Cadillac CTS in "really quite good" shocker!
Discussion
My Z06 is in for some warranty work on the gearbox at the moment as it doesn't like going into 5th gear any more and refuses reverse completely (which makes you think hard about where to park it!).
Stratstone gave me a CTS as a loan car whilst the work is being done and after the really rather mediocre BLS I had driven previously, my hopes weren't that high.
However, even with a 3.6 V6 rather than the 6l V8 you can get in the US, it is really quite a good car!
OK, the interior is rather poor, especially the appallingly fake "wood" that graces the console like a 80s Binatone tower music centre, but the driving position is spot on and the wheel feels great apart from, again, the nasty fake wood part.
However the ride and handling is actually phenomenally good, and I don't mean "for a Yank tank", I mean by Audi/BMW/Merc standards.
The steering is scalpel sharp and delivers decent feel and the body control is superlative. Best of all there is very little understeer and a lively but controllable rear end thanks to just enough torque and a limited slip diff.
This was the first Caddy to be honed at the Nurburgring, and it really shows.
No squeaks or rattles either in this 9000 mile example, and being a loan car it probably hasn't had an easy life.
I even like the looks, although I would get all the chrome redone in matt black.
If the new forthcoming CTS V does come with the rumoured Corvette ZR1 engine (6.2V8 supercharged to 650bhp), it will make a very convincing M5 beater...
Stratstone gave me a CTS as a loan car whilst the work is being done and after the really rather mediocre BLS I had driven previously, my hopes weren't that high.
However, even with a 3.6 V6 rather than the 6l V8 you can get in the US, it is really quite a good car!
OK, the interior is rather poor, especially the appallingly fake "wood" that graces the console like a 80s Binatone tower music centre, but the driving position is spot on and the wheel feels great apart from, again, the nasty fake wood part.
However the ride and handling is actually phenomenally good, and I don't mean "for a Yank tank", I mean by Audi/BMW/Merc standards.
The steering is scalpel sharp and delivers decent feel and the body control is superlative. Best of all there is very little understeer and a lively but controllable rear end thanks to just enough torque and a limited slip diff.
This was the first Caddy to be honed at the Nurburgring, and it really shows.
No squeaks or rattles either in this 9000 mile example, and being a loan car it probably hasn't had an easy life.
I even like the looks, although I would get all the chrome redone in matt black.
If the new forthcoming CTS V does come with the rumoured Corvette ZR1 engine (6.2V8 supercharged to 650bhp), it will make a very convincing M5 beater...
Edited by Godzilla on Friday 21st September 17:17
The CTS (IMO) is a severely underrated car.
The interior is essentially as good as a Merc C-Class.
The ride/performance and engine quality are on par with a BMW 5-Series.
And it looks like a car from the future...
If only they had more dealerships in the UK and didn't deteriorate in price so much i'm sure these would give Merc and BM a good run for they're money.
The interior is essentially as good as a Merc C-Class.
The ride/performance and engine quality are on par with a BMW 5-Series.
And it looks like a car from the future...
If only they had more dealerships in the UK and didn't deteriorate in price so much i'm sure these would give Merc and BM a good run for they're money.
I am liking the pics and details I've seen of the new one.
The interior looks light years beyond the old version.
If the V does use a version of the 6.2litre supercharged V8 as rumoured, it will be a huge threat, at least dynamically to the established German uber-saloons.
Sadly for Cadillac, it will take years before they are taken seriously as a rival in Europe, if ever.
The brand just has too much kitsch history IMO.
Now if GM Racing were to bring the CTS-V race car over here to compete...
The interior looks light years beyond the old version.
If the V does use a version of the 6.2litre supercharged V8 as rumoured, it will be a huge threat, at least dynamically to the established German uber-saloons.
Sadly for Cadillac, it will take years before they are taken seriously as a rival in Europe, if ever.
The brand just has too much kitsch history IMO.
Now if GM Racing were to bring the CTS-V race car over here to compete...
Sorry it took a while but here goes.
We were given a Caddy CTS which was OK but I would of rather had the DTS or Chrysler.
First impressions were good. It had a full leather interior, dual zone climate, decent 7 speaker stereo & a boot that swallowed all our luggage. I had no idea what was under the bonnet as this stage but it went quite well & thought it was the big 6 cylinder engine. I later found out it was the smaller 2.8 V6.
On the freeway it was as expected. It was quickly up to cruising speed & was quiet & easy to drive. It was here when you could start to play with all the buttons & try out some of the features. The first button I hit was a mistake. It was the memory button for the seats, mirrors & climate controls. I ended up squashed up against the steering wheel & couldn't see anything out of the rear mirrors. The trip computer told us we were averaging 25ish to the US gallon (but what the hell at their prices)and we had a long way to go before we needed to refill. The computer also said the engine oil only had 5% life left which was a little worrying, especially as there was no handbook to refer to. The quality of the interior wasn't bad but no way is up there with the German stuff. The wood was plastic and the leather cheap. The CD player only took 1 CD and it didn't play mp3 cd's. The XM satellite radio was excellent though.
The ride was as you would expect in a luxury car, but being rear wheel drive and not too softly sprung you could throw it into the corners with confidence. Engine performance was quite good and if you used sport mode in the gearbox it would hurtle along at a fair pace.
I drove about a thousand miles in it (San Francisco to Tucson via LA) before the trip computer told me that the engine oil life had expired & I needed an oil change. I called Alamo who offered to get the oil changed or they'd replace it with a SUV. I chose the SUV because I fancied a change & was perhaps a little disappointed with the Caddy. I drove to they're office & picked up a Dodge Durango. It was a bit of a beast with it's 4.7 V8 & high driving position. The only down side was 15 mpg & it cost $80 to fill up every time. However it was a pleasure to drive so long as you took the corners a bit slower & learned to do without the cheap leather.
If I had to drive one of these over here I would pick the caddy as the Dodge would be to thirsty at our prices. If I was living over there I would have a Durango, or similar as they suit the lifestyle perfectly.
We were given a Caddy CTS which was OK but I would of rather had the DTS or Chrysler.
First impressions were good. It had a full leather interior, dual zone climate, decent 7 speaker stereo & a boot that swallowed all our luggage. I had no idea what was under the bonnet as this stage but it went quite well & thought it was the big 6 cylinder engine. I later found out it was the smaller 2.8 V6.
On the freeway it was as expected. It was quickly up to cruising speed & was quiet & easy to drive. It was here when you could start to play with all the buttons & try out some of the features. The first button I hit was a mistake. It was the memory button for the seats, mirrors & climate controls. I ended up squashed up against the steering wheel & couldn't see anything out of the rear mirrors. The trip computer told us we were averaging 25ish to the US gallon (but what the hell at their prices)and we had a long way to go before we needed to refill. The computer also said the engine oil only had 5% life left which was a little worrying, especially as there was no handbook to refer to. The quality of the interior wasn't bad but no way is up there with the German stuff. The wood was plastic and the leather cheap. The CD player only took 1 CD and it didn't play mp3 cd's. The XM satellite radio was excellent though.
The ride was as you would expect in a luxury car, but being rear wheel drive and not too softly sprung you could throw it into the corners with confidence. Engine performance was quite good and if you used sport mode in the gearbox it would hurtle along at a fair pace.
I drove about a thousand miles in it (San Francisco to Tucson via LA) before the trip computer told me that the engine oil life had expired & I needed an oil change. I called Alamo who offered to get the oil changed or they'd replace it with a SUV. I chose the SUV because I fancied a change & was perhaps a little disappointed with the Caddy. I drove to they're office & picked up a Dodge Durango. It was a bit of a beast with it's 4.7 V8 & high driving position. The only down side was 15 mpg & it cost $80 to fill up every time. However it was a pleasure to drive so long as you took the corners a bit slower & learned to do without the cheap leather.
If I had to drive one of these over here I would pick the caddy as the Dodge would be to thirsty at our prices. If I was living over there I would have a Durango, or similar as they suit the lifestyle perfectly.
I climbed into my first CTS straight from a MB E320Cdi Sport which listed at £52,000 and the transition was painless. The car is good quality fun if you can look beyond the hard plastics used to trim the doors and dash. In the new CTS, all that disappears in favour of acres of leather and the dynamics move a generation forward as well.
It's refreshing to see a fair appraisal of CTS both old and new. The new models are now arriving in the showrooms. If you're curious, come and drive one ( preferably at Bauer Millett)
It's refreshing to see a fair appraisal of CTS both old and new. The new models are now arriving in the showrooms. If you're curious, come and drive one ( preferably at Bauer Millett)
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