Tag Archives: cts

Cadillac CTS Arrives Down Under

Posted on by
Reply

Car Advice in Australia notes that Cadillac will begin sales of the current Cadillac CTS with next month’s Australian International Automobile Show.   With a great direct injected variant of the familiar Holden Alloytech engine and Cadillac luxury appointments and performance tuning, the CTS should run well in Australia.

The Australians like hot cars.  The CTS brings sharp acceleration, quick and precise handling, and a good top speed.    Hopefully if the CTS sells well then the new 556hp (415 kW) CTS-V will also be available soon.

 

3.6L VVT LY7 V6

3.6L VVT LY7 V6

 

 

Holden in Melbourne helped mark GM’s 100th birthday last week.  In 1926 General Motors Australia was formed which merged with Holden Motor Body Builders in 1931 to become General Motors-Holden’s Limited (GMH).  Leading celebrations at Fishermans Bend, GM Holden Chairman and Managing Director, Mark Reuss, said Holden and Australia had played a key part in the development of General Motors.

“Australians can feel a real sense of pride in the contribution this country has made to GM’s 100 year history,” Reuss said.

“Before Holden Motor Body Builders merged with GM Australia back in 1931, the Holden name was already synonymous with building car bodies for General Motors brands such as Buick, Cadillac and Chevrolet.

“That significant role in General Motors’ worldwide operations continues today. The G8 sedan was designed, engineered and is built here in Australia for Pontiac and we led design and engineering for the new Chevrolet Camaro.

Mark Reuss’ 25 year stint with GM has seen him responsible for GM’s production studios, Executive Director, Architecture Engineering and GM Performance Division, and Executive Director, North American Vehicle Systems and Architecture.  So Australia has a great point-man to bring in the best GM vehicles from around the world, like the Cadillac CTS.    And Holden has a good voice at the table as they continue to team within GM to produce increasingly exciting vehicles for the World market.

Cadillac CTS Details – Meguiar’s Cleaner Wax – er, Gold Class Wax Report

Posted on by
2

There is a special wax time on Saturday mornings.  It is after the sun has come up enough to light the drive, but before it peaks over the rooftop to warm my Cadillac CTS.   Waxing is best done out of the direct sunlight, so if I am out in the driveway around  7 am I have time to wash and wax before the CTS is in direct sunlight.  

To read my prior detailing notes, please click on the detailing category.

Meguiar's NXT Car Wash, ProForce micro-fiber towels, and 2 buckets

   It is important to use actual car wash solution and not dish soap when prepping the car.  Actual car wash is designed to work with the type of contaminants you will run in to on cars, and it is more paint and wax – friendly.  With the CTS I start with a rinse, then shampoo with Meguiar’s NXT car wash, and rinse again.  I dry with micro-fiber towels.

While washing the car I use the ‘two-bucket method’.  One bucket has clean car wash/water, and the other bucket is for dirty water.  I soak a micro-fiber cloth in the clean water, and apply it to the CTS.  Then I wash the towel off in the 2nd bucket, then wring it dry.  Using 2 buckets keeps my clean car wash and water clean.

Today my plan was to get the Cadillac CTS clean, then to apply a coat of Meguiar’s Cleaner Wax.  Everything went well, I had a beautiful morning for it.  I got the car clean, then started waxing.  After I had waxed the front hood I realized that the product in my hand was Meguiar’s Gold Class wax, not Meguiar’s Cleaner Wax.  So week’s blog is about Meguiar’s Gold Class wax.

The Gold Class wax went on easily.  As compared to the NXT Tech Wax I have been using, I would say that the Gold Class was harder to buff / clean from the car, and needed more effort.  Optically it looks slightly deeper than the NXT Tech wax once it is buffed by hand a bit.  It did not leave the paint feeling as silky smooth as the NXT Tech wax.  My conclusion is that I would use the NXT Tech wax in preference to the Gold Class.  Both products have a small cleaning component and a large wax component.  I may apply the NXT tech wax as a ‘topper’ tomorrow.

Swipe Test

Swipe Test - not quite dry yet.

Swipe testing:  to test if the wax is dry, you swipe your finger along the wax.  If the wax comes off easily with no smearing, it is ready to be buffed off.

After photo; click for the larger version, then click the larger version to zoom in.  No, the wheels are not done yet 🙂

2005 Cadillac CTS 3.6L with Meguiar's Gold Class, after 1 layer of wax.

2005 Cadillac CTS 3.6L with Meguiar's Gold Class, after 1 layer of wax.

 

Cadillac CTS after Meguiar's Gold Class wax (1 coat)

Cadillac CTS after Meguiar's Gold Class wax (1 coat)

.

How can Cadillac Succeed at Marketing the new Smaller-than-a-CTS?

Posted on by
Reply

With the success in sales of the Cadillac CTS from 2003 forward, Cadillac has slowly moved this model upstream.  Although originally entry level CTS models sold for just under US$30K, most examples on Dealer lots now are in the high 30s to mid 40s.    Cadillac plans to slide in a new car in 2010 that is a bit smaller than the CTS, and a bit less pricey.  To make room for the new line, the price of the CTS has gone up a bit.  The new Cadillac has not been publicly named yet.  I am voting for it to be called the Cadillac αTS, for Alpha Touring Sedan.  I would make the A a Greek Alpha to signify that this is a special car.

When the Automotive press thinks of an inexpensive Cadillac, especially perhaps one with a 4-cylinder engine, they immediately yell CIMARRON!!!  The Cimarron basis was a Chevrolet Citation that was optioned up and rebadged as a  Cadillac.  It was not an inspiring car to begin with, and it was not a great car with a Cadillac badge on it.

Okay, so we have a business story on how not to execute the design and marketing for the new car.  But where is a good plan for how TO do it?  I suggest that Cadillac should consider the BMW 135i.    It continues to suffer from Bangle design, but look at other facets of the model.    As the top of the 1-line, it got the same 3L 300hp twin-turbo engine as the 335i.  The interior is high quality and well laid out.   From the driver’s seat of a 135i one can not tell that you are not in a 335i or 5, 6, or 7 series BMW.  The 135 FEELS like a BMW and shares a lot of interior styling cues with the rest of the line.  The 135i has full entertainment, leather, and navigation features of the larger BMWs.

How does the 135i fall down?  It is pricey, at $35k.  The 128i is the price leader for this model, so okay I guess.  Also, $35K is not as much as it used to be.  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I feel the small BMW is challenged there.  The small size may have contributed to it looking like it does, but ugly is also something I hope Cadillac avoids in the new model.  Especially since the Cadillac will actually be the size of the larger 335i and not the 135i.

So what is the message?  Sure, bring us an alpha-chasis Cadillac that is lighter and more agile.  Offer it with a 4-cylinder turbo that gets good performance and mileage (a la 128i).  But give us the option of the big engines in the small car if that’s what we want, full boat interior touches, and autocross capabilities.  If the new CTS-V is the M5 matchup, please make the new Cadillac αTS the 335i matchup.   Yes, sure, bring high MPG lower performance option models along or along later, but show performance and luxury up front.  Those are what Cadillac is about.