Caddy continues comeback with CTS
San Jose, Calif. — Some new Michelin rubber met the road down here recently where the vineyards meet the desert, as Cadillac rolled out the leader in its resurgence campaign: the next generation of the CTS.
While still instantly recognizable as a CTS, the midsize marque has undergone a reworking that keeps it distinctive, and the maker has packed on style touches and enhanced the premium ride across the CeeTee’s lineup.
The first thing apparent when approaching the new Caddy is the bold and big-badged grille, leading into the sculpted and angular fenders the CTS shares with its brandmates STS and Escalade. The vehicle’s roofline now hosts an (optional) double sunroof, and trails into a squared and elevated rear end, giving the latest-edition CTS an aerodynamic profile designed to lower the drag and silence wind noise inside the cabin.
The wheelbase remains the same as the previous generation, but the track is a couple of inches wider, lending the car a powerful-looking stance on the road as well as increased stability with the tires pushed out to the corners.
On the mech-spec side, the midsize four-door will be available in a choice of three suspension packages (FE1, FE2, FE3 and no, nobody knows what “FE” stands for; I asked) and two engines here in North America.
The powerplant options are a 3.6-litre variable-valve-timed V6 that will bring 263 hp to the package (and 253 lb.-ft. of torque) as the base model; and another 3.6-litre V6 (this one a direct-injection rig) that ups the ante to 304 horses and 273 lb.-ft.
There will be a smaller engine choice for overseas markets, a 2.8-litre VVT, but not here.
Cadillac is marshalling the horsepower with two transmissions, either a six-speed Aisin manual or a six-speed Hydra-matic automatic, that in my humble opinion is the superior choice.
The company wasn’t afraid to show off the performance capabilities of the CTS at the California launch, either, lining up a suite of FE3-level cars for us at the Laguna Seca raceway to allow us to see for ourselves how well the vehicle can take it to the curves with the pedal down.
The Caddy’s refined body structure, with reinforced roof rails, rear-rail sections and B-pillar on top of the wider wheel track keep it flat in the corners even at substantial speed.
This was made apparent to me when I got to take a couple of hot laps with a professional driver Caddy had on hand at the track — a good thing, too, to truly see what the CTS is capable of, something I couldn’t appreciate while driving on my own because, quite frankly, I am afraid of the rather wicked corkscrew turn at Laguna Seca.
A simplified explanation of the suspension choices available for the 2008 model goes like this: the FE1 is the base, offering a balance of ride and handling to CTSes with the (also base) 17-in. wheels. The FE2 is designed more for sportier handling and comes with models equipped with 18-in. wheels and can be had on either rear-wheel or all-wheel-drive versions.
The FE3 is the choice for performance enthusiasts. It brings track-ready stiffness to the vehicle frame, along with 18-in. brakes, and can only be had in rear-wheel drive.
But in any trim, it's the interior of the ’08 CTS that is the real story here. A complete reworking of materials and dash gives the car the feel of a number of its European competitors. Outfitted with either a monochromatic interior or a very desirable two-tone scheme, the seating is comfortable up front, and while less roomy in the rear, still adequate for adults under six feet.
The look and feel of the dash is very good, with the cascading centre stack flowing into metal or wood-print accents that lend a premium esthetic to the car. Funky LED lighting available for the CTS (inside and out) impart a uniqueness to the cabin when tweaked and dimmed to a driver’s choice. Indeed, if you test drive a new CTS, I recommend doing it at night to play with the LEDs.
The company has not skimped on the tech features, and as you might expect the car offers full iPod/mp3 player connectivity, navigation system, all the usual onboard system monitors and a pop-up screen in the centre of the dash that can be folded into the dash when not needed.
A 40-GB hard drive audio system option allows radio to be recorded in real time and then played back — almost like TiVo for audio — which I find both weird and compelling, this idea of being able to “pause” live broadcasts and resume them later, with the option of doing so with high-end Bose 5.1 surround sound.
Finish it all up with the choice of a smart key that allows easy entry and keyless-start operation, and the 2008 CTS makes its case as hot competitor in the lower end of the luxury vehicle market.
For those of you who are wondering, there is no CTS-V model for the 2008 product cycle — Cadillac is holding them back until next year — but the basic price breakdown for the two CTS trims available here runs the MSRP between $38,900 for the base to $41,400 for the direct injection model.
The leader of Cadillac’s comeback will be available starting September.
Fact File
Competition: Infiniti G35 sedan, Lincoln MKZ, Lexus ES 350, Chrysler Sebring
Highlights: distinctive styling, relatively low buy-in, good standard level of equipment
Find a dealer that sells the Cadillac CTS
Other vehicle reviews for Cadillac
Autonet Best Choice 2007 Luxury Sedans/Wagons
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