GM UK is to push the Cadillac brand in corporate deals to try to broaden exposure of the luxury marque.

Vauxhall’s fleet department is likely to take control of promotion and marketing because GM has been disappointed by the performance of UK distributor Pendragon.

Trevor Finn, Pendragon’s chief executive, said in 2004 he expected Cadillac/Corvette UK volumes to reach 4,000 by the end of 2009. In 2006, they failed to reach 400 registrations, though last summer Finn said he had not lost faith in the brand.

This week, Finn declined to comment on GM’s moves. Expansion of Cadillac’s 11-strong dealer network appears to have been put back. It had announced plans to add dealerships in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leicester, Northampton, Nottingham, Stockport and Walton-on-Thames by the end of 2006. But none of these are yet listed on Cadillac’s website.

Kroymans, the Dutch company appointed by GM to control Cadillac distribution in Europe, says Pendragon’s partnership will continue.