We know the CTS-V has gone over well with even the most anti-American critical European journalists, like Jeremy Clarkson. Now, imagine a car with many of the CTS-V's sporting upgrades, but with a lower price, just as much torque, and much better fuel efficiency. They've been going crazy over BMW turbo diesels in Europe for years, so a Duramax CTS could finally be Cadillac's big push across the pond. But who knows, maybe the it'll never happen. [MotorTrend]

Jalopnik Snap Judgement: Take everything you love about the Cadillac CTS sedan and amplify it by the power of wagon. The roof line is stretched out with elegantly integrated chrome strips serving the dual purpose of stylish brightwork and clever concealer of the built in rails for the roof rack. The flowing tail lights are a gorgeous combination of curve and edge. We really wish it came through in these photos, but the shape of the hatch and bumper come together in a pronounced "V," enhancing the 'Art and Science' look to the car.

Inside, everything forward of the rear seat is the same, but the load floor itself is brilliantly designed. A lift of the chrome handle and the floor folds upwards, settling into detents on the sides of the tub below, perfect for managing lighter loads. For heavier loads, there's an integrated rail system, which will offer load bars and carrier accessories for the organizational fiend.

Let's be serious for a second here, we're fully aware of the fawning nature of this Judgement, but this car is freakin' awesome. We want it bad. Like men dying of thirst in the desert, this is our water.

CTS Sport Wagon: Cadillac's Renaissance Takes A New Form

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. - Amidst the beauty and history of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, Cadillac treats car enthusiasts to a world premiere of its latest production-car design. The 2010 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon makes its debut this weekend on the Monterey Peninsula, showcasing a dramatic design that elevates and updates the classic wagon body style.

Not unlike many historic Cadillac designs, the new CTS Sport Wagon is an unmistakable and dynamic presence. The car's intricately cut rear profile injects fashion-forward design into the formerly utilitarian world of wagons. Cadillac's upcoming wagon offers ample interior space and includes a range of six-cylinder engine choices, making it a compelling alternative to larger utility vehicles.

Based on the hot-selling CTS sport sedan, and a sister vehicle to the CTS Coupe Concept, the Sport Wagon extends the design-driven renaissance of Cadillac. Following this special premiere at Pebble Beach, the CTS Sport Wagon moves to the worldwide auto show circuit this fall - and into Cadillac dealerships in spring 2009.

"The addition of this dramatically-designed Sport Wagon is well synchronized with today's changing consumer tastes as a compelling alternative to SUVs or other larger vehicles," says Jim Taylor, Cadillac general manager. "This is an important step in Cadillac's ongoing global expansion, and of course in international markets like Europe, wagons have been and continue to be very significant."

A striking profile is created with the CTS wagon, with a silhouette that suggests speed and aerodynamic efficiency. It rides on the same 113.4-inch (2,880-mm) wheelbase as the CTS sport sedan and is 0.3-inch (7 mm) shorter. However, it offers a generous cargo area of 25 cubic feet (720 liters) behind the rear seats. Design highlights include:

* Signature V-shaped deck and tailgate motif
* Large, vertical taillamps with light-pipe technology
* Power-opening liftgate (via key fob or in-vehicle button)
* CHMSL integrated in subtle roof spoiler
* Integrated roof load management system with cross bars for a seamless appearance
* Cargo management system with adjustable in-floor containment
* New 19-inch wheels
* Larger available panoramic rear sunroof

The CTS Sport Wagon, like its sedan predecessor, includes available features such as all-wheel drive, a 40-gigabyte internal hard drive, pop-up navigation screen and a hand-cut-and-sewn interior with Sapele wood accents.

"The CTS Sport Wagon is an important expansion to the Cadillac lineup worldwide," said Taylor.

Design details

Dramatic planes highlight the CTS wagon's design, including a V-shaped motif carried throughout the vehicle and carefully integrated intersections of exterior surfaces. The elements coalesce in a dramatic fashion, creating tension that emphasizes the vehicle's performance.

"It's a taut design that not only suggests sleekness, but delivers it," said Clay Dean, global design director for Cadillac. "Indeed, the drama of the sedan is amplified in the CTS Sport Wagon, as the centerline cue that is part of the exterior and interior is more prominent and plays a stronger role in defining the design at the rear of the vehicle."

The emotion of the CTS Sport Wagon's design is carried by a number of nuanced details. The liftgate area, for example, is a confluence of angles and planes that typifies the vehicle's design tension. Cadillac's "V" motif is most prominent here, culminating in a spine at the center of the liftgate that is accented with a subtle spoiler at the top of the backlight. The rear quarter panels extend slightly beyond the inward-angled planes of the V, creating a distinctive W shape at the rear of the vehicle. Large, prominent vertical taillamps - with Cadillac's signature light pipe technology - are the final, dramatic touches to the rear-end styling.

"The more you study the rear of the CTS Sport Wagon, the more you see," said Dean. "Functionality was certainly a guiding factor during development, but so was the idea to inject emotion into the normally sedate wagon category."

One of the more interesting integrations of form and function is found in the seamless roof load management system. Rather than stylized stanchions, brackets and cross bars that protrude above the roof line, the CTS Sport Wagon's system blends with the roofline, maintaining an uninterrupted appearance. The center section of the roof panel angles downward inside the roof edges, allowing an unobtrusive placement of the cross bars - and creating a subtle fin effect at the trailing edges of the rear panels.

"They're not fins in the classic sense, but they work to help disguise the cargo load system and, yes, they acknowledge Cadillac's design heritage," said Dean.

The interior of the Sport Wagon is common with the much-acclaimed sport sedan, including streamlined instrumentation, LED lighting and hand-cut-and-sewn accents with French stitching.

Powertrains

Direct injection technology helps the CTS offer more power while maintaining fuel economy and lowering emissions. It delivers fuel more precisely to increase the efficiency of combustion. This means less fuel is consumed and lower emissions created.

With the CTS Sport Wagon's 3.6L V-6, direct injection translates to 304 horsepower (227 kW)*, no loss of fuel efficiency and a 25-percent drop in cold-start hydrocarbon emissions. It also runs on less expensive regular unleaded gasoline. The Sport Wagon's fuel economy is expected to be similar to the peak rating of the existing sport sedan's 26 mpg highway rating. The standard 3.6L VVT engine that produces 263 horsepower (196 kW) and 253 lb.-ft. of torque (343 Nm) serves as the base engine in North America.

Just like the CTS sport sedan, the V-6 engines are matched with fuel-saving six-speed transmissions, including an Aisin six-speed manual or an electronically controlled Hydra-Matic 6L50 six-speed automatic. As is the case on the sport sedan, CTS Sport Wagon includes AWD as an option.

An efficient 2.9L turbo-diesel engine is being developed for CTS models primarily in European and Asian markets. It is a compact, dual overhead cam, four-valve V-6 engine from GM's family of diesel engines that delivers optimal fuel economy as well as reduced emissions and noise. The engine is rated at 184 kW (250 hp).

Driving dynamics

The robust and dynamic CTS chassis infuses the new wagon with a great balance of performance and luxury. It uses an independent short/long arm ( SLA) front suspension system and a multi-link rear suspension.

The multi-link rear suspension features a fully isolated subframe that helps deliver excellent suspension kinematics, contributing to a superior ride and excellent handling.

Advanced chassis technology in the form of Cadillac's StabiliTrak electronic chassis control system integrates the car's standard four-channel ABS with the full-function traction control, hydraulic brake assist and engine drag control systems to deliver a safer, more confident driving experience. Additional chassis details include a structure-enhancing tower-to-tower brace under the hood; large, four-wheel disc brakes and premium steering.

CTS Coupe Spy Report

It took a long-range spotting scope to get it, but we just caught Cadillac's CTS coupe without its heavy camouflage covering. Now all that separates from the production styling of the CTS coupe is some checkerboard tape—and about a half-mile of distance between the camera and the prototype. The taped camouflage, long distance, and slightly foggy conditions all conspired to keep some of the CTS coupe's finer styling details obfuscated, but the overall design treatment is clearly revealed.

In its uncovered state, the production CTS coupe still remains faithful to the original concept, but some minor changes are visible on the prototype's rear-end. The mesh vents which flank the central exhaust on the concept have been replaced with slim red reflectors, in a nod to safety standards on the production model. Also, the concept's license plate housing has been reshaped (perhaps to accommodate both U.S. and international registration plates), while a larger chrome strip adorns the trunk lid. The overall shape to the prototype's rear bumper looks nearly identical to the concept, right down to the careful sculpting at the bottom corners which wrap around toward the central exhaust.

The side window lines look just about identical on both cars, while the truly B-pillar-free design on the concept is less exotic on the production car. Stylists appear to have done an admirable job keep a smooth glass-to-glass effect on the side windows, but a B-pillar is still in place. The front-end on this prototype looks to be straight off the CTS sedan, without the subtle body kit applied to the concept's front fascia.

With our appetite whetted upon seeing this unclad CTS coupe prototype, we're now eager to get a closer look at a similarly finished prototype running on public roads. As always, we'll keep our eyes open

Said Stephens, "We're ready. When (customers) want it - we'll do it." The idea of a four-banger Cadillac CTS Wagon is pretty alluring.

Jalopnik Snap Judgment: There's just one problem with this strategy —how do people signify they want the option of a smaller engine? Do they write letters? Attend focus groups? Isn't this a game of chicken and the egg? We're worried Cadillac's strategy is the same as GM's SUV-pickup truck strategy, which was to wait until they stopped selling them and then drastically shift development. Maybe getting ahead of the market this time would be a nice move.

[Auto Observer via eGMCarTech]

"General Motors will unveil a Cadillac CTS wagon this fall in an effort to compete with BMW's 3 series and Mercedes C-class wagons. Cadillac intends to start production in 2009 for global sale. GM has shown a CTS coupe concept to be produced next year."

Well, it looks like they also know there's a new SRX is on the way for 2010 and surprise, it'll be the BRX/Provoq concept:

"Cadillac also plans to replace its current SRX crossover with a production version of the Provoq concept crossover as a 2010 model."

[Edmunds]

Open up the power-operated lift-gate, and you'll find 25 cubic feet of cargo space, and 58 cubic feet of cargo space when you put down the split-folding 2nd row seat. That's not quite enough room to fit a casket in the back, but we have a feeling that this is one Cadillac wagon that won't be used for hearse duty. What we know for sure is we're of the opinion if Cadillac had wanted to keep this to themselves, they would have done it the old fashioned way — behind closed doors in panel testing.


Big Hat Tip to Wally!

[via CarScoop]

CTS Wagon SPIED!!

Today we caught the third Cadillac CTS variant out testing, the CTS wagon.

Codenamed GMX 206, GM will start building this luxury wagon in the Spring of 2009. It will be built along side the CTS sedan and coupe at the Lansing Grand River Assembly Plant. Expect GM to build around 10,000-12,000 units a year with a significant portion of that run earmarked for sales in Europe.

Back in the U.S., once GM kills the SRX in the first or second quarter of 2009, it will be replacement by committee with the CTS wagon and BRX attempting to fill the SRX's spot in Cadillac's lineup.

Cadillac CTS Coupe! - A running prototype - Closely based on the concept, we caught what is obviously the Cadillac CTS Coupe - although sources speculate that name may actually be CTC when it reaches production in May of 2009. Codenamed GMX226, the stylish couple will be built along side the CTS sedan at the Lansing Grand River Plant.

The coupe will feature a backup camera which is not currently found on the sedan, and wont have tradition door handles, but touch pad setup instead. Styling wise, it obviously follows the concept VERY closely. Even the dual exhaust will make production. Only the concept front end may see a modest toning down to bring it inline with the CTS sedan.

"I never dreamed an American car designed in Germany assembled in Mexico with parts made in Canada could be so amazing!"

NEW PRODUCTION MODELS AND CONCEPTS HIGHLIGHT CADILLAC'S DESIGN AND INNOVATION AT THE NORTH AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW

DETROIT - Carrying the momentum of its ongoing product renaissance - exemplified in the new, award-winning CTS - Cadillac accelerates into 2008 with significant moves that advance the brand's dramatic design and innovative performance technology. These initiatives are on display at the North American Auto Show, in a pair of new production models and a pair of forward-looking concepts:

* 2009 CTS-V - the ultimate expression of Cadillac's performance, luxury and design
* 2009 Escalade Hybrid - the first hybrid propulsion system applied to a large luxury SUV, delivering more than 50-percent improved fuel mileage in city driving
* Myst Concept - a petroleum-free, hydrogen-powered vision of future luxury transportation
* CTS Coupe Concept - a celebration of Cadillac's design heritage in the form of a personal, expressive sports coupe

"Cadillac's portfolio of technical solutions for luxury consumers around the globe has never been more diverse," said Jim Taylor, Cadillac general manager. "Wrapping all these products together is the distinctive design that has powered Cadillac's resurgence."

The CTS-V, Myst Concept and CTS Coupe Concept make their world debuts at Detroit, representing different yet complementary aspects of Cadillac's advanced technical development and evolving design language. The Escalade Hybrid, beginning production in mid-2008, extends the desirability of the leading large luxury SUV.

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Playboy's Cars of the Year Best Luxury Sports Coupe: Maserati Gran Turismo Smartest Purchase - Smart Fortwo Best Sports Sedan - Cadillac CTS Best SUV - Land Rover LR2 Best Crossover - Buick Enclave Best Convertible - BMW 335i Best Earth Day Car - Mercedes Benz E320 Bluetec Best Pint Size Performance - Volvo C30 CAR OF THE YEAR - AUDI R8 [Playboy]

Cadillac brand to enter the Australian market in 2008

DETROIT- Cadillac announced today that the all-new CTS will be the first Cadillac sold in Australia when the luxury brand makes it debut there in the fourth quarter of 2008. Cadillac is in the midst of a global expansion, with a growing portfolio of luxury vehicles that aim to compete at the highest levels in markets around the world.

"The all-new CTS embodies all of the hallmark Cadillac cues: a striking design, entertaining luxury and rewarding performance," said Jim Taylor, Cadillac general manager. "We're confident that this CTS will meet the discriminating tastes and demands of luxury customers, no matter where they live."

Sales Momentum
The new CTS is expected to be a strong contributor to Cadillac's global growth. "Cadillac sales have exceeded our expectations and have been growing steadily," said Taylor. "We believe the CTS will be an appealing choice for those seeking a compelling combination of luxury and performance." In total, sales of Cadillac luxury vehicles have increased in the Asia Pacific region by 98.4 percent, by 45.3% in Europe, and by 49.4% in Latin America, Africa and Middle East.

With the demands and needs of luxury buyers in mind, the CTS was developed and tested on city streets and country roads across China, North America and Europe, including the famed Nürburgring track. The result is a finely tuned car that combines power with smoothness, efficiency and technical sophistication. In fact, the CTS was recently named "2008 Motor Trend Car of the Year" by the editors of Motor Trend magazine, one of the world's premiere automotive authorities.

The rear-wheel drive Australian CTS will be powered by a 3.6-litre V-6 direct injection gasoline engine with variable valve timing, which generates 304 hp (227 kW)* and 273 lb.-ft. (370 Nm ) of torque. The engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Direct injection fuel delivery enables very efficient combustion, helps reduce emissions and allows higher compression ratio for better fuel economy. Australian customers will have the choice of two performance-tuned suspension packages. Introduction dates for additional Cadillac models for the Australian market have not been announced. [Source: GM]

Cadillac CTS Honored as Motor Trend's 2008 Car of the Year

Hot-selling sport sedan praised for design and technology

DETROIT - The editors at Motor Trend, one of the world's premiere automotive authorities, announced today that they have chosen the Cadillac CTS as the 2008 Motor Trend Car of the Year.

"Cadillac is truly honored to receive one of the world's most coveted automotive awards," says Jim Taylor, Cadillac general manager. "This is a very meaningful reward for our team that created the all-new 2008 CTS, and a powerful statement to consumers everywhere about Cadillac's product renaissance."

The Motor Trend Car of the Year honor highlights the wide acclaim the 2008 CTS sport sedan has earned around the world and with consumers since its launch earlier this fall. Luxury cars buyers are responding similarly, with CTS U.S. sales jumping 75% in October.

The full report from Motor Trend appears in the January issue of the magazine (on newsstands in early-December) and online at www.motortrend.com. Cadillac was the first automaker ever to win Motor Trend Car of the Year in the magazine's inaugural year of 1949, and again in 1952 and 1992.

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About Cadillac
Cadillac (www.cadillac.com) has been a leading luxury automotive brand since 1902. Cadillac's heritage of dramatic design and technical innovation has undergone a recent renaissance, returning it to the top-tier of luxury brands. Cadillac is a division of General Motors (NYSE: GM). Founded in 1908, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 33 countries. In 2006, nearly 9.1 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally. More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com.