The Cadillac CTS [Catera Touring Sedan], which replaced Cadillac’s boring Catera Sedan (production 1997 – 2001) has been credited by most auto reviewers and financial analysts as “the key car which rejuvenated the Cadillac brand – and possibly saved it from extinction”. I remember first seeing the car in the movie Matrix Reloaded when Morpheus and Trinity commandeered one to escape the Merovingian’s henchmen who stole a Black Cadillac EXT as a pursuit vehicle in probably the longest car chase scene in history. Product placement at its best.
The Cadillac CTS 2002, part of the Evoq concept car (and the Cadillac CIEN)
changed the face of Cadillac – adding the sharp edges, right-angle less facets and bold lines that up until that point, you’d only expect to see on the F-117 Stealth Bomber or the F22 Raptor.
The CTS is the most important car for Cadillac – at the top of her sales since it was released – simply because it is the least expensive sedan offered – and due in part to the fame it received (after being riddled with bullets) in the movie.


EXTERIOR DESIGN
For the 2008 CTS, Cadillac has updated the exterior; making it much more upright (similar to the SRX) and giving it a distinctive look with its headlamps, tail lamps and grill design.

The exterior of this car is a “love it, or hate it” affair. Either you like the sharp edgy design or you prefer the more conservative looks of a more “rounded vehicle” like the Chrysler Sebring or the Benz C-class.

What can be said is that this car has so much flash and pizzaz about it that it looks like its already gone toe-to-toe with after-market tuning programs such as “Pimp my Ride”.

The grill on this thing is humongous ! It is so large, that the car’s entire front profile resembles the actual dimensions of the much larger Escalade trucks. The front profile looks more like the intakes to a small jet fighter than it does a car.
The designers for the exterior have definitely one upped themselves here. I used to feel that the old CTS began to look stale after I got used to its design, but, what I liked about the car was the lighting fixtures and how they glowed so bright even in the daytime.
Now, the 2008 model is *blinging* with a chrome plated grill, chromed out handles, tailpipe, window frames and even a pair of chromed side port exhausts.

The rear end of the car takes on a look more similar to the STS but, what is more lovely about the design is that the flying buttress C-pillar and the raked frame makes the car look more like a coupe despite the fact she has 4 doors. This was an excellent idea because I’ve heard from the dealer that a 2-door coupe model is planned and that will further allow the CTS to compete with the Honda Accord, and Nissan Altima coupes (at least with the crowds who aren’t jaded towards American cars).

The 2008 CTS looks rich – the styling is simpy “larger than life”.

INTERIOR DESIGN and TECHNOLOGY
No more cheap plastic and no more widely gapped panels. The 2008 CTS features an interior design as edgy as its exterior, with a technological package that rivals what you’d find on an $80,000 CLS Benz or even the 7 Series Bimmer. YEAH – Its that good !


I hate to call myself a techno geek but, I am one of those people who’d take more technology in my vehicle over, wood grained panels and upholstery stuffed with the feathers of rare earth mammals (Maybach’s allow you to get headrests stuffed with Hummingbird feathers) but, the Cadillac CTS, unlike last time, now comes with an interior design so sexy, it is easily better than what I saw inside the S500 Mercedes Benz (but, it can’t touch the 550 ), and the BMW 745li.

The key here, is convenience. For those who though the button layouts of the 1st Generation CTS were sloppy and difficult to use, the 2008 is back and better than ever with a technology suite that is more sultry than the one in an X-Wing fighter.

The Dual Zone Climate Control has been separated to fit the new center-stack console design. On either the passenger or driver side, there are now small push pads which quickly allow either rider to easily increase or decrease their side’s temperature.
Nicer than that, there is an L.E.D indicator on either side, which not only looks fabulous, but is intuitive – you can easily see what the temperature is set to and raise it or lower it at a push of a button.
Yes there is still a middle console for the HVAC, but, this one has been dummed down to allow for easier manipulation of buttons such as “recycle air”, “fresh air inlet”, “defrost” and “automatic settings”.

The Radio/ Navigation system is what all my hubbub is going to focus on however. First of all, the CTS can come loaded with the largest hard drive ever installed in a car to date ! a 40 GB drive, NAVIGATION system which comes with the BOSE 5.1 surround sound option This will cost you about $3,150. Get it! If you are buying this car for personal or family use, I just don’t think you can afford to be without it – you may have to take bag lunches for a while but, it is a sacrifice you simply must make.

First of all, the 40 GB hard drive eliminates the need for an Ipod, Zune, or whatever else the kids are using these days. All you need do is pop in a CD and the system can seamlessly rip that disk to the Hard Disk drive. (I believe the transcoding bitrate is 192 kbps). 40 GB is A LOT ! You could easily store thousands upon thousands of songs here, but that isn’t even the half of it.

The CTS’s system comes with the ability to pause/record live radio and store about an hour of it. Whether you’re stuck on Olberman or O’Reilly or Stern, you needen’t miss the trash-talk just because you needed to get out and pump gas or help a wounded squirrel.
But that’s not all !!! The CTS’s radio system also comes with OnStar-NAV TRAFFIC which allows you to get live updates of traffic conditions (approximately accurate to 5 minutes). The perfect test for this is driving in Manhattan. When I left the GM dealership the entire screen was already lighting up red due to the rush hour traffic moving towards the Holland tunnel. The Nav System more than accurately predicted the approximate wait time between Point A and Point B (49 minutes) and warned about heavy pedestrian traffic as well as the Holland Tunnel congestion.
If you choose not to activate the Navigation for your shorter trips, the system will still update you about congestion on the routes you are traveling.

IF I haven’t sold you yet…there’s plenty more!!!

Many new car models have Navigation systems that can be hidden or put out of sight to protect the LCD screen. The CTS has a retracting unit that slides in/out vertically from the dash. But, what’s really nice is that even if the LCD is in the down-most position, you still can see basic radio information ! There is even a USB connection so you can link generic MP3 players directly to the computer to listen to them.

If you want the full view of the sky, opt for the CT's Ultraview sunroof which exposes 70% of the roof area allowing the front and rear passengers easy viewing of the city skyscrapers and the moon! [package price may vary]


The leather of the Seats feels quite good, and even riding in the vehicle for more than 2 hours, my back was still in good condition. The sides of these bucket seats are well bolstered for side support and the seat backs are concave, allowing the rear passengers a tad bit more knee room.

Similar to the Lexus SC430, the CTS allows you to move the seats back to the point of having nearly no leg space left for the back row - a move made to accomodate taller drivers. Many of us will need this allowance because the roofline of the car is low to the point where those of us standing 2 Meters or more tall would find it near impossible to sit completely upright.


The nuance still smells just as nice as it did before when you take in the new car aroma and now, as I mentioned before, the side panels are no longer cheap plastic.
The new manufacturing process has tightened all the seems (just like was done on the STS years ago and the new Escalade). The buttons are hardened plastic which feel just right and the wood trim looks fantastic.

The center paneling reminds me of those $1500 Vertu phones with the sharply cut "v: edges, chrome plating and leather hand crafted fascia. It is marvelously executed to say the least.
What I simply must say is that this car, inside and out, does not look like a $35,000 car. It looks more like a $70,000 car… easily as nice as the small Lexus, Benz C-class and BMW 3 series.


THE DRIVE OF THE 2008 CTS
The 2008 CTS has a lot of interior gadgetry and beauty, but the drive of the car also sets it apart from the crowd. Here we have a slightly more powerful engine, a smart transmission and a very pleasing pitch/roll stability system.


Normally, I would never have much to say about a car’s transmission. That however, changed when I drove the Lexus LS460 and my father’s S550. Yes, there is a tremendous difference in the gear shifts of a $30,000 car and a $80,000 car. Mostly, that difference is the amount of “slip shock” I feel when the car is switching gears – as well as the overall noise made when going through the motions.

The CTS feels just as good as the Lexus LS460L. *THERE I SAID IT*.
This automatic transmission is now designed to shift automatically based on how hard you hit the brakes or slam the gas according to the dealer. If you enter an uphill incline, the car won’t downshift unless you hit the brakes hard. Instead, it will continue supplying the power to move through the hill and come out of it at constant rate.
The same applies if you are speeding down a ramp – the car will not change gears unless your inputs beckon it.

Now what is noticeable is that controlling the car is very easily done, once you get the hang of throttling and braking. CTS won't upshift when it's in a tight turn. Keep your foot on the gas and it will maintain the lower gear outside of the corner.

Under the hood of this huge grill is a 3.6L 300HP V6 with direct injection. This is the type of car I would basically need to put my uppity, retired NYPD uncle in his place – the one who sincerely believes that his brand new Lincoln MKX, with its 263HP engine, is to be feared on the road by people driving HEMI 300 C’s and Nissan Maxima’s / Altima’s.
NOPE – Its not.
If your on budget, the base model of the 2008 CTS only offers a 255 HP version of the same engine – but, then again, if your on budget, you might as well wait till you can afford all the options so your CTS can make you happiest. This car needs this much power because it weighs a good 300 pounds more than the old model. Must be all that grill !?!

The CTS also comes with 3 different suspension options labeled F-1, F-2 and F-3 wherein the F-3 is designed to be the most performance oriented - for tossing the car around, out accelerating others and out steering others on the road. In F-3, you won’t feel much body roll at all, and the car won’t complain when you execute tight curves over 45 mph.
F-3 setups include the new 18" wheels, however, Cadillac will most likely increase the wheel size to 20 inches when it becomes prudent. The F-1 and F-2 setups include all-season wheels rather than the low profiles.

You may also get the manual transmission instead of the automatic for about a grand less.

My views on driving all "luxury" sedans has been warped, in that now I look at every car and think to myself “…but its not an S550” but, the CTS will definitely impress most drivers of the previous model and will not disappoint any upcoming new-car buyers taken in by the opulence of this grill and all that chrome!



...AND WHAT I DON’T LIKE ABOUT THE CTS


What is not very impressive is the FUEL ECONOMY.
This new Caddy only gets an estimated 17mpg City, 26 Highway. Sure this is a luxury car, but GM would have been smarter to add every trick in the book to this car to raise that 17 to a more respectable 20 and that 26 to a more respectable 30.
Yes you’ll avoid that $1000 Gas guzzler tax that my dad got hit with, but, when you really start traveling to and from work in this car in city traffic (and Manhattan’s got plenty of it) you’ll see those $20 bills exit your wallet more frequently and even less change return. Gas here is about $2.83 now for Regular Unleaded. I always include the current gas prices so when I look back at my reviews, I can say “dammmmmn”

My biggest problem with the CTS is that it is a small sedan. Ever since my first rides in the Chrysler 300C, I’d hoped all cars would have as much headroom, legroom, hiproom and shoulder room in the front and the back. If you are an owner of the previous Cadillac CTS and were satisfied with the room afforded you, then by all means, ignore this quibble because, you will find slightly more interior space in this new model.

The C-pillar that makes this car appear coupe-ish lowers the roofline more than I’d hoped it would but, then again, shorter people will be fine with her.

I'd also have liked to see more "space age" features. How about the heads up display featured on the V8 STS? How about a fully integrated Bluetooth system rather than the clip-on dealer installed joint?
How about optional massage chairs?
The CTS is a great buy as is, but, I'd have liked to see more optional upscale features besides just bigger rims and a big sunroof.




OVERALL

The 2008 CTS is a fantastic car for the first time car buyer, and an even flashier update for those who are riding around in the 2002 – 2007 models. For a family however, its interior space is unappealing – You’d best go for the STS, DTS or the Chrysler 300.
Plenty of Technology and plenty of hand crafted goodness await you in the new complexities of the car’s interior. Its more than enough to impress a date or coworker and ready to elegantly roll to the city on a Friday night. If GM actually puts out the rumored 500 HP CTS-V late next year, there will be absolutely no reasons not to buy the new CTS.


I also hoped you enjoyed the new design of my car reviews which I just implemented.





OTHER INTERESTING WHIPS


MERCEDES BENZ S550 http://www.epinions.com/content_252095073924



AUDI A8 L http://www.epinions.com/content_254135406212


AUDI S8
http://www.epinions.com/content_401555885700


BMW 750Li http://www.epinions.com/content_252534754948


CHRYSLER 300C http://www.epinions.com/content_249811668612


LEXUS LS460 http://www.epinions.com/content_278165753476

Amount Paid (US$): 37,000
Condition: New
Model Year: 2008
Model and Options: 300HP - 3.6L with F3