AN ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS CADILLAC DEALERSHIP PUTS ITS CUSTOMERS IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT

BY ERIK SCHONING PHOTOS BY ROBERT NUZZIE

Few automobile manufacturers can tout a more compelling journey than Cadillac. From its status during the glory days of American muscle cars to its current post as a leader in the EV revolution, the brand has never stopped reinventing itself. At Trinity Cadillac, led by owners Joe Collado and Lee Morant, they are steering the brand into a new era, one thrill-hungry customer at a time.

Trinity Cadillac is a relative newcomer in the North Jersey scene, but Collado himself is not. A 38-year industry veteran, Collado’s resume is a who’s who of luxury nameplates, including Ferrari, McLaren, Lamborghini, Rolls-Royce, and Land Rover Jaguar. When General Motors was preparing to launch the new Englewood Cliffs dealership, the brand ultimately chose Collado for his vast experience and proven track record for managing high-end brands.

“There was an onslaught of applicants looking to get this opportunity,” Collado said. “I was chosen by GM because of my background in exotics and high-end vehicles, but they also wanted somebody with a younger approach to the market. They wanted someone with a vision for the future, because this business is changing dramatically.”

According to Collado, in the last seven or eight years Cadillac has recommitted to cementing its status as an iconic American brand. It’s no secret that Cadillac lost market share in the ‘90s to an increasingly competitive import market, but today people are coming back to a homegrown car that is classic, reliable, and luxurious.

But the real secret to Cadillac’s renaissance is its bold pivot toward EVs. Rather than maintain Cadillac solely as a legacy marque, GM has invested heavily in positioning its luxury brand as a leader in the EV market. The Lyriq launched in 2022 as Caddy’s first fully electric vehicle, and in the next 24 months, Cadillac is rolling out several more: the Escalade IQ, an electric XT6, and a yet-to-be-named compact version of the Lyriq along the lines of the popular XT4.

“We have a lot of orders and anticipation for the Escalade IQ,” Collado said. “It’s an unbelievable car. It has that classic Escalade silhouette, but the interior feels like a spaceship. It has a 54-inch screen. The technology in it is just bananas.”

The Escalade is the best-selling luxury SUV in the United States, so it’s no surprise Cadillac would update it for the electric age. Its high demand only proves that classic, recognizable cars are top candidates for electrification. The Escalade IQ is a fascinating intersection of past and present, pushing the boundaries of technology and progress under one of the auto realm’s most iconic nameplates.

But cutting-edge vehicles are only one ingredient in Collado’s recipe for success at Trinity Cadillac. When he launched the dealership, he wanted to do things differently than at previous stops along his journey: he wanted to be hands on, a prominent player in the everyday operations of the business.

“I’m here all the time, and that’s important because with a team, you need to instill what you believe, to walk the walk, as they say,” Collado said. “My famous line is that I’ll never ask you to do something that I wouldn’t do. So if it’s snowing outside, I’m the first guy out there to shovel snow or push a car.

And the employees are wowed by that.”

Collado comes from a restaurant family. He remembers his father’s attentiveness with his customers, and he strives to bring that same philosophy to the dealership business. As owner and operator of Trinity Cadillac, he prides himself on training his staff to follow his lead, and the results speak for themselves. In its short time on the scene, Trinity has built a strong relationship with the Chamber of Commerce. (On the date INDUSTRY spoke with Collado, he had just finished filming a live segment for Channel Twelve, on the chamber’s recommendation.) The dealership also services the Englewood Cliffs Police Department vehicles, a testament to the efficiency and quality of their service department. Though Trinity is going on just three years in Englewood, it is already a local icon.

Collado doesn’t take any of his success for granted. He knows firsthand the pitfalls of the dealership business. “Some of the best customers we have are people who have had problem somewhere else, at another dealership or mechanically with their car,” Collado said. “And we hold their hand and say, ‘Give us the opportunity to work with you and show you that we want to help you, we want to do the right thing.’ This is a very simple business: it’s about relationships. Listening to what people need that’s how you win a lifelong customer.”

The automobile industry is in a period of profound change, but Collado is excited for what the future holds. After all, no matter how dramatically vehicles might change, he can bank on one truth: caring about your customers never gets discontinued.

Trinity Cadillac

374 Sylvan Avenue, Englewood Cliffs

201.227.1111 / trinitycadillac.com