2008 Cadillac CTS 3.6DI RWD Road Test

A clean slate. A completely blank sheet. Forget everything you ever thought
The styling might be a bit familiar, but this is in now way a big, American land barge. you knew about a company called Cadillac. Forget the 105 years of history, its Standard of the World status, the gradual dilution of that status for the sake of retaining an aging consumer group with the purchasing power to afford overpriced, high-profit but dubious-quality products or misguided attempts to rejuvenate the brand with inferior, undesirable vehicles. Forget it all. That was another century, and another Cadillac. This Cadillac is something altogether different. This Cadillac is a new generation, from engineers and product planners to suspension packages and interiors, this Cadillac is a whole new brand and this CTS is a whole new car. Now that you've forgotten everything, I'll tell you what you need to remember about a brand that's raised itself from the ashes of ridicule and vainglory to become a leader, not only in image restoration but more importantly in building cars that enthusiasts truly want to drive. Yes, that's right. You want to drive this car, don't you? You want to own this car and you want people to come up to you and ask, “Wow, is this the new Cadillac?” And they will. But first of all we must pay homage to the first CTS, the Cadillac that
Cadillac has forged a clean-cut image, with a bad-boy edge. It's a brand redefined. shocked the world with one of the first modern designs the 21st century could call its own. Under the guiding hand of Cadillac's Art and Science design aesthetic that was first revealed in various concepts like the Evoq, Imaj and Cien, the CTS stunned just about everyone when it first appeared at auto shows and then in those wicked Rock n' Roll commercials wearing edges so sharp they cut through the preconceptions of what a Cadillac should look like in less time than it took to realize that this new Cadillac rocks. After several other models in their design portfolio arrived featuring the Art and Science theme applied to varying degrees (similarly pure and keen in the XLR, but distinctly softer in the STS and DTS aimed at Cadillac's old loyalists), Cadillac has come back to the car that started the revolution. Mind you, the CTS was not just a revolution in styling, it was also a good car, and the first to ride on Cadillac's new Sigma rear-wheel drive chassis. It was a lively, spirited car, but it was still a little rough around the edges, in the overall driving experience as well as interior quality in particular, and didn't quite surpass the European and Japanese competition that had left Cadillac far behind for so long. Throughout its life, Cadillac worked
BMW has their "angel eye" coronas, Cadillac has sharp lines. to improve the CTS by pumping it up with engine and suspension improvements, the most notable of which was the CTS-V that borrowed the Corvette's LS2 engine, then taking it racing in the SCCA Speed World Challenge GT series. In the hands of Andy Pilgrim and occasionally Ron Fellows, the CTS-V amassed 12 wins and two manufacturer's championships since the team's debut in 2004. While the racing helped it gain credibility as a performance car, Cadillac was able to experiment with plenty of technology and gained engineering experience that helped them build an even better CTS for us nonprofessional drivers. So, after completely shattering the image of Cadillac as a stodgy, tired brand for older clientele demanding only a super soft ride with the first generation CTS, Cadillac was then free to build the most amazing car they possibly could, armed with all the knowledge and feedback from a new generation of customers and a successful racing career. Clearly, they knew what to do with such knowledge. While I still refuse to find fault in the original design, I can admit that the new CTS is both perfect and sexy, retaining just enough of its sharply creased “science” at the edges of the hood and vertical corners of the car, while increasing its artfulness with
More than just bling: These 18-inch wheels are wrapped in some serious rubber. sensuously swollen fender flares endowing it with curvaceous sides and a wider track to enhance its stance and overall proportions. Translation: yeah, it's edgy and it's hot. The only other vehicle in this class that comes close to rivaling the CTS' flair is the Lexus IS, with its own brand of sharp creases and sinewy curves succeeding in its own impressive way. While the form is one thing, the details elevate the CTS to a level of distinction rivaling any of the European or Japanese luxury brands' entry level sport sedans. Clearly, the Sixteen-inspired grille will instantly distinguish the smallest Caddy from any competitor in daylight, but even at night the vertical light tubes at the outermost edges of the headlights are a nocturnal trademark similar to BMW's angel eye headlamps. In back, the vertically stacked column of LEDs can be mistaken for nothing less than a Cadillac, and even echo tail-finned Eldorados of Cadillac's past. Though there is no shortage of chrome, it is tastefully dispersed across the grille, on the functional fender vents (which help to draw out air to cool the brakes), along the top lip of the rear bumper, on various badges and even coating the high-polished aluminum wheels at the four corners.
It's got the features and the quality that high-end buyers crave. Never before has Cadillac offered a sedan with wheels so close to each corner, a product of the engineering team seeking the ideal balance and handling for a world-class sport sedan, and the looks to match. Indeed, Cadillac managed to balance their ultimate driving machine to an even 50:50 weight distribution, which you'll feel if you ever drive it all the way out to the intersection of ten and tenths. I can't say that I had any such notion as I experienced it only on public roads while the temperature hovered around the freezing mark, not to mention that it rained pretty much the whole week and even snowed lightly on a couple of occasions – really not the best conditions in which to wring out a 300+ horsepower RWD sedan riding on ultra-high-performance summer tires. This was a week that required a calm hand at the wheel and a light foot on the pedals. Then again, if I were taking it out on the track, this is just about the setup I'd choose (until the next CTS-V drops), with the upgraded 304-hp engine, traditional rear-wheel drive with a limited slip differential apportioning power between the rear wheels, as well as the sport suspension package with 18-inch wheels wearing supercar-grade rubber. The one change I'd make to
A cool place to be at night.opt for the manual, although in my week about the city the automatic was ideal. I drove a fully decked out CTS equipped with nearly every option available (ringing in at an impressive $47,780), but what about the basics? First of all, the new CTS retains the approximate length and wheelbase of the outgoing car, but the increased track means greater stability, and the updated Sigma chassis lends greater rigidity and therefore better ride and body control. The front suspension now consists of aluminum upper and lower control arms as well as a tower-to-tower brace (modified from the previous generation CTS-V) for added stiffness and enhanced steering feel, while the rear suspension is a premium multilink independent setup with an anti-roll bar. Spring and damper rates vary according to the suspension package one chooses, but all cars start with 12.4-inch front and rear vented discs equipped with four-channel ABS, traction control, dynamic proportioning and GM's latest incarnation of Stabilitrak stability control, with a performance mode.The base CTS engine is the same 3.6-liter V6 with variable valve timing already in use in the previous car, carried over pretty much unchanged with a six-speed manual transmission as standard equipment. It produces 263 horsepower and 253 lb-ft of torque, which is entirely sufficient in this class of vehicle and is a thoroughly respectable engine in its own right. One upgrade for those who need the extra traction is the availability of all-wheel drive, the same system developed for the larger STS sedan. Choose the AWD (a $3,200 option), and you also get upgraded to GM's Hydramatic 6L50 six-speed automatic transmission,
Navigation package pairs this retractable screen with iPod interface and a 40-gig hard drive. one of the smoothest-shifting autos in the business. Another choice you'll have to make is in the suspension department, where Cadillac offers three distinct setups to cater to slightly different sensibilities, from those seeking a more compliant ride to the cornering-grip-at-all-costs crowd. Wisely, GM put me into a CTS with the firmest state of suspension, the better with which to experience all 304 horsepower under tight rein and indeed, it doesn't get much better than the CTS in FE3 tune. And despite such a firm grip in the corners and the kind of steering you even forget you're directing through the wheel, the CTS was supple and forgiving despite the city's construction-cratered and frost-heaved roads. With such a smooth ride, it was easy to appreciate the kind of dynamics that the CTS had on offer, although as mentioned before, weather conditions meant I had to keep GM's most powerful V6 ever in check for most of the week. On the few occasions where a bit of lonely dry road presented itself, namely on a trip up to visit my mom and sister, the CTS's direct-injected 3.6 with variable valve timing came across every bit as sophisticated as its German and Japanese competitors claim. Power comes on early and then builds with a deep, hoarse rasp as good as anything
The CTS is a heavy car, but it hides its weight well. else featuring direct injection. Relative to the class of the field, I definitely wouldn't say that it eclipses BMW's 3.0-liter twin-turbo or Infiniti's VQ35, but it certainly delivers up a unique character that can stand with distinction alongside such award-winning powerplants, offering easy power and smooth delivery from the six-speed auto, a transmission so good BMW uses it too. Where the CTS separates itself from similarly priced competitors is in size. While the Cadillac's smallest matches up well against the 3-Series, G35 and the like with regards to performance, features and pricing, accommodations are generous enough to nudge it up against the 5-Series and other midsize sport sedans. For some who prefer the breadth of traditionally large American sedans, this will be a boon as interior space and comfort is unmatched in the segment, but if a tight parking stall at work or home is a factor, the smaller, nimbler foreigners will be an easier, nimbler fit. Indeed, that size is also responsible for one of the CTS's biggest drawbacks – its weight. Starting at 3,861 pounds, the CTS, in full AWD trim and a Future Shop's worth of electronics, tips the scales at 3,874 pounds, 72 pounds heavier than BMW's 535xi. Then again, that weight will only become evident if you push it far beyond reasonable limits (which are well beyond even the legal limits, so please restrain yourself), and the rear parking sensors meant that I had all the help I needed squeezing into my constrained parking space. Finally, one of the most impressive of all leaps Cadillac has made with this CTS is immediately evident once you slide inside. From the very first twist of the keyless ignition, when the 8-inch LCD screen lights up in a show any graphic designer would be proud of, you sense that this isn't just good, this is special. That screen rises slowly from the dash, flashing a
We'd personally like to try a manual. Imagine that, a manual Caddy... (Yes, we are aware that the old CTS could be had with a stick, as well as the Euro BLS.) twisting Cadillac logo plus trailing visual effects until it settles into a welcome message, through which you can access a range of electronics that I wouldn't mind installing in my living room. At the root of it all, a 40 GB hard drive that stores all the navigation info plus as much music as you'd need for a long road trip, not to mention that you can add XM satellite radio and then plug in your iPod for weeks' worth of non-repeating music; you can even load up to six CDs in the six-disc changer – CDs, how quaint. And while the sound from the Bose 5.1 Surround Sound 10-speaker system is superb, it is still no match for the instantaneous response of the navigation system zooming in, or the fact that you get live traffic updates and warnings about delays en route on the map. The traffic updates sound good, but I have to say that it takes a bit of adjustment to get used to the different indicators that warn of impending doom – or perhaps reading the manual would help clear up some of the symbols. While technology for technology's sake isn't always great, and you'll often find us journalists recommending independent portable nav systems, this $3,145 package is worth the overtime you'll have to put in. Everything is so seamlessly integrated, the menus and operations are ridiculously easy to navigate, and the character of the car just seems completed by all the gee-whiz goodies. Then again, it's not like some high-tech cabins that blind you with a dizzying array of backlit buttons. Surprisingly, the amazing array of features is packaged into a sleek, streamlined console, trimmed in metallic finish surfaces (or the upgraded Sapele Pommele wood option). The coup de grace is the night-time illumination, which casts soft light bars under a lip in the French-stitched leather dashboard. It's a cool, soothing bluish light that bathes the cabin in understated elegance, a feeling completed
Cool. Just plain cool. by impeccable heated and ventilated chairs favoring a wide comfort zone with just enough support for mild sporting intentions. Believe it or not, there are even more features that I haven't even touched on. In this regard the CTS can match any of its competitors step for step, from swiveling HID headlamps to a super sunroof, a generous trunk right down to a 4-year/50,000-mile no-charge scheduled maintenance program, meaning you won't even have to pay for an oil change for the first few years. Starting at $32,990 it's not the cheapest in the segment, but it's got all the options, technology and style to stare down any rival, and is easily the roomiest and most comfortable while giving only inches in hard-cornering aggression and performance. The CTS is a complete luxury car and Cadillac is offering an unprecedented luxury experience to help it reclaim lost glory from its encroaching imported competition. It doesn't hurt that it's got the sporting credentials to wipe the smirk off many sports cars, let alone sport sedans. Oh, and the upcoming CTS-V is rumored to have anywhere from 500 to over 600 horsepower. Forget about it.