Spied: 2009 Cadillac CTS Coupe
29 Aug, 2008
93 Comments 
Late yesterday, our spy photographers caught the 2010 Cadillac CTS coupe in all its glory outside of the Milford Proving Grounds in the United States with no camouflage in sight.
This sleek two door, code-named GMX226, follows the concept rather closely. Even the dual exhaust will make it to production. Only the concept’s front end will see a minor toning down to bring it inline with the CTS sedan.
The coupe will feature a backup camera, which you can see under the chrome strip on the rear. We can also see an elegant engraving of the “Cadillac” script on that rear strip.
Additionally, the coupe won’t have traditional door handles, but will instead use a touch pad setup.
The only things not production-ready on this prototype are the taillights. We’d expect the final car to have lights very similar to the “tailfin” lights we saw on the concept.
Powertrains for the Americans should include the regular 3.6-litre V6 and the 226kW direct injection V6. The V-series CTS Coupe will pack the 6.2-litres supercharged V8 known as the “LSA” motor.
Production of the regular coupe, as well as the V-series, will start in May of 2009 at the Lansing Grand River Plant. The official debut of the regular coupe is set for the LA Auto Show in November.
We previously saw the CTS Coupe with a little more disguise here. Plus we had a glimpse of the car’s interior here.
Will the CTS Coupe come to Australia? Holden will not confirm either way, however we suspect that if the CTS does well in Australia other variants, including the CTS-V and the CTS Coupe may follow.
Cadillac is launching the CTS sedan in Australia next month and CarAdvice will be there to bring you all the latest news and a first steer of the CTS sedan.
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August 29th, 2008 at 11:51 am
Dont mind the look of it, theyve defined their own style and have proven theyve got the quality and performance to match (even beat) the euro marks.
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August 29th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Quick quick put the camouflage back on, its hideous! I don’t think BMW or Audi have anything to worry about :)
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August 29th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
woah… and you thought it couldnt get any uglier
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August 29th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
It has already been confirmed by GM that the CTS-V will NOT be coming to Australia or any other RHD market for that matter, as the car is only going to be produced in LHD. For some reason the supercharged V8 doesn’t simply slot into a RHD version of the CTS because of the dry sump lubrication system. In its current position it would foul on the steering rack of a RHD version, and therefore they would have to significantly re-engineer it, which they aren’t willing to do.
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August 29th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
what are you talking about BMW, looks sensational! better then another generic design from BMW…
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August 29th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Looks fantastic!
Can’t wait to see this on Aussie roads.
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August 29th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Come on Richo you can’t be serious :), the Beemer 3 coupe is awesome to look at!! Just look at the grille on the caddy. Its just totally out of all proportions. And the back is boxy and unrefined. (Ok i like the twin exhaust on the caddy, and the caddy will most likely have a better interior but thats it!)
dubdubdub.bmw.com.au/scripts/main.asp?PageID=11768&ModelID=1000100&ModelCategoryID=11
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August 29th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Definitely very ummm….. American in style. Make up your own mind wether that is a good or bad thing.
It IS different and it will stand out from the masses of BMW’s and Mercs, butas I said, make up your own mind wether that is a good or bad thing.
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August 29th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Looks like a squashed Prius from the back…
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August 29th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
Lazybones - the BMW is a good looking car, but it IS generic, nothing particularly special about it. The caddy is different, it looks special. Even if you don’t like it your still gonna bloody look at it when it drives by!
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August 29th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
I cant believe the hype and hoopla about this car that i have read on most american sites so far. They bag the sheet out of the HSV R8 turned pontiac G8 and the new HSV Ute about its looks etc,but they all think this car above is a work of art..WHAT….this is one of THEEEE most ugliest cars i have ever seen… Go to the fruit market get your fruit in the usual cardboard boxes, empty the fruit flatten out the box popp it up again, and their you have the Caddy CTS Design..BOX ON WHEELS…..
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August 29th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
Yanks have made some stylish Coupes over the years and this isn’t one of them.LOL.
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August 29th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
I dont know what sites youre reading marcos but the ones i read the americans are quite enthusiastic about the G8, even show a fair bit of interest in our homegrown falcons.
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August 29th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
Quote {Richo]:It has already been confirmed by GM that the CTS-V will NOT be coming to Australia or any other RHD market for that matter, as the car is only going to be produced in LHD. For some reason the supercharged V8 doesn’t simply slot into a RHD version of the CTS because of the dry sump lubrication system. In its current position it would foul on the steering rack of a RHD version, and therefore they would have to significantly re-engineer it, which they aren’t willing to do.
Thank F-k for that.. Even though the Caddy may have a fantastic V8 its about as aerodynamic as a brick
I would much rather GM-Holden import the HH-R “Nomad” Delivery Van.. which looks cool in a retro kinda way
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August 29th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
Wheelnut - get your facts correct before coming on this site and talking about things you have no clue about. Holden confirmed that the CTS will be coming to Australia in 2009 and the notion about the supercharger and dry sump is bullocks. Get it right for once will you.
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August 29th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
The CTS is an ugly, oversized yank tank that should be scrapped. Probably another try hard attempt from GM.
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August 29th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Yes sir-ee BM…..a yank tank with no grace. Bread and butter USA shyte dished up…again! I have only ever seen one svelte looking yank tank and the seps have no idea to design class as they drop the cl (off class)!
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August 29th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
The CTS is coming to OZ the CTS-V is not available in RHD, but will go to markets like the UK where there is no restriction on LHD vehicles. The CTS is actually a really good car and the CTS-V exceptional.
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August 29th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
Richo, you’d look at the elephant man if he walked past, he’s special.
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August 29th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
Richo - What facts? I was merely replying to your comment [I quoted you remember].. I didn’t correct you or mention anything new - so if anything I said is wrong then you are wrong too
I know that Holden are bringing the Caddie to Oz; However given the fact they’re NOT importing the CTS-V you’d wonder why they would bother importing any of the hideous things.. particularly as they’re going to be 60-70K
and will be competing against other imported luxury sedans with better quality better features not to mention better looks..
They don’t need Caddies when they’ve got HSV. The HH-R would be a much better addition to the Holden line up as they need a versatile recreational vehicle.
I think it will be the worst decision GM-Holden have ever made.. worse even than the desicion to import Daewoos
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August 29th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Mac The Caddie CTS-V may be an exceptional performer.. yet that doesn;t change the fact that its ugly.
Looks are what draw you to a car when you see it on the road or in the showroom.. if it looks good you will want to have an even closer look and will walk up to it and peer through the window to check out the interior.
If the interior looks good you will want to open the door and have a seat.
If the seting position feels good and the ergonomics are right you will then likely want to see how it sounds.
If it sound good you will then want to see how it performs.
If it performs well you will then think about wanting one.
Not only that but Looks are more important when you consider how image conscious people are these days.
I mean BMs brother took one of his mates for a drive today in his VE SS Ute. His mate was so impressed that this afternoon his mate went and placed an order for one - why not only because of Utes performance but also its looks
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August 29th, 2008 at 8:46 pm
Imagine this you’re at a party and someone asks you what do you drive.. you then reply with either:
“I drive a BMW 330 Coupe”; “I drive a Mercedes-Benz S Class”; or “I drive Audi A6″ etc
You can expect their response to be :N-I-I-C-E.. great looking car.
Now imagine it when some one asks you you what do you drive.. and you reply with: “I drive a Cadillac CTS”
You can expect their response to be “What? that ugly thing”
Because of the way the BMW Merc or Audi looks people will be more interested and want to know how it feels how it performs
Whereas because the Caddie is so ugly they won’t really care about anything else.
If you opted for a Caddie over a BMW or Audi no one will really want to know you.. They’ll say things like “You knoe [name} he bought a Caddie over a BMW or Audi.. can you believe it?”
You never get a second chance to make a first impression and as this is Caddies first real impression in Australia. I don;t think they’ve done themselves any favours
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August 29th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
Golfie - I was just going off Richos first staement so if I was wrong he was also wrong
However; I have since checked and both CTS and CTS-V are coming to Oz and I still believe its a big mistake.
I mean Hummers aren’t selling that well because theyre ugly [and impractical] and I suspect the dame will apply to the Caddy.. Oh and the fact that there are much better alternatives available [for both the Caddy and the Hummer]
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August 29th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
Wheelnut, i carn’t get over your waffling sometimes. Put your feet back on the ground champ and try being resonable for once. Geez, i can only image what it’s going to be like when you move in with Bavarian ^^^ eyes rolling.
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August 29th, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Oh, you were wrong did you say, about time you became man enough to admit it.
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August 29th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
I may “waffle on a bit” but very few of my comments have been deleted - unlike yours Dingo…
There are several topics on this site [remembering I have been on here longer than you] where I have waffled on yet as I have gone into so much detail other bloggers have agreed with me and backed me up even used me as a reference. I have earned respect on here which is something you are yet to do
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August 29th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Wheelnut, don’t dare call me Dingo. I said you waffle on because that’s what you are doing, not hard to see.
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August 29th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
I do my research - However; because I am not a diesel mechanic sitting around because my employer uses Toyota’s which are so reliable they never break down or need very little repeairs I don’t have the time to surf the net as much as you.
When I come home I like to sit down relax have dinner [sometimes I actually cook it] watch a bit of TV or go out catch up with friends etc… you do know what friends are; don’t you?
However when I do my research I often use more than one reputable respected source to see if they come to similar opinion and if not i look into it as to why.. when the majority of articles lean a particular way thats what I go on. Oh; and I refer to proven facts not manuipulated or out of date surveys etc
If it relates to Australia [as most stories on this site do] I use evidence from Australia NOT America or the USA as you cant make reasonable comparisons given the size of the market and their tastes etc
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August 29th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
Wheelnut - help me out here, who are you talking to. Admittedly i am little confused.
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August 29th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
What the hell is wrong with Americans?
It makes a SsanYong Stavic look sensational in comparison.
How could they get the styling so completely and utterly wrong?
I am deeply deeply disturbed that this has been built.
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August 29th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
Millatime, i agree with you, it is awful and probably just as bad in the quality stakes. GM make some of the ugliest cars around. Makes the Prius look good in comparison.
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August 29th, 2008 at 10:20 pm
Wheelnut - mate that was not me! Someone is using my username for some reason, i was actually at the movies at 7.46pm!! sorry mate for any offence, but that wasn’t my posting! I mean the post didn’t even make sense did it! Was having a go at you for something you didn’t even say, and then appeared to have a go at me for mentioning superchargers and dry sump which I’m the only one so far in this thread has talked about!! lol
CarAdvice mod people, can you please delete that post, look at the email address attached to the post and you’ll see its not mine! ta
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August 29th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
oh i see, bloody dingo is hijacking my name and golfie’s name now! you are some kind of pathetic dingo you really are… this is getting beyond stupid it really is.
Wheelnut mate, sorry i hope you know which posts are mine and which ones are actually dingo’s. Back on topic, i actually am pretty sure they aren’t bringing the CTS-V to Australia for the reasons i stated above about them having problems integrating the dry sump lubrication into RHD variants. I’m sure Bob Lutz, the GM big man, has already gone on record saying that the “blue devil” engine will only go into LHD products for this reason.
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August 29th, 2008 at 10:27 pm
I agree Millatime; GM should leave the design of their cars to either Opel or Holden.
For example look at the difference between the previous models of Chevy Camaros that were designed in the USA.. ugly heavy sleazy looking.
Then look at the New Camaro which was designed at Holdens new multi million dollar state of the art studios in Melbourne.. modern sleek agile sporty looking
Then there’s the fact that in the attempt to try and revive the Pontiac brand GM didn’t even bother designing a new car themselves they simply put a badge on the VE.. a car which initially GM didn;t really want Holden to build.. same goes for the G6 [Torana] so it shows we must be doing something right.
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August 29th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
Wheelnut - this is the real richo by the way, mate i hear you talkin about the torana alot, has that been confirmed yet? I know GM holden where pretty keen on it but i thought it might have got knocked on the head due to all that CAFE emissions laws in the US which was forcing GM to focus solely on FWD for most of its yank models?
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August 29th, 2008 at 10:35 pm
Yeah Richo once I noticed what he was up to I realised that the comment sayong that both are coming to Oz was yours as you know as much about GM-Holden as I do
He is even impersonating Golfie Bavarian Missile and Me on other blogs.. People know its him yet when they say “Dingo stop naking comments using Bavarian Missile/Golfies/Wheelnuts name” he comes back with “Don’t you ever call me Dingo!”
Makes you feel kinda sorry for him that he is that ashamed with himself or embarrassed by what he has says.. NOT!!!
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August 30th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
Wheelnut - as much as i hate to say this but Dingo hasn’t impersonated me, yet !!!! Fingers crossed. I was pointing out that you were wrong and i was surprised you fezzed up when you did. Just get your facts right, that’s all i ask.
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August 30th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
The Real Richo at 10.20pm and 10.25pm is not me. Who ever it is (Dingo) cut the crap, it’s not even amusing.
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August 30th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
GM is recalling 944 000 vehicles for a windscreen wiper fault that has the potential to cause fires (some cases already reported) while another 2.7 million are under investigation for potential engine compartment fires. This is not good news for The General especially when they are trying to improve thier not so good image.
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August 30th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Dingo give up the above post aint me………..,your going to end up with a criminal conviction if you continue with this,the police are chasing you and as you work on a mine site and they have strict codes for criminal convictions you just may lose your job!!!!!!!!!!!!Think of that!
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August 30th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
Oh and CA know where to find you along with your internet provider,wont be long now till till your shut down and out of work,I will personally enjoy informing your company what you’ve done!
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August 31st, 2008 at 12:45 am
I wouldn’t touch this American garbage with a 10ft pole.
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August 31st, 2008 at 8:34 am
9.13pm and 9.15pm is not me so who ever is impersonating me, can you stop now. You are ruining this site for everybody.
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August 31st, 2008 at 9:48 am
Lets get something straight here … using someones name is in-moral (spelling) but not illegal especially when their is no patent to go with it.
Do you and or anyone else on this site have a patent number stamped next to your name … i thought so !!
How many Mick’s, Steve’s, James, Sam’s etc are in the world yet are any of those illegal to the other … EXACTLY !!
I am here to enjoy this site as much as the next person and in the past my behaviuor hasn’t been any ‘better or worse’ then the next person and you know exactly what i am talking becuase you have been one of the biggest hypocrites of all.
Fact is Bavarian … people like yourself and the others (no need to mention names) don’t like to be challenged because all to often i prove you folks wrong, narrow minded and or just simply lacking in thought.
CA maybe able to ban a particular ISP address but anyone can access a number of oulets and utilise any name they chose and if people like yourself don’t like it, there is absolutely nothing you or CA can do about it.
My comments have been targeted wether it has been warranted or not so you tell me were the moral is in that ??
There is no moral … all it is doing is insighting unwelcomed behaviour and if any members of CA or regular bloggers want to play games, not problem lets play unless common ground and understanding can be established by all and that means tolerance from people like yourself.
The moderators of this site have long been inconsistant
and bias in thier targeted audience allowing abuse or funny remarks to remain from some but not others … that is not moderating, just stupid games. Evidance is all over the site, not hard to find.
I have been impersonated regularily but did you or anyone else get upset then … NO !!
Many subjects contain an abundance of impersonations and/or abuse targeted directly towards myself, TP or Thomas79 and it wouldn’t take any more then a few minutes to establish referances.
Stupidity on this site travels in all directions yet people like yourself have a problem dealing with otherwise … how weak.
But when someone impersonates you or anyone else ‘in the loop’ then all of a sudden it is unacceptable … rather hypocritical wouldn’t you say.
Fact remains, it is acceptable and sometimes rather funny when you or others stir trouble but as soon as you people get mud slung in return, all of a sudden it is unacceptable, troublemaking behaviour … why is that, why the double standards ??
You being a hypocrite is what i have regularly highlighted so don’t you dare try and justify your behaviour when you have been everybit as negative as the next person and that goes for anyone else.
Moderation of this site (Golf) is inconsistant and biased towards particular parties wether they are clean and justifable or not. This site is here for all to enjoy not just the selected few so it is about time everybody found commonground and tolerance if it is to remain so.
Oh yeah, i never did sight those ‘Site Rules’ so what are the established boundaries ??
ps. the impersonations has not personally been me, prove it otherswise. This ISP address is accessed my numerous parties. As much as the moral of such actions can be questioned, it is not illegal and if it is … please highlight it in the ‘Site Rules’
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August 31st, 2008 at 10:05 am
Its Ironic that Dingo who used to get so annoyed at the rest of us for going off topic [even though he was often the first pesron to make an off topic comment] and not talk about cars now appears not to worry about that as much.
He has completely lost the plot and would now much rather try to impersonate long time respected bloggers such as Bavarian Missile Golfschwein Richo AndrewM Realcars and myself.
Yet its easy tell that the comments he makes using other peoples names aren’t being made by them. Because what he says when using other bloggers names people know the real blogggers wouldn’t say things like that..not to mention the fact that his grammar and sentence structure etc give him away… so people know its Dingo
Funny thing is that when people say “Dingo stop making comments using Bavarian Missiles Name” he comes back with “Don’t you ever call me Dingo” which means he must be really ashamed of himself or embarrassed by what he has said as Dingo
Its hard to understand why he is doing it.. is he trying to get back at CA for deleting his comments or because he knows that they are in contact with the police and his friend the telecommunications ombudsman and are forming criminal case against him for internet stalking?
Or is it just yet another piss poor attempt by him to try and gain the respect that the Real Bavarian Missile the Real Golfschwein and the Real Wheelnut have;
given that his previous attempts of using a number of various aliases [which he often used to agree with statements made by one of his other split personalities] didn’t work but were seen as pathetic and immature.
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August 31st, 2008 at 10:19 am
Dingo; The fact that you have now finally made an appearance; under your real name making a statement that its not illegal as some kind of defence implies that it was/is you impersonating Bavarian Missile Golfschwein etc.
However; Identity Theft which inculdes using somebody elses name is infact illegal as it is a form of defamation - that is ruining somebody elses name image or credibility - which by the way is something you are lacking on this site.
Obviously Bavarian Missile isn’t actually called Bavarian Missile its a name she goes by..
in the same way that Eminems real name isn’t actually Eminem [Believe it or not]. Just as Eminem has established a name for himself; a reputation so to has Bavarian Missile even though it’s not her real name.. and by you making false statements etc under her name it is and can be considered as Identity Theft or Defamation which is as i said illegal
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August 31st, 2008 at 10:25 am
I mean people don’t have a patent on their credit card or bank account numbers do they but if someone uses those numbers to access the other persons money it too is illegal.. its fraud in the same way defamation is a fraudulent action as its trying to obtain or achieve something under false pretenses etc.
Even though you don’t actually own your bank or credit card account numbers; those numbers are a way of telling who you are and therefore a form of your identity just like your fingerprints your DNA etc
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August 31st, 2008 at 11:28 am
Wheelnut - internet stalking, get over yourself … i have done no such thing. It is an automotive chat site and someone is using someone elses’s name - oooh no, real naughty that is … NOT !!
You live in la, la, land champ - you really do !!
Who ever utilises another name is not identy theft unless is it patented - can you supply a patent referance to your name on this site … naa, thought so !!
Are you forgeting all the times that myself, TP and Thomas79 have been impersonated … wouldn’t that constitute to identy theft according to you unless that is OK because it’s not your name.
What a wally … !!
Somehow i believe credit cards, licences and patented business / corporate names just isn’t the same as doubling up on a blog name on some automotive internet chat site … is it !!
Respect … when have i ever been interested in gaining respect or making friends on this site - let me help you abit becuase you need alot of it … NEVER !!
And don’t even start that you, Golf, Realcars, Bavarian and so forth are respected becuase truth be told - far from it. Respect amoung yourselves is about the limit and certainly no respect with the rest of the bloggers and that has been made clear.
You are full of yourself wheelnut, you really are.
No amount of stupid rot from you will ever change the fact that you people carn’t handle being challenged because all of a sudden, your comments just don’t look so good .. do they !!
Forget the bullsh*t and lets talk cars with parity but truth be told, you people are challenged with that becuase you don’t get your way with stupidity … it just doesn’t get any weaker then that.
Oh yeah before i forget : Bavarian Missile, Realcars, Golf etc are nothing but adopted blog names as stated by yourself so please explain to the rest of us were the identy theft is in that … this is gonna good.
Dingo, not my real name either !!
The question is … are you prepared to talk cars on a level playing field (parity)or don’t you and the others have enough confidance.
Pretty damn weak if you ask me when you have to tilt it in your favour just to get the upper hand becuase people like yourself haven’t got a hope otherwise and hasn’t that been clearly indentified.
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August 31st, 2008 at 1:11 pm
As I have said before the new Cadillacs are hideous and I doubt very few people will pay the premium price of around $70-80k when they can have a BMW or even a Lexus.
One thing I do like about Cadillacs though is the power and performance that they get out of the [small block] Northstar V8 which even though it isn’t as refined as the engine in the M3 for example it still sounds good.. Infact I believe HSV are looking at using a small block V8 in a new entry-level model which will sit below the Clubbie.
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August 31st, 2008 at 1:26 pm
its OK,
dingos just a little touchy since toyota was found to be cheating in Nascar…
i signed for my new FG yesterday too guys
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August 31st, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Oh, well done Andrew M. Give us a run down of spec and colour, would you? :)
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August 31st, 2008 at 1:56 pm
sure,
XR6 ute
safety pack
XR sports pack
Towpack
6sp manual
and they let me have till monday morning to confirm a colour with them.
at the moment breeze is a front runner.
Dash is nice, but i fear it may date a little quicker.
Nitro also looks great, but there are a lot of blues out there.
i also took the SV6 and SS for a burn.
the gear nob of the SS kept moving when i was changing gears until a point where it actually came off in my hand
they actually offered me a better price on the SS than the SV6?????
the falcon is a much better drive though.
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August 31st, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Andrew M - if you are wondering if i was disappointed when i found about a couple of wally’s decided to ruin it for everybody else, i was - very much so!!
Toyota has not cheated in NASCAR while JGR is a very honourable and respected motor racing team.
The investigation proved that Toyota/TRD and the bulk of the JGR team including the drivers had no participation or knowledge in the event bar a couple of crew chiefs who took it upon themselves to ruin it for everybody.
The cars of interest were raced in accordance to the rules but the crew chiefs after the event tried to hide the true output by placing a 1/4 inch shim under the accelerator pedal.
As for cheating, Ford and Chevrolet have been the biggest cheaters of all and this year has been no different. Ford and Chevrolet have both been caught a couple of times with tampered aerodynamic packages that were illegal and altered after pre-race inspections.
Toyota had gained a huge advantage over the other manufactuers because thier engines were producing greater output all within the boundaries but despite this as admitted by NASCAR and the fact that it was mid-season, NASCAR decided to restrict Toyota’s advantage and YES … Toyota and the Teams became very annoyed with this as they should - wouldn’t you !!
All thier dedicated work was forcefuly restricted becuase Chevrolet and Ford more so then Dodge jumped up and down, whinged and swined because Toyota was winning a huge amount of races.
Toyota managed to re-gain the output but a couple of wally’s who have been severally delt with by Joe Gibbs himself tried to hide it.
Despite the ka-buffle (spelling) Toyota managed to gain more respect and fanfare from the ordeal with many slamming Chevrolet, Ford and Dodge for bad sportmanship and instead of working harder to catch Toyota, they took the easy road instead.
If Toyota can remain competitive as i expect them to do then hopefully it will be a win-win situation for them by year end.
Cheers
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August 31st, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Wheelnut - what i will be keen to see is how the Statesman and Caprice fair against the Cadillac not just in comparisons but retail sales,prices are about the same give or take a wee bit.
Will Stato drivers switch to a Cadillac or remain with something they have known for a long time.
Personally, i don’t like the look of the Caddy but according to late initial Quality Surveys, the quality has improved.
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August 31st, 2008 at 2:27 pm
Ironic how we were talking about NASCAR … The Nationwide Series has just finished with Kyle Busch (JGR)and Brian Vickers (Braun Racing) finishing 1st and 3rd for Toyota split by Carl Edwards (Roush Fenway) 2nd for Ford.
Kyle started on pole and lead entire race of 150 laps.
Sprint Cup is tomorrow !!
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August 31st, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Ooops … i was a little wrong, Kyle Busch led all but 6 laps and they were associated with pit stops.
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August 31st, 2008 at 2:40 pm
If its not Dingo that is impersonating Golfie or bavarian Missile.. then I suspect it could possily be TP given that he is yet to make an appearance on the most recent topics and that he was the first person to impersonate other bloggers
He tried to impersonate me back on a topic relating to the Holden Sportwagon and make people think that I had 98% of my brain removed so that [overnight] I hated Holdens and was obsessed with Toyotas.. he got found out too again due mainly to his writing style grammar and sentence structure.
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August 31st, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Wheelnut - if any of us are gonna get over this crap then all of us have to simply move on.
We are here to talk cars so lets just do it !!
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August 31st, 2008 at 2:56 pm
I don’t think that the Statesman the Clubbie or any other luxury/performance sedan on the Australian market has too much to worry about in relation to arrival of the new Caddie.. even if quality has improved - ever so slightly
The main reason as I have seaid before will be purely because of the design and the way the Caddie looks compared to its rivals.. and given their are so many image conscious poseurs around these days looks are vitally important.. and this car is so ugly it makes a 300C look as sleek sporty and as aerodynamic as as a Lamborghini
Then there’s the level of specifications and features..
from photos that I have seen of the Caddies interior it isn’t very ergonomic or stylish compared to its rivals [BMW] nor is it exactly what you would call spacious - I’ve seen roomier bathrooms/toilets.
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August 31st, 2008 at 3:25 pm
You want to be friends .ie. not enemies now Dingo? Is that it?
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August 31st, 2008 at 4:04 pm
No need to “get something straight and no mistakes”. That’s why I qualified my question “i.e not enemies”. It’s obvious you aren’t looking to make friends.
It just seems your tired of having your posts deleted and hopping ISPs.
As for the CTS I quite like most of the exterior, not the front. The only Cadillac that made me go “wow, that’s hot and utterly unique” is the Cadillac16 prototype from a few years ago. A sheikh offered GM $10m for it and they turned him down.
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August 31st, 2008 at 4:07 pm
Oh and the Caddy from “The Island” which also featured on Gran Turismo 4. I’ll have to go check it’s exact name.
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August 31st, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Who on earth designed this it looks like it was designed one lunch hour by the guys in charge of the spare parts bins,YUUUUUK!
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August 31st, 2008 at 4:19 pm
AndrewM - When you ordered your new ute did you manage to get 8 cases of premium beer in the back as a “factory fitted option”?
Bavarian Missiles brother Matt owns an Atomic Green VE SS-V ute; and last week he took a mate for a ride. His mate was so impressed that afternoon they stopped of at a Holden Dealer in WA where Matts mate ordered a Voodoo VE SS-V ute.
It was end of the month and the sales rep wanted to close the deal so much that he asked “What do I have to do to get you to sign up for a new ute today?”
Matt’s mate said “what about 8 cases of beer?”
The sales rep went away to discuss it with his manager came back and said “done deal.”
And on the bottom of the contract there is a note that says “8 Cases of Pure Blonde beer in Tray upon delivery”
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August 31st, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Watto - I wonder if the Sheik who offered GM $10m for the Caddie was the same one who offered Holden $15m for the Efijy - only to be turned down yet again.
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August 31st, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Yep true story,wonder they dont have it on the contract as a box to tick.
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August 31st, 2008 at 4:30 pm
Possibly Wheelnut ;-) I’d nudge toward the 16 myself.
I think it might have been the first GM product featuring DOD too. Switches between 4, 8, and 16 cylinders. I’ll reserve judgement on how effective DOD actually is for the moment because Falcon proved more effiecient than Aurion AND Accord with DOD according to CA.
I’d want 8 cases of Crown lager over that Pure Blonde crap.
Damn, everyones getting their new XR6 or SS-V or whatever, and I’m still holding off/saving for mine. Lucky bugger Andrew.M
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August 31st, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Yeah, it certainly isn’t as svelte as an M3 BM ;-)
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August 31st, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Cadillac used to make a V16 “tourer” back in the 30-40s.. The main reason was to save [wealthy] female drivers the embarrassment of “bunny hopping” as they changed gear as the engine would have enough power / revs to maintain velocity etc.
Although the engine didn’t produce as much power as a modern V6 or V8 does today due to the shear weight of the thing
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August 31st, 2008 at 4:45 pm
I prefer Beez Kneez myself…. Crown Lager is just VB [Very Bogan] which has been put through the process twice and is in a more stylish bottle
How do I know this.. My Dad was Customer Services manager for the South Australian Brewing Company - he spent his whole life around Beer
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August 31st, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Further to the old 1930-40s V16 Caddie…. the engine was a purpose built V16 block [approx 1m long] NOT two V8s bolted end to end as it was in the I-16 Concept car.. or the W16 in the Bugatti Veyron etc
It was a massive 7.4 Litres although most of the 450ci of power was lost due to weight
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August 31st, 2008 at 5:12 pm
Wheelnut Says:
August 31st, 2008 at 1:11 pm
As I have said before the new Cadillacs are hideous and I doubt very few people will pay the premium price of around $70-80k when they can have a BMW or even a Lexus.
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You don’t get much BMW or even Lexus for that matter for $70,000 to $80,000. These are Corolla sized cars competing against a Commodore sized Cadillac, they have 2.5 litre 6 cylinder engines versus a 3.6 litre direct injection engine for the Caddy, and they will also be lacking in features.
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August 31st, 2008 at 5:20 pm
Dodge Viper ACR claims current Nurburgring Nordschlieffe honours doesn’t it?
Considering your first lap is usually null because it’s while exiting the pits, the Caddy must have done at least 2 laps. I’d say it did much more than two though.
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August 31st, 2008 at 5:31 pm
Dingo Says:
August 31st, 2008 at 5:05 pm
“As much as i dislike anything from GM (always have, always will)…….”
NM RESPONSE….Toyota wanting Holden to build wedge on wheels being the Priarse’s at California is being strongly muted. Hmmmm amnesia perhaps! Strong dose! How can Toyota think of that!
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August 31st, 2008 at 5:31 pm
??? I already said that?
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August 31st, 2008 at 5:31 pm
The best the Caddie could do was 7.59.5 which was beaten by the new Nissan GT-R with a 7.38.2.Yet the car that holds the current lap record around the ring is the latest Z06 Crvette with a 7.26.4 [there is actually a video of the Vette on CA]
Although ant car that manges to do it in less than 8 minutes is impressive
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August 31st, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Sorry Wheelnut, the Dodge Viper ACR did it in 7:22.1 recently. Barely a production car though ;-)
CTS-V, R35, Viper, Z06, whatever, just gimme one, haha.
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August 31st, 2008 at 5:41 pm
Clarkson driving a Merc (can’t remember which type) didn’t quite crack 10 minutes, yet a German woman (damn can’t remember her name) almost beat him in a Ford Transit van.
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August 31st, 2008 at 5:53 pm
Watto - I know the Viper went faster than the Vette but as you said its not really a production car its more of a purpiose built race car..and as this website focuses more on producion cars which you and I can aspire to owning one day - cars that can be road registered etc I quoted the Z06s time.
BTW the female race car driver ywho did it in the transit is Sabine Schmidt.
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August 31st, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Wheelnut,
unfortunately i didnt get the 8 cases of beer on the contract :(
i reckon i got a great deal none the less.
i had to visit a second ford dealership to get it though.
even after the second offer it was still not at the figure i proposed.
it was 4:10pm and the dealership closes at 4pm.
yesterday was also the last trading day of the month. (they cant trade sundays here)
i told them i would take their offer home and think about it.
as i was walking out i was introduced to the sales manager and he asked how it went.
i told him it was not quite there and he asked what i would sign for.
i sort of said he was only half way there when hey presto $1800 fell off the price.
he asked if that was enough, and i said that it was now very tempting.
i sat back down while he reworked figures and came back and said he could do it.
and to ice it off, i reminded the salesman that as of September 1, DSC becomes standard on the utes and a price increase comes in to cover it.
the salesman knew nothing of it (typical) and went to confirm it with his manager
the manager came out and said yep, youve just gotten another $500 out of me.
i actually wouldnt have minded if i had to fork out the extra few green backs, but they just copped it on the chin with out even really talking about it.
the only thing is, ive got an 8 week wait!!!!!
and he said the waiting list is shorter than it was a month ago.
oh well,
it will be worth it.
i think im pretty much settled on breeze…….
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August 31st, 2008 at 6:01 pm
I saw a New Ford Ute in “Breeze” in Elizabeth [The Home of Holden] today; and I must say it looked cool. A cool breeze ha-ha.
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August 31st, 2008 at 6:19 pm
Wheelnut,
the SS is a good drive.
after driving the SV6 directly before it, i found it easy to see why so many chose the SS ofver holdens 6.
and especially when they were going to throw the SS at me for a better deal.
i also drove the XR8 ute, and can say without a doubt the SS has a much better note.
They only had an auto XR8 there, but i would say the performance from the SS and XR8 are pretty much on par with each other.
It was noticable that the XR8 idled a lot smoother. the SS has quite a rough idle. its almost like a spark plug needs a clean or something. (many journos have noticed the rough idle too).
the commodores utes would have to have the worst visibility. i thought the blind spot was bad enough in the falcon utes, but the commodores have it twice as bad.
the centre console of the commys just looks cheap.
you have a tacky looking “Blaupunkt” branding label staring right at you. (not to mention the handbrake)
i may just sounded a bit negative on it, but if you are on the red side of the fence, it is nothing to be ashamed of.
it one hell of a fun drive.
my driving preference lies with the fords for a number of reasons, but if for some reason the only ute available to me was an SS, i wouldnt be complaining.
SV6 on the other hand pretty much isnt that special.
you have no grunt onboard till about 1000RPM after the falcons starts to sing. and even when its in its “singing range”, its still more like a whine.
i can see why holden sell a lot of cars though.
the salesmen there actually knew what they were talking about!!!!!!!
pity i cant say the same for fords salespeople.
fords salespeople are pathetic, they really are.
they cant even tell you the list price of the vehicle with out looking into their little pocket book.
if i was going around having done no research and knowing nothing about the vehicles i was being shown,
i would have signed for an SS.
holdens sales people were very informative and sales motivated
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August 31st, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Dingo Says:
August 31st, 2008 at 5:25 pm
Chucky - you might not get the same size car with a BM, MB or Lexus for 70k as the Caddy but what you do get is a lot better.
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I wouldn’t be so sure with this new Caddy. Apparently the interior build quality is on par with the Germans (except maybe Audi) and it looks a lot nicer inside. I like the new C Class and might buy one for my wife next year, but the dashboard just looks like a big grey hunk of plastic.
If I was in the market for a large luxury sedan I would definitely seriously consider it. Its direct competitors would be the Audi A6, Volvo S80, and Honda Legend which are all very forgettable cars that no one pays any attention to.
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August 31st, 2008 at 7:13 pm
I know what you mean with the VEs centre console Andrew M particularly with the Blaupunkt stereo.
However the thing is the head unit in the Ford is an odd shape/size [as it was in the BF] and theerfore; very hard to upgrade you are virtually stuck with the factory unit - which I believe is from Philips
Whereas the Holden uses a standard sized head unit it can easily be upgraded to a better premium aftermarket head unit such as JVC or Alpine [which is what I am gunna do] as Blaupunkt like Philips ain’t that great.. it can then be connected back up to the steering wheel controls.
I would love Holden to put a Bose System in the ute though
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August 31st, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Yep Wheelnut, that Viper seemed a bit “purposeful”.
Sabine sure can steer.
Congrats on the new ute Andrew.M even though there’s a wait. Yours must be nearly delivered Wheelnut?
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August 31st, 2008 at 8:45 pm
What I hear so far is on the FG stereo is the head unit is quite good (premium) but speakers only average. Upgrade the speakers, perhaps an amp too.
Good thing about the Commodore is ability to swap to a unit you really want. Good thing about Falcon is iPod/mp3/FMinfo all displayed on centre screen, full integration charges it and all and Bluetooth caller ID, voice tags, etc.
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August 31st, 2008 at 9:06 pm
wheelnut,
also the shockingly flimsy glovebox in the VE’s.
(there is a comparo for you on glove box’s F-O)
if i was looking for an upgraded stereo, i would get the upgrade ford offers from the factory.
it would be cheaper anyway.
sure, you can go and get your JVC head deck for around 400 bucks, but it costs you another 500 big ones for the kit to enable you to still control it through your steering wheel.
i know someone with a Getz,
they were telling me all about the new JVC head deck they had just purchased so they could have an ipod input. little did they know until i told them that it wouldnt be compatible with their wheel controls.
the price for the kit was $500!!!!!
im not actually sure who ford use at the moment, but the last time they had any branding on their decks/speakers, it was pioneer, and before that it was phillips.
in Ford Euro’s range (mondeo, focus etc) they use Sony.
they may even have Sony in their cars here because at one point they had a promo “Sony Explode XR8″
You have given me a task to find out what they are currently using…..
i personally would rather upgrade the factory unit so everything stays intergrated and neat.
an aftermarket stereo in a car stands out like dogs…..
i was also told a while ago that the head decks in the fords are actually pretty good. apparently its the speakers that are the weaker link.
i was told that upgrading the speakers in the falcon was what was needed and not the head deck.
i didnt opt for an upgraded stereo because i find the factory unit good enough.
im not really a “doof doof” kind of guy
i spent the money on the beter wheels more airbags and alarm etc instead.
extra airbags and integrated alarm for a $600 tick of the box was a great deal i reckon
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August 31st, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Watto,
you beat me too it.
i took too long to write my last post.
i too just said i was told the ford head decks arent the problem, and that i would prefer the integrated system
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August 31st, 2008 at 9:30 pm
Andrew.M, on the Ford Australia Forums some people have looked at upgrading the stereo and what they’ve found so far is the original premium package is fine for most.
Serious audiophiles really just need amp and better speakers, the head unit is quite good. Some have had an issue with iPod connectivity having some background noise but only some and have sorted that with filters. By all accounts the ICC is very good for a standard unit.
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September 1st, 2008 at 4:30 pm
The Fg has A Sanyo unit but The facia and buttons are supplied and assembled by sumitomo in australia.
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September 1st, 2008 at 5:31 pm
G6ETurbo,
cool,
i couldnt find that info anywhere, but then again im not the greatest surfer of the web.
how do you know? have you pulled one out before?
what gear do they put in the “Premium” stereo option??
(what Amp and speakers etc)
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September 2nd, 2008 at 9:26 am
The Amp is also a sanyo. It only runs the small sub.
The speakers are the cheapest they can find.
I know cause it’s part of my job. I have been 4 times
To japan where they’re designed and penang Malaysia where they manufactured.
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September 2nd, 2008 at 10:29 am
Yep, at minimum toss the speakers, and possibly add an amp to drive the new ones better, and you’re set.
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