Best Options for the 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe?

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Hands down the Saffron interior — Ebony Leather Seating Surfaces with Saffron inserts is the best option to pick if you are only picking one. This is a no-additional cost signature interior option only available in the Coupe.

The single disadvantage is that it is not available with the Crystal Red Tintcoat exterior.

Wood Trim Package $600:  This adds Midnight Sapele Wood trim pieces to the interior on instrument panel, center console, and door.  They do look terrific.

Recaro Performance Seats – $3,400:  Recaro with heated/ventilated sport performance driver and front passenger seats.  This is the only way to get ventilated seats in the CTS-V. These are terrific seats; I loved them when I tried out a CTS-V Sedan with them.  They seem to be a matter of taste, so please test drive a car with them prior to ordering.

You also have to order the Recaro Performance Seats if you want the Sueded Steering wheel and shift knob, a $300 option.  These give a different feel/texture to the steering wheel and additional control for high dynamic driving.

Wheels, polished (instead of standard painted) $800.  These will really make your V Coupe ‘pop’.  Skip if you plan to add aftermarket wheels of course.

Sunroof $700.  Adds some weight, but also adds some fun.  The V has way more than enough HP not to worry about the ~100 lbs weight addition.

I think the Saffron interior is the must have, because it is a ‘signature’ interior.  I would really love the Crystal Red Tintcoat however, so may be willing to fore-go the saffron for red.

The Recaro Seats and Midnight Sapele wood accents are worth the money, if you have the money. I know the polished wheels seem expensive, but they will make your V stand out among others;  once consideration of course is that they are easy to add later.

Certainly the base V is already a supercar with no options added, so no worries if you are stretching to get into the V and don’t want to add any extras.

New refrigerant as cool as R-134 but safer if released

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So why is GM switching from R-134 to HFO-1234yf?  The new refrigerant provides lower “global warming potential” (GWP), which is to say it is better for the environment.  It cools as well or better than R-134.

Current automotive air conditioners use hydrofluorocarbon HFC-134a, which has a GWP of 1430. The European Union’s Mobile Air Conditioning Directive requires that, starting in 2011, all new vehicle models use a refrigerant with a GWP below 150, and by 2017, all new automobiles sold in Europe will be required to use a low-GWP refrigerant. The new refrigerant, developed by DuPont and Honeywell, has a GWP of 4, which is 97% less GWP than the new regulation requires.

Remember the old R-12?  It had a GWP of 8100.  So yes, R-134 was better than R-12, but HFO-1234yf is a large improvement over both.

The other alternative was CO2 (R744); here is a comparison of HFO-1234yf and R744:

HFO-1234yf: the better choice
HFO-1234yf CO2 (R744)
Environmental Impact Lower lifetime GHG emissions than 134a or CO2 20% more lifetime greenhouse gas emissions than 1234yf
Atmospheric Lifetime 11 days >500 years
Compatibility with Current A/C Equipment Yes, with minor change No; new high-pressure system required
Cooling Efficiency Comparable to 134a in all climates Less efficient in hot climates where A/C is needed and used most
Ease of Adoption High; minimal additional design changes or delay Low; significant engineering and re-tooling required
Safety Safe for use in automotive air conditioning applications Safe for use in automotive air conditioning applications

So it looks like HFO-1234yf is a good choice going forward.  A concern has been the relatively high cost of the new refrigerant, but with widespread usage and new factories online that should resolve itself (supply and demand).

Have your Cadillac on your phone

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OnStar and GM have expanded the abilities of applications on smart phones.  Today’s news (see press release below) allows your smart phone to do everything your keyless remote can, but from a distance.  Forgot to lock your car?  You can lock it or unlock it from another city with your phone.  Need your current odometer reading?  Your phone knows it by asking your car.

Each brand will bring forward brand-specific additional features, so we’ll have to wait and see exactly what the Cadillac application does in addition.

Here are my ideas for additional features:

  • I would like to see vehicle diagnostics brought to the cell phone.  Show me if the car has a DTC (diagnostic trouble code) showing, and give me some background on possible causes for the DTC as well as info on the nearest Mr GoodWrench facility and scheduling info for my home Dealer.
  • I would like to be able to see and record video from the rear-view camera remotely.    Ideally be able to see video of the interior of the Cadillac and around the Cadillac, if additional cameras were added.  The purpose would be to pull up live video from the car on my phone that shows me that the Cadillac is okay and unmolested.
  • I would like my smart phone to track the patterns I drive and suggest faster routes.
  • I would like to see a trip map that showed instant MPG along every part of my route along with average MPG for that trip.
  • I would like my smartphone to be able to upload my trip to the internet for reference.

Do you have any ideas for additional features you would like to see in a smart-phone link to your Cadillac?

OnStar Expands Mobile App Technology Availability

Soon Available for 2011 Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC vehicles

Detroit – Owners of most new 2011 Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC vehicles will soon be able to control key vehicle functions from their smart phones, thanks to the power of OnStar.

Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC are leveraging OnStar technology to develop the most robust mobile applications on the market for new vehicle owners. Each of the brand-specific apps will allow owners to activate all of the functions available on a traditional vehicle key fob – remote start, horn and lights and door lock/unlock – securely from their smartphones. This means drivers will no longer have to be within a requisite distance, or even have their keys with them, to control these functions on their vehicles.

“Giving our customers control of their vehicles with smart phone application technology is a key advantage of OnStar’s in-vehicle connectivity,” said Chris Preuss, OnStar president. “This technology empowers drivers to make decisions about their travels well before they enter the vehicle, meaning their full attention can stay where it needs to be – on the road ahead.”

For example, say someone is racing to catch a flight and realizes at the gate that he forgot to lock his vehicle. OnStar’s mobile app technology allows him to log into his Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick or GMC app, enter his custom PIN and send a remote lock signal to his vehicle, giving him the peace of mind to go on with his trip knowing his vehicle is secure.

Or, for example, a family attending a baseball game on a hot summer day could remotely start their vehicle as they are leaving the ballpark, so the vehicle is cooled to a comfortable temperature by they reach it.

In addition, the Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC apps will leverage OnStar’s unique connection to the vehicle to provide key diagnostic information, including fuel tank level and range, remaining oil life, current and recommended tire pressure and lifetime average miles per gallon . The diagnostic information is current as of the last vehicle start, giving OnStar subscribers an up-to-date health report of their vehicle anytime they need it.

Important vehicle information, such as current odometer reading, vehicle VIN and OnStar account number also will be readily accessible within the apps upon secure login. And should OnStar subscribers need assistance with something that the mobile apps don’t provide, they can one-touch dial to specially trained advisors, who are available to assist customers 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The OnStar mobile app services will be available to millions of drivers of the vast majority of vehicles in the 2011 Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC portfolios, including the just-launched Chevrolet Cruze and Cadillac CTS Coupe, and are currently functional on the iPhone and Android systems. The Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC mobile applications will offer a variety of other features tailored specifically for each brand’s customers that will be revealed in totality when the brands begin bringing their apps to market in the months ahead.

“We’re working aggressively to bring the Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC applications to market as soon as possible,” says Joel Ewanick, vice president, GM Marketing. “Because we know that each brand’s customers have different tastes, wants and needs, the apps will be very specifically tailored to offer them the services they value most, leveraging these innovative OnStar features as a compelling mutual foundation.”

OnStar and Chevrolet announced the auto industry’s first working smartphone application for the Chevrolet Volt at the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show. The Volt mobile application is a unique app that will be available to customers in tandem with the launch of the vehicle, as previously announced.