GM may boost production of new Cadillac CTS

DETROIT, Feb 7 Reuters reported that General Motors Corp.'s new Cadillac CTS is selling so fast that the automaker is considering moving up the addition of a second shift of workers at the Lansing, Michigan plant where the luxury sedans are made in order to boost production, officials said on Thursday.

The CTS, which went on sale last month, has been ``flying off the shelves,'' Gary Cowger, president of GM North America, told reporters at the Chicago Auto Show.

The CTS, which replaces the slow-selling Catera entry-level luxury vehicle in Cadillac's lineup, is key to the brand as it tries to claw its way back after suffering from slowing sales in recent years. The car is the first Cadillac to fully utilize the division's new sharp-edged design.

The new Lansing Grand River assembly plant where the CTS is built currently operates on one shift of workers capable of producing 30,000 to 35,000 CTSs annually.

Cowger said the automaker could decide during its April production meeting to add a second shift, which would then take four to six months to get up and running to build more of the luxury sedans. The Lansing Grand River plant was scheduled to add a second shift of workers early next year to build the Cadillac SRX sport utility-like vehicle.

Meanwhile, GM, which last year led the industry in U.S. truck sales, on Thursday unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show two Pontiac sedans which the automaker hopes will boost its flagging car sales.

GM showed the Bonneville G/XP and the Grand Prix G-Force, two concept cars which officials said resemble production cars that could arrive on the market next year.

``GM has truck leadership now, and we intend to keep it. What we need to do next is bring our cars up to the same level,'' Lynn Myers, the general manager of Pontiac-GMC, told reporters at the auto show.

Myers said that GM is working on the business case for bring the Bonneville G/XP -- a supercharged Bonneville full-size sedan without the side plastic cladding -- to market next year as a special edition.

The Grand Prix G-Force resembles the Grand Prix sedan set to go on sale in spring, 2003, she added. Both vehicles show Pontiac's new sleek styling.

GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz changed the front end of the Grand Prix G-Force soon after GM hired the former Chrysler executive last August. The trademark Pontiac dual grille on the concept originally resembled fangs before he had it shortened.

``It's internal nickname was Alvin. Some people called it Bucky Beaver,'' he said.