Thomas Jefferson, it's been said, believed a revolution was needed, every 50 years or so in order to keep our democracy fresh and responsive to the American public. In the automotive world, revolutions must occur on a much more frequent schedule, at least if a manufacturer hopes to respond to fast-changing consumer trends.
It wasn't all that long ago, January 2002, to be precise, that Cadillac staged an insurrection of its own, overthrowing the staid and directionless order that had led "the standard to the world" to become little more than an American also-ran.
The weapon of choice was the CTS, a strikingly stylish sedan that, for the first time in decades, positioned Caddy as a true design leader. Better yet, the CTS's Sigma architecture - GM-speak for platform - proved stiff and solid and an unexpected match-up to the better German competitors.
That's not to say the first-generation CTS was truly world-class. As General Motors' product czar, Bob Lutz, admits, "We managed to spend a lot of money on the interior and still make it look cheap."
So it was with plenty of anticipation that TheCarConnection.com accepted an invitation to check out the second-generation CTS, which Caddy snuck onto the back lot of the Sony Studios, just prior to the L.A. Auto Show last November. The new CTS made its debut at the 2007Detroit show.
2008 Cadillac CTS |
The first CTS had two "pillars," recalled Jim Taylor, the chief engineer on the original car and now the division's general manager, "bold styling and performance." The '08 CTS is not going to deliver the same visual knock-out punch. It's more refined and dare say even subtle - though not blanded out like the somewhat disappointing Cadillac STS.
Working from nose to tail, the front end lifts some cues from the striking Sixteen concept car; the grille is better integrated into the nose, flowing under the bumper, Audi style, and blending into the curvaceous hood. The lamps feature light pipes that remain lit whenever the engine is on. (And in the upscale version, those lamps are steerable. The European edition lights will also be auto-leveling.)
The new CTS's track has been extended two inches, front and rear, which notably enhances the visual stance and, Caddy engineers promise, also improves performance. To show off the changes, the fenders flare out at the wheel wells. Immediately behind, are new air extractors that, according to Cadillac senior engineer Randall Schway, "are 90 percent visual, but 10 percent functional."
The so-called "character line" that defines the CTS from a side view has been enhanced. The look is still angular, but not quite as squared off as the first-generation sedan. "We've tended to move a little more towards art than science," noted Schway, a reference to the Art & Science design theme the CTS ushered in.
Like the front, the rear of the car is far better integrated into the whole than the car that was first previewed in mid-2001. The taillights are striking but not garish, and the license plate holder - downright cheesy in its original, gray plastic - is carefully incorporated into the overall look.
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