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2018 Cadillac XTS V-Sport Drivers' Notes Review | Cruise missile

The XTS is a standout in Cadillac's current lineup. It's a throwback to the automaker's cars of the '90s and early 2000s. It's big, comfy and packs a punch under the hood, but there's only a slight pretense of sportiness, despite the V-Sport moniker. If you want a Cadillac that handles, buy a CTS or ATS. Still, there's nothing wrong with being a big, slightly soft cruiser. Not everyone is out to conquer the Nurburgring. Some people just want comfy seats and a half-mile of wheelbase. Our tester is the range-topping Platinum V-Sport trim. At $73,040, it's not exactly cheap. That said, you do get a hell of a lot for your money. This car has heated and cooled massaging front seats with 22-way power adjustment, a heated steering wheel, heads-up display, the latest version of Cadillac's infotainment system, Bose surround sound, LED headlights and adaptive cruise control. That's not including all the V-Sport goodies like Brembo brakes, magnetic ride and a howling 3.6-liter twin-turbo V6. Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder — Hopping in the Cadillac XTS, the familiar surroundings created a certain set of expectations. Like judging a book by its cover, it's an easy trap to judge a Cadillac by its interior (they all feel the same to me). Some of what I expected, I got: a smooth ride, hearty pep, robust driver assist and fussy audio and HVAC controls. What surprised me was just how urgent this motor is. On paper, that should come as no surprise. The V-Sport's 3.6-liter twin-turbo V6, making 410 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, is bound to pack a punch. You almost forget what that should feel like, though, until you put your right foot down. There's no lag, and despite the all-wheel drive, there's even a little torque steer. The lightness of the steering means it's no difficult task to account for it, though. Speaking of steering, I actually enjoyed bending this through tight corners. It's a breeze to saw the tiller back and forth, and the car communicates the interaction between the tires — especially up front — with the road. I'd like to take this Caddy to the track. Associate Editor Reese Counts: I liked this car way more than I thought I would. I was expecting a DTS or STS with a fresh face and a bit more punch. In a way, that's what this is, but I don't mean that as a knock. I don't need every car I drive to be able to put down hot laps. Sometimes I want something with soft seats (that massage!) and a big engine to get me home quickly.

Cadillac confirms Blackwings will get manual transmissions and 3D-printed parts

Cadillac's upcoming 2022 CT4-V and CT5-V Blackwing will be the first GM production cars to utilize 3D-printed technology. In fact, the technology will be featured front and center on one of the cars' most hotly anticipated features — in a decorative medallion atop the shift knob of the manual transmission. Cadillac says that "additive manufacturing" (named as such because 3D printing accumulates tiny deposits of material to create the object) made the manual transmissions possible by reducing costs and waste. Aside from the medallion, the cars will employ two 3D-printed two HVAC ducts and an electrical harness bracket. "[The manual transmission is] something we know V-Series buyers want and itÂ’s something we knew we had to have, so we used innovative processes to make it happen,” said Cadillac performance variant manager Mirza Grebovic. Speaking of which, Cadillac commissioned a Harris Poll survey about manual transmissions and received some interesting results. For example, 66 percent of American adults surveyed know how to drive manual, and 55 percent said they've owned a standard shift car. Of those who don't, roughly 40 percent are either somewhat or very interested in learning. Interest is highest among two key demographics, 64 percent of those earning $75,000 or more in annual household income, and 62 percent of those ages 18-34. The findings seem to contradict what many automakers have said about lack of interest in manuals, with some declaring a sub-1 percent take rate when manuals are offered. Perhaps with a performance-oriented car such as the V-series, buyer preferences change. The mix of old school gearboxes and new school manufacturing techniques will result in what looks like a very potent car on paper. The CT5-V Blackwing is rumored to be powered by an updated 6.2-litter V8, while the CTS-4 Blackwing is said to be motivated by a turbo six. Neither will use the twin-turbo 4.2-liter V8 of their namesake, but they should prove to be worthy successors to the CTS-V and ATS-V. Related Video:

2022 Cadillac Escalade makes small changes across lineup

Cadillac recently opened up about the changes it's made to the 2022 car and crossover lineup for next year, but has been mum on what's planned for the 2022 Escalade. GM Authority says it has the goods, rounding up a number of trim alterations being made to the big SUV. The fifth-gen 'Slade comes in five trims, from bottom to top: Luxury, Premium Luxury, Sport, Luxury Platinum, and Sport Platinum. Starting with the updates coming across the lineup, two exterior colors retire, Dark Mocha Metallic and Shadow Metallic. They're replaced by three colors, Galactic Gray Metallic, Mahogany Metallic, and Wilder Metallic. The Escalade only offers one free color, Black Raven; all of the Metallics cost $625, and we expect these new ones will, too. Safety is the word for next year's model, with more features going in more vehicles. The entire lineup will get GM's Buckle to Drive feature that's part of the Teen Driver safety suite. Trying to make sure teens get the buckle in the clasp before taking off, if Buckle to Drive is activated, it won't let the vehicle be shifted into drive until the seatbelt is fastened. It starts with a beep and a message in the driver information center once the vehicle is started, and times out after 20 seconds. The last near-term whole-lineup changes are Near Field Communication going away, the tech having been superseded by modern smartphone capability. Finally, Super Cruise will eventually join the Escalade options sheet.  After that, the middle Premium Luxury and Sport trims are the big beneficiaries. In 2021, those two offered adaptive cruise control, automatic seatbelt tightening, enhanced automatic emergency braking, and reverse automatic braking as options. These features will come standard in 2022. Piling in more features necessitated a change to the optional $3,650 Driver Assist Tech Package that's currently offered, because the package includes three of the features that will come standard. Hence, the option's been renamed the Touring Package, and it will include air ride adaptive suspension, front and rear soft-close doors, and illuminated tread plates. Pricing is a mystery right now. The base Luxury trim gets a little attention, making lane keep assist and lane departure warning standard next year. That kit can't be had for any price on the 2021 Escalade.  And in 2023, GM Authority says we should get the hotter and more supercharged Escalade-V.