It all began with the Catera in 1999, a German Opel-cum-Cadillac that was nice, but it weren’t no Bimmer. Caddy tried again in 2002 with another "small" Cadillac - the 15.8-foot, 3,500-pound CTS, a compact sedan with a stealth fighter faceted look thanks to Cadillac's "Art and Science" approach to design. With rear-wheel-drive and a suspension tuned by engineers after hundreds of laps on a famous German Nurburgring, it came closer to the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, BMW 5-Series, Infiniti and Lexus mid-size sport sedans. It was, however, let down with a low-rent plastic interior and a 220-hp V-6 that wasn't as peppy as the competition's.
Now comes the second coming of the CTS, joined by a 556-hp CTS-V, a CTS Sport Wagon and a CTS Coupe. Sounds like a nice collection to beat the Bimmer.
*CTS cuteness – The second-generation CTS retains the last one’s wheelbase, but is 1.5 inches longer and two inches wider than the first. Using the super-long Cadillac Sixteen concept of a few years ago as its design inspiration, the new car has a lower, more chiseled look that starts with the definitively V-ed two-tiered gray grill, with chrome accent on top down to the serious lower air dam and splitter with chrome-encased fog lamps and brake duct intakes. The stacked headlights are squared-off slashes with LEDs on the sides, the projector beams on the bottom angling into turns. The fenders are sculpted, a longer, leaner look accented by functional chrome side air extractors. The rising beltline gives the car an accentuated wedge profile that meshes well with the angular C-pillar. Gentle tailfins end with vertical LED taillights, a classic throwback to 60’s Caddys. Three-inch chromed exhaust outlets and a rear spoiler that is also the LED-lit third brake light add to the mix. It still looks great a few years into its run, made even better by the Performance Package’s 19-inch lower profile Continental rubber on 14-spoke alloy wheels. Neighbors liked the look, one with a first-gen CTS asking to trade keys.
*Caddy comfy – The first-generation CTS had a monolithic plastic center stack, cheap-feeling knobs and an overall lack of sophistication. The new Ebony interior, with accents of wood on the dash, flanking the center console and the top of the three-spoke steering wheel, are as sophisticated as the hand-cut padded pseudo-leather with French stitching on the upper instrument panel, door inserts, seats and shifter boot. Chrome rings the 160-mph speedometer dead center, 8,000-rpm tach and gas/temperature/voltage that flank it, a simple-looking trip computer display under the speedometer's orange needle that also offers a big digital speedo. The three-spoke steering wheel tilts and telescopes, with stereo, cruise and voice command buttons in the upper spokes. Nice touch borrowed from some Euro-sedans – white LED ambient lighting along the dash looks nice at night.
The V-shaped center stack is the Caddy’s magic box. Leave the satellite navigation screen retracted, and its top 2 inches display radio station name, song title, artist, touch-screen preset buttons and outside temperature. Power it up, and the full touch screen is accessible to access AM, FM or CD functions as well as XM Satellite Radio and real-time XM Traffic and XM Weather. An accident or construction ahead? A voice alerts you to it ahead of time. You can download CDs, MP3s and sound files into the 40-gigabyte hard drive for playback later, "pause" a radio broadcast for up to 60 minutes, then listen later, or plug in an iPod via a USB charger/audio input cable in the center console under the armrest and operate it from the steering wheel controls, playlists on the touch screen. A very good 10-speaker, 500-watt Bose surround sound stereo system delivers the tunes, while a dual-zone climate-control system delivers the cool, voice command helping, but not as good in response as Japanese competition. Driver and passenger temperature, vent position and seat cooling/heater buttons flank the shifter, with a cup holder nearby. The leather and suede Recaro bucket seats, with 10-way power adjustment and power lumbar, were superbly comfortable, with great side support via upper and lower power bolsters and two-position memory. Back seat room is actually quite good for two adults, but the door opening is smaller than I would like and the rear seats don’t fold due some changes in the car with the Performance package. The 13.6-cubic-foot trunk is wide and flat with a cargo net, a ski pass-through for skinny objects. And good news/bad news – there is no spare, only a pump with tire sealant canister. We had a flat, and the sealant worked like a dream.
*Caddy combustion – The base CTS gets a 263-hp V-6. You can also whoop some Porsches with the CTS-V’s supercharged 556-hp V-8. We like the middle option – our 1,600-mile-old test car’s 3.6-liter direct-injection V-6 with 304 hp hooked to the rear wheels (all-wheel drive optional) via a six-speed automatic transmission. It had V-8-like power as we hit 60 mph in a satisfying 6 seconds with precise shifts, shifter buttons behind the steering wheel and a sport shift setting. The exhaust note OK, but an Infiniti G37 has a better snarl and is a tick faster to 60. We saw an average 18-mpg.
The Performance package’s 19-inch wheels and rubber, plus sportier suspension, gave the car a taut, very controlled ride that only something like a BMW or Audi betters at the ultimate control end. With aluminum front control arms and multilink rear suspension, the CTS carved corners well, StabiliTrak reining in oversteer and understeer in aggressive driving, activating when the front end plowed a bit. The power steering was direct and well-weighted, the brakes solid in pedal feel and control, offering good stopping power with no fade. It’s crisp and comfortable, with good suspension control on all surfaces.
* CTS cost – The base price is $41,565 with optional goodies adding the dollars: $2,865 performance luxury package with alarm, ambient lighting, heated/cooled seats, keyless access/remote start, rear park assist and Sapele wood trim; $2,000 performance tires with 19-inch alloy wheels, sport suspension, steering wheel-mounted shift buttons, performance brakes and cooling system; $2,800 Recaro bucket seats and metal pedals; $2,145 navigation system w/ Bose 5.1 Surround Sound , 40GB hard drive and XM Traffic; and $110 underhood appearance package. Comparison: a BMW 328i’s base price is about $4,000 more, but its 230-hp sparkles a bit more, as does its handling; a Mercedes-Benz E350 starts about $6,000 more, its 268-hp ditto.
Bottom line: The new CTS looks fantastic, drives very well, and is a delight to live in for a price less than the obvious competition. Yes, that competition drives with more brio, but the CTS stays in the pack. Can’t wait for the CTS-V!
Vehicle type - 5-passenger domestic luxury sports sedan
Base price - $41,565 ($52,390 as tested)
Engine type – cast aluminum DOHC, 24-valve VVT V-6
Displacement – 3.6-liter
Horsepower (net) – 304 @ 6,400-rpm
Torque (lb-ft) – 273 @ 5,200 rpm
Transmission – 6-speed automatic w/sport shift
Wheelbase – 113.4 inches
Overall length – 191.6 inches
Overall width – 72.5 inches
Height – 58 inches
Front headroom – 38.8 inches
Front legroom – 42.4 inches
Rear headroom – 37.2 inches
Rear legroom – 35.9 inches
Cargo capacity – 18 cu. ft.
Curb weight – 3,845-lbs.
Fuel capacity -18 gallons
Mileage rating – 18-mpg city/ 27-mpg highway
Last word – A good rear-wheel-drive American sports sedan
At its foundation, the Escalade is a very elegant and pleasing SUV to drive. The standard engine is the 407 horsepower 6.3 liter V8 also found in the Corvette. All wheel drive is likewise standard as is a 6 speed automatic transmission. This combination moves the 3 ton truck down the road in a spirited manner. Because of the way it is setup and the luxury of the interior, it drives much smaller than it really is.
The Hybrid version is basically the same except that it is a rear wheel drive vehicle, gets much better fuel economy and lower emissions. The regular gas V8 Escalade is rated at 13 city and 20 highway miles per gallon. The Hybrid version is rated at 21 city and 22 highway. Please note that the city fuel economy is over 50% higher with the Hybrid! During the test period, I drove the vehicle without regard for fuel economy and still posted a 19.2 mpg overall rating after a week of driving. That’s about the same as a typical midsize sedan with a V6 so it’s a very good number.
The Escalade has GM’s 2-Mode hybrid system meaning that the electric motors and the vehicle transmission all share the same case. The Hybrid model has a 6.0 V8 has active fuel management technology allowing the vehicle to run on 4 cylinders when it isn’t pulling hard, thus increasing fuel economy. The genius of the Hybrid system is that the added power from the electric motors carries enough of the load that the V8 is often in V4 mode so the fuel economy is much better. The Hybrid system is very quiet. You hear some pleasing V8 exhaust note plus some electric whirring sound muted in the background.
The Platinum edition adds top-of-the line accoutrements to an already luxurious vehicle. In our test SUV, we enjoyed features like automatic retracting running boards, heated and cooled cup holders, heated and cooled seating, Olive Ash and Burled Walnut trim, special Tehama leather seats, a 2 screen rear entertainment system and lovely 22 inch chrome wheels.
With an $86,175 price tag, the Escalade Hybrid is not for everyone. It is however a very popular luxury SUV and the Hybrid drive adds a significant measure of efficiency to it.
*V-Vision- Like we said before, Cadillac jumped on the mid-size bandwagon back in 1999 with the Catera, which was really a German Opel with an eggcrate grill. It was nice, but no Benz. The 2002 CTS, Version 1.0, was better in many ways, its stealth fighter faceted look thanks to Cadillac's "Art and Science" approach to design, and rear-wheel-drive aided by a well-tuned suspension. But I always thought it looked a bit under-tired, although the first-generation CTS-V certainly looked better. Version 2.0 looked way better, a more chiseled face with angular stacked headlights, bi-xenon for the low beams. Now comes the CTS-V, with twice the regular CTS’s grilles, upper and lower done in chrome plastic mesh. There’s a real lower air dam with side winglets that look ground-scraping but aren’t, with inset fog lights with real brake inlets. The raised hood shows there something big under there, while the fender vents look almost dainty as they initiate the beltline edge that runs aft. Flattened flares frame aggressive low-profile P255/40ZR19-inch Michelin Pilot Sport rubber with great 10-spoke alloy wheels that display huge discs and buff silver Brembo calipers behind, connected by a lower flared body sill. The semi-fastback rear window drops onto a high trunk that ends with a deep spoiler-shaped third brake light, flanked by LED blade taillights in a nod to the past. A nod to the performance part is under the lower fascia – twin chrome pipes that look big enough to make some noise. The whole shape is wedgy, an angularly blunt arrow of power that had lots of admirers at cruise-ins, even when parked among some exotic stuff including its soul brother, a Corvette ZR1.
*CTS-V comfort – Again, Cadillac has upped the ante for the place where the driver and three select friends will live with a wrap-around dashboard with hand-stitched leather-like vinyl, plus midnight sapele wood trim that accent dash and doors, and glossy piano black accents in the V-ed dash center. A 2009 CTS-V owner said the wood is too dark, and likes his carbon fiber-look trim better. The central power slide-up satellite navigation screen displays maps, weather, traffic and the excellent Bose 5.0 10-speaker surround sound AM-FM-CD-XM Satellite audio system that can download CDs, MP3s and sound files into the 40-gigabyte hard drive for playback. The “record” button means you can stop a radio broadcast for up to 60 minutes, then listen later. An iPod USB charger/audio input cable in the center console under the armrest lets you plug and play one from the steering wheel controls, playlists on the touch screen. Or just stick with 36 presets for radio.
Front seat passengers get optional Recaro leather and microfiber suede-clad 14-way adjustable performance buckets with power bolster upper and lower bolster and height-adjustable lumbar, plus two memory presets for the driver. They were firm and supportive, but might be too firm for some, although heat and ventilation scored points. The power tilt/telescope steering wheel has audio, voice control and cruise controls on its glossy black spokes, with a grippy fat padded suede rim, and more suede on the seat inserts and shift, like a classic Italian supercar. Obsidian black is also applied to the center console and door trim. Like the base CTS, there’s white LED ambient lighting under the wood trim’s rim that looks nice at night. Leave the satellite navigation screen retracted, and its top 2 inches displaying radio station name, song title, artist, touch-screen preset buttons and outside temperature. The deep set gauges get class white numbers and red needles, with a nifty red LED tracing that follows the 200-mph speedmometer and 8,000-rpm tach like a comet trail as they rise, the latter flashing as you get to the 6,000-rpm redline. There’s a supercharger boost gauge, while the trip computer displays lateral G-load and big digital speedo as well as the usual stuff. A classy chrome-rimmed analog clock is flanked by simple volume and tuning, while the audio, navigation and other function buttons surround a menu select knob and button below, the climate controls under that and the dual-zone temperature and seat heat/cool switches and displays flanking that for individual use. The glove box is big, the door map pockets rubberized and the pedals aluminized. Back seat head and leg room is good for two adults, the door opening still smaller than I would like, and the rear seats only get a ski pass-through behind the center arm rest. The 13.6-cubic-foot trunk is wide and flat with a cargo net. There’s no rear-view camera, just yellow and red lights reflected in the rear-view mirror and a beep as stuff gets closer.
*CTS-Vroom – The only disappointment here is that the supercharged 6.2-liter ZR-1 V-8 is hidden under sculpted cladding, while the Vette’s version is there for the world to see.
The CTS-V 1.0 had a 5.7-liter Z06 motor with 400-hp, a decent, not great 6-speed manual and 60-mph in 4.8 seconds with some rear axle tramp, a real party-pooper as was the Vette’s first-to-fourth gas-saving skip shift. The 2.0 version gets 556-hp, the most powerful production Cadillac ever with a whopping 551 lb.-ft. of torque. There’s an intercooled supercharger, aluminum-alloy cylinder heads and lower-lift, low-overlap camshaft. We didn’t have the Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual with a dual-disc clutch; we had the Hydra-Matic 6L90 six-speed automatic with paddle-shift. With driver-selectable suspension/transmission and traction modes set on “Sport” and “Competition” respectively, we roared to 60-mph in a quick, controlled 4.5 seconds in second gear with a meaty roar overlaid by the supercharger and controlled wheelspin, tapping redline in first and second. That’s very quick for a sedan, especially one so young (700 miles), while we averaged about 16-mpg on premium.
With magneto-rheological technology in the shocks and sensors that “read” road conditions and adapt within micro-seconds, the suspension firmed up when you push hard and got a mellower edge during regular driving. You can also set them for (firm-but-supple) touring or (firm-edged) sport suspension, tightly controlled with buffered rebound on bumps. In regular driving, the CTS-V was firm, comfortable and stable in turns. Push hard, especially in “Sport,” and it seems to flatten itself to the road, the rubber gripping cleanly with a neutral feel, tail playable in “Competition” Stabilitrak mode, when we could power around. We pulled a great 1.6 Gs in lateral load in our skidpad – nice – with minimal understeer. The CTS-V was also very sure-footed in the rain, Stabilitrak controlling rear wheelspin. The power steering was direct, with a good feel, the tail hanging in on turns. The Brembo brakes at all four corners, with six-piston calipers in the front and four-piston calipers in the rear, just stop the car. Overall, a very competent, comfortable family sports sedan that felt very compact, with some tire slap on the highway, but no other creak other than a loose piece of wood trim that moved next to the driver’s inside door handle when pushed as we opened it.
*CTS-V cost – The 2010 mid-level CTS we just tested was $52,390 loaded. Our CTS-V starts at $60,720 with all above standard except the $3,400 Recaro seats and alloy pedals, $600 wood trim, $300 suede steering wheel and shifter, and (cough-cough) a $2,600 gas guzzler tax. All together, $68,445. A 500-hp V-10 BMW M5 drives better, hits 60-mph in 4.1 seconds, and has a higher level of finish inside, for about $90,000. A supercharged 510-hp Jaguar XFR we tested a few months ago was $80,000, and did 60 in 4.5 seconds too, with a stunning interior but a tad less sports sedan than the others.
*Bottom line – I love the looks, the sound, the feel, the alive drive and the engine. I don’t like the gas mileage, and some of the plastic inside doesn’t match with the price, albeit one far less than any competitor. The V has arrived!
2011 Cadillac CTS-V
Vehicle type - 5-passenger mid-size domestic luxury sports sedan
Base price - $60,720 ($68,445 as tested)
Engine type – supercharged cast aluminum OHC, 16-valve V-8
Displacement – 6.2-liter
Horsepower (net) – 556 @ 6,100-rpm
Torque (lb-ft) – 551 @ 3,800 rpm
Transmission – 6-speed automatic w/sport shift paddles
Wheelbase – 113.4 inches
Overall length – 191.6 inches
Overall width – 72.5 inches
Height – 58 inches
Front headroom – 38.8 inches
Front legroom – 42.4 inches
Rear headroom – 37.2 inches
Rear legroom – 35.9 inches
Cargo capacity – 13.6 cu. ft.
Curb weight – 4,300-lbs.
Fuel capacity -18 gallons
Mileage rating – 12-mpg city/ 18-mpg highway
Last word – A really great rear-wheel-drive American sports car (w/4 doors)
A couple of years ago, at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Cadillac was having a nice little press conference. At the end, it was announced they had one more surprise that had somehow evaded detection by the bloodhound automotive media. Visions of a new flagship sedan came to mind just before we could see the nose of a CTS. That wasn’t very exciting. But, then this stunningly beautiful two-door coupe rolled onto stage and began to rotate on a turntable. This was a surprise, indeed – better than Christmas. As this prints, the CTS Coupe is rolling into dealerships nationwide.
“CTS Coupe is a compelling new alternative for luxury and performance-minded drivers,” said Don Butler, vice president of Cadillac marketing. “The addition of a Coupe, especially one this dramatic, provides an important entryway for new consumers to experience Cadillac Art and Science.”
The CTS Coupe is kinda like a mullet: All business in the front, but a party in the back. Not quite as radical as the CTS Sportwagon, the coupe is still a nice piece of design. A lower roofline, shorter body, and wider track than the sedan give the coupe an aggressive stance. Corvette-style touchpads are used to open the doors for a sleek appearance. Hard top styling that dispenses with the conventional center pillar is a classic touch while large alloy wheels and center-exiting exhaust pipes propel the car into the future.
As with CTS sedans, coupes will come stoked with power to propel them nearly straight up. The base engine is a smooth direct injection (DI) 3.6-litre V6 that produces 304 horsepower. Step up to the CTS-V Coupe to wallow in the 556 horsepower produced by its supercharged 6.2-litre V8 that is basically a de-tuned version of the rocket propellant stashed under Corvette ZR-1 hoods. Judging from the sedan, drivers will find sweet joy stomping the fun out of the coupe.
Since the current-generation CTS debuted, Cadillac earned a reputation for providing highly-crafted interiors with quality leather and wood. Standard CTS coupes have stitched coverings for the dash, doors, and center console. CTS-V models are even more luxurious with suede and leather covering almost everything. Heated steering wheels are available. Everything you touch or smell will likely have come from some portion of a cow, tree, or chrome plant.
Beyond top-grade materials, the CTS Coupe comes loaded with high-tech toys. Bluetooth phone connectivity, USB ports to connect iPODs to the cars controls, Bose 5.1 Cabin Surround audio, and an on-board 40 GB hard drove flash the electrons. Glide-up navigation screens, dual-zone, automatic climate control, and OnStar add convenience and comfort. Safety is enhanced with dual front, side, and side curtain airbags – not to mention a rear vision camera.
Sophisticated performance will not stop at the engine block. Buyers will have a choice of six-speed automatic or manual transmissions. The automatic with manual gear selection mode is smooth and works great to get the most of available power. However, and you better buy the CTS-V with it, the manual transmission is really the fun one to handle. Rear and all-wheel-drive configurations will be available to tame city streets and fast road tracks. Brembo Disc Brakes and Magnetic Ride Control on the CTS-V work as they do on Corvettes to provide incomparable performance with civil on-road comfort. These are cars that can be driven hard, but enjoyed completely on very long trips and while running household errands.
“CTS Coupe is designed to bring new energy and allure to the luxury coupe category,” Butler said. “In addition to the emotional appeal of its design, CTS Coupe delivers advanced technology and world-class performance.”
Providing peace of mind, and the level of service Cadillac customers expect, the luxury division announced that owners of all 2011 models will be provided frequently required maintenance service at no cost for the first four years or 50,000 miles. Provided customers take GM up on the offer, they can be assured of many years of faithful service. The CTS’ Lansing, MI assembly plant topped all U.S. plants in the 2010 J.D. Power and Associates Initial quality Survey. Additionally, the CTS ranked in the top 10 of all vehicles in the quality survey. It has earned a spot on Car and Driver’s coveted Ten Best list for three straight years.
Cadillac made a good effort with the first-generation CTS, but it never quite reached the level of a Mercedes C-Class, BMW 3-Series, or Audi A4. This generation of CTS models, available as a sedan, wagon, and now a coupe, proves Cadillac is dead serious about making no excuses. These are fine automobiles, comparable to anything in their class. However, the new coupe’s styling is beyond compare and will make grown men vibrate like teenagers. Prices start at $39,990 for V6 coupes or $62,990 for the CTS-V coupe.
Europeans seem to embrace the wagon concept while North Americans ignore it in big numbers. Wagons have been relegated to the pages of history in North America giving way to SUVs and crossover sport utilities. So it is not surprising that American manufacturers have sporadically stepped up to the plate to build a wagon.
But wagons — or whatever term is now politically correct — are very useful commodities. We were disappointed when Dodge gave up on the Magnum. Now Cadillac has stepped into the fray with a home-grown luxury version with the creation of the 2010 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon.
Basically an extension of the highly regarded mid-sized CTS sedan, it’s boldly stylish, fun to drive and cargo friendly; and we think it will win over a share of American buyers who had been considering a BMW, Mercedes, Audi or Volvo.
Unless you pull a weekend toy or need room for more than four people on a regular basis, why give up the performance, handling, gas mileage and eye-catching styling of a car to get increased cargo space?
The new Cadillac Sport Wagon is basically the CTS with a high roof line, and that’s a good thing because the current generation CTS is one of the best luxury cars to come out of Detroit in years. The latest CTS iteration, which arrived for the 2008 model year, is world class in many ways, and the wagon retains all of the sedan’s good points while offering 25 cubic feet of luggage capacity (the sedan trunk holds 13.6 cubic feet of stuff) and 58 cubic feet of cargo-carrying capacity with the rear seats folded.
Utility alone is enough to win us over — the sport wagon over the sedan. The CTS in either configuration is an irresistible combination of cutting-edge power and handling with a considerably upgraded interior over the first generation, and in-your-face styling that takes on a more mature stance.
From the side the CTS has an appealing raked European look with short front and rear overhangs. The wagon roof extends to a fastback D-pillar and power tailgate. Vertical taillights sweep from the roof down to the bumper flanking the tailgate.
To our eye, the controversial portion of the styling is with the bulky looking front-end treatment consisting of large headlamp enclosures and the expansive, familiar Cadillac egg-crate grille. When it appears in your rearview mirror you will take notice.
You’ll take notice behind the wheel, too, particularly in the optional 3.6-liter direct-injection V-6 version that pumps out 304 convincing horsepower. It’s tasked to move about 200 extra pounds in the wagon and suffers a bit in performance comparison with the sedan, but can still complete a 0-to-60 run in the upper ranges of six seconds.
The new direct injection engine mated to perhaps the slickest shifting six-speed automatic in the General Motors kingdom, feels good from a standstill into triple digits. And the automatic can be shifted manually for those who want to take the tachometer up to redline. Fuel economy is middle of the road for a 4,212- pound vehicle, at 18 mpg city and 26 mpg highway. All-wheel drive is available in all trim levels and with both engines for about $1,900.
Besides the excellent driving dynamics, enjoyment of the sport wagon comes from the interior surroundings, one of the best renditions of a modern cockpit in American passenger car history. Higher quality plastics flow nicely together with heavily stitched leather on the dashboard and door panels. The navigation screen fits neatly into the dash and pops out on command. When not in use as a navigation system, the top inch is visible for the audio display, one of the coolest ideas in the luxury ranks.
A satin aluminum finished center stack houses a classy looking analog clock, and audio and climate controls. There are numerous look-alike black buttons, but generally the layout is fairly intuitive. Bright metallic accents surround the gauges and air vents to add pizzazz to the upscale look.
The 10-way power seats brought comfort to both front-seat occupants during a week-long test drive. Rear passengers get slightly more legroom thanks to a slimmer front seatback design. We found legroom in back adequate and the seats comfortable. Rear air and heat, reading lights, storage pockets and cup holders make life easy on passengers.
As in many cars these days, form slightly trumps function when it comes to rearward visibility. While overall passenger room is good, watch your head when entering and exiting the rear seats due to the low roofline.
The wagon comes in four trims — Sport, Luxury, Performance and Premium — ranging from $39,090 for the rear-drive 3.0-liter Sport to $51,390 for an all-wheel drive version of the 3.6-liter Premium edition.
Even the base CTS is well outfitted, but there are numerous options that will surely run up the purchase price. Our well-outfitted top-line Premium test car had a couple of desirable options including 19-inch polished aluminum wheels, steering-wheel mounted shift controls, and a sports suspension, all for $2,090.
In lesser trim, the 300-watt Bose 5.1 surround sound system bundled with navigation is a very tasty add-on ranging in price from $2,145 to $3,240 depending on how many features you want to bundle. Top-line sound is standard in the Premium. Our Premium test car carried a bottom line of $52,575 that included a litany of standard luxury items and safety features.
American wagons are an anomaly, but the new CTS Sport Wagon can run with the best of the European wagons making the domestic a real competitor that could end up shaking off the stigma of the segment.
Because of its diverse breeding, the big Caddy is one impressive individual. It coddles passengers in the most luxurious cabin ever gifted to a General Motors automobile, can tackle some of the world’s roughest roads with seven aboard, and can tow a McYacht through the mountains. It is also capable of mid-size sedan fuel economy in town. This baby is gifted!
Even while GM spent considerable engineering resources bringing the Chevy Volt to market, a few engineers put their heads around the Escalade Hybrid. Power comes from a 322-HP 6.0-litre variable-displacement V8 engine (shuts down 4 cylinders during cruising), 300-volt nickel-metal hydride battery pack, and two-mode electrically-variable transmission. The later optimizes for efficiency or towing capacity, which is rated up to 5,800 lbs. Regenerative brakes that capture energy during deceleration, Auto Stop mode to kill the engine at rest, electric power steering, and electric only mode at low speed contribute to outstanding fuel economy ratings of 20/23-MPG city/hwy. - a 33% improvement in city economy over non-hybrid models. That’s incredible for a 6,120-lb truck!
Big, chromed, and beautiful, Escalade brings the bling. A gigantic eggcrate grille ties it to the ’49 DeVille, but the long wagon body is clearly derived from generations of Suburbans. Big faux chrome fender vents, 22” alloy wheels, power-deployable running boards, finlike taillights, and stacked LED headlamps identify today’s Escalade Platinum. The savior of Cadillac is more Cadillac than ever.
The Escalade also rides like a Cadillac, but probably not the ones you have in mind. This one shares its Magnetic Ride Control real-time adjusting suspension system with the obnoxiously-fast Cadillac CTS-V and Corvette ZR-1. It “reads” the road every millisecond and can change shock stiffness in only 5 milliseconds. What makes this possible are shocks filled with a special fluid containing iron particles. When energized with a magnetic charge, they align and increase stiffness almost instantly. While cruising on the highway, or busting potholes in town, they de-align for a comfortable ride. Being able to do all of that while keeping wide 22” chrome wheels on their path is quite an accomplishment.
Blue blood Platinum editions satisfy extravagant tastes. The intoxicating scent of soft-touch Tehama aniline leather invades your brain as your eyes try to comprehend the planks of inlaid olive ash and walnut burl wood on the dashboard. Rolls of aluminum and more leather trim the center console. Doors and dash tops are French-stitched leather. Even the steering wheel is crafted from wood, leather, and aluminum. Everything looks, smells, and feels divine.
When you cozy into the heated front and rear seats, crank up the Bose 5.1 Surround audio system, and place your favorite beverage in the heated and cooled cupholders, you know your ride is the furthest evolution of Cadillac bliss. Three video screens - one in each headrest and a third deployable from the ceiling - can be used independently or in unison with remote controls and wireless headsets. A power-tumble second-row seat, stowable third-row seat, and power liftgate make accessing the Escalade’s cabin as easy as pressing a button.
Escalade continues to spread Cadillac’s genes. If the big wagon is too big, check out the smaller SRX crossover to get all of the Escalade’s luxury in a smaller package. While you can’t get it as a hybrid yet, rumor has a plug-in SRX just over the horizon. That would make a great addition to the Volt’s branch of the family with range-extended electric drive.
So my father, mother, and I are heading out to dinner in the Escalade with my dad driving. He’s a big GM truck fan, having owned seven full-size Chevys over the years including a ’77 Blazer. They’re enjoying the Bose system and heated leather seats. Mother says to Dad, “We should get one of these!” To which he responds, “Do you know how much this costs?!” My mother’s guess of $50,000 was only $39,000 below the sticker. Dream on, Momma!
Still, if you’re in the market for a $90,000 luxury ride like no other, I don’t imagine you’ll be disappointed in the Escalade. It got Momma’s looks, Daddy’s work ethic, and has come a heck of a long way from its Suburban roots to become the most luxurious and technically-advanced Cadillac ever.
In what would, at first blush, appear to be a weird bit of nomenclature inconsistency, Cadillac chose to call the vanilla version of its station wagon the CTS Sport Wagon; while it named the fiery, high-performance version simply the CTS-V Wagon. Apparently Cadillac believes the "V" and "Sport" would be redundant, and they would be correct.
Once as common on our highways as coupes and sedans, station wagons nearly went the way of the Brontosaurus with the introduction of minivans. Although they are offered and driven in greater numbers today than, say, 10 years ago; station wagons are far from making a "come back." This degree of rarity in itself renders the Cadillac station wagon unconventional and intriguing. Its ability to sprint from a stop to 60 miles per hour in just over four seconds and cornering capability that would leave a cheetah in its dust, makes the CTS-V Wagon downright compelling.
Although it might not yet wield the impact of "AMG" for Mercedes-Benz or "M" for BMW, "V" is Cadillac's designation for vehicles given the "treatment" by its in-house performance group. Typical in that treatment: cramming more ponies under the hood, sport tuning the suspension, beefing up the brakes and adding a few unique design cues. Souped-up editions of the STS and XLR roadster have also worn the V badge.
Joining V versions of the CTS Sedan and Coupe for 2011, the CTS-V Wagon brings a heaping helping of performance to a vehicle that, in every other way, is designed for utility. Its maximum cargo capacity with the rear seat folded down is an impressive 58 cubic feet. Conversely, it introduces a bit of practicality into the high-performance realm. It's a vehicle for soccer moms with an attitude; if they can wrestle it away from Dad.
Like the V Sedan and Coupe, the Wagon gets its extra oomph from a supercharged 6.2-liter V8. If this engine seems familiar, it's because it's a version of the same engine that drives the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. Can you say, yikes? In this application it generates 556 horsepower and a whopping 551 lb-ft of peak torque. CTS-V Wagons equipped as my $62,990 test one was, use a six-speed manual transmission to hustle engine production to the rear wheels. A six-speed, driver-shiftable automatic tranny with steering wheel-mounted shift paddles can fill in for the manual for an extra $1,300.
As should be expected in a vehicle with scalded-cat performance, fuel economy isn't going to inspire warm and fuzzies among the tree-hugging crowd. The EPA estimates its numbers at 14 mpg in the city and 19 mpg on the highway. For the sake of comparison, the CTS Sport Wagon with its 273-horsepower 3.6-liter V6 delivers 18 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway.
Tipping the scales in excess of two tons, the CTS-V Wagon has some mass; however, it is more athletic than its curb weight might lead you to believe. Its four-wheel independent suspension is supplemented with Cadillac's Magnetic Ride Control. An automatic damping system, it can be set to either Tour or Sport mode based on the driver's preference and driving style.
Brembo supplies the disc brakes on all four corners, monitored by an antilock system. Sticky Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 tires cover 19-inch alloy wheels. Stability control, traction control, electronic brakeforce distribution and emergency braking assist are all standard.
From behind the steering wheel, the Wagon's cabin mirrors that of the CTS-V Sedan. In fact, there are only minor differences between the cabins of the Sport Wagon and the CTS-V Wagon. Up front, a twin-pod arrangement puts all controls within easy reach of the driver. Hand-stitched leather covers many surfaces. A suede-like material is found elsewhere and as the seat inserts. Two interior options worth consideration are the $3,400 Recaro front sport seats, and the $300 sueded steering wheel and shift knob. Not only do the Recaro seats provide gobs of lateral support through adjustable pneumatic bolsters, they also feature 14-way power adjustments.
Topping the list of leading-edge systems included in the Wagon's base price are a hard drive-based navigation system, a Bose-infused 10-speaker surround-sound audio system with CD/DVD player, USB port and iPod integration, a 40-gigabyte hard drive for music storage, and Bluetooth integration. Full power accessories, dual-zone automatic climate control, trip computer, power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, rear-vision camera and a power liftgate are also all standard.
Even just idling at a red light as the CTS-V Wagon's finely tuned exhaust note growls its warning to surrounding traffic, an enthusiast driver can't help but have a butterfly or two winging their way around his gut. When the light goes green, he knows that if he so chooses, he can put half a city block between him and person in the lane next to him in just a tick or two of the clock. Running some family errands has never been so much fun.
Styling of GM’s premiere brand has a rich history. Bill Mitchell’s 1938 Sixty Special came sans runningboards, looking modern with its formal trunk. Eggcrate grilles came before WWII. Post-war designs debuted tailfins, most impressively with the 1949 Coupe DeVille and 1959 Eldorado. Frank Hershey’s translation of P38 tail booms to Cadillac fenders rendered the most iconic elements since the Rolls-Royce radiator. The 1957 Brougham showed what could happen when engineers and designers threw everything they could summon at one car. It was relatively restrained, lavishly appointed, and rode on an air suspension – a direct ancestor of the CTS-V.
Cadillac’s first volley at the Europeans was the ’75 Seville – a model of restraint designed to fend off the Mercedes “E-Class”. Next came the hunch-back Seville, which was a dismal attempt to compete with anything other than the Lincoln Versailles. STS sedans of the ‘90s began the transition back to respectability. Following the German-built ’97 Catera that failed to zig (or zag), came the first-generation CTS that flaunted edgy styling and was built on a great chassis, but fell short on interior refinement. The current CTS finally put Cadillac in the realm by outshooting BMW and ‘Benz on several fronts. Enter the outrageously stunning CTS-V.
If the Z06’ V8 was adequate six years ago on the first-gen CTS-V, then the Corvette ZR-1’s 6.2-litre supercharged V8 seems like the perfect companion to this edition. In Caddy guise, it generates 556-HP and 551 lb.-ft. of torque, connected to 19” aluminum alloy rear wheels through a six-speed manual or six-speed paddle shift automatic transmission. The auto trans. is smart enough to blip the throttle going into corners when it recognizes you are in track mode. Fuel economy, as you might expect, is rated a supercar-like 12/18-MPG city/hwy.
To get the most out of the car, you really need a track like Palm Beach International Raceway, where the car brings new meaning to eating asphalt for “stinks and giggles.” Put it into a corner hard, and you may well soil your undershorts. Coming out the other side, you will laugh like Boss Tweed chewing a stogie. How this edgy coupe transforms from luxury cruiser to balls-out track star is in large part enabled by GM’s MagneRide suspension system that adjusts stiffness in real time to balance on-road comfort with uber-tenacious performance. No mortal man can upset this car at any rational pace, and even at an irrational pace, the car behaves quite rationally.
CTS-Vs summon stupid amounts of performance to a top speed of 191 MPH. Somebody is going to ask why GM cut 82 ponies from the ZR-1 powertrain. To which I reply, “Are you bloody kidding?” A CTS-V Coupe runs 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds – 0.3s slower than the highest-performance GM vehicle of all time. You need more? That’s not enough? Baby, this Caddy don’t have wings. Trust me, it’s plenty to bomb the aforementioned tighties. I drove it hard enough on the track for smoke to waft off the plate-sized Brembo discs after two laps, rocked my head to dizziness through a mid-straight chicane, and it was ready for more.
Like Carry Grant...merging...with Lady Gaga, the CTS-V’s style is debonair and more than a little naughty. Stacked headlamps, wire mesh grille, sculpted fenders, and aggressive fins are both classic and spiritually nasty. Interiors benefit from stitched leather on the dash and doors, piano black finish on the center console, Bose audio, navigation, Bluetooth, and the whole toy box. Grip the available suede steering wheel. Contrasting color buckets grip your ribs on the track and are long-distance supportive. You can drive this car to the track, then to California and back. From the sidelines, it just slips by like a fireball of grace and gratification.
This is the first Cadillac to not only take on ‘Benz and BMW, but to do it at the levels of AMG and M. V may become my favorite letter, carrying with it a heritage of V8 performance, exquisite style, and a swagger that could only come from the studios of Bill Mitchell, Frank Hershey, or CTS designer Clay Dean. Time to stink. Time to giggle. Expect to pay at least $63,465 for the privilege of driving the new standard of the world.
By Casey Williams - MyCarData
“This is a new vision in vehicle design that was created to answer the needs of city dwellers,” said Frank Saucedo, lead designer. “The door design is purposeful and technologically advanced, which is the essence of how we’re taking Cadillac into the future. It may not look like Cadillacs on the road today, but it shares the comfortable and high-tech elements that owners have come to associate with larger, traditional luxury sedans. As more customers demand premium features even in smaller vehicles, a vehicle like the Urban Luxury Concept could be a solution.”
Despite the concept’s futuristic one-box design, the front bears Cadillac’s eggcrate grille, razor thin vertical headlamps, and faceted fenders that recall the ’67 Eldorado. From the grille, a seamless line arches to the rear hatch. Vertical taillamps could come from nothing but a Cadillac.
To get inside, one opens Lamborghini-style scissor doors that allow unimpeded access to both rows of fine leather seats. Touch-pad screens and projected readouts replace normal gauges and serve as controls for audio and climate systems. As in a Smart, the tall cabin and huge windshield provide an incredible amount of airy passenger space over a footprint shorter than a Mini Cooper.
Given the car’s size, it doesn’t need an especially large engine. To maximize efficiency with adequate cruising power, engineers developed a hybrid system based on a 1.0-litre three-cylinder gasoline engine. Regenerative braking, engine start-stop function, and a dual-clutch transmission work with the batteries to tread lightly. Cadillac estimates the vehicle would achieve 56/65-MPG city/hwy.
A car like the ULC is obviously not for everybody – even if Cadillac decides to build it. However, if Cadillac wants to keep selling Escalades, it will have counter them with ultra fuel-efficient models to keep its overall fuel economy average under Uncle Sam’s radar. As Cadillac expands in Europe and Asia, a car like the ULC makes a lot of sense as it would compete against the Mercedes A/B-Class, Mini Cooper, and BMW’s upcoming city car.
Cadillac has not decided if it will build the ULC, but initial response has been positive and it is listening to feedback as the car is shown to audiences. Younger and free-thinking drivers have a perception of luxury that doesn’t include 5,000-lb. behemoths that can cross continents in a single bound. For them, having style, technology, and a tidy package would be compelling reasons to enter a Cadillac showroom. The Standard of the World could be smaller than you imagined.
By Casey Williams - MyCarData
