Review: European Cadillac CTS

[Perian]

Source: TopGear Magazine
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Cadillac CTS 2.8 Elegance

An all-American icon gets a drastic new look, is shipped off to Germany and is never quite the same again. Sounds like the squaddification of Elvis, doesn't it?

Which is ironic because I'm actually describing Cadillac's efforts to shake off such nostalgic associations. It appears that, in a bid to be taken seriously in the European luxury market, Cadillac, the brand that once epitomised the golden age of the American luxury automobile, has 'gone German'.

Was is das? Are GM execs being forced to don squeaky leather shorts and listen to the David Hasselhoff back catalogue? No, but it seems that nowadays Cadillac's R&D (research and development) artists are routinely packed off to Europe for a stint of GM Blues. Off they go to the Nürburgring, to test their metal alongside der Audi, der BMW, und der Mercedes, screw handling down to a suitably Teutonic levels and, of course, absorb some reflected credibility along the way.

The CTS saloon for instance, coming to UK buyers in May, has done its share of character-building laps around the 'Ring. Have they paid off? Given decent tarmac, the taut chassis, tuned suspension and tweaked steering work well.

But GM chose Greece, rather than Germany, to showcase the CTS and some un-Nürburgring-like goat-tracks weren't doing the 21st century Cadillac any favours. The marshmallow-filled shock absorbers of an old school Caddy would have floated over every bump but the highly-strung CTS crashed and jarred.

In fairness, roads this rotten are going to hurt whatever you're driving. Unless it's a hovercraft. GM is not thought to be bolstering the new Cadillac line-up with a hovercraft-based model at present, but they say the current design theme was stolen from the Stealth Bomber, so anything's possible.

Built on the same Sigma platform as Cadillac's SRX crossover - that GM planned to bring to the UK but now isn't so sure - the CTS is rear-wheel drive. The two engines we'll be getting, a 215bhp 2.8 and a 257bhp 3.6, are both Holden V6s. The 3.6 is louder but not hugely faster, and both suffer from a yammering exhaust note and a lack of torque.

The most stylish engine choice is the 400bhp, 5.7-litre V8 in the CTS-V. The CTS-V is Cadillac's not-terribly-secret weapon. The most powerful Caddy ever built, it handles, accelerates like the worst kind of bar fight and has a Corvette engine that emits this hauntingly beautiful booming sound when you hold your foot down. It even rides better than the standard CTS models and its more functional, muted interior is easier on the eye than the dodgy fake wood cluttering up the CTS cabin.

Developed by GM's Performance Division as part of its V-cars range, the CTS-V is intended to be a credible performance alternative to BMW's M3. And it is. It's a hoot. GM is toying with the idea of exporting a few LHD CTS-Vs to the UK. If they do, expect to pay upwards of £45,000. If they don't, screw them. How dare they expect us to buy 450-odd of their not-nearly-as-nicely-finished-as-a-BMW CTS saloons and then withold the CTS-V?

[Dutchman]

Why are the germans allways the 'world-standard'? You have seen the result earlier haven't you?

[91 s-10baja]

I am pretty sure the wood in the CTS is legit? Correct me if I am wrong.

[mgescuro]

Originally Posted by 91 s-10baja

I am pretty sure the wood in the CTS is legit? Correct me if I am wrong.

Yup. There is no fake wood in any current Cadillac. (THough there is some very fake looking real wood... it's still real.)