New Cadillac CTS luxury saloon
Author: Robin Brown
Published: 07 August 2008
The new Cadillac CTS luxury saloon will go on sale in UK showrooms on 1 September 2008 from £26,995.
Equipped with a new coupe-inspired design, new V6 petrol engine and promising lavish specifications, the new CTS will rival the likes of the Audi A6, BMW 5-Series, Mercedes E-Class and Jaguar XF. The new model is longer, wider and higher than the previous CTS, for a more planted appearance.
Prices will start at £26,995 for the 208bhp 2.8-litre V6 model and at £32,995 for the 307bhp 3.6-litre V6 model, both of which are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, though a paddle-shift transmission will be available on the range-topper. A new 2.9-litre V6 diesel engine will join the new CTS line-up in 2009.
Engines
The 2.8-litre V6 petrol unit with variable valve timing (VVT), generates 208bhp at 6,800 rpm and 181lb-ft of torque at 6,300rpm.
The 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine with direct injection and VVT produces 208bhp at 6,400rpm and 276lb-ft of torque at 5,200rpm.
The six-speed automatic transmission offers drivers a choice of fully-automatic operation or Driver Shift Control sequential manual gear shifting (with paddle shift on the 3.6 model).
A new 2.9-litre V6 diesel expected in 2009 will output 247bhp and will produce a massive 406lb-ft of torque from 2000rpm.
Specifications
A single Sport Luxury specification includes Bose® 5.1 Cabin Surround® sound system, heated leather seats with eight-way power adjustment, full iPod integration, retractable eight-inch touch-screen VGA display, 40-gigabyte hard drive, DVD/CD player with MP3 file compatibility, TV tuner and hard disk drive (HDD) satnav system.
Safety kit includes a Pedestrian Protection system that senses a collision with a pedestrian through front bumper sensors and activates a mechanism that lifts the bonnet to create additional clearance to hard points in the engine compartment.
Also included is ‘dual-depth’ airbag technology for the front passenger airbag. This single airbag deploys in one of two sizes and one of two inflation pressures determined by the front passenger seat position, seat belt use and crash severity.
Driver and front passenger seat-mounted pelvic/thorax side air bags and full-length curtain air bags are also standard.
Adaptive Forward Lighting system for the bi-xenon HID headlamps, tyre pressure monitoring system, automatic rain-sense windscreen wipers with heated windscreen washer system and a rear park assist system round off safety features.
Only two options are available: the power glass ‘Ultra View’ sunroof that covers more than 70% of the roof costing £1,200; and the Sapele Pommele wood finish on the instrument panel, door trims and centre console for £495.
The 3.6-litre model adds paddle shift controls, self-levelling rear suspension, chrome 18-inch alloy wheels, dual chrome-tipped exhaust tail pipes, and voice activation for the infotainment system.
Cadillac says the interior has been radically improved, with a ‘cockpit’ upfront featuring tri-barrel analogue instrumentation, interior LED lights, 'cut-and-sew' leather trim, and 'theatre-style' night lighting. Dual-zone automatic climate control and cruise control is standard.
Driving and safety
Cadillac says the new CTS features a stiffer bodyshell for improves solidity, quietness and crashworthiness, while the manufacturer sought 'sportscar levels of grip and handling' in the new luxury saloon.
The 2.8 V6 features a sports suspension set-up while the 3.6 V6 is fitted with suspension tuned for higher performance - both are tuned for the road conditions of the European market.
A fully independent multilink rear suspension enables a superior ride/handling compromise to be achieved, says Cadillac of the new CTS, with a limited-slip rear differential.
An all-disc braking system with ABS and traction control is standard.
Electronic driving aids inlcude StabiliTrak electronic stability control system, dynamic rear brake proportioning to optimise stopping distances, and hydraulic brake assist to develop additional brake pressure in emergency situations.
A further key safety feature is GM’s Adaptive Forward Lighting system for the bi-xenon HID headlamps, which automatically adjusts headlamp direction for improved nighttime driving visibility.
The system turns the headlamps up to five degrees inboard and up to 15 degrees outboard on each lamp. Safety is also enhanced by automatic rain-sense windscreen wipers with heated windscreen washer system and a rear park assist system.
Thew new Cadillac CTS luxury saloon will be available to buy from 1 September.
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