2014 Cadillac Ats 2.5l on 2040-cars

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Cadillac hid more than two dozen Easter eggs in its Blackwings

Everybody loves Easter eggs, right? Finding one is a great moment, especially if you happen upon it by accident, preferably while simply cleaning or poking around, but maybe because you had to dig around in some far-flung corner of the cabin in search of a persistent rattle or some other issue. A hidden symbol or message from the manufacturer helps remind us that some cars aren't just appliances.  The 2022 Cadillac CT4-V and CT5-V Blackwings are perfect candidates. Not only are they niche enthusiast vehicles whose owners are likely to turn them inside out, but they also benefited greatly from Cadillac's racing efforts, providing ample source material for subtle references all over the car, both inside and out. Enough, in fact, that Cadillac managed to stick more than two dozen of them into its two flagship sport sedans. And since I took delivery of my Blaze Orange CT4 last week, I decided to see if I could spot a few of them myself – because I don't spend enough time crawling all over car interiors already.  Cadillac called several of them out in a press kit Tuesday. Manual-transmission cars like mine have blank-off plates installed where the paddles would go on the back side of the steering wheel, for instance. Rather than just leaving bare plastic that nobody would ever have a reason to look at, Cadillac had a small map of its Milford proving grounds printed on the plates.  Each Blackwing also gets a serial number on the wheel. 46-146 translates to CT4-V Blackwing 6-speed #146. CT5-V Blackwings decode similarly, though their model indicator digit is an 8 rather than a 5. While a steering wheel plaque is not exactly hidden, it's among the items Cadillac noted, as are the "Blackwing" tags on the front seats; the subtle logo in the seatback Alcantara is something I spotted on my own. CT5-V Blackwing models with the carbon fiber seat package get their logos embossed in the seatback. This brings us outside. While I know for a fact that there are several items hidden on the CT4-V's underbody (we got to look at these on a lift back in July), there are a couple of obvious items scattered in more accessible locations. The subtle Cadillac crests in the taillights aren't unique to Blackwing, but they're still nicely done. The stylized "V" in the hood insulation layer looks pretty nice too.  The hidden items differ between the CT4 and CT5-V too, as illustrated by the two wheel images above.

Recharge Wrap-up: Lyft partners with Didi Kuaidi, Cadillac uses ultracapacitors

Lyft and Chinese on-demand transportation venture Didi Kuaidi have announced a partnership. Additionally, Didi Kuaidi is investing $100 million in Lyft. The two ridesharing companies will share technology and provide interoperability between platforms. For users, this means it will be easier to get around when traveling between the US and China. "In today's rideshare environment, where every region presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities, partnering with the homegrown leader is the winning approach to Chinese expansion," says Lyft President and co-founder John Zimmer. Learn more in the video above, and in the press release below. Car2go has announced service in Miami Beach, FL. Beginning October 1, the one-way carsharing service will expand its boundaries beyond its current Miami service area to include neighboring Miami Beach. "We're thrilled to see car2go expand to Miami Beach," says Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine. "Miami Beach residents and visitors are increasingly seeking new, environmentally conscious options to move around North, Middle, and South Beach, and carsharing is an important part of realizing that vision." Read more from Car2go. ClipperCreek has added the HCS-30 EVSE to its product line. The 24-amp, 240-volt Level 2 charging station is designed for residential and workplace duty. It allows for faster charging without the customer having to upgrade their electrical service panel. Delivering about 20 miles of range per hour of charging, the HCS-30 EVSE can charge most EVs in about four hours. Pricing begins at $565. Read more from ClipperCreek. Cadillac will use ultracapacitors in its stop-start systems for 2016. Rather than relying on battery power to run electrical systems while the engine is not running, the utracapacitors can provide a stable flow of energy without losing lifespan to repeated cycling. Supplied by Maxwell Technologies, the ultracapacitors are also lighter than batteries and, according to Cadillac, provide smoother restarts. The 2016 models to use the updated stop-start technology as standard will be the ATS and CTS, with the exception of the V performance variants. Read more at Green Car Reports. Lyft and Didi Kuaidi Announce Strategic Partnership, Building Toward a Collaborative Global Ridesharing Alliance - Didi Kuaidi Invests $100 million in Lyft - Companies Introduce Ridesharing Coverage Between the U.S.

The new presidential limo is almost ready and way bigger than a Suburban

If you're familiar with the current presidential limo, which is nicknamed The Beast, you know it's based on a medium-duty truck platform. This new one, shown in aerial spy photos, appears to be just as huge. The vehicles flanking it in these shots are Chevrolet Suburbans, basically the largest passenger vehicle you can buy. And while the limo looks car-shaped, it's very tall and much longer than the three-row SUV. You might say it's yuge. Like its predecessor, The Beast 2.0 is being developed in secret because all of its various systems and defenses are matters of national security. We are fairly confident that it has lots of armor protection, glass that's about five inches thick, and special systems to clean the air in the event of a biological warfare attack. The current Beast is also said to carry a pint or two of the President's blood type just in case something does happen. When the President is being transported in a motorcade, he is at his most vulnerable, so Cadillac One and the vehicles that surround it have to be prepared for almost anything. In fact, two identical presidential limos travel together to make it harder for would-be attackers to do bad stuff. The Suburban escort it's getting here at the GM proving grounds is appropriate, since most of the vehicles used by the Secret Service to accompany the President's motorcade are big GM SUVs. By the looks of this camouflaged prototype, GM is nearing completion of testing the new Presidential car. The styling is a mix of CT6 sedan and Escalade, with a little XTS thrown in, and it looks a lot more sleek by comparison than the current blocky Beast. When it's ready, President Donald Trump will be the first to ride in it on official business and the current beasts will probably be retired and end up in a museum. Related Video: Featured Gallery Cadillac One Presidential Limo Spy Photos View 13 Photos Image Credit: Chris Doane Automotive Government/Legal Spy Photos Cadillac Luxury Sedan the beast cadillac one