2010 Cadillac Cts4 Lux Awd Leather Pano Sunroof Nav 51k Texas Direct Auto on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Cadillac ATS was almost front-wheel drive

"We were going to do a front-wheel drive Cadillac compact off of Delta because it was going to be less expensive," Doug Parks, General Motors' vice president of global product programs, told the Automotive News during the Detroit Auto Show in January of this year. That sentence, referring to early ATS discussions more than five years ago - a period when the automaker, and the industry, was struggling - reveals that Cadillac's highly acclaimed rear-wheel drive compact sedan almost never happened.
Parks revealed that that automaker actually built a 2.0-liter test mule, on GM's Delta platform (shared with the Chevrolet Cruze and Buick Verano) and tested it in Europe. While the prototype was "pretty darn good," according to Parks, the team realized that in order to compete against Mercedes-Benz and BMW it would have to invest in a new rear-wheel drive platform.
The resulting all-new Alpha platform would eventually underpin the Cadillac ATS, and many would argue that its balanced rear-wheel drive chassis is its single most important attribute. Thankfully, the Alpha's goodness won't stop with the ATS. The upcoming 2014 Cadillac CTS and the future Camaro will also share its architecture, meaning the Cimarron will remain a distant memory.

2020 Cadillac XT6 Sport First Drive Review | An unexpectedly strong performer

Cadillac is in an unenviable position right now. Over the past few years, it developed some excellent driving sedans just in time for the world to demand nothing but crossovers. Now it’s working fast to get more crossovers on the market besides the XT5. Its latest is the 2020 Cadillac XT6, a large three-row luxury crossover designed to slide under the enormous Escalade and provide less truck-like driving characteristics. And while it has an underwhelming wrapper, itÂ’s actually a refined, capable and spacious luxury crossover. Still, it must be emphasized that the Cadillac XT6 does not make a strong first impression. The Escalade is brash, bold and above all, big. That's exactly what's been historically expected from Cadillac, but the XT6 just looks like any three-row crossover with some creased lights and lines that help make it look like a Cadillac. ItÂ’s not ugly, but it's not memorable, either. The interior is a mixed bag. The materials are impressive, with interior panels covered in leather and suede in a loaded Premium Luxury version we drove (we haven't had a chance to see a base version). The other trim level, the Sport, gets real carbon fiber trim thatÂ’s made more interesting with copper wires woven into the material for a metallic glint. ThereÂ’s real metal trim throughout, too, from the shift paddles to the nicely weighted infotainment and volume knobs. Unfortunately, the actual dash design looks uninspired and even a little cheap. This is something that weÂ’ve noticed on many GM vehicles, and what seems to be the culprit is that every panel is oddly chunky and blunt. There are no crisp or sharp edges, no thin details, no "wow" moments. The seats arenÂ’t particularly impressive either, as theyÂ’re flat and not very supportive. More lumbar and bolstering would help. The interior is at least spacious, with loads of head, leg and shoulder room in the first two rows. The third-row seat is even usable by adults, at least for short trips since head- and legroom are tight and the seat itself is low. It's similar to what you'd find in the more expensive BMW X7, but less than a Buick Enclave or most non-luxury three-row crossovers. Access to the third row is quite good thanks to the far-sliding second row, and it folds away into the cargo floor at the push of a button at either rear door. There are also USB outlets for every seating position, another thoughtful touch. Once the Cadillac XT6 is on the road, it has some impressive aspects.

2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing will get carbon fiber seat backs

Cadillac is putting the finishing touches on the 2022 CT5-V Blackwing, the high-performance sedan that will pick up where the CTS-V left off. It announced the model will be available with carbon fiber front seat backs. Presumably found on the list of extra-cost options, the weight-saving carbon fiber seat backs will stand out with a book-matched design and a laser-etched V-Series logo that will remind the passengers sitting in the back that they're not riding in a regular CT5-V. Interestingly, Cadillac noted the seats will also boast "other customer-centric innovations and features" that will be detailed closer to the sedan's on-sale date. Chairs are hardly on the front lines of automotive innovation, so we're looking forward to learning more about what Cadillac has in store. Drivers will have carbon fiber in front of them, too, because the multi-function steering wheel's bottom spokes will be made with the composite material. Cadillac hinted the sedan's top speed will lie in the vicinity of 200 mph. 2021 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing spied View 15 Photos Nearly everything else we know about the CT5-V Blackwing comes from a diverse selection of rumors, industry murmurings, and spy shots. We learned earlier in 2020 that it might receive an updated version of the 6.2-liter V8 that powered its predecessor, not the 4.2-liter Blackwing engine it's named after, and leaked images strongly suggest a manual transmission will be available, though we assume Cadillac will also offer an automatic. It might be a six-speed stick, or Cadillac could use a version of the Chevrolet Corvette's seven-speed manual. Our questions will be answered when the 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing finally makes its debut. It's scheduled to go on sale in the summer of 2021, so its unveiling is likely a couple of weeks away, and Cadillac warned availability will be limited. The smaller CT4 which replaced the ATS, is also in line to get the Blackwing treatment.