Cadillac is to officially reveal its new flagship saloon concept in a conference later today at the Detroit Auto Show. The XTS Platinum is the bigger brother of the CTS saloon that's been in its current guise since 2008, but where the CTS was a rival to the BMW 5-series, the XTS is a few rungs higher up the executive ladder, somewhere closer to a 7-series.
In its smart new Cadillac 'Art and Science' family look the XTS has sharp European-style lines and a coupe-like high window line, and shows a clear resemblence to its little brother. The generous lashings of chrome on the outside and beige and wood interior trim are a little more 'on-message' for an American sedan, but they can't hide what is, in essence, a neat and modern design.
Indeed, beneath the obligatory walnut and leather appears to be quite a modern interior, including a clever 'OLED' (Organic LED) digital instrument cluster, bold centre console and rising screens for the rear passengers.
The four-wheel drive concept is a plug-in hybrid, with an electric motor that can apparently charge from a conventional US power outlet (half as powerful as over here at 120V) in around five hours, and should be in use full-time at congestion speeds. Once the traffic clears (or if the 'leccy motor runs out of juice) a direct-injection 3.6-litre V6 picks up the slack, but the electric motor can also be used for boosts at higher speeds, and the combined power output peaks at an estimated 350hp in short bursts.
The XTS Platinum concept also has Magnetic Ride Control (MRC), which can sense road conditions and adjust the damper settings appropriately, and the inevitable array of electronic systems for stability, traction and braking that you'd expect of a car in this segment.
Though this is just a concept, production of the final road-ready XTS Platinum should begin in early 2012. There's no word yet on UK availability, but if the Caddy makes it across the Atlantic you can bet it'll be priced to worry the established players in the European market.
And with modern styling and a fashionable hybrid drivetrain, the XTS Platinum may be a safer bet for the European market than most American saloon cars have traditionally been.