Slow sales have forced Pendragon to shut two Stratstone Cadillac outlets in Swansea and Cheltenham.

Previous plans for network expansion are “on hold, but could begin next year,” according to Cadillac Europe.

Pendragon has moved Cadillac dealerships at Leeds and Newcastle to better locations. Its five-year UK exclusive contract to distribute and sell Cadillacs and Corvettes ends in November 2009. In May, GM Europe will start working with Pendragon to encourage fleet operators to take Cadillacs, particularly the BLS.

Pendragon, GM and Kroymans, the Dutch group distributing Cadillac in Europe, are now taking a long view on achieving planned sales.

“It’s taking rather longer than we expected,” says one GM Europe executive.

In 2006, Cadillac’s UK registrations totalled about 400 (the total for Europe was around 3,000). Pendragon has agreed to cut prices in order to stimulate interest.