2010 Cadillac CTS Coupe

Unlike the last set of spy photos we saw of the 2010 Cadillac CTS Coupe, these breaking like home run records in Major League Steroids Baseball shots of the new CTSexiness from the General's luxe brand show us a somewhat camo-clad front end. Also, we'll have more shots up momentarily. For the moment, feast your eyes on that Art & Science front end and check out the full spy report from the boys at KGP after the jump detailing all the design differences between the Cadillac CTS Coupe concept from Detroit and this seeming production model.

We caught our first glimpse of the production Cadillac CTS Coupe
through the trees of its secret holding pen. With these first-ever
front-3/4 and profile shots of a real-world CTS coupe prototype, we
can now assess the changes Cadillac designers have made to translate
the striking Detroit concept into a production vehicle.

Thankfully, it appears that the majority of the CTS Coupe concept's

lines have been faithfully duplicated on this production model. Some

feared that the concept's radical fastback design might be watered

down, revealing the Coupe's sedan roots, but our profile view proves

these fears as unfounded. It appears that the production version may

have a slightly more pronounced rear deck, but if that's so, it's not

enough to significantly alter the concept's silhouette. The CTS coupe

prototype retains a remarkably flat backlight.

The CTS Coupe prototype further separates itself from its sedan donor

thanks to the elimination of a conventional door handle, adopting

instead the concept's Corvette-style design which hides the door

trigger behind the door's aft cut-line. The concept and production

similarities continue with the Coupe's revised lower side sill, and

the distinctively sculpted waistline, which begins at the A-pillar/

fender vent, and narrows as it stretches rearward. The camouflage

hides whether or not the line terminates into the concept's razor-

sharp point at the C-pillar, but it looks likely that that's another

design convergence between the show- and production cars. Earlier

photos also confirmed that the concept's bold central exhaust will

also reach showrooms.

There are some visible differences between the Detroit Show Standout

and the production model. Cost and feasibility studies have killed

the concept's glass-to-glass side windows, in favor of a visible B-

pillar on the production model. The rest of the changes are found in

front of the A-pillar. The concept coupe's large, CTS-V-style hood

bulge is gone on this prototype (although we'd love to see it return

on a future full-blow CTS-V coupe). And the show car's reshaped front

fenders—which sweep more voluptuously to a revised front bumper,

tweaked front ground-effects, and more dynamic headlight and fog-light

clusters—appear to have been replaced with stock items from the CTS

sedan. It looks to us like the CTS Coupe and sedan will share

identical front fenders and front fascia designs. From there, back,

however, the cars could scarcely be more different. The drama of the

CTS Coupe concept is alive and well, and on its way to Cadillac

showrooms.

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