Archive for February, 2012
Next CTS Spied
February 15, 2012 - 10:18 pmMotorAuthority.com has spied the next CTS undergoing testing.
It appears from these shots that, rather than a facelifted version of the current car, that this is the bigger, Alpha + (bigger version of the ATS platform) model that will finally take the CTS into the BMW 5-series, Mercedes E-Class size rather than its previous two generations where it existed in a tweener spot between the 3/5 BMW’s and C/E Mercedes models.
Here you can plainly see the increased length as well as some more delicate detailing like slim mirrors, integrated exhausts, as well as a lower, wider, leaner style that takes Cadillacs bread-and-butter sedan in a more stylish direction while also helping to differentiate it from the upcoming ATS.
Expect the new CTS to bow in about a year and a half (summer 2013) as a 2014 model. A new coupe is a certainty a year or so later with a wagon more of an outside possibility. V-Series variant(s) with even more power (in order to one-up the certainly upgraded competition) possibly bumping the 600hp range are a certainly – likely in the 2015 model year.
Given the recent revelations of the ATS as being close to the lightest in class, expect the CTS to soundly undercut the recently revised BMW 5-series which, by moving to a common platform as its bigger 7-Series brother, gained hundreds of pounds and lost a portion of its sports sedan credibility. This could be a huge opening for Cadillac to poach enthusiast buyers from the boys in Bavaria.
Source: MotorAuthority.com
Cadillac scores well in JD Power Dependability Survey
February 15, 2012 - 3:34 pm
Today, JD Power released their 2012 Vehicle Dependability Survey results.
This year Cadillac came in a solid third behind perennial top dogs Lexus and Porsche.
VDS measures problems within the first three years of ownership measured in problems per 100 vehicles. This year the industry average was 132.
Cadillac came in with a score of 104, tied with Toyota.
Competitive brands ranked as follows:
Mercedes – 112
Lincoln – 116
Acura – 129
Audi – 148
BMW – 154
Infiniti – 172
Jaguar – 172
Way to go Caddy!
2011 CTS-V Coupe – We’re in Love
February 14, 2012 - 2:30 pmImage galleries – CTS-V Coupe Review Pics | CTS-V Coupe Pics from Cadillac
…the Caddy Edge drives a CTS-V Coupe to the top of the world*
Lucky us, Cadillac brought their flagship, the CTS-V Coupe to an event put on by the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Journalists spent the better part of a day trying to break the car during hot laps at the High Plains Raceway in eastern Colorado.
On day two, we attacked the Mt Evans Parkway to the summit reaching an altitude of 14000 ft (the last couple hundred feet to the summit of Mt Evans require getting out of your car and hiking) on the highest paved road in the lower 48 states.
So, what can we glean from a couple days with Cadillac’s flagship coupe?
One of the first things that strike you about the CTS-V in coupe form is that this is certainly _THE_ CTS-V you want. The sleek styling of the coupe combined with the aggressive V-series bodywork is easily the sexiest thing Cadillac has done in decades. The only negative you could add is that you would have to limit the number of passengers to take along on this roller-coaster ride…and the back seat couple had better be short to clear the steeply raked back glass (but that’s true of all the coupes).
Our test car came packing the 6-speed manual. This makes this the first manual equipped V (and admittedly the first manual Cadillac) we’ve driven. We did notice that this particular example seemed to be have a vague clutch take-up point and it made a car with 556hp pretty easy to stall. Whether this had to do with adjustments made by GM to prep the car for the track day is hard to say if this is indicative of clutch operation of all the new V’s, Cadillac needs to go work on the calibration. Owners likely will adjust their technique to compensate, though.
Once underway, however, this is one of the most amazing cars being taken on one of the most amazing drives in the lower-48.
Our loop took us up and back down the Mount Evans Scenic Byway. As a heavily traveled road up the side of a mountain, it is expectedly uneven, narrow, and wildly rough in patches. It also has deliciously twisty bits that encourage giving it the stick even if the official speed limit is aimed squarely at the tourists in their campers. Combine this road with the devil on your shoulder that is a supercharged V-8 and you thank your lucky stars more than once up the hill for Brembo supplied brakes to scrub off excess speed and the magical magnetic ride suspension that can go from sportscar firm and flat to absorbing unexpected whoopty-doos (watch yourself near Summit lake where things go from simply rough to ‘oh my god!’ in the blink of an eye) without crashing against bump stops. This is a car that can get you into real trouble but is fully capable of getting you back out of said trouble almost as quickly.
The climb up to the summit is over 15 miles and takes you through forest to the tree-line (above which trees simply do not grow) through alpine tundra passing a few picturesqe mountain lakes along the way. Once the road ends, you will find yourself in a parking lot a few hundred feet short of the actual summit. At these altitudes, those accustomed to the oxygen they get at sea level or even at the relatively low altitudes of a city like Denver will be gasping for breath at any more than a walk. If you feel up to it, you can scurry up the rocks to the actual summit where you will be the highest thing for miles around at the top of one of Colorado’s famous 14-ers.
In our merry band of auto writers, some did encounter the tell-tale symptoms of altitude sickness and had to get back down to lower elevations pretty quickly.
Getting down in the V would be one of the quickest methods at our disposal as, when the road condition permitted, it could easily touch triple digits (if asked, not that you should do such a thing on a public road…that’s what the previous day’s track time was for).
Our trip down showed the brakes easily as capable at controlling our decent as the 6.2l V-8 was at getting us to the top. Once back out of the wilderness area and on the relatively flat twisty CO-103 back down to Idaho Springs, we were able to confirm that the magnetic ride shocks that are standard in the V-series were as capable in the cornering department as they were earlier in taming the bumps.
As we’ve said before, the V-series is way more car than most people could/should ever use on the public road, but on a track or using it on a deserted twisty road – it is probably one of the best cars currently on sale.
Just be careful where you point it.
* – Highest Paved Road in North America
Sites to visit:
Mt. Evans
High Plains Raceway
Lambda Cadillac delayed
February 14, 2012 - 11:08 amWhat’s a Lambda, I hear you asking.
Well, you may know this GM platform as the basis for the GMC Acadia, Buick Enclave, and the Chevy Traverse. Rumors over the last few years have had Cadillac investigating either moving the Escalade to a version of the Lambda chassis or introducing a separate crossover on this platform to add to the lineup.
Well, we are well into the time frame where we should be seeing some sign of this product, disguised mules, concept cars, etc. – but we have not.
The good folks over at GM Authority have heard from their sources why this is the case and it isn’t because Cadillac has chosen to not use this platform.
It turns out that the Lambda was originally developed around its current 3.6l V-6/6-speed automatic combo with very little flexibility for any other powertrains (like a forced-induction V-6 to get into Cadillac levels of power). So, rather than being able to bring out a Lambda Cadillac that is limited to the current powertrains…the Cadillac version will come with Lambda II which is due in 3-4 years (2015-2016 model year). Lambda II, as the name suggests, is a heavily revised version of the platform where architectural changes needed for Cadillac’s needs can be rolled in (this is similar to the changes Cadillac demanded of the Alpha platform that they use for the ATS so that it could support technologies needed to compete in its segment like V-6 and AWD options).
It remains to be seen if the new crossover would replace or supplement the Escalade and the ultimate decision will likely have as much to do with fuel economy numbers as anything else.
Source: GMAuthority.com
Hat tip to: Theophilus Chin for the rendering of a Lambda Cadillac
Overview of Cadillac’s new user interface – CUE
February 7, 2012 - 10:11 pmRumors and corrections of rumors – ATS edition
February 7, 2012 - 6:00 amLast week, MotorTrend.com ran a rumor that Cadillac had canceled the rumored coupe version of the, yet to go on-sale, ATS. How’s that for putting some distance between what is on sale and what could be?
This weekend, as reported by GMInsideNews.com, Cadillac PR publicly denied that the car has been canceled, despite the fact that they have never confirmed it was coming in the first place. If you follow corporate communications – this is an unprecedented move as it is a tacit admission that the coupe is in development.
But, while hype is building for the car, they had no choice but to get ahead of any bad press that rumors of variant cancellations might bring.
The ATS is viewed by many as key to Cadillac’s ability to compete against BMW, Mercedes, and Audi. The small sedan segment is the most important for developing brand identity and owner loyalty as it introduces new buyers to the brand and is to be the most visible example of what the brand stands for (think what the 3-Series means to BMW’s overall image). Any hiccup in the early days of the ATS hype machine could damage the brand’s success for years to come.
Now, if someone would just suggest that the convertible, the wagon, and/or the V-series variants are canceled, we could find out a lot more about what Cadillac has in store. 
Source: GMInsideNews.com and MotorTrend.com
