New Car Design 2012: CADILLAC

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Video: GM CEO Mark Reuss Drives us Through the Cadillac ATS 2013

CADILLAC, CARS 2013, GM, New cars, Videos 9:03 AM

Following Cadillac's unsuccessful efforts to enter the compact luxury sedan segment and challenge Germany's finest including the Audi A4, BMW 3-Series and Mercedes C-Class with the European market BTS that was a basically a Saab 9-3 dressed as a Caddy, General Motors appears to have learned its lesson about cutting corners.
The Detroit carmaker is now developing a brand new competitor for the 3-Series from the ground up based on a rear-wheel drive platform. The entry level Cadillac is codenamed ATS and it is destined to enter production next summer (2012).
After the recent release of a teaser photo, Cadillac is now ready to begin sharing more details about the ATS with a series of videos, the first of which brings GM boss Mark Reuss behind the steering wheel of a development prototype talking about the car. Hit the break to check it out.

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GM May Build a Production Model Inspired by the Ciel

CADILLAC, Concept, GM 5:01 PM

“If you build it, he will come”; now this may be the whisper heard by Kevin Costner in the 1989 movie Field of Dreams, but it also stands true for any product –and especially cars.No matter what your image or marketing strategy, in the long term the product itself makes or breaks a carmaker. Recent “rags to riches” stories include Hyundai, Kia and Skoda, all of which a little over a decade ago were offering below par, or at best acceptable, models but are now posting record sales year after year thanks to their new, much improved range.
Cadillac, once the default choice in the luxury car segment in North America, witnessed a streak of uncompetitive products ruin its image and sales before GM buckled up and began reshaping the brand starting with the CTS.
Now, things appear to be looking better for Cadillac, which is planning a barrage of new models. The brand's offensive that will help it compete with the German and Japanese rivals include models like the BMW 3-Series-challenging ATS, the large luxury XTS sedan that will replace both the DTS and STS, and of course the ELR, the production version of the Converj EV coupe concept.
But GM thinks that, to truly rival the opposition, Cadillac needs a flagship model that will also act as a “halo” model for the rest of its range. And it seems to have found it in the Ciel concept that was revealed at the Pebble Beach event and which gathered largely positive reactions from both the press and the public.
According to Autocar magazine, GM insiders claim that the Omega project, as it is code-named within the company, is expected to be given the green light very soon. Official GM execs such as Cadillac General Marketing Manager Don Butler, admit that the company is “studying its options.”
It is yet unknown if the production version will actually be a four-door convertible like the concept or, more likely, a range-topping premium sedan.

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Bob Lutz Returns to GM as Advisor

CADILLAC, cars news, Chevrolet, GM 7:14 PM

No matter the age, a petrol head like Bob Lutz can't stay away too long from the car industry. In fact, even though GM's former vice president and product czar had retired in the May 2010, the 79-year-old has been providing advice to the firm's executives without pay ever since.Now, GM decided to formally hire Lutz as an advisor to provide counsel to the senior leadership team of the company.
"Lutz will be available to executives on a part-time consultancy basis effective immediately," GM said in a short statement. "He brings a wealth of experience built over the course of more than 40 years in the industry, including two stints at GM. He has also been a senior executive at Ford, Chrysler, BMW and was CEO of Exide Batteries," the company added.
Lutz's advisory work at GM is expected to include product development as well as marketing and communications.
"In most cases, it'll just be reinforcing the direction they're already on. I couldn't be more pleased with the way the company is being run, with the way the products are being marketed, with the pricing, and, of course, I'm very familiar with the future product," Lutz told the Detroit Free Press. "I think a lot of it will be saying, 'Wow, that's good, keep it up,' and occasionally I'll offer some critical comments."

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New Cadillac ELR Converj EV Coupe

CADILLAC, Concept, ELECTRIC VEHICLES, HYBRID 2:44 PM

Ever since GM displayed the Cadillac Converj at the 2009 Detroit Motor Show, rumors have swirled that a production model was under consideration. But we now have official confirmation that the pure electric Converj is indeed moving forward as a production car that will be named the Cadillac ELR.
“The concept generated instant enthusiasm,” said Don Butler, vice president-Cadillac Marketing. “Like other milestone Cadillac models of the past, the ELR will offer something not otherwise present – the combination of electric propulsion with striking design and the fun of luxury coupe driving.”
The Cadillac ELR will be equipped with a similar electric propulsion system to the Chevy Volt, featuring a T-shaped lithium ion battery, an electric drive unit, and a four-cylinder engine-generator.
Like the Volt, the ELR will use electricity as its primary source of energy for motivation, with the gasoline engine generator kicking in once the batteries are depleted.
General Motors said that the development of the ELR is well underway with more details on the powertrain to be released at a later date.

“There’s no mistaking it for anything but a Cadillac, an aggressive, forward-leaning profile and proportion showcases a uniquely shaped, modern vision of a personal luxury 2+2,” said Ed Welburn, GM vice president, Global Design.
The announcement on the production of the ELR Coupe comes shortly after Cadillac confirmed the new XTS large luxury saloon and the BMW 3-Series challenging ATS compact sports sedan.
GM added that it will show a new concept model on Thursday, August 18, at a special event prior to the annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

2009 CADILLAC CONVERJ

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2013 Cadillac XTS Luxury Sedan

CADILLAC, CARS 2013, Luxury, New cars 9:42 AM

The Cadillac-related announcements keep dropping in as after the release of a teaser photo of the firm's entry-level compact sedan codenamed ATS, GM revealed that we're also going to see a flagship luxury sedan model added to Cadillac's range in the Spring of 2012.
We will come to know that model as the Cadillac XTS and it will replace both the current STS and the DTS, the production of which was terminated this year.
General Motors may not have published a teaser photo of its Cadillac range-topper in the sedan category but the Detroit firm said it will be modeled closely after last year's XTS Platinum concept study adding that the final production model will be revealed in the coming months – obviously either in LA this November or Detroit in January 2012.
The company is highly optimistic for the new XTS claiming it will compete against the best.
"The Cadillac XTS is being designed to compete and win against the finest luxury cars," GM said in a prepared statement. "It takes a new, modern approach to the large luxury sedan, combining high-tech electronics and engaging driving dynamics in a car that is also elegant and spacious," the company added.
The new 2013 Cadillac XTS will be manufactured at the Oshawa Assembly Plant in Ontario, Canada, with GM saying it will invest $117 million to prepare the facility and at the same time, "create or retain" 400 jobs on the Flex Line

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Cadillac SRX 2012

CADILLAC, GM, New cars 4:05 PM

The latest Cadillac SRX has been on the market for just two model years, but for 2012, General Motors is making some important tweaks to improve the crossover model's performance.

While GM had made the announcement on the2012 SRX back in April, the company came out today with additional information and revised performance figures, just before the SUV goes on sale.
Headlining the changes for the 2012 Cadillac SRX is the presentation of a new 3.6-liter V6 known by its “LFX” code, and which will be the sole engine offering in the range.
It produces 16-percent more horsepower at 308HP (SAE-rated) and 18-percent more torque at 265 lb-ft (359Nm) than the outgoing V6, which is rated at 265HP and 223 lb.-ft (302 Nm).
The LFX is also E85 ethanol-capable and is paired up to an electronically controlled six-speed automatic transmission. Customers can choose between front-wheel drive only and all-wheel drive systems, with the latter incorporating an electronic limited-slip (eLSD) rear differential.
The Detroit firm's engineers also revised the Base and Sport suspension systems for the 2012MY to improve the ride quality.
Other upgrades include a new sound-absorbing material placed throughout the vehicle to make the SRX quieter as well as new additions to the standard equipment.

Feature and content enhancements for 2012 include:
Standard Bluetooth phone connectivity on all models, with on-screen caller identification
OnStar Turn-by-Turn automated directions are loaded to the vehicle
Improved voice recognition for phone activation, navigation and radio station changes
A heated steering wheel on the Luxury, Performance and Premium Collections
Door lock switches on the driver and passenger door panels as well as the center console
Cruise control buttons on the steering wheel
Memory seat set – the occupant can set the seating position simply by pressing “set” and the number simultaneously
Backlighting for map lights in the overhead console
A new machined-face finish on the 20-inch wheels, which are standard on Performance and Premium Collections
Available all-ebony interior trim
One new exterior color available this fall: Xenon Blue Metallic.

More details including pricing and fuel economy ratings will be released within the next few days.

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Cadillac 2012 SRX Prices

CADILLAC, CARS PRICES, New cars 3:57 PM

After yesterday's announcement on the changes for the 2012 SRX, Cadillac has now put a price on its updated crossover model, a key highlight of which is the new 308-horsepower 3.6-liter V6 engine that replaces the current version's 265HP six-cylinder unit.

The 2012 SRX goes on sale in August carrying a standard price of $36,060 including $875 destination charge for the front-wheel drive model. That's a $570 increase over the entry-level 2011MY SRX which starts from $35,490.
Apart from the new V6, other upgrades and changes in the SRX for 2012 include standard Bluetooth on all trim models, an optional heated steering wheel, a xenon Blue Metallic exterior paint option that will be available this fall, an all-ebony interior option with contrasting stitching, and a new 20-inch wheel finish option plus revised suspension on all models.

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New Cadillac ATS Small Sports Sedan

CADILLAC, Concept, New cars, RACE 6:11 PM

A bare-shell of an unidentified model shown in a introduction video on GM’s corporate site caught the attention of a forum member ofGMInsidenews. The team over the website believes that this could be an early prototype of the upcoming 2014 Cadillac ATS sports sedan, with which GM wants to compete against the BMW 3-Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class saloons.
The test vehicle’s compact dimensions and more importantly, the short front overhangs, and the distance between the front axle and the passenger cabin suggest that they could be on to something, but we wouldn’t bet the farm on it, at least not just yet and without any more proof.
The new ATS is expected to arrive in the market in 2013 and it will sit right under the CTS as Cadillac’s new entry-level model. Powertrain options are believed to include both four-cylinder turbo engines and larger displacement V6 units.