I'll never forget the feeling I had while standing in the Cadillac portion of the Chicago Auto Show in February 2001. While gazing upon what looked to be a concept sedan from GM's luxury arm I was told this particular sedan was going into production the following year as a 2003 Cadillac CTS.
The new "edgy" design concept was not new for Cadillac at that point, but it had not been applied to a sedan and this particular model looked especially out of place among the other 'old school' Cadillac boats scattered around the carpeted floor. Luckily for Cadillac (and especially G.M.) this new CTS sedan was going to be the salvation to what had been a struggling luxury brand that was searching for its identity.
This year's all-new CTS has been beefed up under the hood, tightened up under the frame and stepped up inside where luxury and technology are melded into a common fabric no less sophisticated or supple than the fine Cashmere leather spread across the interior of my test model.
On the outside CTS offers the dramatic edgy look that has come to define the new Cadillac, an exciting and sophisticated brand who is capable of hanging (if not scaring) the German sport sedan powerhouses of Audi, BMW and Mercedes. There is nothing on the road that can be mistaken as a Cadillac - other than a Cadillac.
The new redesign is recognizable with the previous generation but there are some exciting refinements such as the vertically stacked headlamps with prominent jewel-like bezels over circular lower components. You might not think this would work, but it is married beautifully together and into the entire front assembly.
Speaking of headlamps, those seemingly odd component shapes have a higher calling. The CTS headlamps offer HID driving lights that turn along with the front wheels. Form meets function, novel idea, rarely achieved completely, but occurring regularly in the new CTS.
Cadillac, while always big and bold with its exterior styling, was a brand that really wowed people with its technology and sofa-like comfort inside the cabin. This has not changed with the new CTS.
If I had any criticism of the previous CTS model, it would have been on some of the interior materials and fit and finish. While always good, it never seemed quite up to snuff with the German competitors who have set the luxury performance sedan benchmark for decades. Clearly the Cadillac design team focused more intensely on interior material choices. Surfaces as well as fit and finish are noticeable improved. In fact, they are outstanding.
Cadillac designers say the upper instrument panel and door trim surfaces are hand-cut, sewn and wrapped by expert craftsmen. It is one of the first things I admired once I got situated behind the wheel. Add to that the French stitching featured throughout the interior and it becomes apparent the CTS got the full attention of all the right people at Cadillac.
A virtual nest of button fields spots the dash layout. While at first this can be intimidating, I found it to be quite intuitive. Thankfully, most everything you need is at a finger's touch on the steering wheel. Adding to the cabin's ambiance is the white ambient LED lighting in the instrument panel. This soft lighting scheme is used in grab latch areas as well as floor areas.
Seating in my tester was firm and comfortable. My tester had a Performance Collection ($3,300) option that featured a Seating Package with 10-way power passenger/driver adjustments, and heated, leather seats. It is virtually impossible not to get comfortable in these seats.
Since comfort is what Cadillac is about, it is important to recognize the performance aspect of the CTS creates demands on the seating, which were met with quality side bolstering and a lovely leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter.
The base price for the CTS with the 3.6-liter V-6 engine with Port Fuel Injection (produces 263-horsepower) is $32,990; my tester featured the more powerful 3.6-liter V-6 with Direct Injection (DI) and it base priced at $33,530. Both the rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive ($1,900 option) CTS models are rated 17/26 mpg.
I found acceleration from a dead stop to be outstanding. There are no limits (except local ordinance) to what fun can be had once you fully engage the 304 ponies and the six-speed automatic. Remember, this is a performance sedan and the fun is often had forgetting that fact and settling into the luxury that pampers you in the cabin.
Three suspension tuning levels are available: FE1, FE2 and FE3. This CTS has a 2-inch wider track, new suspension geometry and components derived from Cadillac's V-Series of performance vehicles. This chassis includes structural enhancements such as a tower-to-tower bracing, larger brakes and premium steering. All of this raises the bar for Cadillac to compete with the imports.
My CTS featured the CD/DVD/NAV System option at $3,145. I like my audio gadgets and this is one of the most unique I've seen. Highlighted by a Bose 5.1 Cabin Surround with 10 speakers, a 40-gigabyte Toshiba hard drive delivers 10 gigabytes of space to record onto. Potentially, this space can store thousands of songs that can be "ripped" from an iPod, MP3 player or CDs for your own library in the car.
The navigation system has a retractable 8-inch 3D display with crisp, colorful graphics. The NAV system uses XM satellite broadcasts to provide real-time traffic conditions that are displayed on the map. It can report weather conditions along the route and provide options to avoid them.
When all is said and done, my CTS came into port at $46,770. This is a value next to some of the competition and certainly without some of the optional add-ons it is a value given the sophistication and performance offered. The CTS, and Cadillac have arrived on the world sport sedan stage and now have the spotlight. |