Ch-Ch-Changes For The CTS In 2012

[William Maley]

Ch-Ch-Changes For The CTS In 2012

William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com

April 19, 2011

2012 Cadillac CTS Gallery

Cadillac is adding some changes for the 2012 CTS. Exterior wise, the CTS gets a new grill that uses premium finishes to highlight the grill's use of frame and mesh. Also, the Wreath & Crest logo has been tweaked (again) with brighter colors and raised ridges.

The big news comes from the 3.6 DI V6 which now gets 318 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque; up from 304 horses and 273 lb-ft on the current 3.6. The 3.6 also weighs 20.5 lbs less than the current motor and will still get the current EPA rating of 18 city/27 highway mpg.

Also new for 2012 is a Touring Package which adds a darker grille and 19-inch wheels on the outside and dark Sapele wood interior trim, steel pedals, sued inserts on the seats, shift knob, and steering wheel inside the cabin.

Finally, Bluetooth is standard across the whole CTS range and the CTS coupe will get side blind-zone alert standard. The 2012 CTS arrives onto dealer lots in the summer.

Press Release is Below

CTS Adds Horsepower, New Grille For 2012 Model Year

Cadillac’s new V-6 engine delivers extra 14 hp, same fuel economy as previous V-6

2011-04-19

• New grille features premium finishes for mesh and frame, refined Cadillac Wreath & Crest logo
  
• CTS adds Touring Package with exclusive grille with dark finish, larger wheels and tires, metal pedals, dark Sapele wood interior and sueded wheel and shifter
  
• Bluetooth phone integration now standard on all models, Coupe has available side blind-zone alert
  

DETROIT – Cadillac’s CTS luxury sport Sedan, Coupe and Wagon will add an upgraded V-6 engine, new grille and new Touring Package edition for the 2012 model year.

The new 3.6L V-6 will use a lighter, more efficient design to give customers more power at the same fuel economy as the current 3.6L V-6. The new engine delivers an SAE-certified 318 horsepower (237 kW) and 275 lb.-ft. (372 Nm) of torque, compared to the current engine’s 304 horsepower (227 kW) and 273 lb.-ft. (370 Nm) of torque. The EPA fuel economy label will remain 18 city/27 highway mpg.

The CTS’s distinctive shield-shaped front grille has been redesigned with new premium finishes that highlight the intricacies of a new frame and mesh combination. The Wreath & Crest logo also has sharper colors and raised ridges between the colors, giving it a three-dimensional quality. The result provides customers a CTS with a more refined appearance.

The changes will be carried in all three CTS models – CTS Sport Sedan, Sport Wagon and Coupe. The 2012 models will arrive at dealerships in late summer. Pricing will be announced closer to the start of production.

“CTS has established itself as a world-class line of luxury sports cars, but to remain on top, we have to continually make improvements,” said Don Butler, vice president of Cadillac marketing. “The changes for the 2012 model year give customers a fresh take on the CTS’s bold front grille and provide enhanced driving performance without sacrificing fuel economy.”

The new grille builds on a design that has helped the CTS family win a spot on Car and Driver’s 10 Best list, Popular Mechanics’ Auto Excellence Awards and Automobile Magazine’s All-Stars list. The new finishes on the grille add more gloss to the mesh and luster to the frame, accentuating the details in the design. The mesh also is pulled flusher to the frame, making these details stand out even more.

The new 3.6L V-6 builds on another award-winning design. It’s an evolution of an engine named twice to Ward’s 10 Best Engines list for what the automotive publication called its “laudable low-end torque and effortless power delivery.” The new CTS engine, like its predecessor, provides more horsepower and torque than comparable V-6 offerings in the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Lexus ES350.

Cadillac engineers were able to improve the current design in several ways. The cylinder heads have larger intake valves and an improved intake port design. These work with a longer-duration intake camshaft to boost power and efficiency by allowing more air to flow into the engine.

Engineers also reduced the engine’s weight. An integrated cylinder head/exhaust manifold design saves about 13 pounds (6 kg) per engine compared to the cylinder heads and manifolds of the current engine.

The new composite intake manifold saves about 5.5 pounds (2.5 kg) compared to the current aluminum intake. A lighter-weight structural front cover and lighter-weight, high-strength connecting rods bring the total weight savings to 20.5 pounds (9.3 kg), which helps the vehicle’s fuel efficiency and improves the car’s handling and driving balance.

In addition to the new engine and grille, Cadillac is adding a new Touring Package for 2012 that enhances key touch-points of the CTS. The Touring Package, available in the 3.0L V-6 and 3.6L V-6 engines, will have an exclusive grille with a dark finish, metal pedals, dark Sapele wood interior trim and sueded seat inserts, steering wheel and shift knob.

The Touring Package Sedan and Wagon also will have chrome door handles. The 3.6L version will have 19-inch polished wheels and Recaro 14-way adjustable performance seats. The 3.0L version will have 18-inch wheels with a pearl-nickel finish.

Other changes for the 2012 model year on the CTS include standard Bluetooth phone integration on all models and side blind-zone alert technology available on the CTS Coupe.

[Drew Dowdell]

I wonder what inside the engine is actually lighter....

[SAmadei]

I wonder what inside the engine is actually lighter....

From the article...

The new composite intake manifold saves about 5.5 pounds (2.5 kg) compared to the current aluminum intake. A lighter-weight structural front cover and lighter-weight, high-strength connecting rods bring the total weight savings to 20.5 pounds (9.3 kg), which helps the vehicle's fuel efficiency and improves the car's handling and driving balance.

I'm impressed... 20lbs is significant... I would've guessed block, crank or heads. I was also surprised that it didn't already have a composite intake... I mean, GEEZ, even the old school SBC has a composite intake available for it now... ;-)

Edit: typo.

Edited April 19, 2011 by SAmadei

[Robert Hall]

Subtle changes..guess I would have to see the grilles side by side to see the changes.

[Croc]

What happened to the interior refresh that was promised a few years ago?? Has that been pushed off until 2013 because it kind of needs it now.

[Drew Dowdell]

lighter connecting rods might actually help with NHV and/or the willingness to rev.

[smk4565]

More power and less weight is good. I like that the grille doesn't have as much dark gray plastic visible. On the downside though, the grille looks a lot like the one on the STS. Perhaps it is the wheels also, but the car reminds me of the STS which looks dated and designed for the elderly at this point.

[SAmadei]

lighter connecting rods might actually help with NHV and/or the willingness to rev.

National Herbarium of Victoria? National Health Video?

The NVH reduced by lighter connecting rods is likely negated by the composite intake. NVH was why the series III 3800 switched back to an alloy intake, isn't it.

[vonVeezelsnider]

lighter connecting rods might actually help with NHV and/or the willingness to rev.

The NVH reduced by lighter connecting rods is likely negated by the composite intake. NVH was why the series III 3800 switched back to an alloy intake, isn't it.

Durability was also a factor IIRC. The composite intake on the 3800 SII was prone to cracking.

[SAmadei]

Durability was also a factor IIRC. The composite intake on the 3800 SII was prone to cracking.

Yeah, but that was fixed in later revisions... most of the problems were with gaskets and the overheating of the plastic near the EGR stovepipe. Perhaps they did it to placate popular opinion... but it seems a lot of money to dump into a engine that was constantly on death row.

Its possible to crack/smash thin alloy intakes... I've seen quite a few in the junkyard. With weight savings becoming a top priority, I imagine composites will come roaring back.

[dwightlooi]

BTW, just in case anyone is still wondering... the engine IS the LFX. This is NOT a minor update to the engine. The engine has a new block and heads. The new head features the LF1 (3.0 DI) style 3-to-1 integrated exhaust collector such that it only has ONE outlet pot. The Camaro will also get the same power plant as will all the current 3.6 DI recipients -- albiet not all at once but over the course of 2011 and 2012.

Power is rated at 323 bhp (SAE OFFICIAL NUMBER) / 278 lb-ft for the Camaro. The CTS is slightly less at 318 hp / 275 lb-ft, possibly due to exhaust and intake quietness considerations. It seems that initial expectations of about 330hp is a little optimistic, but 318~323hp isn't bad from 3.564 liters -- GM is still getting 90.6 bhp/liter out of this thing. And, yes, it still runs on 87 Octane.

Edited April 20, 2011 by dwightlooi

[dwightlooi]

If you want to see the SAE report... you can get it here.. http://standards.sae.org/cpgm2_12cadcts

It's a thousand bucks though... otherwise you can just trust me on this.

Edited April 20, 2011 by dwightlooi

[William Maley]

BTW, just in case anyone is still wondering... the engine IS the LFX. This is NOT a minor update to the engine. The engine has a new block and heads. The new head features the LF1 (3.0 DI) style 3-to-1 integrated exhaust collector such that it only has ONE outlet pot. The Camaro will also get the same power plant as will all the current 3.6 DI recipients -- albiet not all at once but over the course of 2011 and 2012.

Ok, I had a sneaking suspicion this was the LFX.. Thanks

[ClassyEldo]

There has already been a "correction" to the GM Online Ordering Guide for the 2012 CTS Coupes--the color selections for the Recaro Seating when ordering the Touring Package are as previously offered on the V-Series (i.e. Ebony, Light Titanium and Ebony/Saffron). It was a mistake to list "Ebony with Light Titanium Sueded Inserts" and this makes sense. A 2012 CTS Coupe equipped with the Touring Package will be sublime! :smilies-38096:

[Drew Dowdell]

BTW, just in case anyone is still wondering... the engine IS the LFX. This is NOT a minor update to the engine. The engine has a new block and heads. The new head features the LF1 (3.0 DI) style 3-to-1 integrated exhaust collector such that it only has ONE outlet pot. The Camaro will also get the same power plant as will all the current 3.6 DI recipients -- albiet not all at once but over the course of 2011 and 2012.

Power is rated at 323 bhp (SAE OFFICIAL NUMBER) / 278 lb-ft for the Camaro. The CTS is slightly less at 318 hp / 275 lb-ft, possibly due to exhaust and intake quietness considerations. It seems that initial expectations of about 330hp is a little optimistic, but 318~323hp isn't bad from 3.564 liters -- GM is still getting 90.6 bhp/liter out of this thing. And, yes, it still runs on 87 Octane.

doesn't that 3-1 collector also make turbocharging the thing quite a bit easier?

[Intrepidation]

I prefer the old grill, it had more definition. Lack of interior updates to keep it competitive is disappointing. Don't let you best car rot Cadillac.

[dwightlooi]

BTW, just in case anyone is still wondering... the engine IS the LFX. This is NOT a minor update to the engine. The engine has a new block and heads. The new head features the LF1 (3.0 DI) style 3-to-1 integrated exhaust collector such that it only has ONE outlet pot. The Camaro will also get the same power plant as will all the current 3.6 DI recipients -- albiet not all at once but over the course of 2011 and 2012.

Power is rated at 323 bhp (SAE OFFICIAL NUMBER) / 278 lb-ft for the Camaro. The CTS is slightly less at 318 hp / 275 lb-ft, possibly due to exhaust and intake quietness considerations. It seems that initial expectations of about 330hp is a little optimistic, but 318~323hp isn't bad from 3.564 liters -- GM is still getting 90.6 bhp/liter out of this thing. And, yes, it still runs on 87 Octane.

doesn't that 3-1 collector also make turbocharging the thing quite a bit easier?

Yes, a litte, but the primary motivation is to make the exhaust manifold much simpler (One pipe instead of three) and much more compact. In fact, the close coupled cat converter can be bolted directly to the engine, with the exhaust pipe then bolted to it... For turbocharging to be really convenient and efficient, it would have been better if the engine is a reverse flow design -- the intake is on the flanks with the exhaust inside the Vee. This will allow you to use one larger turbo instead of two smaller ones. The intercooler plumbing becomes half as complicated and a larger turbo is usually more efficient than two small ones.