General Motors has unveiled a long-wheelbase version of the Cadillac STS for the Chinese market. Called the Cadillac SLS, the car has been lengthened by four inches for increased rear passenger room.
The interior is designed to meet specific local needs in this primarily chauffeur-driven luxury segment. Three engine options will be available which include the 2.8L V6, a 3.6L V6 and the top-level Northstar 4.6L V8 with 239kW/320hp. The new SLS will be built at the Shanghai GM plant for the Chinese market.
“The Cadillac SLS is a very important addition to our line-up in China as it meets very specific market needs,” said Jim Taylor, general manager of Cadillac. “Cadillac reacts to country specific requirements and is proud to offer the SLS to Chinese luxury customers who demand extra space in the rear and other features.” Full image after the jump…
11/10, 11:12 AM
posted by:
MyGodBeatsYourGod
Travel to Shen Zhen and Hong Kong adozen times a year…the Chinese do not need more leg room in the back anymore than fat Americans need it.
“Chinese Luxury” is still a strange-sounding term when the only luxury I have seen through all of China is for the Westerners or Government Officials.
11/10, 11:21 AM
posted by:
Renton
wong- leelbase
11/10, 11:21 AM
posted by:
pezones
^^
LMAO
11/10, 11:32 AM
posted by:
mbftw
I doubt they will sell many of the V8 version. From my experience many of the customers of these luxury cars still will go for the smaller engine. There is constant traffic, there isn’t any need for a bigger engine.
11/10, 11:35 AM
posted by:
doublearon21
Why in the world do the Chinese need long wheelbase anything, they’re all short, in fact the average height of a chinese male is like 5′7”
11/10, 11:48 AM
posted by:
Renton
I’ve seen pictures of 7 chinamen on 125 dirtbike, they could get like 100 in this thing.
11/10, 12:06 PM
posted by:
F451
“Cadillac reacts to country specific requirements and is proud to offer the SLS to Chinese luxury customers who demand extra space in the rear and other features.”
.
Please, please, please…will someone please remove the guns from GM’s Public Relations and Marketing clowns before they both their feet off!?
.
Let’s see…a failed U.S. model…I know what! What? Let’s sell it to the Chinese!
11/10, 12:07 PM
posted by:
bepsf
@ doubleaaron, etc
Wow – some of you guys sure are racist jerks.
Ever hear of Yao Ming? The 7′6″ basketball player for the Houston Rockets who happens to be Chinese?
With xenophobic knuckleheads like you around, it’s no wonder half the planet hates the US and our jobs & industry get exported to places like – Oh, China…
11/10, 12:10 PM
posted by:
F451
before they both = before they “shoot” both
Whooops…
11/10, 12:48 PM
posted by:
Brendino
So, quality of either vehicle aside, would it be better to sell a long-wheelbase STS in the States or stick with the DTS? I personally think the STS is a (much) better-looking vehicle, but I’d rather seen an Imperial and a 300 instead of a 300 and a stretched 300.
11/10, 1:02 PM
posted by:
Renton
Joking about others is not racist. Hating someone just because of their race is racist.
I love those little yellow dudes!
so lighten up……..
11/10, 1:22 PM
posted by:
meanpants555
I’d guess that space = status.
You’d think they would move the sunroof over the back seat instead of the chauffeur. The car makes me think of Goldfiner’s chauffeur Oddjob, even though he was Japanese.
11/10, 2:18 PM
posted by:
BrokenCadillac...
I think my Lemon SRX was built in China… Sure acts like it.
11/10, 3:30 PM
posted by:
Fromes
I find it interesting that both BMW and Caddy build extended wheel base versions of there mid-level 45k-65k sedans in china. The 5 series and the STS are already roomy vehicles. Is it resonalbe for one to infer that adding more length in these models will have an adverse affect on sales of the BMW 7 series and the DTS?
11/10, 4:16 PM
posted by:
John Landers
You wish your Lemon SRX was built in China.
It would have only been a baby lemon.
In America, we like to build our lemons big.
11/10, 6:56 PM
posted by:
Chris C.
What blows my mind is that Cadillac refuses to factory build a DTS-L similar to this SLS. The Towncar has a firm hold on the livery market b/c Lincoln offers a factory built, livery package Towncar L in three trim levels. The upcoming DTS-L will be an aftermarket option. (It doesn’t leave the factory as a DTS-L rather has to be cut in half first by a Cadiilac Coachbuilder which adds BIG bux to the price and puts it WAY over the cost of a Towncar L). The right and left hands at Cadillac obviously DO NOT talk to each other.
11/10, 11:04 PM
posted by:
bepsf
“The car makes me think of Goldfiner’s chauffeur Oddjob, even though he was Japanese.”
‘Oddjob’ was Korean…
“I think my Lemon SRX was built in China… Sure acts like it.”
Everything else you buy at Walmart and Linen’s & Things are made in China – why shouldn’t your car be too?
“Is it resonalbe (sic) for one to infer that adding more length in these models will have an adverse affect on sales of…the DTS?”
Considering the DTS isn’t even sold in China…
11/11, 4:32 AM
posted by:
Saud
I like it… though no point in selling the V8. ppl with chaufers choose weaker versions because they aren’t going to be driving it.
11/11, 7:31 AM
posted by:
Renton
I wonder what the point of selling these extended wheelbase versions of midsize cars?
Long wheelbase 5-series is going for sale as well. What is wrong with a 750iL to these wealthy folks?
11/11, 9:22 AM
posted by:
Bob
The C110 generation was produced from 1972 through 1977. There were four versions of the car
11/11, 12:08 PM
posted by:
A4
i still dont follow why all these midsize luxury sedans have long wheelbases in china at all. im sure someone before me has said it too, but i didnt read through it all. The 5er, A6, and now this.. i dont get it
11/11, 12:27 PM
posted by:
DavidS
^^
I don’t either. The only possible explanation is that China doesn’t get the shortwheelbase (I) 7 series, only the LI models, and therefore there’s a large size and price difference between models. A 523LI (entry level long wheelbase 5) will be much cheaper than the 730LI (entry level 7).
I still don’t understand why anyone would want to be DRIVEN around. Do you pay someone to have sex for you too? Sheesh…
11/11, 1:17 PM
posted by:
Renton
^^^^
I love to drive. There are still plenty of times I would love to have driver.
Crown Royal on the rocks please, make it a triple.
11/11, 4:01 PM
posted by:
Egbert Souse
Hey LeftLaneNews, why don’t you guys make an article about why all these long wheelbase mid size luxury cars are all being built for China? Us readers are curious and shiza
11/11, 4:28 PM
posted by:
SSTRFSTR
I recall reading something about how China got the Skoda Superb rebadged as the VW Passat because of the longer wheelbase. It appears Chinese “luxury” buyers want to be driven around.
11/11, 11:03 PM
posted by:
A4
its probably cause they pull 6 year olds out of sweatshops and sit them on some phonebooks for 5 cents an hour to drive them around
11/12, 12:41 AM
posted by:
Elvio
Why some people here just love show that they are a bunch of idoits!?
11/12, 9:17 AM
posted by:
Renton
Semi appropriate link
http://aistigave.hit.bg/Logistics/
11/12, 9:36 PM
posted by:
chris2
In China most wealthy (government and business) have drivers and they sit in the back seat. It is a huge, growing market. They get all the goodies back there like center console and DVD players.
11/13, 9:33 AM
posted by:
meanpants555
According to IMDB.com, He was born Toshiyuki Sakata in Hawaii, of Japanese descent. Perhaps one parent was Korean?
11/13, 11:29 PM
posted by:
MyGodBeatsYourGod
As I started out these comments, this car is for Westerners and Chinese officials to ride around in the back.
Many folks I deal with in China are the new-rich (hey, somebody makes money on all that sh+t at Wal-Mart) and they like a large back seat without drawing too much attention of a car as big on the outside as a Maybach or limo.
Most Asians I have met are short. No racism intended.
Now, saying they need a larger backseat for the karaoke equipment may cross the line…