You remember the BLS, right?

The front-drive, Epsilon-based, sub-CTS sedan that is built in Saab’s factory in Sweden (alongside the 9-3) has had a rough go trying to crack the European market.

Starting late this year, the wagon body style will be added to try to turn things around.

GM announced today that the wagon will make it’s public debut at the Frankfort Motor Show in September with an on-sale date in November.

In addition, they announced even more Saab technology transfer in that the BLS will offer an ethanol-fuel engine option (much like Saab’s BioPower).

Read on for the entire press release.

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Categories: News, BLS
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Fans of the STS, have we got some good stuff for you.

Check out the photo gallery to see 14 additional photos of the refreshed STS including some images of the new direct injection V-6 (with cut-away by David Kimble) as well.

Enjoy.

Categories: News, Site News, STS / SLS
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JD Power has released their finding in the 2007 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) study.

The rankings take into account customer satisfaction in categories such as Overall Performance and Design, Performance, Style, Comfort, and Features and Instrument Panel.

This year, only one Cadillac took top honors – with the Escalade EXT in a tie with the BMW X5 for top score in the Premium Multi-Activity Vehicle segment.

See all about the awards this year at:

JD Power: 2007 APEAL survey

Categories: News, Escalade, Awards
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The good folks over at TechnoRide have a review of the new…(‘audio system’ seems so weak a descriptor)...entertainment mega-system...(yeah, that’s better) that will debut with the 2008 CTS.

What does this system have? What doesn’t it have. I’ll let TR give the details:

Satellite radio? XM is included. Line-in jack? Of course. USB socket? Check. iPod compatibility? Part of the USB configuration. Database for music lookup? The latest version. Touchscreen display for ease of use or cockpit control knob for tech buffs? It has both. Plays MP3, WMA, and AAC files off CDs? All of them, and even rips (transfers) MP3 CD data (some cars with hard drives rip only music from the original CDs).

In addition, the system contains a 40GB hard drive and provides Tivo-like functionality that stores the last 60 minutes of what you’ve listened to on either the regular radio or even XM, allowing you to zip back to listen to something you either missed or want to hear over again. (XM content even has bookmarks inserted so you can jump by entire songs easily – AM/FM jumps back in 30-second chunks).

Have a USB ‘memory key’? Put music on it, plug it into the dash, and listen to it just like you would from the built-in hard drive.

One new feature of the nav system is the ability to set up to 6 location pre-sets and call them up (and get directions to them) quickly.

This sounds like one amazing entertainment system and shows even more how competitive the new CTS will be when it goes on sale later this year.

Read even more tech-y details over at:

TechnoRide: The Cadillac CTS: The Future of Rock ‘n’ Roll in Cars

Categories: News, CTS
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The Detroit News is reporting on statements made by John Howell, Cadillac’s product chief, that Cadillac is considering hybrid versions of ‘pretty much every program.’

This addition to their plans are in response to sustained high gas prices that are at least partially responsible for Cadillac’s softening sales this year.

The first Cadillac hybrid will be based on the Escalade and use GM’s new two-mode hybrid system and result in 25% better fuel economy.

See the Detroit News story at:

Detroit News: Cadillac mulls hybrids of all models as sales slump

Categories: News, Escalade
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