Cadillac BLS: Why isn't it succeeding?

The Cadillac BLS, GM's first major foray into the lux market in Europe, is meeting, to be kind, a lack of success in Europe. I think it sold less than a 1000 in its first year.

Why? It's pretty well featured and it's inexpensive. The latter could easily compensate for its petrol-only engine at this point. (A diesel version's coming out later, I believe.) Is there something in the European mindset that's preventing the sales?  

I think it really depends on how you look at it. GM set their sales target far too high, the BLS is way below expected numbers, but it still the best selling Cadi in Europe right now.

The problems with the car as I see it, the styling, the handling and the blandness.

The styling is horrible, it looks like a Chevy Malibu(it is based on the same platform) and that isn't going to cut it in a place were a BMW 3-series outsells the Mondeo. It has to compete with Bimmers, Alfas, Jags and whole list of cars that are absolutely gorgeous to look at.

The above mentioned cars are also some of the best driving cars in the world, and even though I haven't driven the BLS I would imagine it is very similar to the 93 which I have driven. The Saab 93 is not a bad car, but it in no way compares to a 3-series as far as driving experience.

The market they are trying to capture is young professionals. Young upwardly mobile people are usually after something stylish and trendy, the BLS is far from being stylish or trendy, stuffy and bland is a more appropriate description.
I have some experience with the Cadi CLS and it is a decent car, I really surprised me, but the BLS doesn't really have any of the things that make the CLS a good car. None of the aggressive styling is there, the performance isn't there, the BLS has nothing going for it, and if you don't have a reputation to ride on you aren't going to sell cars with just decent products.

can a chevy malibu compete with is in the styling department?