Yorkregion.com - Leisure - Cadillac CTS is now ready to take on Germany's best
Cadillac CTS is now ready to take on Germany's best
By: Jim Robinson
2008 Cadillac CTS
The CTS was a turnaround vehicle for Cadillac and marked the realization that days of the Sedan de Ville and Eldorado were over. With its edgy styling and European sports sedan ride and go, the CTS was the harbinger for the DTS, Escalade and SRX that followed
Now the second generation CTS is about to arrive.
It features two versions of the 3.6-litre quadcam V6. With the standard V6 258 hp, 252 lb/ft of torque), the starting price will be $38,900. And with the new direct-injection version (304 hp and 273 lb/ft), the list price will start at $41,400.There is a choice of a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. The automatic has a manual shift mode with digital gear readout on the dash between the speedo and tach.
And for the first time the CTS comes in rear- (RWD) and all-wheel-drive (AWD) configurations.
Fuel consumption for city/highway/combined is listed for the standard V6 RWD as 11.8/7.5/9.9L/100 km and 12.3/8.0/10.4L/100 km for the AWD version. For the 3.6-litre direction injection the fuel numbers are 12.2/7.5/10.1L/100 km for the RWD and 12.5/7.5/10.3L/100 km for the AWD.
The braking and steering systems for the CTS are all new, with extensive revisions made to the suspension to accommodate the larger rear track. There are also three different suspension settings from mild to wild.
The mild is the FE1 that gives a comfortable ride, while the F2 is tauter and both suspensions are available with rear- (RWD) and all-wheel-drive (AWD). The wild one is called FE3 and it is very stiff with all the lessons learned from the V-spec Caddies.
At Mosport Racetrack to see what may have been Ron Fellows' last race on Canadian soil with the Corvette racing team, GM had a handful of 2008s including one with the FE3 and I grabbed it.
FE3 is only available on the rear-drive CTS and features big monotube shocks, tower shock bars as well as lower stabilizer bars and significantly larger rotors for the brakes with cast iron calipers instead of aluminum as with the FE1/FE2.
There are a number of really challenging roads around Mosport and one of my favorites slices through an old growth pine forest.
In manual select mode, the CTS launches with no squealing of tires thanks to traction control. Besides extra power, the direct injection and variable valve timing means faster response. Each shift just before the redline was swift, with no lurch which is a credit to these modern transmission/computer mapping units.
The CTS also comes standard with GM's StabiliTrak pitch and yaw control that senses when the car is at or about to go into a spin. Using brakes and engine retardation, you actually never know the system is there until you need it.
The engine subframe has six attachment points instead of the usual four. That and the rigid chassis imparts a feeling of solidity that, in turn, provides a sense of safety.
Rounding corners at speed is interesting because of the way the rear end stays glued while the front end goes right where you want with just a hint of understeer, which you want in a car with the performance potential of the FE3 version.
The front seats are very supportive but the back seats will be a pinch for taller adults.
In terms of styling, the 2008 has the same Cadillac signature hard-edges but the differences from the first generation are obvious like the imposing grille borrowed from the Sixteen Detroit concept car of two years ago. Also, the CTS has engine bay air extractor vents on the fenders that are shaped to blend in with the character line that runs from the front high along the side beltline.
But it is also a Cadillac and creature comforts have not been sacrificed.
The totally redesigned cabin design features handcrafted accents and includes standard leather seating with heated and ventilated driver and front passenger seats, an Ultraview sunroof which covers 70 per cent of the roof and an upgraded instrument panel cluster with multi-line Driver Information Centre.
The centre cluster is interesting because of the optional navigation/entertainment/climate control as well as information component. Turn the car on and the touch screen nav monitor rises from the top of the stack. There is an override switch but it's so cool, you want to leave the screen in plain sight for all (especially neighbours) to see.
Also worth mentioning is the Adaptive Forward Lighting system, Keyless Access system with Smart Remote Start and BOSE eight-speaker audio.
One thing I noticed was the number of people coming up to the car at the GM pavilion at Mosport to take pictures. When you get that kind of public reaction, it bodes well for sales.
This was just a first look with very limited time behind the wheel, but it certainly was impressive with, I thought, handling and ride similar to a BMW 335i recently tested on these pages.
CADILLAC CTS 2008 AT A GLANCE
BODY STYLE: Luxury sports sedan.
DRIVE METHOD: front-engine, front- or all-wheel-drive.
ENGINE: 3.6-litre DOHC V6 (258 hp, 252 lb/ft); 3.6-litre DOHC direct injection V6 (304 hp and 273 lb/ft)
FUEL ECONOMY: 3.6-litre V6, RWD 11.8/7.5/9.9L/100 km, city/highway/combined, AWD, 12.3/8.0/10.4L/100 km; 3.6-litre direct injection, RWD, 12.2/7.5/10.1/100 km, AWD, 12.5/7.5/10.3L/100 km.
PRICE: CTS V6, $38,900, CTS direct injection V6, $41,400.
WEB: gmcanada.com