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ChromaFlair: the art of misdirection

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One of my favorite current Cadillac colors is Thunder Gray ChromaFlair.  Cadillac has a summary ChromaFlair site here.

ChromaFlair is a paint process in which metallic flakes in the paint act as tiny prisms, and reflect light differently in different lighting conditions.   In other words, the car color changes somewhat when seen in different lighting, or sometimes at different angles.  The ChromaFlair colors are premium paints for Cadillac, and tend to bring an additional $995 charge for new vehicles.

Unfortunately there is not a great way to show the color online.

Thunder Gray Chromaflair CTS-V

Here is what JDSU, the manufacturer of this process, says about it:

ChromaFlair pigments are unique, multi-layer pigment flakes that give paints, coatings, plastics, textiles and packaging the ability to change color when viewed from different angles. Created using a revolutionary thin-film technology, each flake exhibits a wide range of hues depending on the angle at which it is viewed and the angle of incidence of light – a dramatic color shift that is even achievable in low-light environments. Highly chromatic, durable and easy to incorporate, ChromaFlair pigments can add value and appeal to virtually any product where color is a key differentiating factor.

Thunder Gray ChromaFlair is a medium gray metallic that can appear to have a blue or green tint in different lighting conditions.  In any case it is a conservative, elegant color.   But deeper and more complex than a simple gray.  It is a subtle, refined mix of colors that suit the Cadillac line well.  The shift is subtle, but Cadillac Owners do report having difficulty finding their car on occasion, or not recognizing their car as they approach it due to the color shift.

ChromaFlair is a registered trademark of JDS Uniphase Corporation.

After the drive, thoughts on the 2010 Cadillac CTS-V

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The story so far: I picked up a 2010 Cadillac CTS-V from Crest Cadillac in Plano to test drive last weekend.  Saturday with TexasJim, then Sunday Drive are the other articles in the series.

I dropped the Cadillac CTS-V off at Crest Cadillac Monday morning and picked up my 2005 Cadillac CTS.    I would like to say another big Thank you! to Crest Cadillac for hosting the test drive.

Cadillac CTS-V

Overall the Cadillac CTS-V is almost perfect, and an amazing car for the price.  I wanted to wrap up by adding a few notes on the experience.

The Recaro Sport Seats are a desirable option even if you don’t plan to track the car.  They are comfortable and offer additional features such as seat cooling vents and additional adjustments compared to the standard seats.

The Bluetooth interface and Ipod integration both worked seamlessly.  My cell phone would re-pair each time I got in the CTS-V with no fuss.

In terms of seating and gadgetry the CTS-V is Wife-Approved, which is the highest award given in this category.

The uber-panzer CTS-V averaged about 16 mpg while I had it in a mix of city and highway driving, with no attempt whatsoever to conserve fuel at any point.  As I have mentioned, the Cadillac CTS-V is on my list of great places to invest gas money.  I appreciate a test drive is different from living with repeated refills of premium fuel, but the fun per gallon of this car is so high I think it is well worth it.

Overall the LSA supercharged V8 engine is delightful.  It revs freely, it pulls from idle to redline, it is well behaved in every situation.  At idle it does remind you that it is there, but not in an objectionable way.    I am very excited to see this powertrain in more Cadillac vehicles.  This makes me continue to think we should have the 3.6L as the base engine in the CTS, with the LS3 V8 as the premium engine and the LSA as the V Series power.

The MR Suspension — my son commented that the CTS-V did not feel any different from my ‘soft’ ride FE1 CTS.  After reflecting for a second, I think that is the point.  I have seen these cars screaming around the race track, and now I have seen them comfortably easing around town, to church, etc.  This car is perfectly tuned for almost anything you want to throw at it, and it all happens behind the scenes automatically.

I love the sculpting of the dome on the hood, required to clear the supercharger.  It gives just the right hint of “attitude” from the driver’s seat.

Conclusion: Having weighed the features, advantages, and disadvantages of the Cadillac CTS-V, I find it a very desirable package.  A lightly used CTS-V is on my watch list as a future vehicle.

My Host for this test drive is Crest Cadillac of Plano, Texas.  They are located at 2701 North Central Expressway, Plano, Texas.  You can contact them by phone Toll-free at 1-866-697-9144 or locally at (972)578-7511, or on Twitter or Facebook

Cadillac CTS: Art & Science, or Avoiding Compromise

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What makes a perfect car?  Every car is a set of compromises selected by the manufacturer for a target audience.  The cars that seem the most true, or pure in their form, are cars that are consistently aimed toward one purpose.  When a tool becomes only good for one purpose however, it also then has a limited market.

A sports car which is light at the expense of interior space, loud at the expense of weight savings from insulative materials, but has the best engine available at the time, seems focused.  A family sedan with an efficient but less powerful engine and a higher MPG rating, lots of room and storage space, and extra cupholders has the right set of compromises for its intended audience.

What makes a perfect luxury car?  A luxury car has fewer compromises.  The luxury is when given a choice between being a live hyena or a dead lion, to get to be the live lion.  Instead of choosing between a great dinner at a 5-star restaurant or a date with a Super-model, you get to have dinner at a 5-star restaurant with a Super-model, and she turns out to be very interesting to chat with.

Put another way, a luxury car compromises cash for capability.

A performance luxury Cadillac can offer a premium, high-strength light weight chassis like the Sigma II.  It can offer efficient and powerful, high tech, smooth engines like the LLT high-premium direct-injected 3.6L V6.  It can offer variable suspension electronics, traction control, stability control, and terrific exterior styling.  A luxury car can include interior appointments sculpted from high-durability, hand-sewn textures and materials that exude elegance. A performance luxury car can offer the latest technology, and be a moving work of art at the same time.  That is the luxury, art and science, albeit at a price.

When asked to recommend a model of a particular type of Cadillac, almost always the best recommendation I have is that the purchaser buy the newest one that the purchaser can afford.    Cadillac improves the breed each year, with new performance, safety, and efficiency features.  A performance luxury Cadillac is a car one can afford after one ‘arrives’.  Generally, it is not a starter car.  It can be a statement, but more often I find that it is a vehicle selected by Owners who have a certain appreciation of automobiles, and want an American performance luxury sedan.

Why do I drive a performance luxury sedan?  Because I want more car, with fewer compromises.