Autoweek: More CTS variants coming

[Northstar]

http://autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?...41/TOC01ARCHIVE

DETROIT - General Motors has shown auto dealers fastback coupe and Euro-styled crossover variants of the Cadillac CTS, sources close to Cadillac say.

Cadillac General Manager Jim Taylor says developing a broader line of CTS-based vehicles - as BMW does with the 3 series and Mercedes-Benz with the C class - would boost revenue for the vehicle program. But Taylor says GM's board of directors has yet to approve the plan.

The restyled and re-engineered 2008 CTS sedan is scheduled to reach dealerships in fall 2007. It's a key part of GM's effort to build on the revival of its luxury brand and attempt to win more conquest buyers from European luxury makes.

The coupe and crossover are "taking shape," according to sources close to Cadillac.

A third spinoff is likely, one source says.

All-wheel drive is a likely option for the CTS lineup, sources say. Three sources close to Cadillac, who spoke on condition of anonymity, have seen the derivatives.

Cadillac's key competitors field a broad line of entry-luxury vehicles, such as BMW's 3 series, Taylor said in an interview with Automotive News.

A full line boosts revenue for the entire platform, he says. Cadillac could get additional volume by selling CTS niche products overseas.

"If you leverage these platforms in automotives, that's the name of the game because that's where we make all of our money," Taylor says.

"It's a smart area for us to go because the CTS has created credibility for us."

Taylor is optimistic that Cadillac will get board approval for the derivative products, but he also is cautious.

"Until the board has signed their check to us, I've seen way too many of these programs go the other way," Taylor says.

Cadillac sold 57,211 units of the CTS in 2004 and 61,512 last year. This year Cadillac sold 34,672 units of the CTS through July. That's down from 39,446 in the year-ago period.

Dealers are counting on the 2008 CTS to continue Cadillac's revival.

"Most of where we've given up money this year has been in the small-sedan segment, so the new CTS will be important," says Howard Drake, co-owner of Casa Automotive Group in Sherman Oaks, Calif. Drake sells Hummer, Saab and Cadillac.

Taylor hopes to keep momentum strong for the current CTS through new advertising and marketing. He anticipates flat to modestly increased CTS sales this year, compared with last year.

Taylor admits that having the CTS at the end of its life cycle is tough for dealers and GM: "We're biting our lip because we've got one more year to go."

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Hmm, so I wonder if this CTS crossover is going to replace the SRX? It wouldn't make any sense to have the BRX, SRX, and CTS X-Over.

[tmp]

Convertible, please.

[Drew Dowdell]

I'll take a E85 burning, AFM, hybrid please...

[Croc]

DIESEL CONVERTIBLE!!!!! (I'll settle for a diesel coupe though)

[Dragon]

Since they are based off the same platform, wouldn’t a CTS based crossover just be an SRX?

[Sixty8panther]

Fastback coupe? Listen up now GM:

Please give it a hardtop greenhouse. Four windows that

all drop down completely into the doors & rear quarters

for that super cool "B-pillarless" look like the new CLK.

[Robert Hall]

DIESEL CONVERTIBLE!!!!! (I'll settle for a diesel coupe though)

186431[/snapback]

That would be very cool..I'd love to see a CTS-v coupe and convertible. I wonder what engine the next v's will have...

[CSpec]

A CTS crossover replacing the SRX makes perfect sense. Even if the CTS isn't quite long enough for a third row in wagon form, the one in the current SRX is pretty useless anyway. The coupe already has a program code, and we saw some glimpses of it in the 60 Mins design center tour.

[Cadillacfan]

Fastback coupe? Listen up now GM:

Please give it a hardtop greenhouse. Four windows that

all drop down completely into the doors & rear quarters

for that super cool "B-pillarless" look like the new CLK.

186830[/snapback]

Well, they already have the capability with the G6 convertable. You can lower both windows with the top still up. It looks really cool that way. I'm sure they'll include that function with a coupe variant. They'd be stupid not too.

[NOS2006]

Fastback coupe?! Is this what they mean by a fastback coupe...?

1. http://www.thebestlinks.com/images/d/db/Fastback.jpg

2. http://www.chooseyouritem.com/classics/pho...op.Fastback.jpg

[DetroitNut90]

I want to see a CTS 'vert more than anything.

However, the crossover has my attention as well.

[ocnblu]

Although the second pic wouldn't work for me, yes, Nos, the green '68 Mustang in the first is a fastback.

God, I hope these variants are approved. The idea of a CTS coupe just leaves me weak in the freakin' knees, wow.

[jbartley]

Since they are based off the same platform, wouldn’t a CTS based crossover just be an SRX?

186821[/snapback]

No, b/c the SRX is a much larger vehicle, with a longer wheelbase.

a smaller sigma 2 crossover would be cheaper and go head to head with the x3, and not cheapen the brand like the "BRX". Then SRX could get a little bigger, stay an x5 competitor.

Edited August 31, 2006 by jbartley

[BlkHhr104]

Would the R-Class be what they are aiming at or is that too big?

[SimonDavid]

Sounds Great!

Although I'm still not quite sure whether the CTS is meant to be a 3 series or 5 series competitor.

Here in Europe the larger size relative to the 3 series is an actual liability.

Also, dont want to sound like a broken record, but deisels needed. The Opel/SAAB 1.9 is probably too small and the new V8 is probably too big. Biggest selling BMW in the UK is the 320D.

[Dragon]

No, b/c the SRX has a much longer wheelbase.

a smaller sigma 2 crossover would be cheaper and go head to head with the x3, and not cheapen the brand like the "BRX". Then SRX could get a little bigger, stay an x5 competitor.

187175[/snapback]

according to GM canada, the wheelbases are only different by 2 1/2". The CTS is 113.4in while the SRX is 116in

[network engineer]

Fastback coupe? Listen up now GM:

Please give it a hardtop greenhouse. Four windows that

all drop down completely into the doors & rear quarters

for that super cool "B-pillarless" look like the new CLK.

186830[/snapback]

I agree. That would kick ass. GM used to do this on a lot of cars. They called them 2 door hardtops. (aka the b pillar was gone) If it still has a B pillar (as most coupes do today) then it is called a 2 door post.

Here is a 2 door hardtop

Here is a 2 door post

The hardtop is a much better looking car, which is why today, nobody wants a post. The hardtop is the car that's really sought after.

[ZL-1]

187353[/snapback]

There are some spy pics of the CTS accompanied by both last-gen and current-gen 5-series BMWs. I believe GM has realized that the size liability exists.

Do you know if GM can use Fiat's 2.4 diesel I-5? If it fits, it might be an interesting alternative for Cadillac.

How well do 520d sell int he UK? They're quite a hit here in Portugal as executive saloons, because we are taxed on displacement.

[NOS2006]

Although the second pic wouldn't work for me, yes, Nos, the green '68 Mustang in the first is a fastback.

God, I hope these variants are approved.  The idea of a CTS coupe just leaves me weak in the freakin' knees, wow.

187111[/snapback]

The second pic is a Ford (Gran?) Torino fastback. I know they're fastbacks.. but has the definition of "fastback" been updated since the '60s-70s, or does it still mean the greenhouse stretches to just near the edge of the trunklid?

[roadwarrior]

Oh, that's a thing of beauty. Exactly when did GM stop with the hardtop styling? My dad's '65 SS is post-less, too...it just looks so much cleaner on a sporty coupe than a post.

[G. David Felt]

There are some spy pics of the CTS accompanied by both last-gen and current-gen 5-series BMWs. I believe GM has realized that the size liability exists.

Do you know if GM can use Fiat's 2.4 diesel I-5? If it fits, it might be an interesting alternative for Cadillac.

How well do 520d sell int he UK? They're quite a hit here in Portugal as executive saloons, because we are taxed on displacement.

187409[/snapback]

Man I feel sorry for you, IMO it is stupid to tax based on engine displacement. Tax on the value not the size of the engine. If you can afford the more expensive auto, you should get to enjoy the engine. After all you already can afford the auto and the insurance and maintenance and what would be the gas bill to go with the engine.

[Robert Hall]

Oh, that's a thing of beauty.  Exactly when did GM stop with the hardtop styling?  My dad's '65 SS is post-less, too...it just looks so much cleaner on a sporty coupe than a post.

187496[/snapback]

'73-74 was the end of 2dr hardtops and '76 were the last 4dr hardtops for GM (B- and C- bodies,the last A-body hardtops were '72)..

[ZL-1]

Man I feel sorry for you, IMO it is stupid to tax based on engine displacement.  Tax on the value not the size of the engine.  If you can afford the more expensive auto, you should get to enjoy the engine.  After all you already can afford the auto and the insurance and maintenance and what would be the gas bill to go with the engine. 

187523[/snapback]

It sucks... I own a Mini One D that, last time i checked, cost 5,000 euros LESS in Spain than it does in Portugal!!! But European governments are VERY stupid in the way they tax citizens, and very few people give a f#$% about taxation issues over here...

Maybe we need a Brussels Tea Party, much like the 18th century Boston Tea Party

[SimonDavid]

It sucks... I own a Mini One D that, last time i checked, cost 5,000 euros LESS in Spain than it does in Portugal!!! But European governments are VERY stupid in the way they tax citizens, and very few people give a f#$% about taxation issues over here...

Maybe we need a Brussels Tea Party, much like the 18th century Boston Tea Party

187784[/snapback]

Tax in the UK is not displacement based. If you receive a company car paid for by your employer you are taxed on the perk based on

The price of the car

x

a percentage determined by how much the car pollutes, specifically the grams of CO2 the car emits per kilometre (I am not making this stuff up).

The figure for deisels is loaded up by 15% I think to reflect soot. So all car makers in the UK now advertise that CO2 figure.

The lowest figure is Toyota Prius at 109g/km. But a BMW 525d which is kind of te standard middle management car is only 185g/km. Not bad at all.

I am very sad that I know all this stuff...

http://www.vcacarfueldata.org.uk/

[ZL-1]

I am very sad that I know all this stuff...

187787[/snapback]

My comment on European taxtation was intended as a genral comment, not a car-related one... My English grammar explodes when thinking how screwed we are by the Government here in Portugal...

Over here the Auto Tax (displacement-based one, with a new CO2 component) is added to the base-price and that sum's result is multiplied by 1,21 (our VAT rate is 21%). In essence, our Auto Tax pays VAT too

Edited September 1, 2006 by ZL-1

[toesuf94]

is the Crossfire the new version of a fastback...cause we all know how well those are flying off the floors at a DCX dealer near you...although, I admit, I love the car. The style lines on the hood are damned sweet. Love to reskin the hood on the Roadmaster wagon with those, just to add some flair.

I love the pillarless look, but will they withstand the new roof crush standards without having to be made of cast iron and weigh a metric ton?

[Dragon]

problem with the crossfire isn't so much the looks IMO, its that its on a 10 year old body and its underpowered

[MrObsessive]

I love the pillarless look, but will they withstand the new roof crush standards without having to be made of cast iron and weigh a metric ton?

187809[/snapback]

It should...........Mercedes has intro'd a new CL coupe for 2007 and I'm sure they figured on the new standards while they were designing it.

What I'd like to see is the return of the 4 door hardtop! I figure if they can put pop up rollover bars in convertibles, why not into 4 doors for rollover protection?

[Drew Dowdell]

It should...........Mercedes has intro'd a new CL coupe for 2007 and I'm sure they figured on the new standards while they were designing it.

What I'd like to see is the return of the 4 door hardtop! I figure if they can put pop up rollover bars in convertibles, why not into 4 doors for rollover protection?

189284[/snapback]

It's for side impact protection.....

[MrObsessive]

It's for side impact protection.....

189335[/snapback]

Okay..........I thought I read somewhere that Volvo had engineered a side impact system that worked like an airbag but come out of the top of the doors. I remember the pic I had seen was in a pillarless car.

I dunno..............one of the main reasons I dislike 4 doors is because of that vision blocking pillar! I'm 6'3", and I have to have the seat as far back as it'll go. That side pillar blocks my left peripheral vision as well as when I'm at an intersection and trying to see traffic coming on the right. Yeah I could move my head around......sure......but it's still annoying just the same, and makes a lot of cars look so ungainly.

I drive a Saturn Quad Coupe which Saturn considers a "hardtop" but it too has the pillar when the doors are shut. At least the doors are long enough, thus the pillar is far back enough that it doesn't block my view.

[Cadillacfan]

Speaking of your car. That's a huge signature photo you have. You might want to crop it down a bit so other people won't have problems viewing the thread.

[Cadillacfan]

So then the CTS CUV must be closer to the Lexus RX330/ Infiniti FX in size. Which means no third row and a much sportier drive. The BRX will then compete with the compact SUVs such as the new Acura RDX, the new Infiniti compact, and the upcoming german SUVs not including the BMW X3 since it's already out. Cadillac is certainly expanding it's range. Not bad.

Edited September 6, 2006 by Cadillacfan

[red115]

I wanted a CTS coupe since the introduction of the CTS. Its a beautiful car and would just be smokin with 2 doors, but I havent seen any protos for the 2008. I hope they dont get too crazy with it though, because I still love the way that car looks, especially the CTS-V, that is a sexy bitch.

No rice for me thanks, Ive had enough for a lifetime.

[Cadillacfan]

Hmm.. interesting. I don't think they should get rid of the SRX but maybe do an extensive redesign and make it a little larger if and when Cadillac phases out the Escalade (which I don't think will happen anytime soon especially with gas prices falling.)