Double Review: 2008 Cadillac CTS DI
09-25-07, 06:00 AM
#31
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Nice pictures, Mike. That is one of the carbon-fiber Sport packages without the wood trim. That is also the feature color that most of the CTS advertising is done in.
The carbon-fiber, for sure, is nice, but to really appreciate this new interior, you have to see it with the combination wood/chrome/brushed metal. it is stunning, especially in Cashmere....and unlike most other GM products, not just skin-deep.
The carbon-fiber, for sure, is nice, but to really appreciate this new interior, you have to see it with the combination wood/chrome/brushed metal. it is stunning, especially in Cashmere....and unlike most other GM products, not just skin-deep.
09-25-07, 01:02 PM
#32
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Thanks for the pics SICK. I definitely agree that from the rear it looks almost identical to the previous model. Personally, GM made a BIG mistake and keeping the rear looking so close to the old model. The exterior will look dated very quickly.
09-25-07, 01:13 PM
#33
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Well, that is is one of the objectives of Cadillac marketing....to look different from other companies, not necessarily to be "dated" or "futuristic". And, like it or not (and I was not a big fan of the old car, quality-wise), those looks DID sell....the first CTS was quite popular. So the question was: why mess with success? And they DID fix the poor-quality interior of the old car.....BIG time.
09-25-07, 01:30 PM
#34
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Well, that is is one of the objectives of Cadillac marketing....to look different from other companies, not necessarily to be "dated" or "futuristic". And, like it or not (and I was not a big fan of the old car, quality-wise), those looks DID sell....the first CTS was quite popular. So the question was: why mess with success? And they DID fix the poor-quality interior of the old car.....BIG time.
09-25-07, 02:29 PM
#35
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I disagree. I think it looks great and thankfully not a clone of everything else on the market.
09-25-07, 11:10 PM
#36
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Personally, the rear is bland and derivative of other Cadillac sedan rear ends.
10-07-07, 06:07 PM
#37
I just drove a new CTS with the 304 HP engine. Overall, seems like a great step forward from the previous CTS. Some interior bits are still a little weak (center armrest seemed a bit flimsy to me). It handled very well, even splashing through big areas of standing water. Steering wheel adopts German style cross-stitching, small, but it's somethign tactile that I appreciate personally. The only true shortcoming for me was the rear seat comfort. The cushion seemed way too low, and short in length to provide someone any real support. I feel like 5'10"+ adults wouldn't be comfortable there for long trips (I'm 6'0" personally).
The next thing that kinda shocked me was the sticker price, the units I looked at were pretty much fully loaded and the stickers were close to $48K. I guess that's in line with the IS350, 335i etc though.
The next thing that kinda shocked me was the sticker price, the units I looked at were pretty much fully loaded and the stickers were close to $48K. I guess that's in line with the IS350, 335i etc though.
10-07-07, 07:55 PM
#38
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Asian manufacturers generally have lower labor costs and can put in quality stuff at a reasonable price (Hyundai is probably the best example.....its quality today is light-years ahead of 10 and 15 years ago). But the CTS, despite its American nameplate, comes basically from German roots....a country with extremely high costs for both labor and materials. To get a quality car from Europe usually means a high price. And even then, that does not guarantee reliability, as Mercedes has shown over and over again in recent years.
10-07-07, 09:09 PM
#39
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But the CTS, despite its American nameplate, comes basically from German roots....a country with extremely high costs for both labor and materials. To get a quality car from Europe usually means a high price. And even then, that does not guarantee reliability, as Mercedes has shown over and over again in recent years.
Sigma was initially developed in Australia, and further revisions were completed in the US - it is so far only used for US-built cars. It has nothing at all to do with Opel or Germany.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_Sigma_platform
10-07-07, 09:27 PM
#40
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=Threxx;2968438]Man you've got to stop saying the CTS is a German car/platform unless you can come up with some sort of evidence to that effect.
This article has some references to it. It clearly states that the CTS has a German chassis. However, your point is taken that the Sigma platform was developed in Australia. And.....if it makes you happy, I'll just avoid the subject from now on.
Peace, brother.
Last edited by mmarshall; 10-07-07 at 09:51 PM.
10-07-07, 09:58 PM
#41
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MotorWeek reviewed the CTS on the show I just watched. Basically they loved it, but said the FE3 handling package, while impressive, is too harsh for every day driving, while the FE1 is 'traditional' (i.e., boat like) and the FE2 a good middle ground.
10-07-07, 10:16 PM
#42
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Motorweek is headquartered not far from me, at Owings Mills, MD. I see him mostly at local auto shows and we chat. He's a super-nice guy.....one of my favorite auto reviewers, as opposed to Pat Goss, Motorweek's technician/auto repair expert, who can be quite rigid and opinionated. Goss has a E-Mail auto-repair chat line and call-in phone show......Davis sometimes comes on the show with him.
The CTS suspension packages are rather complex. Threxx can explain it better than I can, but the way I understand it, there is an FE1, two different FE-2's (one with and without the all-season tire Sport package...that's the complex part), and an FE-3, essentially an FE-2 Sport package with summer tires.
(OK, Threxx.....I know I messed up somewhere in that description. Go ahead and correct me).
Last edited by mmarshall; 10-07-07 at 10:20 PM.
10-08-07, 05:35 AM
#43
Lexus Champion
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...8_cadillac_cts
This article has some references to it. It clearly states that the CTS has a German chassis. However, your point is taken that the Sigma platform was developed in Australia. And.....if it makes you happy, I'll just avoid the subject from now on.
Peace, brother.
This article has some references to it. It clearly states that the CTS has a German chassis. However, your point is taken that the Sigma platform was developed in Australia. And.....if it makes you happy, I'll just avoid the subject from now on.
Peace, brother.
Here?
The new Cadillac CTS might've been born and bred in Detroit, but you can tell it has spent time on the Nurburgring Nordschleife during its development. This is an American car with a German chassis: not exactly like a Mercedes or a BMW, but taut, tied down, nicely balanced, and stable at high speeds. It's not just the best-handling Caddy in history, but probably the best-handling American sedan ever.
All that's saying is that it was tested heavily by the GM NA team at Nurburgring... which is very true. The "an American car with a German chassis" statement is just an expression which is to say, they managed to make this car's chassis Germanic in nature due to all of this testing and tuning.
The CTS suspension packages are rather complex. Threxx can explain it better than I can, but the way I understand it, there is an FE1, two different FE-2's (one with and without the all-season tire Sport package...that's the complex part), and an FE-3, essentially an FE-2 Sport package with summer tires.
(OK, Threxx.....I know I messed up somewhere in that description. Go ahead and correct me).
(OK, Threxx.....I know I messed up somewhere in that description. Go ahead and correct me).
FE1. Available with RWD or AWD, and PFI engine only. Bilstein shocks; 24mm front, 18mm rear stabilizer bars (33mm front and 19mm rear on AWD); open diff(s); 17.4:1 steering ratio. 8.0 x 17-inch alloy wheels with 235/55R17 Michelin MXV4 all-season tires standard.
FE2. Available with RWD or AWD, and PFI or DI engine. Same spring rate as FE1, but stiffer-rate Bilstein shocks. 29mm front, 20mm rear stabilizer bars; faster16.1:1 steering ratio; limited slip diff(s). Larger, wider 8.5 x 18-inch alloy wheels with 235/50R18 Michelin MXV4 all-season tires. RWD gets FE1 brake package (12.4-in front rotors with aluminum calipers); AWD gets larger diameter FE3 brakes.
FE3. RWD and DI engine only. Same steering, springs and bars as FE2, but uprated shocks (Bilstein front and Sachs Nivomat load leveling at the rear). Wheels are same as FE2, but standard tire is 235/50R18 Michelin Pilot Sport 2, and standard brake package includes 13.6-in front rotors with cast iron calipers.
10-08-07, 08:50 AM
#44
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...8_cadillac_cts
This article has some references to it. It clearly states that the CTS has a German chassis. However, your point is taken that the Sigma platform was developed in Australia. And.....if it makes you happy, I'll just avoid the subject from now on.
Peace, brother.
This article has some references to it. It clearly states that the CTS has a German chassis. However, your point is taken that the Sigma platform was developed in Australia. And.....if it makes you happy, I'll just avoid the subject from now on.
Peace, brother.
10-08-07, 11:03 AM
#45
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BTW, bit, I know John Davis from Motorweek, but not particularly well.......
Motorweek is headquartered not far from me, at Owings Mills, MD. I see him mostly at local auto shows and we chat. He's a super-nice guy.....one of my favorite auto reviewers, as opposed to Pat Goss, Motorweek's technician/auto repair expert, who can be quite rigid and opinionated. Goss has a E-Mail auto-repair chat line and call-in phone show......Davis sometimes comes on the show with him.
Motorweek is headquartered not far from me, at Owings Mills, MD. I see him mostly at local auto shows and we chat. He's a super-nice guy.....one of my favorite auto reviewers, as opposed to Pat Goss, Motorweek's technician/auto repair expert, who can be quite rigid and opinionated. Goss has a E-Mail auto-repair chat line and call-in phone show......Davis sometimes comes on the show with him.
He provides some decent advice though.