By now we are aware of the new edginess that the Cadillac division of General Motors possesses. Displaying more sharp creases than a folded origami swan and harkening back to the egg-crate grille of the Cadillac 16 concept car of 2003, GM’s luxury brand unveiled its second-generation CTS to journalists right in the heart of Silicon Valley.
Backstory
In a role which until recently has not been a familiar playground for Cadillac , GM’s luxury division has taken direct aim at BMW , but with scattershot weaponry. The CTS is priced comparably to the 3-Series, but is sized and performs closer to levels of the larger 5-Series.
Cadillac has always been about image. Thankfully, though, in their recent history, they seem to be thinking about performance as well.
Aesthetics (4/5)
Aggressive styling is the hallmark of the new Cadillac line.
From the large bass-like opening of the grille, to the short rear overhang, which certain designers claim “connotes a statement of power and performance,” the CTS exterior displays many interesting views. We like the stacked headlights, and the bold Cadillac Crest that announces, no shouts, the arrival of the CTS. On the other hand, the side gills (in keeping with the large-mouth bass theme) seem a bit contrived. We think they should be larger, or disappear all together. We can only wonder the change of the belt-height character line emanating from the bottom edge of the gills, had they been larger.
Chrome accents — like on side vents and around the greenhouse — give the car a decidedly upscale look and body panel gaps are on par with offerings from other luxury marques.
At first glance, the rear overhang had a slightly short appearance, similar to a dog whose tail was clipped too closely. It’s not bad. It’s just different. Over time, we have grown to appreciate it, in much the same way the “Bangle-Butted” rear of the 5-series has grown on us.
Performance (5/5)
To show the mettle that the CTS possesses, Cadillac met us in San Jose, California. Putting us into the new CTS and sending us on our way to Bernardus Lodge in Carmel Valley, CA with an intermediate stop at the famed Laguna Seca Raceway, it was clear what an improvement this CTS was over its predecessor.
The heart of the new CTS in its base form is a 3.6-liter V6 with variable valve timing. It’s no slouch at 263-horsepower, and 253 lb-ft of torque. But the real jewel in this line is the 3.6-liter V6 DI, which is fueled by the aforementioned direct injection system. With 304-horsepower, and 273 lb-ft of torque, it’s the ballsiest naturally aspirated V6 the General has ever stuffed under any hood. High technology abounds with aluminum block and cylinder heads, silent chain drives, polymer-coated piston skirts and composite camshaft covers.
With the addition of direct injection comes a new set of benefits. Aside from the 15-percent increase in horsepower, and 8-percent increase in torque, Cadillac also claims a 3-percent improvement in fuel consumption. Add to this, the bonus of running on “regular” unleaded petrol.
The “Standard of the World” is in a shouting mood lately, what with great sounding engines screaming as the variable valve timing kicks in at higher revs and a nicely tuned exhaust note flies out the rear through twin tailpipes.
Handling was crisp, and taut with good center feel. As in other offerings from the RenCen in Detroit, the automatic transmission has the ability to be “slap shifted” in an up-down manner. Slip it between the gates and it takes on the “Sport” mode, which remaps the shift points for more responsive stepping through the gears when in a spirited driving mode. Also making a reappearance is a six-speed manual option, for the DIY crowd. We can’t wait to test it in the upcoming CTS-V.
Handling is improved under the hood by way of a strut tower brace whose usage is probably a first in the entire history of the marque. Beefy Michelin Pilot Sport 2 18-inch tires (P235/50R18) mounted on highly polished bright alloy wheels contributed to the newfound grip of our test model.
Through all the improvements, the result is one of the surest-footed Cadillac sedans in history. With a leather-wrapped steering wheel that gives good driver feedback, and as firm a ride that has ever appeared this side of a bustle-back Seville (remember the eighties?), this sedan signals a day of reckoning for the bloated, pillow-soft rides of the past. Despite this, to our tastes, it’s still not German enough. It’s only nine/tenths there.
Technology (4/5)
Showing off the latest in alphabet soup three-letter describers such as AWD (all-wheel-drive), TCS (traction control systems), DRP (dynamic rear proportioning), and VVT (variable valve timing), the division revealed the latest for Cadillac: DI — Direct Injection.
A new all-wheel-drive system boasts of a track that is two-inches wider than the one it replaces. It lays the grip down by way of a Hydra-Matic 6L50 six-speed automatic transmission (lifted from the STS-V and XLR-V) that has the ability to be thrashed in Driver Shift Control mode. If you prefer, the Performance Algorithm Liftfoot (Sport) mode, lets the computer downshift the transmission when it senses the driver lifting off the accelerator. In either case, the AWD system has the ability to continually transfer as much as 100-percent of the torque to the front wheels, and an infinitely variable amount of drive force between the front and rear wheels together.
The CTS has all the airbags that you would find in many of the other luxury cars in its competitive set. These include a two-stage driver bag, a dual-depth passenger side, front-mounted pelvic and thorax side bags and roof rail side curtains. It’s a veritable bounce house here, folks!
Cabin (4/5)
The overall design of the interior features a new handsome architecture that maintains a center stack with a retractable video monitor for navigation and audio controls. To our eyes, it appears a slight bit fragile, but only time (and usage) will be the decider on that.
The center stack is handsome and functional, featuring a brushed aluminum face and an upscale looking center-mounted analog clock. The integration of the dual climate control in quite intuitive, with each side having its own LCD screen and controls to adjust temperature, plus redundancies built into the thick-rimmed steering wheel. To all of this add the bonus — at least for those of us in Florida and Arizona — of air-cooled seats.
Speaking of redundancies, isn’t the CTS’s available 40 GB Hard Drive Device, which through the use of a USB cord, enables an owner to download music or audiobooks, a bit redundant in itself, seeing that it duplicates the original intent of plugging in an iPod in the first place?
Bottom line
At the end of the day, the new CTS is about Cadillac attempting to reclaim title to the phrase “Standard of the World.” When my friend, the auto-neurotic Neal, came time to exit his current automobile lease, he started looking around for cars that he thought showed a certain standard he was trying to portray. After considering offerings from Lexus , Infiniti , and Volvo , he directed his gaze at the new CTS. Love at first sight is probably a little overstated, but the reaction to the new entry-level Cadillac, was instantaneous, and exacting. As in just right.
That reaction and the subsequent scheckles that should find their way into the General Motors coffers should be music to Cadillac’s ears.
Words and photos by Mark Elias
