Cadillac Catera
| Cadillac Catera | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Opel (General Motors) |
| Also called | Opel Omega Vauxhall Omega |
| Production | 1996–2001 |
| Model years | 1997–2001 |
| Assembly | Rüsselsheim, Germany |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Executive car (E) |
| Body style | 4-door sedan |
| Layout | FR layout |
| Platform | GM V platform |
| Related | Opel Omega |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 3.0 L L81 V6 |
| Transmission | 4-speed GM 4L30-E automatic |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 107.5 in (2,730 mm) |
| Length | 1997–99: 194.0 in (4,928 mm) 2000–01: 192.2 in (4,882 mm) |
| Width | 70.3 in (1,786 mm) |
| Height | 1997–99: 56.3 in (1,430 mm) 2000–01: 56.4 in (1,433 mm) |
| Curb weight | 3,897 lb (1,768 kg) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Cadillac Cimarron |
| Successor | Cadillac CTS Pontiac G8 |
The Cadillac Catera is a four-door, five passenger luxury sedan manufactured from 1996 to 2001 in Rüsselsheim, Germany by Opel, and marketed in the United States by Cadillac as a rebadged variant of the Opel Omega B — with approximately 95,000 in total sales over five model years.
History
The Catera officially went on sale in the United States in the fall of 1996 as a 1997 model with a base price of $29,995 ($58,272 in current dollars). Standard features included cloth interior, front bucket seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, AM/FM stereo radio with cassette player and eight-speaker sound system, airbags, anti-lock brakes, traction control, keyless entry, security system, alloy wheels, compact spare tire, and full instrumentation. Optional equipment included leather interior, heated seats, cassette player and CD player combination, Bose premium sound system, power sunroof, Homelink, OnStar, and chrome wheels. [citation needed]
A Sport model was offered beginning in 1999 with eight-way power adjustable seats, heated front seats, 17-inch wheels, driver's seat memory, audible theft-deterrent system, three-channel garage door opener, high-intensity discharge headlamps, and a rear spoiler. The Catera received a facelift in 2000 with revised nose, tail, wheels, interior trim, mirrors, optional HID headlamps, stiffer suspension settings, and side airbags.
The model's engine was a 200 hp (150 kW) 54° L81 V6 manufactured in England at GM's Ellesmere Port facility, using an FR layout. The GM 4L30-E automatic transmission was manufactured at GM's plant in Strasbourg, France.
Marketing
The Catera was marketed with the tagline "the Caddy that zigs," and launch advertisements featuring supermodel Cindy Crawford — who spoke to an animated duck-like character called "Ziggy". Cadillac described the character: "like Catera, Ziggy was hatched in Germany and has the sole mission of bringing fun to the luxury of Cadillac. He was one of six mythical, beakless, footless martins or 'Merlettes' in the Cadillac Crest before we gave him big feet, a giant beak, and turned him around. He's quite a departure from his five brothers who have been part of the Cadillac Crest since the days of the crusades when the crest was the proud symbol of Le Sieur Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac Family. "Ziggy" was featured through model year 1998.
In 1997, John Tinker, a producer of television medical drama Chicago Hope, was inspired by a pun in a Catera commercial saying "Who is Lisa Catera?" (in response to the Catera tagline "Lease a Catera") and introduced a new character named Dr. Lisa Catera, played by Stacy Edwards. Coincidentally, the main demographic of Chicago Hope viewers were exactly the same demographic Cadillac hoped to attract with the Catera, and Cadillac/General Motors management responded extremely positively to the reference, becoming the main advertiser on the show and giving Edwards a complimentary three-year lease on a Catera. In one episode, Edwards' character states "When you can't zig, you zag," a reference to another Catera tagline.[1][2]
Related vehicles
The close relative to the Catera's platform continued in use until 2006 in the Pontiac GTO which was a US market version of the Holden Monaro coupe, both of which vehicles were manufactured by GM Holden in Australia. These two performance coupes were themselves derived from the sedan platform that originated in the Australian market as the VT-series Holden Commodore in 1997. The related European Opel Omega was discontinued in 2003.
Yearly American sales
| Calendar Year | Total sales |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 1,676 |
| 1997 | 25,411 |
| 1998 | 25,333 |
| 1999[3] | 15,068 |
| 2000[3] | 17,290 |
| 2001[4] | 9,764 |
References
- John Phillips. "Cadillac Catera Sport". Car and Driver (May 2000): 120–125.
