Canadian 2008 CTS test-driven

[Cadillac Canada]

Hi Guys,

I don't post here a lot, my last was regarding the Cadillac Owner Event that was hosted by GM Canada/Cadillac at Mosport last August for the SCCA Race Weekend. I work on the Cadillac business from an advertising/marketing perspective, but don't 'represent' Cadillac and GM Canada in an absolute/binding way (if that makes sense). I would prefer to post this under a personal user name, however I can't use HOTMAIL to register, and my work address is already on this account...

Anyways, I just wanted to post up some cool news for the enthusiasts - today I was fortunate enough to take one of the three pre-build 2008 CTS's here in Canada for a test drive. It's was a White Diamond CTS-4 (awd) 3.6L SIDI (direct injection) Automatic - had the 17" rims, ultraview sunroof, ebony leather, pop up navigation etc - sorry I don't have all the option codes off memory. If you're in the Oshawa/Toronto area, there are a couple on the road so keep your eyes open.

First impressions:
- getting in it for the first time I felt immediately at home - in a previous life I owned an Audi A4 and loved the intimate feeling of that cockpit. when I drove a CTS-V 320, i felt the interior was too 'large' and 'cavernous' inside which made me feel as though the car was larger then it was. this new CTS 322 has a much more intimate feeling when you get inside, which i loved.

- as soon as I pulled out of the parking space, I immediately could tell that I loved the handling (which I know sounds silly). I'm a very particular person when it comes to this sort of thing, the closest thing I can compare it to is the STS-V I drove last summer, but definately better. I've driven a lot of various vehicles, including the Formula 2000 Race Cars at the Jim Russel School in Mt. Tremblant, plus I ride motorcycles on the track - I feel I have a good frame of reference. The suspension/handling truly feels like it was tuned by someone who knows exactly what they are doing and actually cares. It's exactly how I would do it in this car - completely direct and firm and absolutely gobbles up any road imperfections. It's very very confidence inspiring for what I was able to test it (public roads). I wish I could have pushed it more...

- the interior is absolutely stunning. if anyone used this as an excuse not to buy a Cadillac CTS in the past, that has been wiped away. Why anyone would buy a Japanese Lux car over this CTS is beyond me. The stiched seams, the soft touch dash, the small gaps...they all add to the appeal. the cooled seats are so nice, you don't notice it much, but the roasting leather feeling is just magically not there. the pop up navigation is very slick, however I did find it a touch distracting when in the up position...I'm sure you'd get used to this. all the controls are generally where you'd expect them, I didn't find anything quirky. sound system =

- the ultraview really adds to the positive interior experience - i love sunroofs and this one is massive. i wished that it opened further, like the SRX but I understand physically why it can't

- I was completely taken aback by how good the transmission is. i am generally a manual tranny person, but have driven quite a few 'tiptronic' style transmissions in the past (except for the Audi DSG which I'd like to try). this one is by far the smoothest one to date, the upshifts and most notably the downshifts were just so smooth/seamless it was great. no jerkiness at all, I quite enjoyed driving it in this Sport mode.

All in all, the car looks fantastic in person, drives much much better then my expectations, has a well designed and thought out interior and will hopefully change a lot of people's perceptions about Cadillac being the 'old man's luxury boat' vehicle

All the best,
kristina

ps - the keyless-go is really cool, i like that you can keep the fob in your pocket, approach the car, it unlocks, you get in, turn the key/ignition switch and away you are - it's cool in the Corvette and I like the CTS application even more

[urbanski]

I copied this here to a new thread.

Kristina, thanks!

I understand your concern about your user name. I enabled your PMs. PM me if you want a name change or whatever else. Thanks.

[JBsZ06]

I'm very excited about this new GM product. I spotted it at the NY autoshow and was completely impressed. The fact that this new luxury car from Cadillac is so boldly styled, priced so well and offers AWD really makes this an exciting vehicle to possibly purchase.

I wish they had the pricing and option lists so I could just call up and order one...

Kristinas review is just adding fuel to the fire in my desire to buy one of these.

Never having been a cadillac buyer before this is kind of exciting. My wife and I were entertaining the idea of an Infiniti FX or even the much larger Buick Enclave but for what? Now that Cadillac is offering this excitingly styled CTS with AWD? It seems like the perfect fit to our families needs and desires...

I still can't decide between the 300hp motor or the 260hp motor. If the 260hp motor can accelerate the new CTS to the same degree it did the previous 260hp 2007 CTS we drove I may not need too....(for fast I hop in the Z) but if its only 2 grand extra what the hell...Hopefully the pricing will be out shortly....

Pretty much know the AWD, six speed paddle shifter are on the list and unless the pricing on the 18 hi polished rims is ridiculous I'm in for that as well.

Your description of the vehicle and what it was like to drive is much appreciated...Wetting our appetites for sure!

REal people discussing the real car...is much much cooler than a magazine report down the road..whereby you tend to hear somewhere in the article ...or at least in the past ...the past CTS its a big step forward but not quite as light or driver oriented as the 3 series 335 twin turbo for 50 grand ..blah...blah..blah...and I'm like no kidding as the CTS is the size of the 5 series for the price of the 3? The CTS is offering bold american styling, amazing luxury and exciting performance that is representative of what the brand truly stands for.

Thats whats so cool about the internet forums such as these...

We get to hear the real deal on what its like compared to previous generations without all the media bias against american products...


American products such as this are among the worlds best.

I haven't been this excited to buy a new car for the family since I bought myself a Z06!

[FlyFlip420]

Great write up that could have only been improved with pics.......of the car and yourself Kristina

[JBsZ06]

Can't help with the photos of the lovely Kristina but here are two of the beautiful new CTS that I have found that are calling out to us to buy!




What a car! Really GM has outdone themselves!

Bold and beautiful for sure! This is great work!

[rblimas]

I like most of the all new CTS but i would have done it a little different on the ass, there are no visible reverse lights, the gray by the exhaust it fugly and there is to much chrome that says old mans Cadillac, it just does not say CTS. they could have at least put the Cadillac crest on the third brake light(like the current CTS).

[RightTurn]

Originally Posted by rblimas

I like most of the all new CTS but i would have done it a little different on the ass, there are no visible reverse lights, the gray by the exhaust it fugly and there is to much chrome that says old mans Cadillac, it just does not say CTS. they could have at least put the Cadillac crest on the third brake light(like the current CTS).

ATTENTION POSERS....errrr POSTERS!!! Juan-a-V is complaining about "too much chrome." ahahaha!!

[FlyFlip420]

TOo much chrome makes it old manish???

[JBsZ06]

At 48 years old I hope you guys don't consider me an old man cause I'm digging this new Caddy!

Heres a photo of me and my 11 year old son...Do I look like an old man? I don't think so and I think My wifes a hottie and we need four doors as a family vehicle, I want out of the SUV/CUV thing. I can't seem to get us all in the vette so I'm thinking this new cTS with awd to replace my wifes SUV is the way to go! ..



I'm not buying into that cadillacs and buicks are old peoples cars..

This new product range from GM is really cutting edge.

Here's a photo of my Z06 that I'm keeping as my daily driver...



I just want a hot ride for when we're traveling as a family and this new CTS AWD is fitting the bill perfectly!

The more I talk about this ...the more I want the 300hp Direct injection motor!

I just got off the phone with a dealer and I'm going monday to order one of these CTS 's up!

These forums are dangerous!

[Cadillac Canada]

Originally Posted by rblimas

I like most of the all new CTS but i would have done it a little different on the ass, there are no visible reverse lights, the gray by the exhaust it fugly and there is to much chrome that says old mans Cadillac, it just does not say CTS. they could have at least put the Cadillac crest on the third brake light(like the current CTS).

I actually quite like that the Wreath and Crest is now separate and on it's own and HUGE - it makes a statement. Ever seen how big the 3 Stars is on the front of a Merc?

There are visible reverse lights - they are LED and integrated into the brake lights at the bottom...? They actually operate as part of the courtesy lighting when you turn off the car and open the doors, at least the one I drove was like that. They throw out TONS of bright white light.

LBsZ06 - glad my personal opinions on the car have kept fuel on the fire, and I hope your first impressions are as favourable as mine have been. Obviously the car will not drive, accelerate or handle like your Z06, but it's great fun and should fit the bill of replacing your wife's SUV. When I was driving I had an adult male in the front passenger seat and one in the back seat behind the passenger - I asked if the back seat passenger was ok with room and he said "Oh, I have loads, don't worry about it". Clearly the CTS isn't the cruiser that the DTS is, but it should be great for you and your family.

All the best,
Kristina

PS - sorry no photos, maybe next time I get my hands on the car!

[JBsZ06]

Anybody know what the special paint offered on the 18 inch rims are?

I know there are high polished 18 inch rims . I'm just curious what the special paint process is on the other 18 inch rims being discussed..

Are they darker grey like the original C5 Zo6 or are they designed to imitate the high polished look with a silver metalflake in the wheels paint??

This is just too much fun!

Thanks in advance.

JB

[dadr]

Kristina,

Thanks for sharing your review. I have a few questions if you don't mind.

First how was the ebony interior as we have not seen photos of it yet only the cashmere and gray?

How did the center stack feel? Is it more metal or plastic feeling also I assume with the other options mentioned that it had the wood trim interior, how was that?

On the twist knob start, did this feel weird or cheap compared to a push button setup?

I have seen conflicting reports about whether the CTS will have steering wheel shift mounted controls like the vette, Did the one you drove have them or have you heard whether this will be on the performance suspension models?

Lastly, with the 17" wheels it must not have had the performance suspension package and the standard steering/suspension still felt on center and firm, which should mean the performance setup might even be more agile.

Thank you

[chico]

did i hear White Diamond? ohh yeahhh `ill be the first to get that car in 2010

[RAB]

Greetings all. As of today I am a new member at CadillacForums.
Re the upcoming 2008 CTS -- I've done tons of research on this vehicle over the last few months, having visited dozens of websites, reading hundreds of comments, downloading photos, etc. GM/Cadillac has done an excellent job in updating the CTS. In my opinion, the '08 CTS is now (finally) a world class car in every respect. In just about every category the '08 CTS leapfrogs (historically competing) upscale sedans such as BMW's 3 Series and Infiniti's G35 to compete with 'near luxury' sedans cars such as the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E Class... for thousands less).
Truth be known.. I became so impressed (obsessed?) with the upcoming CTS that I placed an order for one a couple of weeks ago. It will be a fully-equipped car, with the 302 HP / 272 lb-ft 3.6 L V6 SIDI engine, AWD, navigation and the performance package with 18" all-season tires and premium multi-coat painted finish aluminum wheels.
Note: One of the members who has contributed to this thread asked for info about these 18" painted finish wheels. To view a photo of this wheel, I suggest he visits the following website:
http://eogld.ecomm.gm.com/dmdindex.htm
Once there, at "1" select "2008"; at "2" select Cars/Light Trucks
On the page you arrive at select the Cadillac wreath. Then choose "CTS" in the drop down box. Once at the CTS pages, you will be able to click on a link to view the available wheels for the '08 CTS.

The Cadillac dealer here in town advises I should expect to have delivery of the car in mid-to-late August. I can't wait!
Incidently, the '08 CTS I have ordered will have a Light Platinum exterior and an Ebony interior. One of the members in this thread has asked about the Ebony interior, as the only photos available so far on the web show the interior in either Very Light Titanium or Cashmere. Well... I can advise that the Ebony interior on the '08 CTS looks ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC. I know this, because I have reviewed three confidential photos of the interior outfitted with Ebony seats and trim. The 3 photos individually show the following:
1. Ebony interior without wood trim
2. Ebony interior with wood trim on the IP, center console & doors
3. Ebony interior with wood trim per item 2 above, but with the addition of wood trim on the steering wheel and shift knob

Once I saw these photos it became very easy for me to choose the color interior that I had to order. Definitely Ebony! I also went with all the wood trim (the wood is called 'Sapelle Pommele'). The wood looks great with the Ebony color interior -- as do the metal / metal-look highlights on the center console and door panels.

Hope this helps. If anyone has questions, I can probably answer them. It seems I know a lot more about the upcoming '08 CTS than the average local Cadillac dealership does!

Cheers
RAB

PS. I'm still researching the topic of Bluetooth integration on the '08 CTS. I believe Cadillac has yet to decide on whether it will be a standard feature on the car (i.e. applied at the factory) OR only available as an 'add-on' via a dealer-installed 'pack' (at least for the 2008 model year cars). Feedback from the GM/Cadillac Media site & GM/Cadillac Blogs has indicated that Bluetooth may not be ready for prime time on the '08 CTS when normal/full production of the car initiates in late July / early August.

[JBsZ06]

Thanks for your insight. I've tried to follow your instructions to see the multicoat paint process on the 18 inch wheels and couldn't get it to work.

Here's what I get: Server Error:
We're sorry, an error has occurred. Please try your selections again, starting from the home page. If this error persists, please contact the system administrator.
Error occurred at: 2007-06-23 12:41:10.472 PM EDT

Error Code: JECNVRX3


Any chance you could email me a photo or post up here if you prefer.

Thanks in advance.

Im supposed to go monday or wednesday to my dealer and order up the car..

I have to decide and any help would be appreciated.