Art and Science, Take IIBY STEVE SILER, PHOTOGRAPHY JEFFREY G. RUSSELL
The sedan that jump-started Cadillac’s recent renaissance has undergone its own renaissance for 2008. Thoroughly reworked from its cheese-grater grille to its twin tailpipes, the CTS is snappier-dressed and better endowed for ‘08, with a new interior and available all-wheel drive to boot. Could we have a true BMW 3-series fighter on our hands? We’ll have to drive it to find out of course. In the meantime, this is what we know about the newest baby Caddy.
More brazen on the outside, softer on the inside
The new CTS’s newfound beefiness starts with a two-inch wider track front and rear that lends some real athleticism to its stance. The wheelbase is unchanged from ‘07, but overall length grows by an inch and a half and width expands by two. Also contributing are the CTS’s faster rear window, more elegantly sculpted flanks, LED ancillary lighting elements, and, oh yeah, that two-dozen-jumbo-size-egg-crate grille. Though we’re not fond of unnecessary glitz (such as the “side air extractors” that are popping up on everything from the Ford Focus to the Jaguar XK), Cadillac’s “art and science” design theme nonetheless seems to be maturing well, if this second version of the CTS is any indication.Also new is the interior of the 2008 CTS, which is designed with far more elegant shapes and rendered in upgraded materials throughout. Cadillac is promising a more premium feel, thanks to hand-crafted interior fittings, French stitching, and other tokens of refinement. The former CTS’s PC-inspired center stack has been replaced by a more cockpit-like arrangement. Rear seat legroom and shoulder room are both increased by more than an inch, though most other dimensions are roughly the same.
Better performance promised
Always a competant, rear-drive handler but a few paces behind the leaders in the powertrain department—the 400-hp CTS-V notwithstanding—the first-generation CTS never mustered the strength to put up a serious fight in the compact sport sedan class, especially now that such slick sedans as the Infiniti G35 and, of course, the BWM 335i are dancing in the ring. The 2008 CTS, however, is lacing up its gloves backed by a much more comprehensive—and competitive—line of engines, transmissions, and now, a choice of rear- or all-wheel drive.
The current model’s 255-hp 3.6-liter V-6 will carry into ’08, and the 210-hp 2.8-liter six is dropped for the U.S. market. That makes the base motor for North America the 3.6, which gains 3 horsepower (to 258) and holds steady at 252 lb-ft of torque. Even bigger news, however, is an amped-up version of the 3.6 that, thanks to direct injection, produces a much juicier 300 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque. All motors will be available with manual or automatic transmissions, each with six forward gears (last year’s auto was a five-speed unit). On-demand all-wheel drive will be offered with the 258-hp 3.6-liter-and-automatic combo.
A limited-slip differential will also be offered, as will a performance suspension package that will include 18-inch wheels in place of the standard 17s. The braking, suspension and steering systems have also undergone extensive changes said to increase responsiveness and feel, a claim we look forward to verifying on our own.Upcoming models
It is almost certain that Cadillac will offer a coupe version of the second-gen CTS, as well as a wagon. The wagon would slip in below the crossover SRX in the U.S. market, but would be of most interest to European Cadillac dealers who have struggled to meet sales targets. About 18 months down the road, Cadillac will introduce a replacement for the fire-breathing, Corvette-powered CTS-V that’s won over many a heart and mind here on Hogback Road. Expect at least 500-horsepower, because that's the number mustered by the BMW M5 and AMG 63 Benzes.
There would also be a V-series coupe, which would square up against the upcoming V-8-engined BMW M3.
Look for the new CTS at your local Cadillac dealer this December.
