Category Archives: CTS Coupe

Okay, You want the Cadillac CTS Coupe; now which one do you want?

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The new 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe will be arriving in Cadillac showrooms this summer.  So, let’s look at which one of these luxury performance sedans you want.

First, there is a choice between the V-Coupe and the V6 Coupe.  The V-Coupe is the CTS-V Coupe, with the Supercharged 6.2L 556 hp V8, Brembo Brakes, Magnetic (MR) Suspension, and other supercar goodies.  The V6 Coupe has the LLT Direct Injected 3.6L 304 hp V6 engine.   Cadillac has not announced pricing yet for the CTS Coupe.   The V-Coupe is likely to start at $65K, while the V6 Coupes might run from $45-55K.

CTS-V Coupe: If you decide on the CTS-V Coupe you are almost done.  The main options to decide on then are colors, and whether to get the Recaro Seats, and the Sapele wood trim options.  Again, I recommend both of these options as relatively worth the money after testing a CTS-V Sedan with both.  If you can’t afford them, then the “base” CTS-V Coupe is excellent out of the box, no worries.

RWD or AWD: For the V6 CTS Coupe, the next choices are between rear-wheel drive (RWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD).  If you live in an area that has snow, I would want the AWD.  The AWD does add some weight and so the RWD tends to be faster off the line and at the track.  But if you need AWD, it is a great feature to have. For other options on either the RWD or AWD, the rest of the discussion applies to either.

V6 Base: The Base CTS Coupe is the least expensive way to buy and enjoy a CTS Coupe.  It has the great looks, the great V6 engine, limited slip differential, and the FE2 Sport Suspension.  What it does not offer is the luxury packages, wood trim, or performance package with maximum rubber / wheels / paddle shifters etc.  This CTS Coupe still has all the core goodness included.

V6 CTS Performance Coupe : The CTS Performance Coupe adds electric, heated memory seats, bluetooth, garage door opener, an improved audio system, and high intensity discharge (HID) headlights.  This is also the “I want it my way” option, because it opens up a lot of available option packages.  If you don’t want everything that comes on the Premium Package, the Performance package lets you pick and choose the options that are important to you.

V6 CTS Premium Coupe: The CTS Premium Coupe is the maxed-out, fully equipped CTS Coupe.  If you don’t need the max performance features of the CTS-V Coupe, but want everything AND the economy of the V6 Coupe, this is your Cadillac.   The Premium Coupe adds to the Performance Coupe: theft deterrent, rear view camera, accent lighting, heated/vented front seats, power telescoping steering wheel, cabin air filtration, premium audio with navigation, sunroof with power sunshade, and Sapele wood trim.

The main decision available on the Premium Coupe is whether to get the Y43 Performance Package (Summer tire) option:

Y43 Performance Package: 19″ (48.3 cm) Summer Tire, includes (KB7) steering wheel mounted paddle shift controls, (P87) 19″ x 8.5″ polished wheels, (QIV) P245/45ZR Y-rated performance summer tires, (V03) performance cooling system, (FE3) performance suspension and (J55) performance brake system

This is an interesting option because it pushes the suspension to FE3, as well as adds performance brakes and additional engine cooling.  Cadillac has also said that the Recaro sport seats will be available as an option.

Summary

I like the way Cadillac has packaged the CTS Coupe.  From the Base to the Design-your-own Performance model to the Fully Optioned Premium Model, I don’t see any bad choices here, and the options are laid out in a thoughtful manner to suit a variety of buyers.

Cadillac has said the CTS Coupes will arrive in showrooms this summer.  Please contact your local Cadillac Dealer for exact timing, or to pre-order.

Updates as Cadillac CTS Coupe & V-Coupe come to market

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I like to see these Vehicle Order Guide updates for the CTS Coupe and CTS Coupe-V because they give me some re-assurance that the Coupe and V-Coupe are approaching  production on schedule.  Also it is interesting to get more insight into the details of the various option combinations.  Some changes perhaps are just final edits of the Order Guide:

Week of 4/5/2010

Effective 4/5/2010, the following changes will be made to the Vehicle Order Guide:
• Interior section-(Y41) Luxury Level Two Package, added “and new steering wheel” to Package content.
• Color and Trim section-Interior color (AFE), changed interior column header from “Cashmere seats with Cocoa interior
accents” to “Cashmere seats with Ebony interior accents”. This change only applies to CTS Coupe.
• Color and Trim section-Deleted exterior color (GAR) Black Ice Metallic. This change only applies to CTS Coupe.

Week of 3/29/2010

Effective 3/29/2010, the following changes will be made to the Vehicle Order Guide:
• Interior section-(U2K) XM Radio, changed description to read “is standard on nearly all 2011 GM models and includes 3 months of trial service. Get over 170 channels, including: commercial-free music, sports, news, talk, entertainment, comedy, family and kids’ channels, and much more. With XM’s incredible range of programming, everything worth listening to is on XM”. Also added a new footnote that reads “Requires a subscription sold separately by XM after the first 90 days. Available only in the 48 contiguous United States and District of Columbia. Visit gm.xmradio.com for details.”.

Week of 3/8/2010

Effective 3/8/2010, the following changes will be made to the Vehicle Order Guide:
• Interior section-(KB7) Steering wheel mounted Paddle Shift Controls, changed availability for Model 6DP47 1SH PEG from “–” to “A” with footnote #1.

Week of 3/1/2010

Effective 3/1/2010, the following changes will be made to the Vehicle Order Guide:
• Interior section-(A45) Memory Package, changed availability for both 1SF PEGs from “A” with a footnote #1 to a black box with no footnote.
• Interior section-(AL2) Seat adjusters, 2-way power driver and front passenger lumbar control, changed availability for both 1SH PEGs from “A” with a footnote #1 to a black box with no footnote.
• Interior section-(KA1) Seats, heated driver and front passenger, changed availability for both 1SF PEGs from “A” with a footnote #1 to a black box with no footnote.
• Interior section-(KB6) Seats, heated/ventilated driver and front passenger, changed availability for both 1SH PEGs from “A” with a footnote #1 to a black box with no footnote.
• Interior section-(W2E) Recaro performance seats, added the following at the end of footnote #1 “Deletes (AM9) rear split folding seat when (W2E) Recaro performance seats are ordered.”
• Interior section-(KB7) Steering wheel mounted Paddle Shift Controls, changed availability for Model 6DP47, 1SH PEG from “A” with a footnote #1 to “–“.
• Interior section-(UG1) Universal Home Remote, changed availability for both 1SF PEGs from “A” with a footnote #1 to a black box with no footnote.

Cadillac CTS an American Sports Sedan

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In the 90s when Cadillac was marketing the Cadillac Seville STS alongside the Cadillac Eldorado ETC, magazines at the time would often compare/contrast the two.  Besides the obvious fact that the STS had 4 doors and the ETC had 2 doors, they also were targeted at somewhat different audiences.

The ETC was viewed as a classically American personal luxury vehicle.  It had more American touches — more chrome, more color.

The STS was described as a more European luxury vehicle.  Less chrome, more mono-color design cues, more muted styling.

When you look at the Cadillac CTS of today, it uses a variety of chrome accents — on the door handles, the seat back, the trunk — to recall the classic Cadillacs of yesterday. Certainly it has unusual, look at me styling.  The first generation CTS styling was inspired by the Stealth Fighter (F-117 Nighthawk).  That aircraft had sharp creases and angled surfaces as a way to minimize radar cross-section.  The current, second generation CTS is an evolution of the original design, merging in elements of the Cadillac Sixteen look and styling.

I don’t think anyone would claim the Cadillac CTS is not ‘American’ enough.  I think it instantly suggests to most knowledgeable viewers visually that it is an American car.   Certainly in the V-Series you also get the classic American approach to muscle — there is no replacement for displacement.  With the LSA Supercharged 6.2L V8 making 556 hp it is hard to argue with the ‘too much is just enough’ approach to power plants.  In today’s market however, the base 3L V6 with 270 hp and the Performance/Premium CTS with 304 hp seem well heeled, until you consider the competition.  Many of the competitors in this market sport 330 hp – 385 hp powerplants with similar fuel economy to the CTS V6 Sedans.

Clearly it is time for Cadillac to task GM Powertrain to step up their game.  Even a 3.6L with the same tuning and efficiency of the current 3.0L V6 would make 324 hp.   So I don’t think it is a problem that the engines are not capable.  If Cadillac can’t get the power needed from the 3.6L then send in the Supercharged 3.6L, or offer the 6.2L LS3 V8 as an option.  The high feature 3.6L V6 likely costs MORE for Cadillac and GM than the LS3 V8 does to produce due to the higher feature set of the V6.   So my personal favorite best of both worlds would be to offer the LS3 V8 as a $2K SAVINGS off the current base CTS — a CTS V8 for less money lol.

American Luxury cars — Cadillacs — historically bring MORE power than needed.  The current CTS V6 powerplants are adequate.  Adequate is not enough in this class.  Luxury Performance cars need plentiful power, and Cadillacs should have class-leading horsepower.  Bring it, Cadillac!