Cadillac CTS-V Sports Wagon Coming to Europe

2010 Cadillac XTS Platinum Concept

What first emerged during last year’s Detroit Auto Show, attendees of the Geneva show finally be able to see the Cadillac XTS Platinum Concept car in all its glossy glory up close in the sheet metal. Additionally, the concept will be the first view of the Platinum sub-brand — Cadillac’s moniker for its highest-end luxury models — to a European audience.The XTS will showcase a new plug-in hybrid drivetrain attached to GM’s preexisting 3.6L V6 engine, as well as all-wheel-drive. For those that remember, the XTS is currently underway in taking production-spec form and we may see as soon as the tail end of next year in the ‘States.
Considering that Europeans have a genuine infatuation with 5-doors that is genuinely lacking in the ‘States, the LSA-powered CTS-V Sport Wagon will most likely find its calling by not only provide the utility Europeans are looking for, but also carving up the Swiss mountain roads and devour them sashimi-style with its enormous power output, magnetic ride suspension and Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 tires. The 556 horsepower CTS-V Wagon will be able to dethrone the Europe’s current wagon champion in the Audi RS6 Avant by fall of this year.

2011 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon Black Diamond - Chicago 2011

2011 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon

2010 Cadillac XTS Platinum Concept

2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe Road test

CTS Coupe is the first luxury sports coupe from an American automaker for which I would make room on a list that includes the likes of the Audi A5, BMW 335i Coupe and Mercedes E350 Coupe -- European brands all. Stylistically, the Cadillac puts its German rivals on the shelf, its Art and Science design as sharp as a Ginsu knife, unchanged from the concept car that dropped more than a few jaws when it debuted at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in 2008.

And the CTS Coupe is not a matter of "all show, no go," either -- Cadillac has given it some heat for the street. Sure, the uber gear heads will plunk their cash down on the high-performance CTS-V version and its 556-horsepower supercharged V8. But the base model and its direct-injected 304-hp 3.6-litre V6 and six-speed manumatic is not exactly anemic. Testing of the rear-drive model (all-wheel drive is also available) at the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada's annual TestFest late last year recorded a zero-to-100-kilometres-an-hour-time of 7.3 seconds, with an 80-to-

120-km/h acceleration run of 5.5 seconds -- competitive times for a car that weighs a stout 1,773 kilograms. It's far from peaky, too; the power flows in a fairly linear fashion. As for fuel economy, my test average of 12.9 litres per 100 km of driving felt a tad on the thirsty side, which was somewhat assuaged by the fact the V6 drinks regular unleaded and not the premium stuff. The only somewhat disappointing aspect of the powertrain is the lack of a truly growly exhaust note more in keeping with the Coupe's sporting demeanour.

2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe

Cadillac SVX Luxirous Vehicle

Cadillac SVX

Looking for a cheap and simple used family crossover?
I’ll do you a favour and tell you to sign off here. This week’s used vehicle review will focus on the first-generation Cadillac SRX, which is a machine that takes the higher-end approach to family hauling.
Like many of its competitors, the SRX existed somewhere between a wagon, minivan and SUV. It was available with six- or eight-cylinder power, two or all-wheel drive and plenty of goodies. It was on sale in Canada from 2004 to 2009 inclusive, and has now been replaced by an all-new model that launched for the 2010 model year.
Standard for the flexible SRX was a 3.6-litre V6 with around 280 horsepower, a five- or six-speed automatic and rear-wheel drive.

Cadillac SVX

Shoppers after more performance could check out the available 4.6-litre Northstar V8 and its 320 horsepower. 

2012 Cadillac SRX To Adopt 3.6-Liter ‘LFX’ V-6

2012 Cadillac SRX

2012 Cadillac SRX

 Just a few weeks ago we reported on GM deciding to ditch the 2.8-liter turbocharged engine in the Cadillac SRX and stick with its naturally aspirated 3.0-liter V-6 as the luxury crossover’s sole engine option. We now have an update on those reports, with news today claiming the 3.0-liter V-6 will also be replaced with a single 3.6-liter V-6 codenamed the LFX.

2012 Cadillac SRX

You may recall that the LFX is also reported to feature in the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro, and now GM Inside News is claiming the engine is also destined for the 2012 Cadillac SRX.

The new V-6 engine’s full codename is “LFX 3.6L SIDI, DOHC, VVT, E85 MAX, Alum GM”, which means it will displace 3.6-liters and feature spark ignition direct injection technology, dual overhead cams, variable valve timing and E85 flex-fuel capability.

2012 Cadillac SRX INTERIOR

Beautifully Brutish Cadillac Hits the Track

We love the Cadillac CTS-V because, frankly, for all our love of green tech and eco-friendly motoring, we have a soft spot for a big honkin’ car with a big honkin’ engine putting down 556-horsepower and enough torque to yank the moon from orbit.
Cadillac, having had the sense to build so wonderful a machine, had the sense to realize it really needed to take that machine racing. And so it is returning to the Sports Car Club of America World Challenge this year. GM’s luxury marque will field two teams in the GT class, both running cars based on the CTS-V Coupe.

Lingenfelter Unveils Performance Package for Cadillac CTS-V

Lingenfelter Performance Engineering, the aftermarket performance company best known for its Chevy performance conversions, is now offering an upgrade package for Cadillac's CTS-V models.
The package includes engine removal, porting and polishing of the LSA V8 cylinder heads, Competition Cams valve springs, GT9 camshaft by Competition Cams, and a 2.55-inch-diameter steel supercharger drive pulley.
The new supercharger pulley increases the stock LSA 6.2-liter V8's boost from the factory 9.0 psi, while still keeping the Eaton blower in its ideal efficiency range. Engine output is now rated at 623 horsepower and 617 pound-feet of torque at the wheels.
Some of the internal engine modifications require surgical precision, which Lingenfelter has perfected in its years of working mostly with Camaros, Corvettes and other GM models.

Cadillac CTS-V Coupe Hits the Track

Those of us feeling Mother Nature’s icy grip in the Northeast would love to be in Florida for two reasons: the obvious one and to see the Cadillac CTS-V coupe get its first track time at Sebring International Raceway. 

According to Cadillac, the Cadillac CTS-V Coupe race car hit the track for the first time yesterday, driven by Johnny O’Connell and Andy Pilgrim for tests at Sebring. Cadillac announced in a press release it is reentering the Sports Car Club of America World Challenge GT series this year, beginning with the season-opening race in St. Petersburg, Fla., on March 25-27. Cadillac competed in the World Challenge series in 2004-2007, earning the Speed GT Manufacturer’s Championship in both 2005 and 2007 with CTS-V Sedan race cars.

Cadillac Plug-in SRX Crossover

Cadillac Plug-in SRX Crossover

The Cadillac Converj concept was a short-lived concept, greenlighted and then cancelled in short order. However, GM has said that the plug-in hybrid Voltec drivetrain would make it into other vehicles, and the Cadillac SRX is a likely candidate.
When the SRX debuted back in 2004, it was a simple crossover. In 2008 the Provoq concept (above) debut, which GM stated could one day hold a fuel-cell or electric powertrain. The next-gen SRX borrowed heavily from the Provoq concept, but it is more likely the new SRX will get a modified version of the Volt’s hybrid powertrain, running on electric power before switching over to a gas-powered range extender. Initially, it looked like Cadillac was going to get its own version of the Volt, based on the Converj concept (below). I’m thinking that GM reconsidered the idea of selling a $45,000+ gussied up Chevy Cruze with the Cadillac badge.

Cadillac SRX Turbo Killed

Cadillac SRX

It was good while it lasted. At least, this is what some Cadillac SRX fans said when hearing that the turbocharged flavor of the SUV will be pushed out of production. Speculation regarding a potential axing of the SRX Turbo emerged in late 2010 and, although nobody ever confirmed that such a move is under consideration, voices familiar with the matter hinted that the low sales the car is registering can only lead to its discontinuation.

A Cadillac PR has recently confirmed to GMI that the SRX Turbo has been killed, of course, pointing to the disappointing sales the model has posted in the first and only year of availability.

Cadillac's Robyn Henderson told the aforementioned source that 90 percent of the SRX range sales went to the 3.0-liter configuration which is the only one that remains available across the series.

GM recalling Cadillac CTS and Escalade

General Motors is recalling close to 100,000 vehicles in two separate campaigns. In a posting with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or NHTSA, GM said that the first recall has already affected almost 96,000 Cadillac CTS sedans from the 2005-2007 model years over concerns that some of thevehicles have a condition in which repeated flexing of the passenger sensing system mat in the passenger seat may break the connection. The company said that if this occurs, the sensor may not detect the presence of a front seat passenger and will disable the bag. In addition, due to the problem with airbag sensors on the passenger side of the car. The sensors could fail to recognize a passenger’s presence and not deploy when needed, GM said.

Cadillac Returns to Racing with Super Charged CTS-V Coupe

CTS-V Sport Sedan

 Cadillac said it plans to return to racing in 2011 with its entry to the Sports Car Club of America World Challenge, North America’s top production-based racecar series. The company’s is returning to the race track with a race-prepared version of its CTS-V Coupe.

The plan to come back to the track returns the sports car maker to a series where it competed from 2004 to 2007. Cadillac has won the Manufacturer’s Championship in 2005 and 2007 and the Driver’s Championship in 2005, competing in the GT Class with the CTS-V Sport Sedan.
The American automaker will field two teams in the upcoming SCCA World Challenge GT Class with a racecar version of CTS-V Coupe. The CTS-V line was recently named to Car and Driver magazine’s 10 Best list for 2011.
To develop the CTS-V Coupe racecar, Cadillac is working with Pratt & Miller, an engineering firm which specializes in motorsports. The company noted that it plans to modify some of the production CTS-V components due to the unique demands of racing or to meet the SCCA series’ technical rules.
The CTS-V, which was introduced for 2003, quickly earned a reputation among luxury sports car buyers. For the 2011, Cadillac added the CTS-V Coupe and the CTS-V Sport Wagon to the family of performance vehicles. The CTS-V line-up feature Brembo brakes, a supercharged 6.2L V8 engine that can generate a power of 556 hp and a Magnetic Ride Control suspension system, which can read and react to the road 1,000 times a second.

GM discontinues Cadillac SRX Turbo due to low sales

2010 Cadillac SRX 2.8L V6 Turbo

Ever since its official debut in 2009, the Cadillac SRX has posted the largest gains in its segment for sales and projected resale value. However, most of the sales came from the 3.0 L V6 model. General Motors confirmed today that it has discontinued the 2.8L V6 turbocharged unit due to sluggish sales.
Cadillac spokesman Robyn Henderson confirmed that low sales resulted in the decision and said that over 90 percent of the SRX sales came from the 3.0L model. Henderson said that the SRX continues to be a leader in the luxury crossover segment and has a larger market share than the BMW X3, Audi Q5 and the Mercedes-Benz GLK.
The Cadillac SRX Turbo is powered by a 2.8L V6 unit making 300-hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. The model was criticized for having a fuel-economy rating of 15/22 mpg (city/highway).

Cadillac’s New Urban Luxury Concept

 
Cadillac has just  unwrapped its ultra-cool new Urban Luxury concept at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show. The concept behind this show piece is advanced urban commuting and the ULC executes this perfectly with a small package that is high on luxury – even including a Rolls-Royce-esque umbrella in the doors.
Its size is rather small to make this new concept suitable for urban environments. However, the automaker claims that four adults can be seated properly in the small Caddy, with room to spare.

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.