Cadillac CTS

Cadillac CTS
Overview
Manufacturer	General Motors
Production	2002 – present
Body and chassis
Class	Mid-size car
Related	Cadillac STS Cadillac SRX Cadillac XLR
Chronology
Predecessor	Cadillac Catera

The CTS is a mid size luxury car made by General Motors for the Cadillac brand. It was introduced as the replacement for the Cadillac Catera in 2003. Designed by Wayne Cherry, the CTS uses edgy styling that Cadillac calls "Art and Science", which was first seen on the Evoq concept car. The CTS is credited with rejuvenating the Cadillac brand, and possibly saving it from extinction, as Cadillac sales fell in favor of imported luxury brands such as Lexus and Mercedes-Benz. Although Cadillac tried to capture a younger buyer base in the 1990s, the CTS was the first of these new models that was successful as Cadillac's other attempts at luring in younger buyers, such as the Catera and Allante, were unsuccessful.

The 2008 CTS was unveiled at the North American International Auto Show. It borrows styling cues from the Cadillac Sixteen concept car, and went on sale in late August, 2007.

First generation (2003-2007)

First generation
Overview
Production	2002-2007
Assembly	Lansing, Michigan Shanghai, China
Body and chassis
Body style	4-door sedan
Layout	FR layout
Platform	GM Sigma platform
Powertrain
Engine	2.8 L LP1 V6 (210 hp) 3.2 L LA3 V6 (220 hp) 3.6 L LY7 V6 (255 hp) 5.7 L LS6 V8 (400 hp) 6.0 L LS2 V8 (400 hp)
Transmission	5-speed 5L40-E automatic 5-speed Getrag 260 manual 6-speed Aisin AY-6 manual 6-speed Tremec T-56 manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	113.4 in (2880 mm)
Length	190.1 in (4829 mm)
Width	70.6 in (1793 mm)
Height	56.7 in (1440 mm)
Curb weight	3568 lb (1618 kg)

Introduced in 2002 for the 2003 model year, the CTS rode on the new rear-wheel drive GM Sigma platform. It was a return to rear-wheel drive, as well as being the first Cadillac with a manual transmission since the 1988 Cimarron. It replaced the mid-size rear-wheel drive Catera. The CTS was nominated for the North American Car of the Year award for 2002. The CTS is built at GM's Lansing Grand River plant in Lansing, Michigan. The CTS was also assembled in China in 2006, but assembly was discontinued shortly thereafter due to poor sales in that market. The CTS in China is now an exported model once again.

Originally powered by a 3.2 L LA3 V6 producing Template:Auto hp, the CTS received a 3.6 L DOHC V6 with variable valve timing in 2004, producing Template:Auto hp and Template:Auto ftlbf of torque. The 3.2 L engine went out of production in 2005, when a new 2.8 L version of the DOHC V6 debuted in an entry-level version of the CTS. In Europe, the 2.8 L replaces the previous entry level 2.6 L.

The CTS originally offered either a 5-speed 5L40-E automatic transmission or 5-speed Getrag 260 manual transmission. The Getrag was replaced with an Aisin AY-6 6-speed for 2005.

Second generation (2008-present)

Second generation
Overview
Production	2008-
Assembly	Lansing, Michigan
Body and chassis
Body style	4-door sedan 2-door coupe
Layout	Front engine, rear-wheel drive / four-wheel drive
Platform	GM Sigma II
Powertrain
Engine	3.6 L LY7 V6 (263 hp) 3.6 L LLT V6 (304 hp) 6.2 L S/C LS9 V8 (550 hp)
Transmission	6-speed 6L50 automatic 6-speed 6L90 automatic 6-speed Aisin AY-6 manual 6-speed Tremec TR-6060 manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	113.4 in (2880 mm)
Length	191.6 in (4866 mm)
Width	72.5 in (1841 mm)
Height	58 in (1472 mm)

On April 2, 2006 in a 60 Minutes interview with Bob Lutz, part of a prototype Cadillac was revealed to audiences. The car appeared to take design influences both inside and out from the Cadillac Sixteen concept from 2003. Prototype models caught testing at the Nürburgring in Germany also carry many of the design features from the car showcased in April nearly unmasked. Spy shots from the Nürburgring prototypes also show that the car will still have a manual transmission.

At the North American International Auto Show in January 2007, GM introduced the all-new CTS that went on sale as a 2008 model. The base model features a 3.6-liter variable valve timing V6 with Template:Auto hp and Template:Auto ft.lbf of torque. A second version is offered, a new 3.6-liter direct-injection V6 VVT engine with Template:Auto horsepower and 274 foot-pounds force (371 N⋅m) of torque using regular unleaded gas. A six-speed manual will be standard. The six-speed Hydra-matic 6L50 automatic transmission will be available on all models. On-demand all-wheel drive is offered with both engines when equipped with an automatic transmission. [1] Some suspension, braking, and steering improvements from last year's CTS-V have been added to the standard CTS.

The new model is wider and longer, measuring 191.6 inches (4866 mm) long, 72.5 inches (1841 mm) wide and 58 inches (1472 mm) in height. Wheelbase is unchanged at 113.4 inches (2880 mm), but with a wider front/rear track of 61.8 / 62.0 inches (1575 / 1585 mm).

Appearance changes from the 1st gen CTS include nine-spoke, 18-inch wheels surround larger high-performance brake calipers and rotors and side air extractors located forward of the front doors.

Standard features include Template:Auto hp, 3.6-liter engine, 17-inch wheels and tires, BOSE 8-speaker sound system, Stabilitrak, tire pressure monitoring, underhood strut tower brace, polished aluminum exhaust tips, and OnStar. Optional features include iPod integration, ventilated seats, swiveling headlights, Navigation system with 3D mapping of major US landmarks and real-time traffic and weather data, BOSE 5.1 Digital Surround Sound, 40 gigabyte Hard Disc Drive, and remote start.

According to a recent issue of Motor Trend, a coupe and station wagon version of the CTS may be produced and sold in the USA, although GM feels that they may be more successful in Europe. Similarly, Cadillac had considered releasing the European-only Cadillac BLS (based on the Saab 9-3) in sedan and wagon form, but plans have been placed on hold until the debut of the Alpha car, which will be closer in size to the BMW 3-series as opposed to the BMW 5-series by which the CTS is closest to.

In late 2008, the CTS is expected to be launched in Australia representing the return of the Cadillac brand to Australia

The 2nd gen high-performance CTS-V will be in the 4th quarter of 2008 as a 2009 model year. This car will share a Template:Auto hp detuned version of the LS9 used in the 2009 Corvette ZR1. The standard transmission will be the 6-speed TR-6060 manual with the option for a 6-speed 6L90 automatic.

CTS Coupe

Cadillac CTS Coupe concept

On January 13, 2008, at the Detroit Motor Show, General Motors unveiled a Coupe version of the CTS. The CTS Coupe is expected to go into production in 2009 as a 2010 model. Recent spy pics of the coupe being tested show that much of the concept remains unchanged, including the center exhaust.

Awards

The 2008 CTS won the Motor Trend Car of the Year[2] and was selected to the Car and Driver 10 Best Cars list [3]

The Matrix Reloaded

The Cadillac CTS's success has been credited to its appearance in The Matrix Reloaded. When creating the film, the creators of the film were looking for a car for a chase scene for the film, and were looking for a car that would fit the atmosphere of the film. General Motors heard about this, and suggested the CTS to the filmmakers.They also suggested the Escalade, but the filmmakers rejected it. They showed more interest in the Escalade EXT, but it wasn't scheduled to go into prototype stage until 2001. Because of this, General Motors took production Chevrolet Avalanches and converted them into Escalade EXTs using prototype parts. Joel Silver, the Executive Producer of The Matrix stated, "We selected Cadillac to play a major role in The Matrix Reloaded because we knew the CTS and EXT could handle our rigorous production demands, as well as fit seamlessly into the innovative, hyper-stylized world of the Matrix." Ten CTS prototypes were used for the film, each showing different extents of damage.

CTS-V

Main article: Cadillac CTS-V

The Cadillac CTS-V is a high performance and V8 version of the standard CTS. It features a 6.2L LSA V8 engine producing 550 horsepower and 550 lb/ft of torque.

References

GM News

External links

• Cadillac CTS Homepage
• More information on the Cadillac CTS/ CTS-V- CadillacFAQ.com
• the CaddyEdge.com
• the Caddillac CTS 2008 review