So far at least , the 21stcentury has been a rough time for Detroit . Despite closing plants and cutting jobs since the 1980s , General Motors and other major automaker lost their once - vaunted competitive edge , burdened by immense fixed toll and carry on losses in sales and food market share to import - brand rivals . Add in unexpected jump in stuff monetary value , plus a mart whipsawing from thirsty trucks to thriftier cars in the face of platter gas price , and the outcome is a " perfect storm " that threatened to send the Big Three crashing on the rocks of bankruptcy .
That simplify summary may sound overblown , but the situation could hardly be more critical in the young millennium . Though all three U.S. automaker still made money overseas , they brook major losses at dwelling house . That forced some drastic " recovery " measures , encourage by hoards of distressed stockholders . General Motors was forced to sell assets , close plants , and consist off workers while hop new role model sold well enough to prevent the unthinkable .
luckily for this history , some of those product were succeeding , and many of them were Cadillacs . In fact , GM managers befittingly picked their flagship mark to begin what they hope would be a twenty-first - century renaissance for the total company .
A string of boldly styled circa - Y2 K concepts suggested Cadillac would again get through for luxury - class leadership , but in young mode so as to stand aside from the European and Japanese stigma that had stolen its thunder . If all went well , the resulting unexampled showroom models would have people taking a fresh look at Cadillac , just as the surprise - hit Escalade SUV was doing .
This game plan begin to jell curtly before the new millennium dawned . Despite enthusiastic management backing , the first of the new fleet could n’t be ready before mannequin - twelvemonth 2003 , but Cadillac made several reasonable motion to train for its arrival .
2000 Cadillac
The first action Cadillac took to prepare for the new millenary involved a 2000 - model redesign for the full - size of it DeVille . shift to the equal to G - automobile platform should have percolate up buyer interest in Cadillac ’s perennial top - vendor , yet calendar - class orders put down below 100,000 units , the line ’s worst showing in years . It was another turn around that was hard to interpret .
For one thing , the raw DeVille not only looked trimmer joist , it was , giving up two inch in width and distance but contribute 1.5 inch in wheelbase ( to 115.3 ) , which benefited national elbow room and comfort . Then too , price were surprisingly little deepen for the three exemplar . D’Elegance was retitled DHS ( for " DeVille High - luxury Sedan " ) , while Concours became the DTS ( " DeVille Touring Sedan " ) . Each commence at $ 44,700 , the groundwork DeVille at $ 39,500 . All offer standard GM OnStar armed service and front side airbags , plus newly available rear body side airbags . Also share was the ever - telling Northstar V-8 , tuned for 300 horsepower in the DTS , 275 for other models . A pocket-sized innovation was LED taillamps that lit up faster than traditional incandescent bulbs , a fact Cadillac said might help avoid a rear - end crush .
The DHS was a near limousine , a railway car for those who missed the old rear - effort Fleetwood . Rear passengers were coddle with het tail , power lumbar fitting , rearward and side awning , and illuminated vanity mirrors . High - tech options abound for DHS and DTS , including a touch - projection screen navigation arrangement and an ultrasonic warning organisation to indicate the front of obstruction when indorse up .
The two uplevel models also boasted an industry first called Night Vision . Employing infrared technology proven in the Persian Gulf War , Night Vision used a grille - get on camera to notice the heating touch of objects beyond headlight range , which were project as " virtual " image onto the windshield near number one wood optic level . No other car offered anything like it , and though not pop at a tidy $ 2000 , Night Vision was the type of technical overture that had served Cadillac so well in the ' 50s and ' 60s . Yet such gizmology tend to obnubilate the virtue of a mightily impressive heavy luxury sedan . Even the base DeVille offered adroitly balanced drive and manipulation , andMotor Trendtermed the DTS " a technical enlistment de force , an effective , refined , and uniquely American approach to hunky-dory motoring and a reliable Cadillac . "
But the public either did n’t get the subject matter or did n’t care , because DeVille fall back favor as time evanesce , just like the sister Seville . A dearth of alteration did n’t aid . The rail line – though not the introductory innovation – bow out after 2005 and exemplary - year production of 59,750 units , a immense letdown from late-’90s volume .
Cadillac would phase out other model over the next few years . Get the contingent next .
2001, 2002, and 2003 Cadillac
From 2001 to 2003 , Cadillac say adios to several models . Cadillac disposed of its rear - thrust German - build Catera after 2001 . need for midsize " near lavishness " sedans was booming , but this one peter out , likely because it was a Cadillac . " The Standard of the World " had been laid low indeed .
Eldorado then pass away after 2002 and three eld without significant change – unless one count rename the base rendering ESC ( Eldorado Sport Coupe ) authoritative . Sales that final year were only about a third of what they ’d been a decade before – fewer than 10,500 units . Among them were some 1600 Eldorado Collector Series ( ECS ) special with the expected badge and specific trimming , plus an fumes system tuned to mimic the sound of the original 1953 Eldo . Yes , Caddy was still not above pushing " last " exemplar , and you could n’t really blame them with the way of life thing were going . With Eldorado ’s passing went another hallowed Cadillac name that ’s not probable to be repair , the division having adjudicate that future model would have three - letter of the alphabet titles like ETC .
The G - soundbox Seville soldiered on through 2004 . It remain a darn honorable car , just not as well as it necessitate to be for the top-notch - competitive Modern - century securities industry . Sales commence sliding again after 1999 , thudding to just over 28,000 units for ' 01 and ultimately crashing at just 6,514 , this despite modest annual price hikes and some interesting new lineament .
Notable among the latter was the 2003 debut of GM ’s Magnetic Ride Control shock absorber for the jazzy STS model ’s Road - Sensing Suspension . An innovation shared with that year ’s fiftieth Anniversary Chevrolet Corvette , these damper were filled with a unexampled " magnetorheological " fluid that could almost instantly change viscosity – and thus ride firmness – when behave on by an electric electric current . MRC was highly efficient , but did nothing to change the less - than - electric image of the STS , have alone that of the less - lark Shining Path model .
Next , pick up how Cadillac ’s bona fide hit with the youth marketplace , the Escalade , acquire through 2007 .
The Cadillac Escalade
The Cadillac Escalade serendipitously start Cadillac ’s double rehabilitation . From the first , it sold quite well for a premium SUV , and keep on sell even after soar throttle terms scare off many prospects in the mainstream market . And why not ? Anyone who could splurge on a $ 50,000-$70,000 semi was n’t probable to care about pump prices – or bounteous - truck fuel thirst .
The Escalade bowed as a former addition to GM ’s " T800 " full - sizing hand truck family , using the same " myopic " 116 - inch wheelbase as the GMC Yukon / Denali and Chevrolet Tahoe coaster wagon . Strong initial demand prompted new front - terminal sheet of paper metallic element for 2001 that deliberately previewed the Art & Science seem of upcoming Cadillac cable car . The bolder face only stoked demand for a fomite that was already bring forth large buzz in trendier circles .
Except for an former two - bicycle - drive interpretation with a 5.3 - l V-8 , all Escalades through 2006 carry a 6.0 - liter pushrod V-8 with 345 bhp , delivered through a four - speed reflexive transmittance to an all - steering wheel - drive organisation without broken - ambit gear . Also exclusive to Escalades among T800 truck were Cadillac ’s robotic - set Road Sensing Suspension and a specific dashboard .
As expected of GM ’s top - tier brand , Escalades were load to thrill : power everything , pasture brake and accelerator pedals admit ; trailering package ; antilock brakes ; Stabilitrak antiskid / traction ascendance ; OnStar aid ; rear - obstacle detection ; and more . Among the few options were mightiness sunshine-roof , piloting organisation , and rearward - behind DVD amusement . By 2006 , Cadillac was offering 20 - inch wheels , a nod to the many customized ' Slades cruising city street on " dubs " purchased from non - GM root .
No one was more surprised by Escalade ’s unattackable youth appeal than Cadillac itself . But appeal it had : a bright big bruiser with a street - tough position and interior glamor scene for a music video . By mid - decade , the Escalade short letter account for most 40 percent of total Cadillac sales . To division vender and GM accountants , this was miraculous food from heaven .
All three Escalades returned for 2007 with a full redesign on GM ’s much - meliorate T900 platform . dimension were n’t greatly transfer , but styling was , becoming " more Cadillac " to set these hand truck more understandably aside from corporate sibling . The powertrain was also raw and again single , comprising an upsized 6.2 - liter V-8 with a rumbling 403 bhp and a six - speed automatic transmission . AWD remained received . So did most premature no - cost features , but Cadillac lengthened the listing with standard curtain side airbags that cover up all three seating rows and deployed by exceptional sensing element designed to detect an impendent rollover . Power - adjust foot lever were made received too .
Wagons now derive with heated up first- and second - row seating area , plus a business leader liftgate with a ready to hand flip - candid windowpane . Unsurprisingly , the ' 07s also boasted several new choice : front - seatcooling , power - retractable " runningboard " steps , a convenient one - latch " spring - up " characteristic for the second - quarrel hindquarters – and to the delight of " hip - grounder " everywhere , 22 - in wheel . Last but not least , the available navigation system total a rearview tv camera that used the dashboard screen to show what lay behind when backing up .
Cadillac ’s Art & Science design signature , previewed in the 2001 Escalade , take on off with 2003 Cadillac CTS . Learn more about this daring style development – and about the CTS – next .
The Cadillac CTS
The first of Cadillac ’s new fleet of the decade had plant sail , unadulterated with a audacious design signature tune called " Art & Science , " in the 2003 model class . The term was shorthand for hard , angulate , even disjoint bank line that were mean to seem as though they initiate not with a hairdresser ’s hand but with a electronic computer – as in fact , they did . Cadillac was after the sort of distinctiveness that made its tailfinned ' 50s and ' 60 cars so memorable . A & S was sure dissimilar , and though not everyone like the " stealth paladin " spirit , it did draw stares , which was the whole point .
Art & Science premiered with the 2003 CTS , a U.S.-built replacement for the Catera , but rather more ambitious . importantly , this new entry - level sedan inaugurate the exchange premium tooshie - driving Sigma platform that was also plan to hold all - bicycle drive and would corroborate other lively forthcoming models .
The only railway locomotive at first was a 3.2 - cubic decimetre ( 181 - cid ) expansion of Catera ’s V-6 , shit at 200 bhp , but 2004 show in a brand - new twincam , 24 - valve V-6 , a 3.6 l ( 217 cid ) with 255 bhp . The 3.2 was dropped for ' 05 , but Cadillac court time value - seekers that year by adding a lower - priced CTS with a 210 - bhp 2.8 - liter derivative instrument of the 3.6 locomotive .
Staking its call as a straight athletics saloon , the CTS was the first Cadillac since the badly - suggest Cimarron to offer manual transmission as well as robotic . Both were five - speeding social unit , Cadillac ’s first . To the same close , engineers spend much time tuning the chassis on Germany ’s famous – and famously demanding – Nurburgring race course . As a result , most reviewers found little lacking in the manipulation department , especially when optioned with firm damping and 17 - inch wheel / tire packet .
in reality , even the base CTS suspension might have been a routine too Germanic for some buyers , as the 2004 preferences were softened a spot to enhance ride comfort . The sharply - march styling was unlike anything else around , so it took a while to bewitch on with the public ( and even some GM bigwigs ) .
Some observable home cost - cutting also draw off barbs . Yet overall , the first of Cadillac ’s unexampled guard was a fine exertion right on out of the box . Consumer Guideimmediately judged the CTS " an upper - echelon driving machine … a strong and sporty saloon [ that ] delivers good near - luxury value , list for around $ 36,000 popularly equipped … There ’s more here than meets the eye . "
A sound many buyers obviously agreed , as CTS sales got off to a secure start , helped by attractive base prices in the $ 30,000 range of mountains . Cadillac build up nearly 75,700 for the extra - long entry model twelvemonth . The tally dipped below 60,000 for ' 04 , but recuperate the next year to over 69,000 . This was good blend in in light source of the brash styling and an increasingly unmanageable market . At last , Cadillac seemed to be on the veracious trail .
Cadillac would also be on the racetrack . con about Cadillac ’s hot - rod cell CTS - V next .
For more information on Cadillac , see :
The Cadillac CTS-V
fresh dreams of theracetrack , following a short - live late-’90s assault on the yearly LeMans 24 - minute grind , prompted Cadillac to work up a hot CTS - pentad as both road - burner and hoped - for competition principal . An early 2004 arrival , it was the first in a planned series of high - performance V - good example that would be to Cadillac what the M Division was to BMW and AMG to Mercedes .
Cadillacs had usually offered undecomposed speed , but only in a straight ancestry . Not this time . To the already capable CTS chassis , engine driver at GM ’s new Performance Division added impenetrable - bore steel pause cradle , thicker front and rear stabiliser bars , high - rate shocks , and a crossbrace atop the front - suspension towers to bolster rigidness .
Some steel suspension pieces were swapped for light-headed aluminum components , but the introductory geometry was unchanged . Other upgrades included a massive four - plunger Brembo - stigma disc brake at each street corner and meaty 245/45ZR18 Goodyear test - vapid tires on special seven - spoke alloy wheels spread out 8.5 inch wide .
But the most exciting upgrade was underhood , where Cadillac rule elbow room for the 5.7 - litre ( 346 - Criminal Investigation Command ) LS6 V-8 from the contemporary C5 - generation Corvette Z06 . The graft cost a piffling ability , but not much , with rate turnout of 400 bhp at a zingy 6000 rev and 395 beefy pound - understructure of torsion peaking at 4800 .
The result was the most stiff production Cadillac ever , proof that the sectionalisation was dead serious about cracking the enthusiast market . More substantiation get along with a mandatory six - speed manual infection , the same Tremec T56 unit used in the ' Vette , but relocated from the rear to just behind the engine . Cadillac hardly neglect a antic , specifying a heavy - than - stock driveshaft , a modified - slipperiness rearward differential with strong but lightheaded roll - Al trapping , and moderately tight gear ( 3.73:1 ) .
For a factory raging rod cell , the CTS - V was visually confine . Add - ons were limited to more - aggressive lowly fascias front and rear , a typical wire - mesh grille insert , subtle " aero " rocker board skirts , and telltale dual exhausts . at heart were satin - chrome - last trimming instead of the usual forest , plus bright - ringed gauges and , for exuberant cornering , grippy suede cloth seat insert . Even the central armrest was lowered some four inches to comfort shifting .
Here it seemed was a Cadillac that really could go bike - to - bike with Europe ’s best sport sedans , and " car buff " magazine do in no clip arrange showdown tests . Car and Driverfirst pitted the CTS - V against a BMW M3 coupe and young M5 sedan , judging the Cadillac adequate or better in most respects , particularly for note value .
The CTS - V was n’t tatty at an initial $ 49,300 base , but the M5 be a whopping $ 23,000 more . afterward , Car and Driverjudged the CTS - V a close moment to the Audi S4 quattro and ahead of Mercedes ' C55 AMG in a three - elbow room matchup . " [ W]e emerged with a unanimous horse sense of the CTS - V as the route - course champ , " said the editor in chief . Yet they found straightline go no less telling , clocking just 4.8 seconds 0 - 60 miles per hour and a standing one-fourth - mi of 13.2 second at 109 miles per hour .
Stats like that implied race - winning potential , and Cadillac wanted the positive press that expire with winning races .
Accordingly , the division backed a two - car CTS - V team for the 2004 season of the Sports Car Club of America ’s Speed World Challenge serial for output - based cable car . Against the formidable likes of qualify Corvettes , Dodge Vipers , and Porsche 911s , the Cadillac tallied four pole starts and three win – not bad for a beginner .
Cadillac build 2401 CTS - Vs for 2004 . Another 4194 issue away for ' 05 , when the only change were pecuniary : a $ 190 bump in starting terms ( there were still no option ) and a tacked - on $ 1300 Gas - Guzzler Tax . The ' 06 interpretation nominally broke the $ 50,000 roadblock , but some of the increase ruminate swap in the 6.0 - liter LS2 V-8 from the twelvemonth - honest-to-god C6 - contemporaries Corvette . Interestingly , the bigger railway locomotive was claim to have no more power or torsion than the 5.7 , though it most surely did .
For those who starve the V - Series ' looks but did n’t take its testosterone , a Wheel Sport Appearance software package arrived during the ' 06 manikin year to snip up the mainstream 3.6 CTS , one of the few alterations that season .
A new high - performance two - seat Caddy convertible was also on hydrant for 2004 .
The Cadillac XLR
With the CTS a certified success , Cadillac unwrapped a new two - seat convertible for 2004 that made everyone leave the old Allante . Called XLR , in line with the brand ’s adopted three - letter name scheme , it was basically a C6 Corvette engineered to Cadillac standards of quality and refinement . In fact , Team Corvette developed the XLR before operate in earnest on the C6 , and that experience benefited the Corvette .
The XLR was soft to send away as just a Caddy in Corvette clothing , but there were many key differences . For starters , the XLR plan was new - shoal Cadillac , though a scrap honest-to-god news show , having been accurately preview by the Evoq concept convertible back in 1999 . Also , the XLR came only as a hardtop convertible , with a power - retracting solid cap that pirouetted into the torso like that of main competition Mercedes SL and Lexus SC 430 ( and left as piddling baggage place ) .
Other distinctions included specific suspension tuning , more or less slower steering ( by GM ’s Magnasteer organisation ) , and 18 - column inch tire of slightly slimmer incision . The XLR also disagree in property , being a bit longer , taller , slightly narrower , and some 450 pound heavier than a ragtop C6 .
And then there was the all - Cadillac powertrain . What else for the division ’s latest icon - drawing card ? A hard revised " Gen II " translation of the respected 4.6 Northstar V-8 boasted unexampled cylinder point with freer - flow ports and higher condensation ( 10.5:1 ) , plus a stiffer pulley block and crank , redesign manifold , and " by - conducting wire " electronic accelerator ascendency . The consequence was 320 bhp at 6400 rpm and 310 pound - foot of torque maxing at 4400 . The only transmission was a five - speed automatic with a separate manual shift logic gate vs. the C6 ’s initial four - speed automatic or available six - speed manual .
by nature , the XLR inherited the Corvette ’s much - lauded " uniframe " structure . Composite body panels draped around a steel underframe with a stiff central " backbone " section , hydroformed side rails , aluminum windscreen figure , a cross - cowl atomic number 12 reinforcing saloon , and aluminum " sandwich " floors with light balsa - Sir Henry Wood CORE . Even so , the XLR was distinctly a luxury tourer , not an all - out sports car . And there was nothing amiss with that – not with 0 - 60 miles per hour usable in less than 6.0 seconds and gummy 0.88 g skidpad acceleration .
The cost was right , too . Though the initial $ 76,000 tab was almost twice that of a base Corvette coupe , the XLR occur with most every agreeableness known in the self-propelled cosmos : power everything , heated / cooled seats , OnStar , a navigation system , " smart " cruise ascendence that mechanically maintained a safe following space , and Cadillac ’s young Keyless Access system with engine - start button and no extraneous keylocks . The only pick was planet radio , and that became standard for 2006 , along with guidance - linked xenon headlamps .
How did the XLR fare with critic and buyers ?
Cadillac XLR Reviews
The XLR was arguably the most exciting Cadillac since the 1967 Eldorado . cable car and Drivergreeted it as " a strong introduction in the prestigious roadster class , " whileRoad & Trackdeemed it a sign that " Cadillac is heading in the proper direction . " And while the XLR was n’t intended to be an workaday visual modality , initial need must have gratified division planners , with 4,387 built for ' 04 and 4190 for ' 05 .
A V - Series XLR was a foregone finis , and it arrived for 2006 hewing to the CTS - V rule : understated exterior , " tech - feel " interior , big power , even more - dynamic handling . This time , though , Cadillac looked to its own engine Stan Laurel with a new supercharge 4.4 - liter Northstar that surpass expectation by pump out 443 bhp ( at 6,400 rpm ) and 414 lb - ft of torque , some 90 per centum of it useable from 2200 to 6000 revolutions per minute .
Again , engineers draw out many stops , conjuring a unexampled intake system of rules , a unique and strong closure cast , oil - cooled pistons , even a redesigned supplement drive . The only transmittance was a Modern six - speed automatic , also with manual duty period logic gate . The steady XLR get it as a 2007 upgrade . Chassis tweak involve wider 19 - inch run - flat tires , a solid front stabilizer bar , the addition of a rearward prevention , revised tuning for the MRC shock , and larger brake borrow from the Corvette Z51 .
Car and Driver ’s test XLR - V did 0 - 60 in just 4.7 seconds and a standing fourth part - mile of 13 seconds at 110 miles per hour – a noticeable improvement on the unblown edition . Skidpad performance was curiously little changed at 0.87 g , but handling , guidance , and braking all drew all-encompassing praise .
Still , the V - Series treatment did n’t change the XLR ’s comfortable touring - car character ; it only made for a firm , more agile spell . " As high - operation buggy go,“C / Dconcluded , " the XLR - V is quite well - suited to the quotidian requirements of your less - extreme motorist … [It ] has all the creature comfortableness technology can provide , and its unique mesh grille , supercharged badge and four burnished tailpipe recite everyone this Cadillac is a cutting above . For those who reckon 100 grand is a reasonable amount of money to spend on a car , this Cadillac is sure enough worth a look . "
Next , we ’ll take a look at Cadillac ’s " crossover " SUV , the Cadillac SRX .
The Cadillac SRX
Cadillac was a snatch obtuse to answer the tight - growing new - hundred din for carlike " crossover " SUV in the 2000s , but its first effort was one of the upright . arrive for 2004 , the SRX was a apt edition of the Sigma car program , offering the same V-6 and V-8 ass - driving force and all - steering wheel - drive powertrains as the STS that followed it . The crisp Art & Science spirit was well - suited to this wagon , which maintain Cadillac tradition with a classy leather - lined Department of the Interior and tycoon everything ; the ' 06s tot a peachy power - operated liftgate .
V-8 SRXs were clothe with real - wood cabin accents , het up seats , and power - adjustable pedals , all available for V-6 model . A high level of guard was stock for every model : antilock brake , grip control , front torso side airbags , and curtain side airbags . vendee could choose five - rider seating with a prow / aft slew back judiciary or an available seven - rider package with the convenience of a might - folding third - words seat .
Other options admit Magnetic Ride Control , piloting scheme , rear - seat DVD entertainment , and a novel " UltraView " sunroof with multiple glass venire that slue back at the touch of a push to let in 5.6 square substructure of the smashing outdoors . Interior Department were spruced up for 2007 with a redesigned dashboard and gamey - quality materials in response to press and consumer complaints .
Initially priced in the $ 40,000-$47,000 chain of mountains , the SRX impressed road - tester with its sprightly performance , adroit treatment , and luxuriousness - stage refinement . Consumer Guidebestowed a recommend ribbon in the very first simulation year , then Best Buy laurel wreath for 2005 - 07 . " Against similarly priced premium midsize SUVs , SRX is among the best in performance , features , and accommodations … Unless you go off - road or towage heavy loads , the SRX ’s route manners and efficient packaging make it preferable to most motortruck - type contender . Add AWD security and it ’s a heedful choice to a traditional luxury saloon . "
That ’s just what Cadillac was aiming for , and sales in the first two calendar long time were pretty much on target at just over 53,000 – all welcome " positive " business . But that business turned down in 2005 - 06 when summertime gas pedal prices spiked to record point , propel many purchaser to downsize their vehicle choices . Sensibly , Cadillac reduced SRX prices for 2007 , peg down the V-6 model at $ 37,000 foundation , the V-8 at $ 43,000 .
Next , we ’ll cover Cadillac ’s replacement for the Seville – the STS – and the ' 06 Cadillac DTS .
The Cadillac STS and the 2006 Cadillac DTS
The rear - effort STS was initially price from $ 40,300 with V-6 , $ 46,800 with V-8 . Each was a pleasant , subject road railcar , and arguably more rewarding than the front - drive compromise Seville . Sportier type could shell out a hefty $ 11,000-$13,000 for a Preferred Equipment Group comprising Z - rated operation tires on 18 - inch wheels ( replace stock 17s ) , Magnetic Ride Control , and uprated pasture brake and guidance .
Even with that , however , the STS lacked the outright dynamic ability of most import - make challenger , finishing 7th in an eight - wayCar and Drivertest . " The STS is agonizingly close to meeting the challenge of the respectable [ midsize sport sedans ] , " said the editors , " but we think the aesthesia of its Lord could use a small finely - tuning . “Consumer Guide , by direct contrast , thought roadability just fine , but lecture " subpar rearward - derriere space and consignment elbow room . Interior material and assembly are not up to the good in year , either . "
An expected STS - V muscled in for 2006 at a stiff $ 74,270 , but was fully loaded ( no options ) – and loaded for bear . enhancement were much like those of the V - Series XLR , but here the supercharged Northstar made a thud 469 bhp and 439 lb - ft of torque , drive home to the rear wheels only via a six - speed automatic .
A three - wayCar and Drivertest ranked the mightiest STS between the BMW M5 and Mercedes ' CLS 55 AMG , contemplate the Caddy ’s somewhat " soft " response and plusher , less equipment driver - point type . But as the editor program observed : " … the STS - V ’s price nets you a no - apologia supersedan with heavy money left over – almost 16 large versus the CLS 55 . That ’s a vast advantage – particularly since the STS - V has this group ’s most comprehensive allocation of features and amenity … "
As if to dodge its bet with the STS , Cadillac freshen the front - driving DeVille for 2006 and changed the name to DTS . Optional Night Vision was canned – demand for it had never been substantial – but the Gen II Northstar was delimit , the G - body anatomical structure strengthened , and the chassis revised to improve both handling and refinement . Appearance was modernized too , with an edgy Art & Science - way lowly - body reskin and improved splasher biotechnology .
Like other GM divisions , Cadillac now stressed dollar mark value . Luxury I , Luxury II , and Luxury III versions give up 275 bhp in the $ 42,000-$48,000 kitchen range ; a sportier $ 47,000 execution model packed 291 horses and many DeVille DTS feature article . Consumer Guideput the raw line in perspective by noting that " Cadillac allow for any sporting pretensions to its [ STS models . DTS ] aims for the traditional American opulence - car emptor and scores . It ’s herculean , roomy , and refine , and touch most rivals for stock safety equipment features . "
Wondering what ’s in store for the next contemporaries of Cadillacs ? understand on for the lowdown on 2008 and beyond .
2008 Cadillac
sign the commencement of Cadillac ’s next multiplication is the 2008 CTS , unveil in January 2007 at Detroit ’s North American International Auto Show . schedule for cut-rate sale in summertime 2007 , it ’s easily recognized by conversant but evolved styling that bring inspiration from Cadillac ’s late award - win Sixteen conception sedan .
Overall length is little changed , but wheelbase raise about an inch to 113.4 . This combine with a two - in gain in overall breadth for a more assertive " wide running " stance . Interior designing is also cleaner and more coherent . Cadillac proudly notes that upper splasher and door - board surfaces are cut and assembled by hand , customs craftsmanship recalling the 1930s .
Like big - brother STS , the 2008 CTS offers all - bike cause as an alternative to rear drive . Returning as basis power is GM ’s 3.6 - liter " mellow feature " twincam 24 - valve V-6 with variable valve timing and now a few more knight : 255 , up three . unexampled for ' 08 is an up - top executive version with unmediated fuel shot , which squirts accelerator mightily into the combustion chamber rather than through the piston chamber ports . Running an ultra - high 11.4:1 concretion ratio , this optional 3.6 produces some 300 hp and 270 pound - ft of torsion .
The 2.8 V-6 is now hold for export model – Cadillac still thirst a global presence – but is largely unchanged otherwise . A six - speed manual gearbox remains standard , but a new six - pep pill reflex replaces the previous five - speed pick . reprieve , steering and brakes are unchanged in conception , but factor have been redesigned and/or upgraded where needed .
Other new feature of the ' 08 CTS include an optional " Easy central " hands - free locking / railway locomotive - jump system and a " Smart Remote Start " that not only fires the engine from a keyfob push button but touch off heating plant / atmosphere conditioning and front - seat heating / chill according to exterior and interior temperatures . Steering - linked xenon headlamps are another first - time CTS choice .
The available pilotage system replace a fixed dashboard screenland with a great , eight - in - diagonal display that rises from the dash when postulate . Like the SRX crossover , CTS buyers can specify an grand " Ultraview " glass cap , in this case a two - piece affair with might - sliding front portion .
That ’s the Cadillac tale so far , but it ’s far from over , notwithstanding all the dread news show of recent years . A potent new CTS - V is due around 2009 , and a CTS coupe is powerfully rumored for the same timeframe . Other near - term prospects admit a rearward - drive refilling for the full - size of it DTS and an even grander Cadillac – perhaps with V-12 power – for the surprisingly racy $ 100,000-$150,000 ultraluxury food market .
Meanwhile , Cadillac can take pride in its dramatic early - century comeback , confound critics who had written its obit so many times in the 1980s and ' 90s . sustain the turnaround , calendar - twelvemonth sales improved from 199,800 ( including trucks ) in 2002 to over 235,000 in ' 05 .
But today ’s brutally free-enterprise globular auto market place allows no manufacturer to sit down still for long , and Cadillac acknowledge this good than most . Though it may never be the luxury power it was in GM ’s glory day , Cadillac seems likely to keep moving forwards with confidence and courage .
