Cadillac hopes to avoid ‘one-hit wonders’ with 2008 CTS

omarrana submitted on 09/21/2007 Official AutoSpies Timestamp: 1:31 PM
from: www.egmcartech.com

Tags: Cadillac, CTS

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Cadillac hopes to avoid ‘one-hit wonders’ with 2008 CTS

“We all know plenty of examples of ‘one-hit wonders’ in literature, music, cinema, and, yes, even in car design. When the time came to redesign the original Cadillac CTS, the design team wanted to steer clear of this syndrome.” Those are the words of John Manoogian, Director of Exterior Design at Cadillac.

Writing over at GM’s FastLane Blog, Manoogian admits that the Cadillac design team was under a lot of pressure when it came time to redesign the Cadillac CTS for the 2009 model year run. “…there was a lot of competition,” says Manoogian. ”It’s said that competition improves the breed. Well, I am convinced it certainly raised the bar for the CTS design... Read Article

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pchera01 - 9/21/2007 2:14:37 PM

+2 Boost

good luck

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EnnNorak - 9/21/2007 9:36:37 PM

+1 Boost

I think they need less luck than you think. The new CTS is on my shopping list because I can get it with RWD and LSD. All cars sold to customers who live in a cold climate should have LSD as standard equipment for improved winter traction and AWD should be a modestly priced option.

SevorbeupstryIsBack - 9/22/2007 12:27:54 PM

+2 Boost

You can have the best LSD in the world, 4WD and AWD will always be better in bad weather.

stevenv1999 - 9/21/2007 3:20:59 PM

-3 Boost

Cadillac is building a better car,but they still lack refinement and they still use way too many off the shelf GM parts.

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utahnkid - 9/21/2007 4:23:56 PM

+4 Boost

You got half the comment down.. now the other half entails backing up your claims with some kind of evidence. Give us an example of an "off the shelf" part on the new CTS.

enthusiastx11 - 9/21/2007 7:09:59 PM

+3 Boost

this comment was true of the original CTS.
i think you are mistaken about the 2008. there's nothing off the shelf in it.

EnnNorak - 9/21/2007 9:37:37 PM

+1 Boost

What's wrong with off-the-shelf parts if they are good parts?

utahnkid - 9/21/2007 4:19:37 PM

+5 Boost

Wow you must be new. Well this is a car, it has 4 wheels, steering wheel and an engine. Have you not noticed that EVERY brand has a common design for the front of their automobiles? Look at Audi for example.. Welcome to the car world young buck

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S4cabriofoxone - 9/22/2007 1:18:18 AMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

It's called a design philosophy. It works. It's very distinctive, edgy, stylish. It draws attention. What do you think Audi, BMW, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Infiniti, Saab and Porsche do? They all have very clear design languages. Most of their models are very similar from the front.

Without it, the car world would be strange. Look at lineups from Hyundai and Toyota- their cars are not very similar at all.

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Htay7500 - 9/21/2007 3:42:57 PM

+3 Boost

this is the best thing to come out of GM in a while.

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stinsy - 9/21/2007 3:59:06 PM

0 Boost

To have a "one hit wonder" you first have to have a hit.

enthusiastx11 - 9/21/2007 7:10:43 PM

+3 Boost

agreed.
very impressed with this car.

CBR2200 - 9/21/2007 4:11:28 PM

+1 Boost

Cadillac should be happy to have one hit. That puts them one hit ahead of the rest of GM.

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utahnkid - 9/21/2007 4:27:32 PM

+2 Boost

Wouldn't you consider the Z06 Corvette a hit? The new Tahoe, Yukon, and Escalade one also?

Threepoint1415926 - 9/21/2007 7:01:55 PM

0 Boost

Yes, No, No, No....

EnnNorak - 9/21/2007 9:39:53 PM

+1 Boost

What do you mean "one hit"? Are you not aware how successful the Escalade has been?

carfan33 - 9/21/2007 10:20:48 PM

+4 Boost

don't forget the acadia, enclave, and outlook which are selling very well

and the sky

utahnkid - 9/21/2007 11:37:18 PM

+3 Boost

Sorry, threepoint141592. But sadly whether or not those cars are a "hit" has nothing to do with your own personal opinion. They are selling extremely well for GM, end of story.

S4cabriofoxone - 9/22/2007 1:19:16 AMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

GM is really moving. They know what to do, and they know how to do it. Ford is stuck in neutral, it seems.

Threepoint1415926 - 9/22/2007 2:15:49 AM

+1 Boost

Sorry Utahkid (put as much condescension on there as possible), the Escalade makes money and is in that capacity, a sales success. But a hit must to do more than that. It must wow its audience and its critics. Though it has won over the die hard Escalde fans such as yourself (I've read your posts), it has yet to win over much more as far as I've seen. Once an automobile has conquered it's niche with no evidence of it being better than its competitors, where has it left to go?

Beyond that, a hit (especially in the sense of a one hit) must transcend time. How many successful selling cars of their day can you name that faded into oblivion? Celebrity? LeBaron? Would we consider these hits today even if they sold "extremely well, end of story"? A hit, to say the magnitude of the Corvette or the Mini? There will be no 50th anniversary edition Escalade, I would put my money on it. The same cannot be said for the Corvette.

S4cabriofoxone - 9/23/2007 12:21:07 AMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

Threepoint, you are absolutely correct. However, it has helped Cadillac reach a point where it can truly design some of the best cars in the world. Without the 'Slade, Cadillac would still be making the Catera and the Seville, and nobody would ever think of them as a car for younger buyers. The CTS is the driving force behind this- but it was the Escalade that paved the way. And I don't see it fading into oblivion any time soon.

EnnNorak - 9/27/2007 10:32:17 PM

+1 Boost

carfan33, the Acadia, Outlook, and Enclave do not have seat height adjustment for the front passenger (I bang my head on the roof trying to get in) and they all have transverely mounted engines and cheap AWD systems that don't help if one entire side is on glare ice. Starngely enough, the Acadia is the best-looking of the three.

germeezy2 - 9/21/2007 7:10:24 PM

+5 Boost

Man are you guys Americans? I have never seen so many domestic car haters. And the 1st CTS was an unquestionable hit, it changed perception of Cadillac. It also was a sales sucess.

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EnnNorak - 9/27/2007 10:35:34 PM

+1 Boost

give 'em shit germeezy1, I love driving in scenic America, especially the West and I hope to do it in a CTS next time.

85bmw745i - 9/21/2007 8:04:02 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

Yeah it was a re-badges opel with a Saab v6. yeah it did change the perception of cadillac though. It paved the way for the second generation cts. Now that they have finally improced the interior and don't have so many parts from the common parts bin, it is now a very worthy competitor. They are getting closer, and this is the closest they have ever been to the 3 series/a4/C class. As much as I don't like most domestics, I have to give caddy props for a damn good effort. If the other domestics follow suit and cars like the G8 pontiac, and challenger are produced I can see myself actually considering an American car for the first time. Now if Ford would bring the Falcon from Australia over here with the turbo inline 6 of the v8. It sux that the rest of the world get the best models, likke falcon and we get the taurus. They get the holden commodore and we get the FWD impala

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carfan33 - 9/21/2007 10:27:25 PM

+4 Boost

the CTS is built on the rwd sigma platform which underpins only the CTS, STS, and SRX.

the opel and saab (and caddie BLS) share the fwd epsilon platform.

the CTS is the same size as a 5-series but is priced closer to a 3-series.

utahnkid - 9/21/2007 11:39:16 PM

+3 Boost

Ohhh.. Ok.. I was wondering why they kept comparing the new CTS-V to the M5. I thought it was just some cocky way of saying "yeah were so good we don't even see the 3 series in the same class" but now that I find out it really isn't that makes a lot more sense

S4cabriofoxone - 9/22/2007 1:20:39 AMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

"Yeah it was a re-badges opel with a Saab v6."

That was the Cadillac Catera, which was certainly not a hit. The CTS is its replacement.

Rupert - 9/22/2007 10:39:50 AMView My AgentSpace

0 Boost

The CTS is the same size as a 5 series?
That's not true. Have you ever sat in the back of one? Miniature...my knees were:
a) hitting the fornt seat
b) level with my chest

my head was hitting the ceiling, and it took me ages to get out as that rear door-line is very restrictive. The rest seemed fine, but it was just so small inside...

carfan33 - 9/22/2007 3:36:37 PM

+1 Boost

your talking the 5-series right? i agree, the 5 has an extremely small back seat.

Rupert - 9/22/2007 7:40:21 PMView My AgentSpace

-1 Boost

No i'm talking about the CTS.
I'm fine in the 5, the CTS was just tiny for me...

S4cabriofoxone - 9/23/2007 12:22:15 AMView My AgentSpace

0 Boost

The rear seat of the 5 Series is perfectly roomy. I don't know about the new CTS- but it's not far off from the E60's size.

Peyton18 - 9/22/2007 3:17:55 PM

-1 Boost

Let me just say, I drove this less than an hour ago. Not. Impressed.

I stood on the gas trying to get it to go and it thought about it for a moment, then went. It was a complete after thought. And yes, I was driving the Direct injection model. 304 horses felt like 150 in my old 2001 1.8T manual jetta. Except that was more direct when it came to putting on the gas.

As far as the technology, what a lot of buttons and hard to figure out! The screen is a touch screen which you must really reach for...not ergonomic...and its even more complicated than I can easily describe.

...not for me.

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S4cabriofoxone - 9/23/2007 12:23:29 AMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

It has gotten some glowing reviews. I think yours is a negative opinion among many that are very positive... this car will probably be a runaway success- because they're finally backing the style with substance.

c36amg - 9/22/2007 4:25:22 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

i think that cadillac is doing very well under this segment & after owning mercedes that would be second choice.

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germeezy2 - 9/22/2007 5:03:08 PM

+2 Boost

I drove one of the first ones in WA, and I was impressed. I felt it could have more power..but I feel that way about the V-series as well. =) The interior is just amazing and IMO better than anything in the class right now..but it awaits to be seen how the new C and Audi A4 will stack up

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S4cabriofoxone - 9/23/2007 12:24:31 AMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

The C looks very good and drives well, but the interior is a disappointment. The A4 will, presumably, reassert its position on the top in terms of interior execution.

germeezy2 - 9/23/2007 1:53:18 AM

0 Boost

IMHO the A4/A5 interior is just another variation of the A6 theme. Its also represented in the Q7. I drove a Q7 when we were looking for SUV's and was not as impressed with the interior and surface feel as I thought I would have been.

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S4cabriofoxone - 9/23/2007 9:04:09 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

I have not been in the A5 nor the A4, but in every review they have commented on how beautifully finished the A5's interior is, so that's what I expect. The Q7 was up to my expectations- though the A6 is a bit nicer.

Michael - 9/28/2007 9:40:23 AM

+1 Boost

Cadilac certainly seems like they've produced a very nice car here. Now if we could just get the moon roof sun shade changed so that it is capable of blocking the sun and get bluetooth added as an option, I believe the car will have overcome many folks objections.

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