Cadillac SRX

Cadillac’s SRX is a serious challenger to the best in the luxury crossover segment, and the availability of a turbocharged version only adds to its luster.

Competitors include the Lincoln MKT, Lexus RX350, Audi Q5, Acura MDX, BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz M-class and the Infiniti FX45.

Cadillac’s styling is a strong point, and the brand has a distinctive face that is recognizable from model to model. The SRX sits tall, yet the roofline slopes nicely to create a sporty profile. The downside of the sloping roof is a slightly smaller cargo space, but for a majority of buyers, sacrificing a few inches of trunk space is not a major consideration.

Crossovers have become the utility vehicle of choice. In many ways, they’re the contemporary equivalent to the station wagons of a few years back. They offer good room for passengers, a flexible cargo space and the appeal of available all-wheel drive.

The SRX is one of Cadillac’s best products to date, and I was impressed every time I slid behind the wheel.

SRX base prices begin at $33,330 and top out at $51,360 for the test car, an all-wheel drive, turbocharged Premium model.

Many competing crossovers have larger engines, but the SRX makes up in power what it lacks in size. The base 3.0-liter engine delivers 265 horsepower, but for those who want a bit extra, the turbocharged 2.8 liter cranks out 300 horsepower.

The turbo is fun when you mash the throttle and feel a pleasant push in your back. The six-speed automatic transmission makes nice crisp shifts that enhance the feeling of acceleration.

Cadillac Sales Surge 142 Percent In July

Cadillac Sales

Cadillac continued its strong sales momentum in July with total U.S. sales of 14,919, more than double the total for the same month last year as SRX posted its best month ever and CTS had its best results of the year. It was the best month for the brand since August 2008.

SRX total sales rose almost eightfold, increasing 783 percent in July and marking the best sales month ever for the SRX since its original introduction in 2003. Redesigned for the 2010 model year, the SRX luxury crossover has posted triple-digit percentage sales increases for 11 straight months. In the past year, SRX has posted the largest gain in its segment for both sales and projected resale value. About half of all SRX sales are coming from competitor trade-ins.

CTS posted July sales of 5,516, a 132-percent increase from the same month last year and the best sales month since August 2008. Cadillac began shipping the all-new 2011 CTS Coupe in July to join the CTS Sport Sedan and CTS Sport Wagon. Escalade also had a strong month with sales up 22 percent to 2,209.

“As luxury buyers return to the market, they’re responding positively to the Cadillac line-up,” said Kurt McNeil, vice president of Cadillac sales and service. “SRX continues to attract new customers to the Cadillac brand in the crossover segment. The CTS Coupe adds another boost to the line-up with design and performance that stands out in the luxury sports car segment.”

Cadillac Escalade is the Most Stolen Vehicle in the US Again

The Cadillac Escalade – a notoriously easy-to-spot luxury sport utility vehicle – was the most stolen automobile in the U.S. in 2010, according to a news release from the Highway Loss Data Institute (HDLI) on Tuesday.

The HLDI – an organization affiliated with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety – said that 2007-09 models of the Cadillac Escalade had the highest rate of vehicle theft last year, based on rates at which people file insurance claims for stolen automobiles.

The Escalade is followed by the Ford F-250 pickup truck, the Infiniti G37 sedan, and the Dodge Charger with a HEMI engine. The rate at which these four vehicles are stolen is three to five times greater than the average rate for all other car models, according to the release.

"Sedate family cars and fuel sippers aren't on the hot list," Kim Hazelbaker, HLDI senior vice president, said in the release. "Thieves are after chrome, horsepower, and HEMIs."

2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe

2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe, about to enter a blind turn on a narrow two lane road. Figuring 60 mph might be just a little hot for this corner, we hit the brakes, making the smart six speed automatic transmission decide a gear change down to second was in order.

As the tach needle swung around to brush the 7,000 rpm redline, the engine sounded off with a strained growl, sounding as if someone were putting a beehive through a bandsaw, not one of the best engine notes we've heard. The wheel felt lifeless as we turned into the corner, its power mechanism tuned more for comfort than track days. But the front end of the car pointed where we wanted, and our still considerable speed in the turn made the summer tires start to slide.


But the wide track of the car, 2 inches greater than that of the CTS sedan, and the grippy tires kept the CTS Coupe under control. Well, mostly under control. From behind the wheel we felt we had a tiger by the tail, the car on the verge of going over the side. The suspension stayed loose, letting it get a little unsettled. Although not the kind of precision handling supplied by a BMW, we enjoyed it.

2010 Cadillac SRX Turbo Photo Gallery

2010 HOT Cadillac SRX Turbo Photo Gallery

2010 Cadillac SRX Turbo Side View

2010 Cadillac SRX Turbo Interior

2010 Cadillac SRX Turbo Picture

Cadillac's SRX Turbo Premium offers style, power in a crossover

Cadillac's SRX is one of the few crossovers out there with some styling flair, and it mixes in a healthy dose of luxury ride and interior comfort.

I tested this new, downsized version of the SRX about six months ago and found it mostly to my liking. This model was the top-level Turbo Premium, which starts at $51,360. After adding a pricey rear entertainment system, it hit $53,480.

I was impressed with the SRX's ride, very luxurious and smooth over most of our crumbling Wisconsin roads and city streets. Railroad tracks and highway pavement seams are no more a bother than a cooked pea beneath your shoe. Helping here are 20-inch wheels and tires that suck up a fair amount of road imperfections, and independent sport suspension.

Handling is good with fairly precise feedback to the wheel coupled with a heavy steering feel. Push the SRX and it sticks well in a corner with no, or only minor, body roll. It's a luxury feel, but with a spot of sportiness, sort of like a Mercedes, yet not as racy as a BMW or Audi.

Power is decent. Under normal acceleration, the 2.8-liter V6 provides ample power, but this model tacks on a turbocharger to boost your horsepower to 300 and torque to 295 ft.-lbs. According to the dash gauge the turbo engages early on and helps add some oomph almost from the get-go, but pound the pedal when you need to pass - now - and the SRX really lights it up. Ripping down a highway entry ramp can be particularly spirited.

2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe - First Drive Review

While most Cadillac vehicles still have a way to go to satisfy as drivers’ machines, the second-generation CTS has appeared on our last three 10Best lists; in awarding its 2010 trophy, we called it “maybe the best American car ever made.” High praise, but its combination of unapologetically brash styling, modern luxury, and strong performance credentials—especially in high-po V spec—back it up. For 2011, the new CTS coupe joins the sedan and wagon, adding more style and a higher concentration of performance to the CTS’s winning formula.

Stunning Exterior Styling, Largely Familiar Cockpit

The CTS coupe is one of those cars that loves the camera, and it’s no less stunning in the flesh. Walking around the car, one notices several aspects of the design easily missed in photographs, such as the parallel “light-catcher” lines helping to break up the tall body sides, the tastefully glitzy twin center-mounted tailpipes, the remarkably seamless-looking joint between the body-side stamping and the roof, and the center spine that travels all the way back over the car’s huge rump. The windshield is two degrees “faster” up front than the sedan’s, and the razor-sharp taillamps and CHMSL/spoiler also have aerodynamic-enhancing properties. The only unfortunate bit is a credit-card-sized spacer panels above the recessed, solenoid-actuated door releases; they mar an otherwise perfect waistline. In any case, there is visual drama from every angle, and it works.

Inside, most CTS sedan components are imported without change, although the mood is intensified due to a lower mounting point for the seats, dropping occupants roughly an inch lower into the dash/console architecture. The window sills are high, making arm-out-the-window cruising a bit awkward, but surprisingly, the super-high rear end doesn’t gobble up every shred of rearward vision. It feels purposeful, and we found ourselves very comfortable during our drive.

Cadillac trumpets success of SRX crossover

There is no disputing the sales increase. SRX's sales rose 654% in May compared with the same month a year, Autodata figures show. In the first five months of the year, Cadillac says SRX outsold Mercedes-Benz M-Class, Audi Q7, BMW X5 and Acura MDX. The average transaction price for the new SRX is more than $2,300 higher than the previous model. Then there is resale value:

Cadillac says SRX's projected resale value has risen 17 percentage points in the past year, the largest gain in its segment. SRX's projected resale value after 36 months is 48% of the initial purchase price, compared with 31% for the previous model, according to the May/June forecast by industry tracker ALG.

"Cadillac has done all the right things to support higher residual values for the SRX," said Matt Traylen, ALG's chief economist.

2010 Cadillac CTS-V

Wuchtig. I’m sitting, panting, trying to catch my breath on the side of a tiny two-lane road running through the vineyards of California’s Napa Valley. I’m in an American car. I haven’t spoken German regularly since I was 18. Adrenalin has chased everything resembling a coherent thought from my mind. And yet, strangely, the only thing left banging around my speed-addled skull is a single German adjective for which the English language has no translation: wuchtig.

From the safety of my desk back in Oregon, a German-English dictionary offers a parade of possible English meanings for this word, that 556 horsepower has left ringing in my ears. Weight, pressure, force, impetus, vigor, power, and kinetic energy all make the list. But what about anger? Rage? Impatience? Wuchtig is how daddy shouts when he comes home drunk and angry; it’s the roar of a sweaty millionaire celebrating his dominance in an NFL endzone.

It’s also the sound that 6.2 liters of supercharged V8 make when they get just out of earshot of their rightful owner.

This particular “V” belongs to one of Cadillac’s PR guys, who, having heard that I’d never set ass in the infamous sedan, handed me a key fob. No “be careful” preceded this unexpected gift, no waivers were signed, no next-of-kin informed. Just a friendly “why are you not driving yet?” as I collected my thoughts before approaching the large, dark presence lurking in the parking lot.

But whatever confidence I’d gained by psyching myself up, soon melted in the evil presence of this brute. Walk up, and the smell of vaporized rubber tickles the nose and jangles the nerves, like the smell of blood on the breath of a large predator. And after two days of riding and driving in Cadillac’s standard seats, the V grabs your body in the crushing embrace of something living and powerful. Only after the engine comes to life, and I begin to dawdle out of the parking lot does the V become just another Cadillac, softly woofling towards the open road. But that impression only lasts until I reach the first stop sign, wait for the briefest interruption in traffic, and leap out onto the highway.

GM to recall about 1.5 million vehicles because of fire hazard

The automaker will disable the heating mechanism on a system that squirts cleaning fluid on the windshield and pay $100 to the vehicles' owners.

General Motors Co. will pay out as much as $150 million to owners of vehicles that are being recalled because it can't fix a flaw in the system that squirts heated cleaning fluid on the windshield.

In one of the largest recalls this year, GM said Tuesday that it was recalling about 1.5 million vehicles, including certain Cadillac and Buick sedans as well as several sport utility vehicles, because the problem could cause the vehicles to catch on fire. The recall of many 2006 to 2009 model-year vehicles will involve disabling the heating mechanism and paying $100 to the owner.

Analysts said the move by GM represented both the speed and willingness of large automakers to make amends with customers after the recent public relations debacle experienced by Toyota Motor Corp. over a series of large recalls and quality issues.

"This should be more common," said Clarence Ditlow, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety.

GM recalls 1.5M cars for wiper fire hazard Owners to get $100 for loss of feature

General Motors said Tuesday it was recalling 1.5 million vehicles to disable a heated windshield washer fluid system linked to fires, saying owners would get $100 in compensation.
GM said the system was linked to five fires with no injuries or crashes. The system also had been recalled in August 2008 for fires. GM told dealers to install new wiring.

The automaker said it had kept monitoring the HotShot system made by supplier Micro-Heat since the first recall, and received a report in June 2009 of smoke from the units. GM withheld payments from Micro-Heat after the first recall. The company filed for bankruptcy.

GM said because Micro-Heat no longer existed, it could not provide an improved design again. For the new recall, dealers will remove the fluid heater and reroute hoses.

The $100 "is for the loss of the feature, not the recall," said Jeff Boyer, executive director of safety for GM.

The recall affects the 2006-09 model-year Buick Lucerne, Cadillac DTS, Hummer H2; the 2008-09 model-year Buick Enclave and Cadillac CTS; the 2007-09 model-year Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Acadia, Sierra, Yukon, Yukon XL, Saturn Outlook and the 2009 Chevrolet Traverse.

Of the 1.5 million vehicles covered, GM said 1,365,070 are in the U.S., with 98,794 in Canada, 26,228 in Mexico and 38,093 exports.

Cadillac goes high performance in the CTS-V

The first-generation Cadillac SRX was essentially a tall CTS with a wagon body, and we loved it as such, awarding it three consecutive 5Best Trucks honors and voting it into second place in a comparison test four years into its life, ahead of such newer competitors as a Land Rover LR3 and a BMW X5. Now that there actually is a CTS wagon—a delightful one, we might add—the 2010 Cadillac SRX shares much of its bones with the decidedly less exciting Chevrolet Equinox.

More important, it shares engineering philosophies and showroom goals with the snoozetastic Lexus RX350. Now a more upright front-driver with a powertrain portfolio comprised exclusively of V-6s, the SRX lost its spunk and our interest. We found the base V-6 just barely adequate for propelling the 4500-pound luxe-UV, and looked forward to our first test session with the turbocharged 2.8-liter.

Regular gas ruins some 2010 Cadillac SRX engines, recalled for fix

Can regular gas ruin a turbocharged engine? Many motorists blow off automakers' "premium recommended" or premium required" warnings, but some 2010 Cadillac SRX owners are wishing they'd pumped the more expensive grade.

Cadillac has recalled 2010 Cadillac SRXs with the optional turbocharged V-6 after some customers ruined their engines using regular. So far, 547 vehicles are affected by the recall.

Both the manual and a warning on the fuel-filler door told drivers that "premium fuel is required" for the 300-horsepower, 2.8-liter V-6, according to Cadillac. Typically with engines needing premium, automakers program the electronic control module to adjust -- with a loss of full power output -- to protect the engine if a driver is unaware or attempts to cut costs and fills up with regular.

Cadillac Releases Pricing Info for New 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe Models

As a complement to the CTS Sedan and CTS Sport Wagon, Cadillac has just announced pricing and option packages for the new 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe. The sleek and styling CTS Coupe will be available with four different packages and a starting MSRP of $38,990 including destination charge. The CTS Coupe will go on sale in early August, while the high-performance CTS-V Coupe will be available later in the summer.


The CTS Coupe models powered by the 3.6-liter direct-injected V-6 will be offered in three packages: standard (base), Performance Collection and Premium Collection. The base CTS Coupe comes with plenty of standard equipment like its sedan counterpart including rear park assist, remote start, performance suspension and power-adjustable front seats. The 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe Performance Collection starts at $43,430 and adds a Bose 5.1 channel Surround Sound audio system, a 40-gigabyte hard drive and HID Xenon headlamps with adaptive forward lighting. Like the sedan, the range-topping package for the non-V CTS is the Premium Collection which starts at $47,835 and comes standard with navigation, heated steering wheel, heated and cooled front seats, wood trim with ambient backlighting and a rearview camera. For the all-wheel drive versions of these models, starting prices will be $40,890 for the base, $45,330 for the Performance Collection and $49,735 for the Premium Collection.

“CTS Coupe is a compelling new alternative for luxury and performance-minded drivers,” said Don Butler, vice president of Cadillac marketing. “The addition of a Coupe, especially one this dramatic, provides an important entryway for new consumers to experience Cadillac Art and Science.”

In base form, the CTS Coupe will compete against the Audi A5 and Infiniti G37 with its sporty looks and 304-horsepower engine, but for more performance, Cadillac will also offer the CTS Coupe with a pair of optional tuning packages Performance and Summer Tire Performance. The Performance package comes with 18-inch wheels and all-season tires, while the Summer Tire Performance comes with 19-inch wheels that mimic the design of the wheels used on the CTS-V wrapped in ZR-rated summer tires. Cadillac did not reveal pricing for either package.

Stepping up to the powerful CTS-V also means stepping up to a steeper price with a starting MSRP of $62,990. The highlight of the CTS-V Coupe will be the supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 that produces 556 horsepower, but the high-powered coupe will come with plenty of performance add-ons as well including 19-inch wheels with summer tires, Brembo brakes and Cadillac’s advanced Magnetic Ride Control. Unlike the other CTS Coupe models, the CTS-V Coupe will not be available with all-wheel drive. The CTS-V Coupe will come with either a six-speed Tremec manual transmission or a six-speed Hydra-Matic automatic transmission with paddle shifters mounted on the steering wheel.

Cadillac designer shows off CTS-V Sport Wagon

It packs 556 hp and wears the closest things to fins you can find in 2010. What more do you need to know about the Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon?

Plenty, actually. And Cadillac design director Clay Dean is happy to walk enthusiasts through the finer points of the of the General’s newest speed wagon in this new video.

It’s the ultimate niche product: a luxury barge with a high-output V8, optional six-speed manual transmission and, oh yeah, it’s unabashedly a station wagon. But this may be our favorite people hauler since the Dodge Magnum R/T.

Clad in a dark jacket and open-collar shirt, the goateed Dean illustrates the V wagon inside and out, touching on the domed hood, 19-inch wheels, mesh grille and the host of top-shelf magnetic ride components. Inside is leather, Recaro seats and “laser-etched” V-emblems.

“We think that the excitement and capability of V blended into the functionality of the wagon gives the customer something different, something unique--something that you’re not going to be able to see everyday,” Dean said.

Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon: Baby Got Badass Back

This is it. The Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon is officially heading to production. This is the "show car" version of the 556 HP supercharged Corvette-engined Caddy-badged Jesus wagon we'll be seeing live this week in New York. Daddy like.

Cadillac CTS-V named 2010 Car of Texas

2010 Cadillac CTS-V

It seems that the Detroit auto industry is making an impression clear across the nation with the Cadillac CTS-V being named the offical car of Texas by the Texas Auto Writers Association.

Just recently the CTS was pitted against many other new model cars in the US market in an event known as the Spring Challenge. The Spring Challenge consisted of a series of test drives by the cars at the Texas Motor Speedway which in turn were judged by about 40 auto writers.

This is not the first time that the CTS-V was named the official "Writers Choice Car of Texas" as back in 2004 the car had previously won this honorable title.

“The Cadillac CTS-V is the car that most epitomizes the state of Texas,” said Michael Herzing, president of the Texas Auto Writers Association and publisher of LetsTalkWheels.com. “The CTS-V has power, style, luxury and handling. It has everything.”

Cadillac US Sales Increase 36 Percent in April 2010

SRX total sales for April rose 587 percent, the seventh straight month of triple-digit percentage increases. Redesigned for the 2010 model year, SRX has quickly become a stand-out in the fast-growing midsize luxury crossover segment.

Cadillac US Sales

The redesigned SRX also is attracting new customers to Cadillac at a higher rate than the previous model. So far this year, about 49 percent of SRX buyers traded in a competitor’s brand, an improvement of 14 percentage points compared to the previous model’s conquest rate.

A five-passenger crossover, SRX’s standard V6 engine is EPA-rated at 25 miles per gallon on the highway. SRX also provides the option of advanced all-wheel drive and a turbocharged V6 engine.

“SRX is appealing to luxury buyers with performance, fuel-efficiency and dramatic design,” said Kurt McNeil, U.S. vice president of Cadillac sales. “SRX has put Cadillac’s signature on the midsize luxury crossover segment.”

Cadillac CTS-V Goes for a Tumble at One Lap Event

Cadillac CTS-V
During last weekend's One Lap stop at Road America, a tricky, 4.1-mile circuit of asphalt twists and turns, one of the contestants found out just how tough One Lap can be. Road America features multiple heavy braking zones with deep gravel run-offs at most corners and straights where some One Lap cars see upwards of 160 mph.

At turn 12, things turned ugly for a black Cadillac CTS-V piloted by Howard LaFever.

According to Lago, here's what happened:

Reports are conflicting -- LaFever allegedly claims no brakes -- but the recipe is obvious: The CTS-V is approaching turn 12, a sharp left, at over 100 mph. It doesn't slow. The car turns, presumably the driver's effort to make the turn, and skips across the gravel trap before going airborne and flipping onto its roof. The damage looks terrifying, but LaFever reportedly walked away nothing more than a cut on his finger.

Betty White and a Cadillac Named ‘Parakeet’

AACA Museum The actress Betty White once owned this custom 1977 Cadillac Seville, which is on display at the Antique Automobile Club of America Museum in Hershey, Penn.

Betty White is known for her timeless charm and quick wit, but when the 88-year-old comedian and veteran of television series like “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and “The Golden Girls” mentioned her “beloved parakeet,” I thought the joke was on me.

“Oh, that’s its name,” Ms. White politely explained, referring to the custom Seamist Green 1977 Cadillac Seville that she once owned for 25 years. The car was recently put on display at the Antique Automobile Club of America Museum in Hershey, Pa.

Ms. White said in a telephone interview that she names all of her cars after birds. “I had yellow Cadillac — that was Canary,” she said. “And this one was Parakeet. I have

Cadillac makes the CTS-V Sport Wagon official

Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon.

Cadillac revealed its mega-horsepower CTS-V Sport Wagon two days ahead of the New York auto show’s media days, which begin unofficially with a series of parties on Tuesday night and officially on Wednesday morning.

The Sport Wagon is a station wagon that follows a tradition that had been exclusive to Europe — high performance wagons that can rival sports cars or record boast-worthy Nürburgring lap times (see Audi RS6 Avant). Nick Twork, a Cadillac spokesman, said that the show-version CTS-V wagon was also built to convince company executives — successfully, it turns out — to put the car into limited production. “We just tweaked it for the show a little,” Mr. Twork said. “It’s a business, so we have to justify what we do. People who buy it will be part of a very small club, but it’s the ultimate insider’s car.”

Cadillac Reveals 550-Horsepower CTS-V Sport Wagon

Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon.

Cadillac revealed its mega-horsepower CTS-V Sport Wagon two days ahead of the New York auto show’s media days, which begin unofficially with a series of parties on Tuesday night and officially on Wednesday morning.

The Sport Wagon is a station wagon that follows a tradition that had been exclusive to Europe — high performance wagons that can rival sports cars or record boast-worthy Nürburgring lap times (see Audi RS6 Avant). Nick Twork, a Cadillac spokesman, said that the show-version CTS-V wagon was also built to convince company executives — successfully, it turns out — to put the car into limited production. “We just tweaked it for the show a little,” Mr. Twork said. “It’s a business, so we have to justify what we do. People who buy it will be part of a very small club, but it’s the ultimate insider’s car.”

The Sport Wagon comes with all the things that make the CTS-V sedan one of the world’s fastest four-doors, including a 556-horsepower supercharged V-8, available 6-speed manual shifter, magnetic computer suspension, Recaro seats, Brembo brakes – and now, a power lift-gate to go with a top speed of roughly 185 miles per hour. The CTS-V wagon should reach dealers at the tail end of 2011. With the sedan starting at $61,545, the wagon version should stay below $65,000, about $30,000 less than the new Mercedes-Benz E63 wagon, if Benz ever decided to import it here.

Cadillac STS

Cadillac STS
The head of Cadillac says the DTS and STS sedans will be replaced by one premium-luxury sedan. Cadillac also will look seriously at an entry-level vehicle priced around $28,000.The premium-luxury segment was booming five years ago when Cadillac introduced the DTS and STS. But since then, the segment has shrunk and so have DTS and STS sales.Through August, Cadillac sold 33,368 DTS sedans, down 13.9 percent compared with the year-ago period. The STS accounted for 13,156 sales, down 24.7 percent from a year earlier.“So arguably, we don't need two entries there anymore, given the shrinkage of that segment,”

Cadillac's CTS wagon

Cadillac CTS-V wagon

Performance enthusiasts often have the same passenger and cargo transport needs as mainstream motorists. Cadillac has targeted a sCadillac CTS-V wagon

2011 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon

the CTS-V Wagon will be wearing wire mesh grilles, a power dome hood, wider tires, high performance wheels, larger brake calipers and sportier body work.

Under that power dome hood sits the now familiar 6.2-liter, supercharged V-8 motor known as the LSA. It's good for 556 horsepower and 551 pound-feet of torque in the CTS-V sedan; we expect the ratings of the Wagon to be the same.

Test Drive: 2010 Cadillac Sport Wagon and SRX4

The 2010 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon is no excuses. The 2010 Cadillac SRX4 2.8T "crossover utility vehicle" is a symphony of compromises. At base prices of up to $40,000, I'll take no excuses.

I spent two weeks in two motorized variations on the theme of the wagon. I gained incredible insight. People loved the CTS Sport Wagon for its sharp styling inside and out, its precise road manners, its utility. But the younger they were, the less they liked it. Why? "Because my parents drove a wagon," was the usual response. So what? "I'm not my parents."

I heard that so much, I looked into it. It certainly was true they weren't their parents. But many of them were parents themselves, with young children they needed to cart about. They wanted to do the carting fashionably. Wagons, they said, weren't fashionable. They much preferred the Cadillac SRX4 2.8T, which had marginally better cargo space, but not more power, better road manners or better fuel economy than the CTS Sport Wagon.

What the SRX4 2.8T had, in their estimation, was what it lacked — the absence of anything that identified it as a wagon.

It was a matter of consumer self-image turned successful marketing hustle. Is there a chance that it will return to truth, to wagons? Much of the stuff people carry in midsize sport-utility vehicles can be carried in wagons — or "sport wagons" if that makes you feel better — with greater ease, better fuel economy, better

2010 Cadillac SRX becomes smaller

The 2010 Cadillac SRX has been revealed, alongside the CTS sport-wagon. While the older SRX was based on the larger rear-driven CTS platform, the new SRX will be based on a smaller front-driven platform to be shared with the upcoming Saab 9-4X.

The new model is based on the Provoq concept, and was originally supposed to slot in under the existing midsize SRX with a BRX badge. But with falling SUV sales everywhere (except in the GCC of course), GM decided to make the SRX a smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicle.

So far, only photos have been released, but it is known that front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive versions will be available, utilising V6 engines shared with the CTS. It is a given that the new SRX will come to GCC markets.

2010 Cadillac CTS wagon unveiled

Cadillac has developed a station-wagon version of their CTS luxo-sport sedan. The midsize estate is really targeted towards the hatch-loving European market, where GM expects 60% of all CTS sales to be of this big-assed variety.

The design is interesting, with small rear-side windows to make it look swoopy, and yet using a boxy shape to maintain utility.

While the CTS sedan is already available here, we do not expect the CTS estate to come to this region, where wagons are taxi-cabs and soft-roading 4WDs rule the roads.

2010 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon

2010 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon

A look at the 2010 Cadillac CTS Wagon

2010 Cadillac CTS 3.6 Sport Wagon

BASE PRICE: $38,265 for base, rear-wheel drive model; $40,165 for base, all-wheel drive model; $43,365 for rear-drive model with 3.6-liter V-6.

AS TESTED: $51,935.

TYPE: Front-engine, rear-wheel drive, five-passenger wagon.

ENGINE: 3.6-liter, double overhead cam, direct injection V-6 with VVT.

MILEAGE: 18 mpg (city), 26 mpg (highway).

TOP SPEED: 146 mph.

LENGTH: 191.3 inches.

WHEELBASE: 113.4 inches.

CURB WEIGHT: 4,210 pounds.

BUILT AT: Lansing, Mich.

OPTIONS: Premium package (includes sapele wood trim, rearview camera, aluminum wheels, keyless access and remote start, navigation system, Bluetooth wireless connectivity) $5,655; summer tire performance package (includes 19-inch tires and wheels, sport suspension, adaptive high intensity discharge headlights) $2,090.

Review: 2010 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon,

2010 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon Cadillac will forever indebted to two individuals by the names of Wayne Cherry and Kip Wasenko; those are the individuals who designed the CTS, and in turn put Cadillac back on the map, making GM’s luxury brand one to be taken seriously in the segment once again. The duo’s stealth aircraft-inspired “Art and Science” 2010 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon design language continues to be a staple at Cadillac. In hopes to further reinvent the brand and expand its offerings, Cadillac has introduced the CTS Sport Wagon. Before you cringe in disgust at the thought, the sharp-edged rear-end, shiny wheels, and sharp red paint make this wagon one of the sharpest looking on the market, at least in our comparison.2010 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon

new 2010 Cadillac SRX much improved

Cadillac’s original SRX is history, with nothing left but the name. The all-new SRX should be a strong contender in the rapidly crowding, and largest industry segment — the midsize luxury sport utility vehicle (SUV) segment. Stiff competition is provided courtesy of the Lexus RX 350, Mercedes-Benz GLK, Acura MDX, Audi Q5, BMW X3, and Volvo XC60 — among others.

The original SRX featured rear-wheel-drive with a choice of a longitudinally mounted V6 or V8. The new SRX is front-wheel-drive with a transverse-mounted V6 powerplant. Another notable change is moving from three-rows, and seven-seats, to two, with seating for five. While GM is famous for its global platform-sharing, the SRX shared its underpinnings with only the Saab 9-4X, which given GM’s shutdown of Saab, will never be built.

Model Lineup: The 2010 Cadillac SRX comes in four versions: SRX ($33,330), SRX Luxury ($36,910), SRX Performance ($41,350), and SRX Premium ($43,895). All-wheel drive is about a $2,500 upgrade and is available on the Luxury, Performance, and Premium models.

The SRX comes standard with 18-inch aluminum wheels, leatherette (vinyl) upholstery, multi-function tilt steering wheel, dual-zone air conditioning, cruise control, power windows, mirrors and locks, AM/FM/CD with auxiliary outlet, iPod compatibility, and four speakers.

Cadillac SRX delivers less than it promises

This latest SRX rides on a new architecture that borrows engineering elements from two other GM chassis that are quite competitive in their respective segments: the Chevy Equinox's "Theta" and the Chevy Malibu's "Epsilon." (It is not simply an Equinox with frosting, as some believe.)

In base form it uses a direct-injected 265-horsepower 3.0-litre version of GM's "High Feature" V6 family, paired with a six-speed automatic. A 300 hp, 2.8-litre turbo version is also available, but you'll have to move up to the $55,870 "Performance Collection" trim level to get it.

My $52,195 "Luxury and Performance Collection" tester – a trim level that, despite its name, ranks below the "Performance Collection" – had the 3.0-litre mill.

The SRX's available all-wheel-drive system is essentially the same Haldex unit that gives the Saab 9-3 XWD such a wonderfully balanced feel (SRXs are front-wheel drive otherwise). There's even an optional Sport Suspension that features continuously adjustable damping and a special ZF steering rack; all SRXs feature hydraulic power steering and an aluminum-intensive suspension.

2010 Cadillac SRX FWD

General Motors hopes to target the heart of the luxury crossover segment. The key competitors are the Lexus RX 350, Audi Q5, BMW X3, and Mercedes GLK. The only competitor that comes close to SRX is the Lexus 350, in my estimation. With the other brands costing more, the standard SRX price is $43,895 is hard to compete with.

The SRX is powered by a 3.0 L WT DOHC V-6 SIDI or optional 2.8L turbocharged V-6 engine ( 6-speed automatic transmission.).

Cadillac SRX is loaded with luxury conveniences: AM/FM stereo, CD/DVD player, Navigation and voice recognition, 8-inch touch screen, Bose 10-speaker system, and Bluetooth for phone.