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."