Test drive Cadillac CTS 2002 - 2007 Sedan

Riding a star

Wa-ah, Cadillac this magic word releases a stormy flow of associations. Skyscrapers, endless highaves, Miami beaches, Texas sands, Atlantic City casino and so on. Two hundred percent America. Glamor, spaciousness, rock and roll. Cheap gasoline and dollars in packs. After some time, a warm -up fantasy gives out a template picture: you in a noisy company rush under Frank Sinatra on a huge open car with a white leather salon. You rush through the Hollywood desert to Vegas in order to spend an unforgettable electric night surrounded by a croupier and one -armed bandits. Another life, another planet!
 
Stop-Stop-Stop. God with her, with America. What is Cadillac itself? Irrepressible dimensions, naive luxury, ostentatious chic and shine. Show business with a man driving in the title role. Narcissism extract. This is the secret of his attractiveness. Would you like to ride on such a thing? Of course?
 
What for? Admit: that others see and precipitate. I do not think that you imagine how Cadillac squeals rubber in corners or overtakes BMW in the left lane. As a Cadillac mechanism, it is far from so attractive: clumsy, clumsy, gluttonous. And indeed some old-fashioned one. Perhaps this is the most common opinion.
 
Now look at the latest Cadillac CTS (Compact Touring Sedan), the most affordable model of the company: from $ 30500 in the USA and from $ 40,000 in Russia. Still show business? Very similar to that. Only this aggressive show business at the beginning of the XXI century: flavored argument tests on nourburgering, shocking militar forms in the spirit of Stealth, execution in the matrix. From the former impressive and relaxed life -free life. CTS will never have as many admirers-readers as the tail of Eldorado in the late fifties. But these romantic snot is alien to him: he is so cool that he can give a damn if others consider him cool.
 
However, the change of image has other consequences: this Cadillac wants to squeeze the rubber in corners and lead the BMW. But in the road disciplines, the Yankees were never strong, but CTS was technically savvy, like no Cadillac before him. The car is based on the latest Sigma rear -wheel drive platform, and the body frame is made by the advanced hydraulic forming method. The weight balance of the car between the axes is optimal 50:50.
 
Six -cylinder power units volumes of 2.6 and 3.2 l of English -made, created on the basis of engines from Opel Omega. In North America, the junior engine is not offered, but there is still 3.6-liter, and soon 350-horsepower V8 from Corvette is expected. There are two gearboxes: mechanical Getrag (half a century Cadillac did not equip its cars with mechanics!) And automatic GM Hydromatic 5L40, which until recently was used only with a three-liter BMW turbodiesel (installed on 330d, X5 and Range Rover).

  

The standard has a CTS climate control, six airbags, a disconnected anti-wings system and a brake force distribution system between ERBP rear wheels. Of the interesting options, the stabilitrak 2.0 stabilization system and the TRW SpeedPro SPEEDPRO SPECTION.
 
Avoiding a scientific discussion on the design of the machine here either love to the coffin, or desperate hatred will begin to study the interior. It is well planned, made soundly, but the influence of foreign culture still affects. Firstly, luxurious chairs are clearly designed for well-fed people who can fill them entirely. Slender citizens will feel a lack of lumbar support and stoop. Secondly, Americans continue to allow themselves to exercise with cheap plastic not only on oak pickups, but also on prestigious sedans. Here, a central console is made from such a material, sharply dissonating with a soft finish of the front panel and doors. Thirdly, I understand that it is bold to add the slider adjustment of the instrument backlight to the ceiling, but why so much originality?! Another Americanism is a steering wheel regulated only in the angle of inclination. There are problems with visibility. Highly littered and thick front racks, coupled with a low edge of the windshield, create the illusion of control of an armored personnel carrier. And the sound seems to be a solid audio system with its six speakers and a subwoofer in the rear shelf is not so hot.
 
What, are you shaken? Of course, Cadillac CTS does not consist of misses and shortcomings. For example, it can be completely deservedly praised for the competent organization by managing the on-board computer menu, music, climate control. And indeed here with the buttons, order. And the rotating wheel on the steering wheel, changing the volume of music, is completely ingenious find. It is very convenient to sit from behind. But I want to move forward, I want to personally feel how this creation behaves on the road.

  

Wherever CTS appears, everywhere it causes a splash. At first it is not easy to get used to this, and then you begin to get a kind of pleasure. Cadillac remains himself, remains a star! But, fortunately, CTS does not consist of only impressive appearance. This car and the road are created for each other: he generously forgives her many flaws, she holds it tightly and gently, like a child’s mother. The reserve of stability in the turns is amazing! In the limit, CTS begins smoothly sliding, however, in order to achieve this limit, you need to keep really high speed. The steering with its rather low sensitivity pleasantly surprised the intelligence of the feedback. Write down maneuverability in the asset that only rear -wheel drive can give. The resume is as follows: CTS is not an athlete, but is in a very decent form and is not afraid to get into a fight.
 
On the highway, Cadillac feels like a king: he goes majestically and confidently, he is able to keep a straight line without the help of a person. There is silence in the cabin. In general, rapid intercity throws are given to him without tension. But in the city, swiftness is not so accessible. In the base mode, the machine switches early, preventing the engine from spreading the wings. The Sport mode allows the motor to show high speeds in each gear, which provides a more lively acceleration and a respectable sound accompaniment. The further upgrade of the dynamics is unrealistic due to the absence of a capture of a sequential function, but the car can be ordered with a handle. And drive heartily. Fortunately, the brakes of CTS are powerful.
 
Cadillac has returned to us! So far, only two models from the seven produced today are officially presented in Russia: CTS and Seville. But we antipatriotically hope for the expansion of the American contingent primarily due to the light SRX SUV.

   
The car is provided by Laura.
 
Text: Leonid Klyuyev
Photo: Roman Ostanin
 


   
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Source: Wheel magazine [No. 71/2003]