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

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.

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 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.

2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe pictures

2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe

The first Cadillac coupe in almost two decades features a classic 2+2 seating layout and is slated to arrive in U.S. showrooms in the spring of 2010. The most obvious rivals for the 2011 CTS Coupe are the BMW 3-Series Coupe along with the new Audi A5 Coupe, Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe and the Infiniti G37 Coupe.

The coupe has the same wheelbase as the CTS, but an overall height that is approximately two inches (51 mm) lower and an overall length that is two inches (51 mm) shorter.

According to Cadillac, even though the Coupe is based on the CTS sedan, it shares only the instrument panel, console, headlamps, front fenders and grille with four-door model.

At launch, the 2011 CTS Coupe will be offered with GM’s direct injected 3.6-liter V6 engine that produces 304 horsepower and offers an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 27 mpg on the highway.

The V6 engine is coupled to a standard 6-speed manual gearbox with an automatic transmission with Driver Shift Control and available steering wheel mounted shift buttons offered as an option. It will also come with rear- or all-wheel drive.

Cadillac CTS Coupe Revealed at L.A. Auto Show

Cadillac displayed the production version of its CTS coupe at the L.A. Auto Show. The production CTS coupe, which will be available summer 2010, retains the concept’s aggressive, in your face styling. The coupe model is part of Cadillac’s plan to steal back the luxury market from Audi, BMW and Mercedes. That plan includes offering several different body styles of each car, like the Germans do. Cadillac already has a CTS wagon on sale, so the coupe will bring the CTS line onto an almost level playing field with the Germans (still missing a convertible).

The CTS coupe keeps Cadillac’s corporate cow catcher grill, and it might be the only car in Cadillac’s stable that the giant grill actually looks right on. That coupe also features an immense C-Pillar that will be sure to polarize buyers, but that’s to be expected. Every Cadillac sold today is a love it or hate it kind of model. There is a market of people who can afford a luxury car and don’t want the subtle looks of a German car. For those people, the CTS coupe should be a hit.

If you’re one of those people and are already checking when your CLS’ lease is up, be prepared to pay well over sticker price, which hasn’t been announced yet but should fall near the CTS Sedan’s $36,730 base price.

Cadillac unveils 2011 CTS coupe

The CTS coupe comes with a standard V-6 engine and an available V-8.

CAPTION

By GM

Cadillac today unveiled the 2011 CTS coupe, due to arrive in showrooms in spring.

The coupe joins the CTS sport sedan, the muscle-bound 556-horsepower CTS-V and new CTS Sport Wagon as the foundation of Cadillac's lineup.

The CTS coupe joins the sedan and the wagon in the lineup.

CAPTION

By GM

The CTS coupe's design carries over virtually unchanged from the concept car that was introduced at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in 2008. It's a classic 2+2 with goodies like a rear-view camera and a performance-oriented suspension system coupled to rear-wheel or all-wheel drive.

"CTS coupe is the new focal point of Cadillac, expressing both our design and technical capabilities," said Bryan Nesbitt, Cadillac general manager. "It is intended to appeal to a new generation of car enthusiasts." And it's different than the sedan:

It has the same footprint as a CTS sedan but is two inches lower. The windshield is raked at a steeper angle. A touch pad replaces the need for standard door handles.

The CTS coupe's standard powertrain consists of a direct injected 3.6-liter V-6 and six-speed manual transmission. Among other things, direct injection helps the engine cut hydrocarbon emissions by 25% when its cold on startup. The 304-horsepower engine will offer EPA-estimated fuel economy of 27 miles per gallon on the highway. It also runs on less expensive regular unleaded gasoline.