Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit: a rolling High-Five

F O R OVER 100 YEARS, CADILLAC HAS BEEN THE AUTOMOTIVE REPRESENTATION OF THE AMERICAN DREAM. A ROLLING HIGH FIVE. A TANGIBLE SYMBOL OF SUCCESS. BUILT FOR PEOPLE WHO KNOW THAT HERE, IN THIS COUNTRY, IT DOESN’T MATTER WHERE YOU CAME F ROM. IT ONLY MATTERS HOW FAR YOU WANT TO GO. AND HOW FAST YOU WANT TO GET THERE. IT’S AN OPEN ROAD, DRIVEN BY THOSE WHO HAVE THE COURAGE TO CHASE THE DREAM, CATCH IT AND LET IT GO. SO THEY CAN CHASE AN EVEN BIGGER ONE. BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT. THE PURSUIT.

I actually ‘got’ the “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit” campaign.    Unfortunately not enough people resonated with it.

The V-Series is the pinnacle of Cadillac performance luxury engineering. Relentlessly tested on Germany’s notorious Nürburgring racing circuit, the XLR-V and STS-V are engineered to deliver both adrenaline-pumping high-performance driving experiences, and the level of luxury required when endorphins are not on the menu. With each offering 440+ horsepower, track-tuned suspension systems, high-performance braking systems, traction-control technology, stiff chassis, top speeds of over 150 miles per hour on the track and luxury amenities that rival any world-class sedan, manning the cockpit of either of these vehicles is a transporting experience in so many ways.

Cadillac puts every performance item they have available into the V-Series.  Or rather every item that would make that automobile better on a track, and better for touring.  Why search out and buy a V-Series Cadillac?  Because these are the ultimate examples of performance without compromise.

PLEASE BE SEATED.
Every STS-V interior is as unique and luxurious as the supple natural leather trim that covers it. Hand-wrapped top-grain leather seating surfaces bring a luxe feel into the cockpit, while perforated sueded-fabric inserts help keep you firmly in place during sharp turns and quick maneuvers. Olive ash burl wood and kinetic aluminum accents round out the handsome performance-oriented driver’s cockpit. Air bag seams on the passenger instrument panel are virtually undetectable.  Ergonomically positioned controls and instrumentation were specifically designed to communicate driver information quickly and clearly while maximizing driver focus. This is demonstrated in the Head-Up Display, which projects a digital image of your vital stats right on to the windshield, so you can keep your eyes focused on the road. Lane Departure Warning is a helpful feature that will alert you audibly and visually if you stray from your lane and Side Blind Zone Alert can notify you with visual cues if it detects a vehicle entering into your blind spots.

The STS-V entered production in 2006, and closed out production in 2009.

THE BALANCE OF POWER.
When you’re talking about 469 hp, you want to make sure all that muscle is put to its best possible use. So Cadillac engineers created a balance of power in the STS-V that does just that. Externally, an elevated rearward-positioned spoiler creates balanced, road-gripping downforce. Structurally, an optimized low center of mass improves weight geometry, while 18-inch front wheels ensure accurate steering and 19-inch rear wheels deliver abundant power transfer. Expansive stabilizer bars and muscular spring rates harness massive braking and cornering forces. And corresponding to its substantial horsepower and torque, the driver-selectable four-mode StabiliTrak stability control system has been tuned to provide an exceptional degree of control in even the most demanding situations.

One of my favorite touches is that the exhaust manifolds were extrude honed for better flow.  One does not do that on a production item casually, but only with purpose — to make the most power possible out of a 4.4L supercharged V8.

With the arrival of the new CTS-V in 2009 with a 556 Hp Supercharged 6.2L V8, the 469 hp Supercharged 4.4L DOHC V8 in the STS-V was no longer the most powerful Cadillac ever made.  Certainly it continues as one expression of the best engineered vehicle a high performance team can produce.

And that is really what it is all about.  the Pursuit.


Is Newer More Fun?

I must like to shop, because I certainly take a long time in some cases to settle on my next purchase!

Today’s question, is a newer car inherently more fun than an older model?

One of the Corvette Designers, when asked which Corvette was the best one, replied, “One should always buy the newest model on can afford, because the latest Corvette is always the best one we know how to make” or similar.

The same is true for Cadillac as well — the latest models have the latest electronics, convenience features,  and technology.

When choosing between a high-line 2008 Cadillac STS-V and a fully-loaded entry level 2010 Cadillac CTS Premium Model however, the older STS-V had a higher level of standard features.  Options like Heads-Up Display, lane departure warning, and blind spot alert are included on the STS-V and still not available in the CTS even in the Premium Model.

But is the newer 2010 Cadillac CTS cooler just because it is NEWER?  The nav system would have newer maps, the warranty will run longer, the exterior design is fresher.

Both cars cost about the same at the moment.

How much more FUN is NEW?

What will $30K buy you?

The average new car sold in America goes for over $30K these days.  What will US$30K buy you in a used Cadillac?

A 2004 Cadillac XLR with 16K miles, or a 2006 Cadillac XLR with 56K miles would both go for just under $30K.  The Cadillac XLR was made from 2004-2009 and features the RWD Northstar V8 engine making 320 hp, a retractable hardtop, and every option Cadillac could fit on a convertible.  They are fun cars to drive, and unique on the road.

The 2009 CTS Sedan choices are pretty wide at $30K.   In the order book for 2009 the CTS was split into 1SA for the standard model, or 1SB for the more highly equipped 3.6L DI model.  The fully loaded model was the CTS Premium Collection, but used cars are seldom advertised as a “CTS with Premium Collection”.  The key components are: CTS Premium Collection, includes (Y40) Luxury Level One Package, (Y41) Luxury Level Two Package, (Y42) 18″ (45.7 cm) All-Season Tire Performance Package, (Y44) Seating Package, (UAV) Audio system with navigation, (C3U) UltraView sunroof, (B19) Wood Trim Package and (B20) Wood Trim Package.  I would ask first for the Nav, then Ultra View, since those are likely to be mentioned in the ad, then investigate further to determine if a particular example is a Premium Collection, or instead if it offers the features you are shopping for.

One can also find a 2010 Cadillac CTS 3L Luxury Collection for under $30K.  And of course there are a lot of choices in 2008 Cadillac CTS’ under 30K.

A 2008 Cadillac STS V6 is an interesting choice for under $30K.   The STS has more rear leg room than the CTS.  The V6 is the 3.6L DI V6, and was judged by contemporary magazine writers to be the better choice than the V8 Northstar based on the relative prices of the sedans.  One can find the 2008 STS V8 for under $30K as well.

A 2008 Cadillac DTS can also be found for under $30K with 11K miles.  Offering plenty of room and front-wheel drive for all-weather convenience, the DTS has V8 luxury with lots of trunk room and luxury appointments.  The DTS likewise was split into different luxury levels, so one will have to examine each offering for the desired features.

For even more space, a 2008 SRX tall wagon is not hard to find for under $30K.

I did find one Escalade, a 2008 with 74K miles, or an EXT, a 2008 with 109K miles, for under $30K.  So one would have to look earlier than 2008 to fit under the 30K budget.

Searching hints:  For my survey, I went to cars.com and used this search:

You Searched For

Make

Cadillac

Year

2011

2010

2009

2008

Price

$26,001-$27,000

$27,001-$28,000

$28,001-$29,000

$29,001-$30,000

And even with these limits the search had 50 pages of results with 22K automobiles.  Adding a lower limit seems counter-productive, but it does filter out selections that are not as desirable.

There are some terrific Cadillac selections out there for under $30K.  Good hunting.