XTS spotting

[regfootball]

Checked out a real live XTS at a d'ship today. It was locked and had a 21 day on it, I assume it was left on the lot over the weekend to show off.

Here is my impression on the design in the real world.

Very nice. There is some subtle complexities to the shape and details on this vehicle that come together in person. It is amazing how narrow the car is in actuality, and how tiny the ass end looks from seeing it directly behind. Overall there is really not any element of the exterior I dislike (aside from suggesting that the car looks narrow). It's an evolutionary look, nothing special, but it also has no hood and no deck and to evolve proportions in that regard, and still have the car look cohesive is amazing. It is the bridge car for Cadillac going forward into future forms.

The inside looked amazing in terms of the integration of the design. Everything again has a 'this is the future' look to it....especially in the buttons and such on the center stack. I don't think this was the top end trim because the plastic looked to be ordinary through the window. Color scheme was nice. I just didn't get a visual impression that an S-class owner would be jealous.

Ginormous rear leg room, but that rear bench is NOT very wide, nor is it contoured a whole lot.

My lasting impression on site is that the XTS is merely Cadillac's version of the Lexus ES. Nothing more, nothing less. And there is a huge market for that. And that leaves the door wide open for the ATS and CTS to be distinct. Cadillac's SRX and XTS are direct hits on Lexus' 2 core products.

Well done.

Edited August 12, 2012 by regfootball

[ocnblu]

It's too late now, so maybe next Sunday I will hop out to my local Cadillac store to check out an XTS. Even in photos, one can discern that the car is narrow, I'll have to see if it bothers me in person.

For me, the pressure is off the XTS, since I realize it is not meant to be a flagship of any kind, there is a market for a Cadillac in this niche, so I will let it be.

[regfootball]

the narrowness is much less an issue in the XTS than it is in say, the 08-12 Malibu. I will say this also, the overhangs do not appear all that large either. I have to say, I really like it, a lot, as a puff cruiser. I would LOVE to have an XTS and ATS in my garage.

BTW, i see the ATS powertrain warranty is downgraded, 6/70. Only 70k warranty on the turbo. I wonder if the XTS is the same.

[balthazar]

I saw an XTS on the road the other day. The narrowness (we were opposite each other at a light waiting for green) did not strike me in person, even tho I feel most all cars are too narrow currently. Didn't get a great rear look after we passed, other that in the mirror.

[smk4565]

I saw it at the auto show on a platform and didn't care for it, but on the road the XTS has some presence to it. The front end is probably what the STS should have been all along, it has the Cadillac look and has a classy and modern look and the grille looks sharp, something that was a let down on the STS. Back end is a little stumpy, but overall the car looks pretty good. That being said,I still wouldn't want one because of the chassis and drivetrain. And there are some other $50k cars that look a better.

[Robert Hall]

The Cadillac store around the corner has a couple of them. in person it reminds me a Sonata/Avalon mashup in profile...the proportions are very strange...short high nose, short wheelbase, fastback roofline w/ short, high narrow rear makes for an odd look, IMO.

Edited August 13, 2012 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[ocnblu]

It makes a sharp hearse, imo.

[regfootball]

i dunno, that might be the next escalade

[hyperv6]

Well Last week we had the PGA tour here and a whole fleet of XTS everywhere. This was not the first time I saw a XTS but it was the first time I saW them on the road. I must say they struck me as much nicer than the first one I saw.

I did not detect any narrow look to them as the large grill helps off set this and there was no mistaking it for anything but a Cadillac.

While it is not a car most here will be interested in it is a car that many people just looking for comfort in will enjoy. Also it will introduce them to many of the new things like the manetic ride with better handling the other Cadillacs are now offering. It may not set the Green Hell lap record but it will give the one of the best rides they have ever had and handling that is far from Numb.

It will be interesting to see how soon the service fleets pick up on this with the town cars already gone.

[GMTruckGuy74]

[CanadianBacon94]

I'm jealous of you guys who have local Cadillac Dealers, or local anything dealers really, where i live there is only GM, a Ford dealer, and a Chrysler one, with a Kia/Arctic cat dealer just out of town

[hyperv6]

Kind of makes you wish you could be around for that final ride. LOL!

[Robert Hall]

Kind of makes you wish you could be around for that final ride. LOL!

Looks like it could be the basis for a LWB 7-passenger XTS wagon.. just add wood grain on the sides and a roof rack.

[ocnblu]

I think the one I posted looks dead sexy. GMTG's, not so much.

[GMTruckGuy74]

Limo undergoing testing:

Limo uncovered:

Edited August 14, 2012 by GMTruckGuy74

[hyperv6]

Thanks for posting that. I had seen they were already at work on this.

Like I have repeated GM's comments This car will be a fleet/professional car. With the loss of the Town Car there was nothing left to take up the market. This is a big market with a lot of easy money to make if you have somthing to offer.

[riviera74]

Hyperv6 is right. Too bad that an XTS would probably ride/drive better as a RWD limo/hearse.

[GMTruckGuy74]

Can't wait to see the XTS limo in service. I work outside of Princeton, NJ and there is a large limo service nearby (A1 Limousine) that has always used silver Cadillacs as their limos (when I got married we used their 2000 DTS stretch models). As far back as I can remember, they had the Cadillac Broughams ('90-'92, my cousin used them for her senior prom in '91), then Fleetwood Broughams ('93-'96), Deville's ('97-'99), and DTS's ('00-current). They have Caddy sedans, limos and stretch limos in addition to non-Caddy party buses and vans. They still have new-ish DTS models in service (my company uses them a lot) but I can't wait to see their fleet turnover to the new XTS model soon!

Edited August 14, 2012 by GMTruckGuy74

[Drew Dowdell]

Now see, if they stuck with Benz, they could have limos all the way from an A-Class up through S-Class, and then Sprinter, and full size busses, and could even get into garbage pickup service as well

[regfootball]

[Drew Dowdell]

You take me to my grave in a Quest and I'll come back and haunt you the rest of your days.

[hyperv6]

Hyperv6 is right. Too bad that an XTS would probably ride/drive better as a RWD limo/hearse.

I never said a word about RWD.

Those who drive these cars could care less and those in the back either can't or won't notice.

The appeal to the converters is the FWD will make changing these cars so much cheaper and easier to do.

[Drew Dowdell]

... And lower load heights.

[hyperv6]

More leg and bar room in the back of a streach.

[balthazar]

Not seeing ANY resemblance w/ the nissan.

[ocnblu]

reg, I was laffin'

[G. David Felt]

Limo undergoing testing:

Limo uncovered:

So I wonder if the next President will be ridding in one of these pimped out diesel powered rides?

Other than the clear longer length, it is amazing how they tend to look allot alike.

Will still take the caddy ride over the Nissan every day.

[RBB]

I think the one I posted looks dead sexy. GMTG's, not so much.

-RBB

[Robert Hall]

A stretched CTS-v wagon hearse would be interesting...esp. if you were in a hurry to get to the burial..