While I am thinking of it — C&D managed to price out a $65K 3.6L 321 hp CTS.
The 420 hp CTS Vsport starts at $59K. Yes, you can get a Vsport Premium for $69K, but for the money I would take a 420 hp twin-turbo CTS Vsport and $6k back over a 321 hp 3.6L normally aspirated CTS all day long, and you should too.
The Vsport premium highlights are that it adds full leather seats and the driver assist package over the ‘standard’ CTS Vsport. Seems pricey for $10K but when you want luxury…
This is a new type of post – shorter and hopefully more frequent…
I was surprised to see Car & Driver CTS review was of a CTS with 3.6L and the 8-speed auto transmission. I thought in the Vsport announce the 8-speed was to be a Vsport only feature, so I am happy to see on the build tool on the Cadillac site all V6 CTS get the 8 speed.
I am very keen on the 8-speed until the new GM native 9 or 10 speeds get to market.
Cadillac sales were up for September, 2013 on the continued strength of SRX, ATS and XTS sales. The SRX was down year over year, but held strong at over 4K sold in September.
| September | (Calendar Year-to-Date) | |||||||
| January – September | ||||||||
| 2013 | 2012 | %Change Volume | 2013 | 2012 | %Change Volume | |||
| ATS | 2,739 | 611 | 348.3 | 28,207 | 611 | ***.* | ||
| CTS | 2,408 | 3,103 | -22.4 | 24,410 | 38,465 | -36.5 | ||
| Escalade | 968 | 913 | 6.0 | 8,953 | 9,294 | -3.7 | ||
| Escalade ESV | 634 | 595 | 6.6 | 5,916 | 5,795 | 2.1 | ||
| Escalade EXT | 152 | 188 | -19.1 | 1,674 | 1,348 | 24.2 | ||
| SRX | 4,362 | 4,660 | -6.4 | 40,506 | 40,224 | 0.7 | ||
| XTS | 2,565 | 2,506 | 2.4 | 23,722 | 7,156 | 231.5 | ||
| Cadillac Total* | 13,828 | 12,579 | 9.9 | 133,414 | 103,512 | 28.9 | ||
The third-generation CTS sedan is based on the high-performing rear-drive architecture of the award-winning ATS sport sedan, moving Cadillac into the prestigious class of midsize luxury sedans. It will be the segment’s lightest car, enabling the most agile driving dynamics in the class. A range of power-dense powertrains underpin its performance, including the all-new Cadillac Twin-Turbo engine and eight-speed automatic transmission.
It will be interesting as newly re-designed 2014 CTS reach showrooms. Although it has terrific looks and dynamite power plants, it is also moving up market.