikes are having a negative effect on dealer inventory as more production facilities fall victim to shutdowns and walkouts. All of Cadillac’s assembly lines were unaffected until earlier this week, when the union began to strike at the Arlington plant that produces the Escalade and Escalade ESV.
It’s also worth noting that Cadillac supply remains one of the lowest among domestic brands, particularly compared to Chevy (57 days), Ford (88 days), Jeep (95 days) and Lincoln (124 days). As such, the full scope of the UAW’s effects on vehicle production may not yet be realized, meaning that the ripples may become more obvious in the coming months.
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