1967 Cadillac Fleetwood on 2040-cars

Auto blog

GM, UAW poaching Nissan workers in Tennessee

General Motors and the United Auto Workers are going on a recruitment drive at the Spring Hill factory in Tennessee, and they're hoping to poach some skilled workers from Nissan's nearby plant in Smyrna, TN. The General and the union even bought a billboard advertising for industrial electricians near the Japanese automaker's facility, according to the Daily News Journal. The reason for the billboard was simple. "GM was short of electricians," said Tim Stannard, the president of the UAW local at Spring Hill, to the Daily News Journal. The factory currently builds the Chevrolet Equinox but has a contract to assemble the next generation of Ecotec engines and the Cadillac XT5, which replaces the SRX. Thanks to the $185-million deal, employment there is expected to double by May 2016, according to Stannard, with roughly 1,800 additional union jobs. Beyond just several billboards, GM has job postings online for the Spring Hill plant looking for workers with specific skills. There has already been some interest in the positions among Nissan employees, Stannard indicated. According to a recent study by the Center for Automotive Research, the average GM worker currently makes $58 an hour, including benefits. Comparatively, Nissan pays an average of $42 an hour with benefits. The General's number could change in the coming weeks because its contract with the UAW is about to expire, and higher wages are among the major negotiating points.

2020 Cadillac XT4 Review and Buying Guide | Competence and curb appeal

The 2020 Cadillac XT4 is a handsome little crossover distinctively sized between two segments. This allows it to boast backseat space on par with larger SUVs like the Audi Q5, while being a bit more park-able and fuel efficient like the BMW X1. There should definitely be a Goldilocks "just right" thing going on for many shoppers. Cadillac's baby SUV also impresses on the technology front, boasting loads of standard, advanced features along with a user-friendly touchscreen interface that shouldn't be too hard to figure out. There are dynamic missteps, though. The steering, throttle and brake pedals lack the driver-oriented response and feedback we've come to expect from Cadillac's sharply tuned sport sedans, while also not exactly possessing the nice-and-easy isolation of Caddy's past. In either scenario, we're not sure it "drives like a Cadillac" despite some otherwise impressive engineering going on underneath that handsome skin. The XT4 is also pretty expensive given its features, size and interior quality. Competitors both larger (Acura RDX) and smaller (Volvo XC40) provide better value. Still, as we noted in our XT4 first drive, there's enough novel tech to provide bragging rights, it's obviously a Cadillac in design (and definitely not just a rebadged Chevrolet in execution), and it's a pleasing enough place to sit while scooting around in traffic. It has competence and curb appeal, which count for a lot. What's new for 2020? After being an all-new model last year, the XT4 heads into 2020 with some noteworthy features updates: Forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking are now standard, while the Premium Luxury trim level gets the hands-free power liftgate as standard equipment.   What's the XT4's interior and in-car technology like? The XT4's interior design isn't as memorable as that of its exterior, nor its stylish Volvo XC40 and Lincoln Corsair competitors. It's a bit generic, which just doesn't seem right for a Cadillac. Materials quality is acceptable when closer to its base price, but begins feeling less so as options are added and the price tag rises. We've also driven multiple XT4's with an annoying rattle in the B pillar. Standard infotainment technology is abundant. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included with the standard 8-inch touchscreen and benefit from a pair of USB ports: one standard USB-A and the other a newer USB-C.

2020 Cadillac XT5 light refresh shown in China ahead of U.S. reveal

We spied the lightly refreshed 2020 Cadillac XT5 not too long ago, but now we have official photos via China. Cadillac decided to reveal the mid-cycle refresh of its crossover on that side of the world, so the vehicle you're looking at here is a China-spec XT5. While this may be the case, many of the details unmasked about the vehicle will likely be seen here, too. Cadillac told us it will be able to confirm U.S. specifics in the near future. You may be wondering, what's different? Truthfully, there isn't much to the mid-cycle update from a visual perspective. The grille has been swapped for one that better matches all the other grilles in Cadillac's newest crossovers like the XT4 and XT6. Cadillac of China didn't include any photos of the rear for this light reveal. There are significant updates in other places, though. At least in China, Cadillac is giving the XT5 its new 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine we first saw in the XT4. That engine produces a refined 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. We can't say whether the crossover will or won't keep the 3.6-liter V6 option in the states, but adding the boosted motor won't come as a surprise. Along for the ride is GM's nine-speed automatic transmission that is paired to that four-cylinder. The interior looks largely the same, save for the addition of Cadillac's rotary knob to control the infotainment system. This follows suit with other newly-released Cadillacs that allow you to control the system with both the knob and the touchscreen. Another notable interior upgrade is the addition of the rearview mirror camera. Cadillac is clearly set on integrating this technology onto every car it makes, and we certainly don't have any qualms with that. One bit of tech that wouldn't be included for China but may present itself for the U.S. model is Super Cruise. We've been told to expect the driver assistance system to spread throughout the manufacturer's lineup, and the XT5 seems a perfect candidate for the tech. Watch out for more details and photos coming soon for the 2020 XT5, as Cadillac will be sharing more specifics on the U.S. version in due time.