Cadillac CTS
Stealth Street Fighter |
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By Richard J. Newman
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NITS: The 5-speed manual version–the standard offering at all trim levels–should come with a hand emergency brake instead of a foot brake. As is, the car requires too many maneuvers to put it in neutral, release the clutch, press the emergency brake, then put the gearshift back in first gear or reverse for parking.
G-FORCES: The 3.2-liter, 220-horsepower V-6 is a mover. Cornering was actually fun, something I never thought I'd say about a Cadillac.
GIZMOLOGY: Cadillac designers have fallen for modern, industrial-style interiors, with metallic-looking needles and gauges. Interesting, though not as elegant as some European instrumentation. Control knobs for the sound and climate systems were large and convenient, with a nifty thumb-operated volume dial on the steering wheel. There was also some typical GM overkill, such as a button on the keyhole you have to press with your thumb to get your
key out and a radio that stays on after you turn the car off.
KID MARKS: The CTS isn't your father's Cadillac–there's not nearly as much maneuver room inside as you might think. Kids in car seats will definitely use the seatbacks in front of them as a footrest. Other features, such as door handles that pull up from underneath, indicate the obvious-this car wasn't designed with children in mind. But my 3- and 5-year-old were pleased with the reachable cupholders on the armrest in the back, and they were thrilled with the pass-through opening in the armrest that led to a "secret compartment" (the trunk).
HOT OR NOT? Hot. But the unusual angular design is like high fashion. It's chic today but could be passé within a year.
ENVIROMETER: The EPA hasn't yet given the CTS a "green vehicle" rating. Mileage is 19 mpg city/26 mpg highway.
CRASH COURSE: Not crash-tested by the government
PRICE POINTS: Base prices range from $29,990 to $33,490. Price as tested: $36,765. (All prices include delivery fee.)
MORE INFO: http://www.cadillac.com/cadillacjsp
/models/cts/index.html
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Model year tested: 2003
Its bumps and angles take after the F-117 Stealth fighter, but the Cadillac CTS is far from invisible. Gawkers in other cars crane their necks to get a glimpse of it, speeding up or slowing down to join in formation alongside. Piloting the CTS is like showing off at an airshow, except the speed limit is much lower.
The attention is justified. The CTS delivers performance to match its looks, at a cost equal to a couple of bolts on its airborne progenitor. It's also the second consecutive hit for Cadillac–after the Escalade SUV–which seems sufficient to justify claims of a resurgence at GM's octogenarian luxury division. Yet unlike the gaudy Escalade, the CTS offers refinements that belie its in-your-face look. A thick steering wheel and a tight suspension make the car feel heavy in your hand but light on the road. A sprightly V-6 provides plenty of power without the traditional roar and lurch of a Cadillac V-8.
GM is aiming to replicate the feel (though certainly not the look) of European sports sedans like the BMW 3-series. It's gotten fairly close, but more important, the company has exorcised some of the old idiosyncracies associated with a Cadillac. There's no boatiness or floatiness in the CTS. The steering is stiff. You need two hands on the wheel to make a sharp turn. The manual five-speed stick shift in the test car felt smooth yet firm, like stirring thick, creamy soup. It mated beautifully with the 3.2-liter engine and was easy on the driver. I got nice acceleration even if I was in too high a gear, and the car refused to yank and strain at higher RPMs, when I was overdue for an upshift.
GM can't help itself with certain baubles, like real wood trim (wow!) in exactly three spots: the upper portion of the steering wheel and a small section of the front door handles. Such "accents" seem to cheapen a car rather than enhance it, by hinting at luxury the car doesn't otherwise deliver. Perhaps some of the Cadillac designers were worried that their grandfathers would be turned off by the ink-black interior, ruggedized with tough, mottled rubber surfaces. They probably will be, but younger drivers are buying more CTSs than GM can build. It's time to pass the baton from one generation to the next.
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