The new 2011 CTS Coupe
When GM designers turned their attention towards the next step in the rejuvenation of the Cadillac brand, they didn't have to look very far.
Returning to the mainstay of the lineup, they recently unveiled the 2011 CTS Coupe at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
This latest and most dramatic expression of Cadillac design traces its roots back to the original CTS that was spawned from the Art & Science philosophy first illustrated by the 1999 Evoq Concept.
"And this production version of the coupe is almost ninety percent faithful to the CTS Coupe Concept that we showed at the beginning of the year in Detroit," according to Clay Dean, Executive Director GM Advanced Global Design/Cadillac Brand Director.
Yes, the concept wore 20-inch rubber instead of the available 18- or 19-inch wheels but, seen in profile, this is a beautiful car, with sleek, flowing lines that pay tribute to the coupes of the past in an exciting and contemporary new way.
"Cadillac has always been an emotional brand - it's about delivering art regardless of body style," said Max Wolff, director of exterior design for Cadillac. "With the CTS Coupe, it was about taking something very strong - the CTS Sport Sedan - and extending its potential."
The coupe has the same wheelbase as the CTS, but its roofline is approximately two inches (51 mm) lower. Overall length is also two inches (51 mm) shorter, giving the coupe short overhangs and a wheels-to-the-corner aggressive stance.
You'd expect to find parts in common with its CTS sport sedan sister, but the CTS Coupe shares only the instrument panel, console, headlamps, front fenders and grille.
From the A-pillar back, the coupe is a completely different car. The windshield is laid back at a faster angle (62.3 degrees) and, combined with the lowered roof and a long, nearly horizontal rear window, contributes to the sleek and dramatic profile. The smooth-sided profile is emphasized even further by the classic hardtop styling with no conventional B-pillar, and by touch-pad operated doors that have removed the need for conventional handles.
Wedge-shaped body lines rising toward the back lead to a striking rear view that includes a rear fascia pierced by a centre-outlet exhaust with twin dihedral-shaped tips that are bracketed by mesh lower grilles.
If you squint hard enough, you can trace the heritage of the very modern signature vertical taillights, highlighted with LED light pipes, back to the Eldorados of the '60s. An innovative centre high-mounted stop lamp has been integrated nicely into the decklid spoiler.
The 2011 CTS Coupe may feature classic 2+2 layout but there's nothing dated about either quality or content when you slip into an interior bolstered with advanced technology and instrumentation.
The gadget list includes:
* 40-gig hard drive, including the ability to store music and pause-and-replay live radio
* Pop-up navigation system
* Adaptive forward lighting system
* Bluetooth connectivity
* Standard Keyless Access and Smart Remote Start
* Rear Camera system
* Bose 5.1 Cabin Surround audio system with integrated iPod/MP3 capability
The long list of amenities compliment a driver-focused interior that includes hand-sewn accents covering the door, console and instrument panel trim. Seating is comfortable for two. As with any 2+2 coupe, think of the back seat as a place to throw your purse or briefcase, with occasional emergency seating utility for people you don't like much anyway.
For enhanced performance comfort, Recaro sport seats, previously exclusively offered on Cadillac's V-Series model, will be offered on all CTS Coupe models as an option.
The CTS Coupe harnesses a direct injected 3.6-litre V6 rated at 304 hp at 6400 rpm and 273 lb/ft of torque at 5200 rpm. Fuel economy is estimated at 15.6/10.5L/100km (city/hwy) on regular octane gas. A six-speed manual transmission is standard along with an optional six-speed automatic with Driver Shift Control (and available steering wheel mounted shift buttons).
Drivers can also choose either rear-wheel-drive (RWD) or all-wheel-drive (AWD).
The 2011 CTS Coupe joins a wide selection of CTS choices that includes the CTS Sport Sedan, the 556 hp CTS-V and the recently added CTS Sport Wagon.
Coupes have always been the purest form of automotive design expression and it would be tempting to label the 2011 CTS Coupe as the jewel in the Cadillac crown. But we might have to reserve that for the upcoming CTS-V Coupe, a high-performance follow-up destined to debut at the Detroit Auto Show this January. No details yet but we can probably take cues from the CTS-V sedan and expect something similar to its 556 hp 6.2-litre V8 power and even more dramatic mesh-grilled, aerodynamically-skirted appearance package.
Both the 2011 CTS and 2011 CTS-V Coupe versions will go on sale by early summer in the U.S., coming to Canada about a month later, probably by July or August of 2010, with Canadian pricing and packaging details released just before.
No comments:
Post a Comment