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Cadillac Dealers Offered $5,000 Incentive To Promote the ELR

General Motors announced it will pay a cool five grand to every dealership that designates the 2014 Cadillac ELR luxury hybrid as a test-drive car. The incentive will be awarded only if the vehicle clocks at least 750 demonstration miles between May 1st and June 2nd.
2014 Cadillac ELR 1 photo
Photo: Cadillac
Formally known as the "Demonstrator Allowance Program", this move comes as a marketing tour de force for the slow selling 2014 Cadillac ELR. By bribing motivating its dealers with money, the automaker hopes to increase the model's awareness among brand customers and attract new eco-conscious motorists.

In-house estimates hint that current inventories of the electric vehicle would be depleted in almost two years' time according to current sales rates.

Even though the ELR went on sale in the United States six months ago, Cadillac managed to move 240 units or so to this day. This isn't an entirely surprising fact if you compare the price tags of the Caddy and its twin brother. The 2014 Chevrolet Volt holds a suggested retail price of $34,995, while the near identical 2014 Cadillac ELR plug-in hybrid commands a whopping $75,995 including the $995 destination fee.

As for the 750 miles to be driven by a demo car between May 1st through June 2nd, that figure is hardly achievable. An average 10 minute test-drive translates in about 15 miles covered. That comes to a total of 50 test-drives in only a month. Naturally, each of the 530 Cadillac dealers that signed to sell the brand's ELR will have to convince more than one person per day, from the average Joe to the successful business man, to take a short drive with the vehicle in order to meet the designated target.

If you want to help dealers earn an honest buck and increase the visibility of the overpriced luxury plug-in hybrid, why not take the 2014 Cadillac ELR for a quick spin?
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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