NAIAS 2013: Evolution is a precarious balancing act. In the case of the CTS, Cadillac had to be sure to walk that tightrope with the utmost care. After all, the CTS has been a hit for Cadillac and put the company in the thick of the sports sedan skirmish. Cadillac introduced the 2014 Cadillac CTS at the New York International Auto Show. Once the baby Caddy, the car has grown out of its entry level clothing and now wears a proper 5-Series suit of clothes. A wheelbase increase of 1.2 inches and overall body increase of 5 inches, along with an inch lower roof line and hood, give the car a longer and lower look with a more aggressive and athletic stance.
Cadillac continues with its love affair of angles and edges, but the 2014 CTS isn’t just a pretty boy, it has the muscle to back up its reputation. First off, it has lost about 480 pounds with the help of aluminum implants. Then the car went into the gym, bulking up with a new twin-turbo V6, spewing a venomous 420 horsepower and 430 lb.ft. of torque. This configuration helps the CTS reach 60 mph in roughly 4.6 seconds.
Want more definition than muscle? Then go for the naturally aspirated 3.6L V-6. With 321 hp, the non-turbo version doesn’t completely sell out. The new paddle-shifted 8-speed automatic in rear-wheel-drive models makes sure you’re not left out. Working on your traction? Cadillac has that too with All-Wheel Drive. , Want something even more petite? There’s a tiny 2.0 L turbocharged 4 banger available that puts out 272 hp. All variations are available with a 6-speed automatic.
How does the Caddy measure up to the other hunks at the beach? The 2.0 liter turbo beats a similarly equipped BMW 3-Series by 32 hp. It puts the Audi A4’s face in the sand by a whopping 61 horsepower. Problem is; these are the cars that the Cadillac CTS used to compete with that are now the sole rivals of the ATS. We will have to wait a little while for comparison tests, and there will be many, but we’re sure that it can hold its own.
The Cadillac CTS is a new kind of American luxury car; fresh, exciting, competitive and full of style and technology. Just the kind of car luxury buyers want right now. With pricing expected to be between 36,000 for entry-level models and up to 50,000 for fully loaded mainstream CTS. Slap about twenty grand more on the table if your CTS has to do V-Series duty. Cadillac was insanely ingenious in conquering two segments with one car for about a decade. With the CTS changing lanes, we expect it to walk the tight rope perfectly.
Cadillac CTS has been knocking on the mid-sized luxury car door for quite a while now. Please enjoy (this) mash-up between a CTS and an Infiniti M56.
Many of the TFLCar staff members have been pleasantly surprised by Cadillac’s recent offerings. The Cadillac ATS recently bowled over Nathan and Roman. Surprisingly, the four-cylinder turbo was the Cadillac they enjoyed most. Check out their video!
I think the 2014 Cadillac CTS will be even more surprising!
