2009 - Cadillac Escalade on 2040-cars

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2013 Cadillac ATS Premium 2.0T 6MT

The new Cadillac ATS is an impressive sport sedan, often considered one of the most serious threats to the BMW 3 Series. Unlike GM's previous attempts, this four door brings aggressive styling, commendable chassis dynamics and class-leading handling to the highly competitive battle. And, like its daunting German foe, Cadillac offer several powertrain choices.
I recently spent time with the ATS 2.0T Premium on my home California turf. Fitted with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox with a limited-slip rear differential, my tester was lightly optioned, with only a paint upgrade and a cold weather package. That brought the as-tested price to $46,305, configured the way I imagine most enthusiasts would prefer. This meant I fully expected to enjoy a week with a tossable sport sedan that boasted "fun-to-drive" as its middle name, but all was not well...
Driving Notes

2020 Cadillac CT6-V First Drive | A new kind of V

One of the weird tidbits of car news in the past year was the change in naming for the 2020 Cadillac CT6-V. When it was first revealed, it was called V-Sport, the term previously used for Cadillacs with more moderate performance upgrades than the full-blown V cars that possessed massive power outputs and serious track-going capabilities. But then, before the car in question went on sale, Cadillac changed the name to match the equally moderately sporty CT4-V and CT5-V that officially downgraded the V name. So what should we make of this CT6-V, then? Is it a hardcore performance machine like the old V cars? Or is it what we’re expecting of the new V cars: a lightly upgraded version of the base car that isnÂ’t particularly distinguished? As it turns out, the CT6-V sits between these two extremes to create a car thatÂ’s involving and exciting for the driver without compromising the CT6Â’s refinement and luxury. Mechanically, the CT6-V is ultimately closer to its full-bore V predecessors. The highlight is the “Blackwing” twin-turbocharged 4.2-liter V8 that makes 550 horsepower and 640 pound-feet of torque. Besides giving the engine prodigious output, Cadillac borrowed some pages from the AMG handbook: the turbocharger is nestled in between the cylinder heads, just like the current 4.0-liter AMG V8, and each engine is hand-built start to finish by one of six engine builders. The builderÂ’s name is even featured in the engine bay. TheyÂ’re special details that fit the idea of the old V cars, but the fact that a version of the same engine is in the Platinum CT6 does make its inclusion in the CT6-V seem less special, even if its output is notably less at 500 horsepower and 574 pound-feet of torque. Setting aside the details, the engine performs well in the real world. ItÂ’s astonishingly smooth, exactly what you want from a fast flagship. It also emits a unique exhaust note thatÂ’s both raspy and growly. You wonÂ’t mistake it for a pushrod powerplant. The power and torque provide a prominent push at all points in the rev band after a brief moment for the turbos to spool up. ItÂ’s just a shame there isnÂ’t much of a rev band, as the engine redlines at 6,000 rpm, which is easy to hit thanks to the engineÂ’s creamy character. ItÂ’s so low one wonders why Cadillac bothered developing a double-overhead-cam engine at all. The V8 is coupled to a 10-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The 10-speed is perfectly fine when cruising around town.

Cadillac SRX and Saab 9-4X recalled for suspension defect

General Motors has recalled 380,498 vehicles due to rear suspension toe link adjusters that may not have been tightened properly, which could result in a loose toe link. The vehicles affected by the recall are Cadillac SRX crossovers built between 2010 and 2016, and Saab 9-4X crossovers built in 2011 and 2012. A loose toe link could cause instability while driving, especially at highway speeds. This recall follows up an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration after it received complaints from SRX drivers of uncontrolled swaying while driving. According to the agency, two incidents led to a crash. It's possible that improper procedures for tightening a toe link nut during four-wheel alignments may have resulted in corrosion and thread wear on the adjustable portion of the link. Owners of affected vehicles are advised to park their crossovers if they experience certain Malfunction Indicator Lamp warnings on the dashboard or if they feel unusual steering behavior while driving. According to the official NHTSA recall notice, dealers will replace the adjustable toe link with a non-adjustable one at no charge. Letters are expected to be mailed to owners of affected vehicles on August 9, 2021. Alternatively, owners can call Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or Saab customer service at 1-800-955-9007 and reference recall number N212340980. This is the second time many of these vehicles have been recalled for problems with the rear toe links. Back in September of 2014, GM announced that it would recall 290,241 vehicles that included SRX and 9-4X models because a "nut in the rear suspension toe adjuster link may not be torqued to the proper specification."