Cadillac Seville: The payoff is in comfort and relaxed drive
-from the Toronto Sun's DriverSource
Cadillac "art and science" moves beyond the buzz word stage and assumes shape in the new year with the introduction of the CTS sedan in the entry-level luxury market.
Soon, we're assured, Cadillac styling will project a new, spruce image with new cars more in line with its continuing assault on the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. Edgy styling will turn international eyes away from the likes of Audi and Mercedes-Benz.
All very exciting. But let's not forget that Cadillac's Seville sedan has been pursuing this mandate for 25 years.
Today's test car, the Seville STS, is as distinguished and distinctive in appearance as any luxury sedan, anywhere. But so, in its time, was the 1976 Seville, the first of the line. And the second Seville, the 1980 bustle-back, is described as razor-edged in General Motors' history of the model. Edgy styling, in fact, has been Cadillac's strongest suit since tail fins became extinct.
The current Seville, which was introduced at the 1998 Frankfurt Auto Show, may lack the sharp edges of future models, but its level of elegance will not be exceeded any time soon. The price tag for a 2002 model is $67,015. The payoff is in comfort and relaxed driving.
Under the hood is the Northstar V-8 that introduced overhead camshafts and four -valve technology to American V-8s in 1992. A decade later, this admirable and well-proven motor in STS trim is rated at 300 hp and 295 lb.ft. of torque. It's not a motor you notice until you need to accelerate. Then after a moment of gathering itself, the car leaps forward with a pleasing snarl, and it dawns that this is the way any proper Cadillac should perform.
GM's flagship division became known for performance with its first overhead valve V-8 in 1949. Any subsequent Cadillac with ho-hum acceleration has only diminished the brand.
Seville STS snaps to 100 km/h in 7.7 seconds. From 80 to 120, requires a mere 5.6 seconds. This is a level of performance that enhances the brand, especially so because of the ease with which the STS flexes its muscle.
Cadillac once characterized itself as the standard of the world. Ease is to be expected in every way. And splendour. Here too the STS is distinctive. Unlike the case with so many luxury cars, the STS interior is bright as well as rich, rendering every day a sunny day. The leather is fragrant, the Zebrano wood serves as a tasteful counterpoint to the light (oatmeal, in Cadillac terminology) upholstery, and the Bose 4.0 sound system is exquisite.
Heavy investment in electronic technology over the years is expected to distinguish Cadillac from its luxury competitors. Night vision on the DeVille is one example, and the STS offers Magnasteer III, continuously variable road-sensing suspension (to be replaced by a system called Magnaride later in the model year) and Stabiltrak 2.0 vehicle dynamics control.
OnStar, the satellite communication system that instantly connects the driver with a live operator, is becoming common among GM vehicles. In the case of Cadillac and Saab premium-level service - free during the first year of ownership - includes concierge services, trip planning and so forth.
Magnasteer III and Stabiltrack 2.0 are names reminiscent of another era, when Buick's Dynaflow or Chevrolet's Powerglide were intended to make new automatic transmissions irresistible. While evocative, their precise meaning is never clear, and your reporter imagines a former snake oil salesperson fashioning the terms.
All that really matters is how they work. Employing electromagnetic force in the power steering, for instance, is said to be an extremely sophisticated method of variable assist, compared to more common hydraulic or even electronic technologies. But in this application it doesn't work all that well.
The steering provides precious little road feel. Turning the wheel, you sense no connection with the road. That is a real shortcoming in a car billed as "the performance luxury flagship at Cadillac and GM." A DeVille buyer may not enjoy lively, connected steering, but the STS aims at the more involved driver.
Another problem for the STS, which Magnasteer III or any other form of variable assist cannot help to control, is that a front-drive powertrain cannot manage 300 hp and 295 lb.ft. without having some effect on the steering. At highway speeds the car sometimes pulls to the right when accelerating in a disconcerting manner that requires correction on the part of the driver.
Other systems better live up to their names. The Integrated Chassis Control System 2.0, for instance, couples a comfy ride with crisp handling if you press hard. The StabilTrak 2.0 skid control system isn't intrusive yet automatically corrects the course of the STS to maintain control
Our particular favourite among high power/high technology features is the Bose 4.0 sound. Even non-audiophiles can understand that a 425-watt amplifier, six-disc player and Bose speakers can accomplish great things with Bach or, for that matter, Bachman-Turner Overdrive.
Wind noise intensifies so as to be significantly greater at 120 km/h than at 100. With 425 watts that's not going to have a great effect on the easy listening, but surely a luxury automobile in the $70,000 class should be hushed in all circumstances. Another quibble, the accelerator angle seems odd in the test car, prompting colleague Dr. Destroyer to complain of slow throttle response. Perhaps you get used to it.
The seven-spoke chrome wheels are one spectacular touch in a long list of standard equipment. High-intensity headlamps and a rear parking sensor (sounding the alarm before you back into obstacles) are worthwhile features in a $3,885 option package.
"The fusion of design and technology," the STS brochure trumpets. We're left pondering how much more advanced the future products of art and science design philosophy can be.
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