Right-Hand Drive Cadillac CTS- Dramatic exterior design for luxurious rear-wheel drive Cadillac saloon
- Lavishly equipped, sophisticated and hand-crafted leather trimmed interior
- Two right-hand drive models on sale in September 2008
- 2.8-litre V6 petrol from £26,995 and new 3.6-litre direct injection V6 petrol from £ 32,995
With a dramatic coupe-like profile and a choice of 2.8-litre V6 or 3.6-litre V6 petrol engines mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, the new CTS has a lavish specification as standard. An advanced 2.9-litre V6 diesel engine will join the new CTS line-up in 2009.
For the UK market, the new CTS is available in two models. Both are front engined, petrol powered, rear-wheel-drive cars with a six-speed automatic transmission and premium ‘Sport Luxury’ specification with a class-leading level of standard equipment.
CTS prices will start at £26,995 for the 211PS 2.8 V6 model and rise to £32,995 for the 311PS 3.6 V6 model.
The all-new 2009 Cadillac CTS sports saloon will feature at the British International Motorshow on stand S2 in the South Hall of ExCeL in London during the show’s public days from 23 July – 3 August.
Athletic exterior design
The new CTS has an athletic form that reflects its combination of luxury and performance.
The evolved styling theme has produced a faster, coupe-like profile, while the more sculpted bumpers emphasise the car’s wider track and enhanced chassis dynamics. The front bumpers have side air extractors that recall a styling element from Cadillac’s 2003 ‘Sixteen’ concept car.
The new CTS is longer (+32mm to 4,860mm), wider (+47mm to 1,842mm) and higher (+23mm to 1,441mm) than the previous model, but retains the 2,880mm wheelbase. The front and rear track are increased (by 45mm to 1,569mm and by 51mm to 1,575mm, respectively) compared to the outgoing model, giving a more planted, well-grounded appearance. The wider stance is also accentuated by increased tumblehome, with the vehicle sides sculpted inwards to give a more dynamic appearance and a sleeker roof line, without compromising headroom or the spacious interior.
The ‘tauter’ more precise styling of the CTS is complimented by the larger diameter wheels and tyres which completely fill the smoothly flared wheel arches. Shod with low profile 235/50 R18 tyres, the nine-spoke, 18-inch alloy wheels (with a high-polish finish on 3.6 V6 models), are in turn packed with larger, high-performance brake calipers and ventilated discs.
Cutting edge manufacturing techniques at the award-winning GM Lansing Grand River Assembly Centre further enhance the quality of the exterior finish. An innovative laser-brazing technique affixes the roof panel more crisply, and means the exterior roof surface delivers an uninterrupted class-A surface across the top of the vehicle, free of ditch joints that are common on other vehicles.
Craftsman tailored interior
The new 2009 CTS cabin represents an evolution for Cadillac interiors. Advances in surface development, technology, materials and construction, all combine to highlight technical precision with elegant, hand-crafted details and precise tailoring. For example, the cabin features Cadillac’s new “cut-and-sew” interior process that combines advanced technology with the hand-rendered precision of expert craftsmen for a superb, tailored finish to the leather trim. This exquisite detail continues on the heated leather seats, which – in the front – also feature eight-way power adjustment and two-position memory for the driver’s seat.
Interior comfort is further assured with dual-zone automatic climate control and cruise control. Clean, white ambient LED light pipes recessed between the upper and lower instrument panel combine with subtle backlighting in the door pulls and footwells to create discreet theatre-style night lighting. Each of these features are standard on the new CTS which is offered with a single premium ‘Sport Luxury’ trim level specification.
“Cadillac has engineered an historic renaissance, with a completely new product portfolio, driven in large part by the original CTS,” said general manager Jim Taylor. “The CTS has built a strong record of success on many levels. It exceeded our goals for sales volume, set new design trends, won championships in racing, and earned awards for both build quality and customer satisfaction. Now, with the all-new 2009 CTS the next chapter promises to be even more dramatic.
“The 2009 Cadillac CTS embodies a contemporary revival of two of the brand’s great traditions: innovative technology and precise craftsmanship. In new CTS they come wrapped in a new overall body shape that gives an edgy and contemporary character, with an injection of real elegance,” added Taylor.
Integrated infotainment and navigation
The CTS integrates the very latest technologies in in-car entertainment and navigation. Music is delivered through a 300 watt 10-speaker Bose® 5.1 Cabin Surround® sound system, which features Neodynium (Nd®) woofer and sub-woofer assemblies. The audio system was extensively engineered for the digital music age with Bose Automotive, with whom Cadillac has worked closely for over 25 years. Uniquely, thanks to the direct involvement of Apple engineers, full iPod integration means that playlists appear on the car’s retractable eight-inch touch-screen VGA display, steering wheel controls can be used to advance tracks, and devices can be charged in the cabin.
A 40-gigabyte hard drive stores music from digital music players and CDs, and its digital audio recording capability means listeners can pause and rewind radio broadcasts. The infotainment system also features a DVD/CD player with MP3 file compatibility, and a TV tuner.
The hard disk drive (HDD) navigation system exploits the latest advances from the industry, creating a more informative package, 30% quicker route calculations, voice activation and 3-D imaging. It also incorporates TMC, a continuously transmitted traffic update alert system, which informs drivers of road congestion in real time.
Power and performance
Generating more power while maintaining fuel economy and lowering emissions is a daunting engineering challenge and the new CTS delivers on all three targets thanks to its direct-injection technology.
The top-level power option for the 150mph CTS is GM’s new, 311PS, 3.6-litre V6 direct injection engine with variable valve timing (VVT). Direct-injection of fuel to the combustion chamber creates a more complete burn and contributes to a 15% increase in power; an 8% increase in torque; and a 3% cut in fuel consumption – while also reducing cold-start hydrocarbon emissions by 25 percent.
The standard 211PS, 2.8-litre V6 engine with VVT powers the 2009 CTS to a top speed of 127 mph.
Both new CTS models come with a six-speed automatic transmission as standard that delivers a smooth, responsive performance with lower engine rpm when cruising, to enhance overall fuel economy. The 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).
Next year, a state-of-the-art, direct-injection turbo-diesel engine will become available. This sophisticated V6 diesel will have a displacement of 2.9 litres, an estimated output of 250PS and produce 550Nm of torque from 2000rpm.
Sporty handling, luxurious ride
The drivetrain, suspension, braking and steering of the new Cadillac CTS have been developed to deliver sportscar grip and handling combined with a limousine-like quality of ride and a premium ‘feel’ of refinement. To achieve this, input was gained from the brand’s acclaimed V-Series models and Cadillac sent CTS prototypes to Germany’s ‘green hell’ – the famed Nordschleife circuit at the Nürburgring. The car was also exhaustively road-tested on city streets and country roads across Europe and China, as well as North America.
Both models feature a front engine/rear-wheel drive layout, a six-speed automatic transmission with manual mode, traction control and a limited-slip differential at the rear. The fully independent suspension features aluminium components and a new tower-to-tower suspension brace at the front which adds cross-car stiffness and enhances the overall steering feel. This innovation has been transferred from the high-performance CTS-V model, for use in all new CTS models. On 3.6 V6 models, the suspension is more performance tuned and has an automatic self-leveling system at the rear.
Safer for occupants and pedestrians
The 2009 CTS is designed to enhance Cadillac’s reputation for providing safe occupant environments in luxury vehicles, and includes innovative new developments.
The new Pedestrian Protection system, for example, 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, reducing the severity of the impact to the pedestrian's head. This vehicle system complies with all EU safety regulations and is designed to sense and discriminate collisions with a pedestrian at vehicle speeds ranging from 16 to 28 mph.
Another industry-leading safety feature is the front passenger airbag that features next generation ‘dual-depth’ airbag technology. 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. This capability means a dual-depth airbag is deployed in a configuration more tailored to the specific emergency situation than conventional or dual-stage airbags.
A further key highlight 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.
Details include:
- Dual-stage driver and innovative dual-depth front passenger air bag
- Driver and front passenger seat-mounted pelvic/thorax side air bags
- Roof-rail-mounted full length side curtain air bags
- Front seat belt pretensioners
- Tyre pressure monitoring system
- Bodyshell structure with strategically placed high-strength steel
- Automatic rain-sense windscreen wipers with heated windscreen washer system
- Electric push-button parking brake
- Rear park assist sensors
When the new CTS went on sale in the USA in September 2007, it triggered strong demand from luxury consumers (sales went up 59%) and received critical acclaim across the board. Motor Trend magazine choose the new CTS as its ‘2008 Car of the Year’ award winner, Car and Driver magazine selected new CTS for its ’10 Best List’ and the new Cadillac was short-listed for the North American Car of the Year award.
The new CTS has also won safety awards in the US for its crash test performance and for fitting Cadillac’s Stabilitrak electronic stability control system as standard on all models.
Pricing Information :
| OTR price | Insurance Group | |
| Saloon - Petrol | ||
| CTS 2.8 Sports Luxury (211ps) 6-speed automatic | £26,995 | TBC |
| CTS 3.6 Sports Luxury (311ps) 6-speed automatic | £32,995 | TBC |
| Optional extras (factory fitted) | ||
| Metallic paint | £650 | |
| Tri-coat, Tintcoat, or ChromaFlair paint | £850 | |
| Electric glass sunroof | £1,200 | |
| Sapele Pommele wood interior trim | £495 |
Continued ...
[Source : GM]
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