Cadillac CTS test drive since 2007 sedan

A car of the era of classicism

For the first time, Cadillac dealers have to complain about too small quotas. The GM luxury brand offers a direct competitor to the leaders of the business sedan market for much less money. Previously, the difference in price was explained by the excessive Americanity of Cadillac: instruments in miles, clumsy suspension, sluggish machines and large -power engines, but low power. Times are changing CTS for nothing more to make excuses.
Design is the magical tool that will not spoil the price-quality perfectly balanced in terms of price-quality (example, Chevrolet Lanos), but also helps when marketers are not able to explain a strongly overstated price (example, Alfa Romeo).
The European market is a very tidbit for Cadillac. But even the possibility of dominance in this economic territory will not force the American brand to change the design, satisfying the expectations of the masses. Cadillac will never correct vertical headlights and lanterns and will not bend the body parts formed along the line. Rather, buyers will begin to evaluate cars with the coat of arms on the thyroid grill in a different way when they stand out with excellent running qualities, a high level of equipment and an attractive price, the era of classicism will again reign in automobile design.
  Cadillac CTS is drawn using straight lines alone. But when the designers were explained that the car would not go far on square wheels, the arches were still made round
 
If the general style of the exterior has not changed, then the salon has undergone a lot of changes, and for the better. The used materials became an order of magnitude better, not a single claim arose to the assembly: despite the fact that Cadillac CTS is collected in a screwdriver in Kaliningrad!
The front panel is sheathed with two -tone skin and seasoned with wood in America also available cars trimmed with carbon, but such an option has not yet been tested on our buyers. The seats have a lot of electroregulations, but chairs are a little lacking side support. This is especially strange, given the high dynamic potential of the all -wheel drive CTS 3.6!
The front panel is most likely to be low in order not to interfere with the review and create the appearance of the spaciousness of the one sitting in front. In fact, the space for the driver and the person to the right of him is not the strongest side of Cadillac. However, almost everything the main governing bodies are concentrated in one place and are convenient in operation.
The screen on the central console can move up and hide again by pressing the button. During the parking, it can be used as a TV, but it is worth turning off the Parking mode, as the picture will disappear right away. Thus, the creators of Cadillac remind you that watching TV behind the wheel is dangerous.
On the steering wheel, on -board and route computers are put on the steering wheel. It’s inconvenient to control them: firstly, some keys duplicate each other and, moreover, the computer does not know the Russian language.
It seems incomprehensible to the mass (Russian) consumer that the climate control will remain (the temperature in the cabin is shown in degrees of Fahrenheit) and the speedometer (traditionally in miles). And if the latter can go beyond the chip, then it is simply inconvenient to control the foreign language climate.
  Classicism is characterized by color saturation, strict repeating lines, symmetry, clarity and correctness of geometric shapes. Which of the above is not about Cadillac CTS?
 
Compared to the previous generation, Cadillac CTS has become 40 mm longer, 50 mm wider and 30 higher than the previous generation. Under his hood, motors of the same volume: 2.8 and 3.6 liters, but the last, 311-horsepower engine with direct injection, new. This is the most powerful V6 that is only in the Arsenal General Motors!
The gearbox to Russia is supplied by one, but what: the six-speed Hydra-Matic 6L50 automatic transmission, previously installed only on the flagship STS. And most importantly, now CTS is all -wheel drive, and the rear differential is made by self -locking! We were lucky: the top -end Cadillac CTS with an engine 3.6 and four leading wheels fell on the wheel test!
To say that a trip to Cadillac never delivered so much pleasure would be incorrect. And unfair in relation to the lucky ones who swept on the Eldorado sample of 1958 ... Incredible smoothness of the Americans has always caused well -deserved delight, but Europe certainly never received the pleasure that CTS gives from active driving Cadillac sedans!
The exact steering wheel with an instant reaction made me doubt: does an electric power steering work under the hood of CTS?! The steering wheel is poured by force, the neutral is perfectly felt. The chassis dutifully reacts to each degree of rotation of the steering wheel, without the slightest swing, screwing the sedan into the turn.
Stability and cool control of Cadillac the merit of sports (optional) suspension and spacers between the upper supports of the front racks. At the same time, there is also no shortage of comfort: the energy intensity of the suspension is very high and the pit (and even) medium size swallow almost imperceptibly. Is it really the need to look for a compromise between comfort and controllability has come into the past? ..
It is good that the engine is not so powerful as to smear passengers on the chair and bring down the breath of all this from them from the charged CTS-V, which will appear next year and will be equipped with insane V8. And the 300-horsepower engine is simply very powerful. Its more than enough on the highway (overtaking second business!) Or a ring road, and his thrust for his eyes is enough in the city. When the gas pedal passes only half of the distance intended for it, the stripes have already managed to move from the screen of the windshield into the rear view mirrors ...
At idle, the whisper of the motor can be heard only in absolute silence. Only the average sound is weakly and impatiently increasing. But the real nature of CTS shows from 4,000 to 7,000 revolutions. In sports mode, the gearbox does not allow the engine to leave the maximum torque, quickly and imperceptibly climbing the gears.
Cadillac is perhaps the only brand that offers to paint the car in white for the surcharge!
 
And yet, the main advantage of Cadillac CTS price! The most sophisticated top-end Cadillac is much cheaper than basic competitors in business faces. That is why the queues for the novelty are stretched for months, and German and Japanese competitors are clearly short of orders ...
The car was provided by Atlant-M Lakhta by the official General Motors dealer.

Text: Alexander Korobchenko
Photo: Roman Ostanin
 
 
 

Source: Wheel magazine [May 2008]