This morning, General Motors a new entry-level Cadillac sport sedan (rumored to be called ATS) which is expected to compete with the BMW 3-Series and the Hyundai Genesis.
General Motors has not released much about this yet-to-be-named car, except that it will come as rear-wheel drive with an all-wheel drive option, and will have a range of high-tech engines. The car is expected to be cheaper than the CTS, which means it should cost less than $40,000. General Motors also hinted that the new Cadillac is expected to be in production by 2012. We wonder if this new car (in concept form) will be at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
For more information about the new Cadillac click on the link below.
We just added a 2009 Cadillac CTS-V into the Ann Arbor test fleet, and it's no surprise that we're quite excited to spend seven days with the 556-horsepower Big Daddy Caddy. Thus, we're adding the CTS-V into our Ask It forums, so feel free to visit the forum thread and post comments with questions that you have about GM's M5-killer. We'll do our best to respond, as well as post driving impressions over the next few days.
Every cloud has a silver lining. Just a few days after GM announced that their performance division would be put on an indefinite hold, spy shots of the Cadillac CTS-V Coupe have now surfaced on the web, proving that while GM may be nixing the SS-badged Chevys and other fast-ish products, it looks like they're still serious about giving us a V-series Coupe as a final performance hurrah.
While we can't confirm that the CTS-V Coupe will ever see the light of day, it gives us a glimmer of hope that something is still stirring within GM's super-fast walls. Really, the last thing the world needs right now is a 550-horsepower Cadillac coupe, but if it's half as good as the sedan, it would really prove to be a bargain over the BMW M6 or Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class E-Class Coupe AMG.
Click on over to AutoWeek to see the full shots and read more details, but we'll be sure to keep you posted about any future rumblings from the Caddy's V line.
According to a report from the Bowling Green Daily News, General Motors is said to be stopping production on the Cadillac XLR, the luxury marque's Corvette-derived hardtop roadster. The XLR is currently manufactured at GM's Bowling Green assembly plant, which is essentially a small-staffed operation dedicated to XLR and Corvette.
This doesn't come as much of a surprise, since the Cadillac XLR never really took the ranks of a "luxury Corvette," what with its Northstar V-8 under the hood and relatively sedate driving dynamics; and a price point near $100,000 didn't really help, either.
Around forty workers at the Bowling Green plant are expected to be laid off in lieu of the XLR's death with the remaining workforce being dedicated solely to Corvette production. There's no official word from GM on this news yet, but we wouldn't expect to see the XLR making it through one more model year.
With the presidential inauguration just days away, expect to see presidential motorcades included in the press coverage. Although the motorcade is meant, at least in part, as a security measure to protect the president or other VIPs, it also seems to serve as a tiny parade that gets the public excited about governmental goings-on. Obama's Cadillac "Stagecoach" limousine has already been a focus in the news.
Why does the president need so many vehicles to accompany him around town? The first few police vehicles block traffic and lead the motorcade. If there are any obstacles (bombs?) they can deal with it before the presidential limo gets there, or they can change the route or redirect traffic. The two armored limos carry the president (or vice president), other VIPs, and Secret Service personnel. The vehicles behind the limos are also full of secret service, SWAT, and other staff vehicles.
Following this first group, which can break off in the event of an emergency, are usually vans full of photographers, press, and guests, an ambulance, then more police vehicles to maintain the integrity of the motorcade.
The motorcade will vary depending on the level of security or location.
The Presidential changing of the guard officially happens in one week, and when Barack Obama stakes the stand as Commander in Chief of the United States, General Motors will have its latest Cadillac Presidential Limousine waiting.
While GM was very shy to release the full specifications of the limo (for obvious reasons), it's clear that Obama's ride will be a mix of GM parts, notably the Escalade headlamps and DTS rear end, all riding on the platform shared with GM's heavy-duty pickups. Expect this special limo to be full of technological gadgetry suitable only for Citizen Number One.
General Motors has issued a full release which can be found by clicking through the post, and click through our gallery to see the Presidential limo from all angles.
As promised, General Motors has given its Cadillac division a crack at the underpinnings of the highly-touted Chevrolet Volt, clothing the range-extending vehicle in a creased Caddy concept known as Converj.
In addition to carrying on the Cadillac tradition of stupidly spelled concept car sobriquets, the Converj is another stunner in an impressive design portfolio for the luxury carmaker. The razor edge form is unmistakably Cadillac design, though the mildly awkward proportions are telling of the Volt origins.
Like the Volt, the Converj is powered by a flex-fuel sipping four-cylinder “engine-generator”, which coupled to a lithium-ion battery-powered electric motor. That powerful combination can send 273 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels instantaneously, and helps to give the new-age Caddy a top speed of 100 miles per hour. Without being terribly specific, Cadillac sights an overall range of “hundreds of miles” with the extended range configuration. The car can also draw a small amount of supplemental power from roof-mounted solar panels. That juice could theoretically help to power some of the contents of the Converj’s techy cabin, which boasts such futuristic features as organic LED technology, a unique powering up sequence on the console, and a great multiplicity of cameras to replace the more pedestrian set of mirrors found on today’s vehicles.
Have a closer look above, and read on below for the full Cadillac press release.
After releasing a teaser video of the new Cadillac SRX playing in the snow, General Motors has officially taken the wraps off of the new Caddy crossover which will officially debut at the Detroit Auto Show in a few weeks. While the outgoing SRX was based on the CTS's platform, the 2010 SRX uses GM's Theta groundwork (also found on the new Chevrolet Equinox) to create an a more attractive MPV for the Cadillac brand. This means that while the outgoing SRX was available in rear-wheel drive (with optional all-wheel drive), the new vehicle will be offered in front-drive for the base model with AWD available. Additionally, the Cadillac designers have carried over with their "Art and Science" theme, making the new SRX doubly more attractive than the outgoing model.
The SRX can be had with a choice of two powerplants: a direct-injection 3.0-liter V-6 which produces 260 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, or a turbocharged 2.8-liter V-6 which pumps out producing 300 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Both are mated to a standard six-speed automatic transmission and, as mentioned before, can be had with front- or all-wheel-drive configurations.
All of this, combined with a rather attractive interior, should make the SRX a rather worthy competitor for vehicles like the Acura RDX and Infiniti EX35. We'll have live shots for you when the SRX officially debuts on the Cobo Hall floor. In the meantime, click through our gallery of press shots and click through the post for GM's official press release and a video!
GM has already showed us the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox which will make its official launch at the Detroit Auto Show, but they've now released this teaser video of the 2010 Cadillac SRX doing it's thing in the snow. In this "grown up snow day" video, the GM engineers are clearly showing us that the SRX won't just be about comfort and versatility this time around. Maybe it'll be somewhat fun to drive, too? In any case, have a look at the video and stand by for our full details when the car is launched next month.
General Motors is making the Chevrolet Volt its top priority at this point, but there are now rumors circulating that Cadillac may be the next GM brand to get its own vehicle using the Volt's technology. Motor Authority reports that a Cadillac Volt would make great economic sense because the luxury appeal of a Cadillac means consumers would be more willing to pay out for the expensive technology found in the Volt.
GM's Bob Lutz has stated that an electric-powered Cadillac was definitely a possibility and that the brand would unveil "some kind of dramatic environmental statement" soon. This aligns with reports from GM insiders who say that a plug-in hybrid Cadillac is currently in development along with other plug-in models for the Opel brand and possibly a plug-in SUV for Chevrolet. Looking at GM's timeline, 2011 or 2012 seems like a reasonable possibility for an electric Cadillac to hit the market.