Cadillac CTS clocking kilometres in Australia
December 24, 2008 by Paul Maric
In preparation for the Australian launch, GM is currently testing the Cadillac CTS on our roads.
The vehicle spotted today is fitted with the 3.6-litre, directly injected V6 engine. Featuring variable valve timing, the V6 engine will produce 227kW and 370Nm of torque. Fitted to the CTS will be a six-speed automatic gearbox.
Also fitted to the vehicle today were a set of ‘bling’ chrome wheels, as befits the vehicle in question!
One of the cool features to come with the new CTS is the 10-speaker Bose sound system, completed with 5.1-channel surround sound and a 40GB hard disk, all fitted as standard equipment. Adaptive Xenon headlights, like those featured on some European cars come standard on the CTS.
Launching, at a price around $80,000, with 13 dealers Australia-wide (except Northern Territory), there is bound to be a Cadillac dealership near you.
Print it: 
Saw one of these on the road in Melbourne near Chadstone a few weeks ago. The looks are love or hate, but in the flesh and in black, I think it looks great.
Looks great
how much will it cost?
Its a very quick executive car with that motor too
hate the tail lights.
I still don’t like the Front – it looks like it was designed by the creators of South Park or one of the Crappy Nickelodeon Cartoons with the cheesy grin.
It’s so hideous it makes a Chrysler 300C even a new Camry look half-decent [and that's saying something]. C’mon guys let go of your rulers…
I think the Direct Injection V6 in the Caddie is similar to the one Holden are looking at for the upcoming VF Commodore which when fitted with Twin Turbos is expected to produce 300+Kw
Why do people think chrome wheels look good?
I think it looks pretty good, although, knowing most car companies when they sell their products in Australia, it will probably be horridly overpriced.
This thing is doomed to fail. The only buyers in Australia will be the fat baby boomers who are in gods waiting room.
Wheelnut, I actually find the 300C attractive with a good dose of character, unlike this hideous monstrosity.
Spitfire couldnt agree more, this brand is doomed in Australia, and with the financial problems that GM have, i am sure we will get a press release soon from GM saying they wont launch the Cadalliac brand in Australia.
Yanks definitely got the better deal out of that one..
I mean they get a modern looking well built powerful sports sedan in the form of the G8 [ which will probably become the new Chevy Beretta once Pontiac is gone ]..
and we get an ugly old farts car..
Why couldn’t Holden get the Camaro or even the HH-R Nomad which are much better looking. Both The Camaro and the HH-R would appeal to a much younger demographic who are the ones with a more active sportier lifestyle not to mention more disposable income.
Holden could do with a Sports Coupe and a Compact SUV in their line up; they don’t need another exec-express they already have the [better looking] Statesman – which also has an awesome Bose Stereo.
Wheelnut I agree… I have a feeling the only people buying this are those that want to ’stand out’. The specs are great and the interiors of Cadillac and this one as it appears are always top notch. The exterior is more than a deal breaker though.
Wheelnut, I am an old fart but I would not want to be seen dead in this thing.
Wheelnut Says:
December 24th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
……they don’t need another exec-express they already have the [better looking] Statesman – which also has an awesome Bose Stereo.
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My father currently has a Caprice, and I can say for a fact that the CTS is definitely a better car. While the Caprice is very comfortable and has some good features, you can see where they cut corners quite easily. The fit and finish is more in line with a Commodore than its overseas luxury competitors. It is a nice car, but what you get in extra room and features, you lose out on build quality. Plus the CTS would handle and perform better.
Wheelnut, NO. The stereo in the Caprice is rubbish in comparison to luxury car brands.
Wheelnut, you are joking? The 300c is a great looking car, this coming from someone who hates almost all American cars. I do definitely agree about the Camry though.
Realcars, I completely agree. I can’t think of a single car that looks good with chrome wheels. The worst one is that the Bugatti Veyron has chrome wheels.
I don’t know what to think of this, on one hand, it’s really just a posh Commodore, on the other, although uglier by far, it is more exciting than a 520d which I believe is also $80,000. By exciting, I only mean to look at (including the interior), I would think a 520d would probably actually be a better drive than this due to BMW’s great engines and handling.
I just read a review for the CTS V. If it ever comes to Australia, it will be a flop because it’s only LHD but apparently it handles “like a dream” as according to Top Gear which if true, is a nice change to American cars of old.
cts-v will never come to aus. And cts is better than holden on every level. Both exteriors are ugly so thats a moot point.
Benjie; my point was why would you buy an imported car when there is a [better looking] locally built car with the same level of specifications and features etc such as the Bose Stereo
BOSE is a recognised Premium Brand Stereo used by a number of manufacturers including the Statesman Caprice as does the Cadillac CTS even the Mazda 6.
You often hear of cars advertised with “european styling”. This is proof perfect why “american” and “style” are an oxymoron.
Just to say, I was just looking at the pictures again and its it just me or is that steering wheel almost identical to the one on the Jaguar XK and XF?
Alex its actually the same style as the steering wheel in the VE Commodore range – which has the trip computer and audio controls mounted on horizontal spokes of the wheel and a split vertical spoke at the bottom.. with a recess int the centre for the badge and where the Caddie has wood the Holdens have colour coded leather – [optional]
I like so comfortable.I was just looking at the pictures again. The stereo in the Caprice is rubbish in comparison to luxury car brands.
the last series rodeo front end is a “no go past” for me
This will simply be a novelty.
its lifesapn will closely mirror the 300c
Andrew M, what do you mean a lifespan closely mirroring the 300C? You mean the Chrysler 300C? The Chrysler 300C that has been going strong for five years and is still selling in quite high numbers? It hasn’t been taken off the market either so I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Alex and don’t thing Andrew knows what he is talking about either.
Merry Christmas Andrew
merry xmas Forza,
good to see you got some maturity from Santa ;)
Alex,
the 300c used to give the statesman a good run for money in the sales numbers.
Its numbers have dropped.
this will sell to those that want something to fulfill the role of a statesman etc, but at the same time something outside the typical statesman mould.
people either love or hate the 300c,
The styling of this will live with the same attitude towards it.
This will be a Niche product, just like the 300c.
I agree with Wheelnut I don’t like the front,but is there room to sell it here in Oz?I don’t think so,unless they build it here and export it.
Andrew M, how exactly are you finding Chrysler’s official sales figures? I’m seeing plenty of the new face lifted ones with new number plates so I think it must be selling OK. Apart from anything, you said it would have a lifetime that mirrored that of the 300C, the 300C is doing well enough and it still looks good after five years, something not all cars do. I think if the Cadillac did as well as the 300C, Cadillac Australia would be over the moon.
There are clearly some bigwigs in GM who haven’t got the message yet that trying to spread the Cadillac brand into obscure markets like Australia ain’t the way to keep the mothership alive.
How on earth can they not work out that this is just a marketing-driven wank by some group of corporate half-wits who personify the sort of ‘We Are The Greatest’ culture that got GM into such strife in the first place.
It will be a race to see if the first Cadillac finds a buyer in Australia before the SS General Motors sinks beneath the waves.
Alex,
someone presented the 300c’s sales figures when it came up in conversation last time.
they brought it up to show me that it isnt selling as well as it once was, because i was of the opinion that it (300c) was still giving the statesman a run for its money. I still think it does quite well considering the mass fleet sales the statesman gets.
Also,
a good lifespan is something that lasts many years/generations. If they are going to establish Cadillac dealerships etc, it would want to last a hell of a lot more than 5 years.
I personally dont think the CTS will perform as well as the 300c
Im sorry but i cant get past that interior….
Reminds me of an old Toyota Corona…
NOT A GOOD THING AT ALL!
Hey, I’m not 100% sure but Cadillacs are FWD no? It seems like one instance where it actually would make more sense to get a Holden Commodore.
Ah, if it drove alright I’d own one. It’s kind of a perverted relationship, I know I shouldn’t, but I think it’s kinda cool.
I’d definately own one over a statesman or caprice…Cause at least it is different
Seems to be pretty well specced but it definately needs bigger wheels.
this sad looking 80k blunder car is probably the only reason holden arn’t going to put the 225kw 6 speed combo in the next commodore.we get 215kw,5 speed combo.that really sux…
Quote [Alex]: Hey, I’m not 100% sure but Cadillacs are FWD no? It seems like one instance where it actually would make more sense to get a Holden Commodore.
There’s many more reasons to buy a Holden Alex….
The suspension would be another reason particularly if the last couple of Americn imports are anything to go buy –
The Probe and the Taurus had suspension that was so sensitive that if you drove over a small pebble it felt like Ayers Rock and it was so soft that it would keep rocking so much that you felt as though you were on a yacht in the Sydney to Hobart.
Alex the Cadillac CTS RWD [with optional AWD] It was designed to re-establish Cadillacs RWD performance credentials.. Plus the CTS-V has 400hp.. could you imagine all that power throught the front wheels
It is also built on the old Sigma platform; the same platform Holden engine-nerds rejected as unsuitable for the VE Commodore then went ahead and built the Aussie designed Zeta Platform
I drove a Cadillac DTS in the USA earlier this year and it was fantastic to drive. Handled and performed very well (the DTS has a 4.6L V8).
I would buy a CTS except for the obvious rip-off in pricing. The CTS sells in the USA for $34K (retail level), even at today’s exchange rate, that equates to $58-59K. When the CTS was announced for Aus, the exchange rate was over .90 cents, don’t tell me pricing wasn’t agreed to then. They don’t have to be converted to RHD as Cadillac run LHD & RHD assembly lines, this car is exported all over the world.
Sorry Wheelnut but the Chrysler 300C and Cadillac CTS are both good looking cars.
Duck,
sure, thats if your taste is in your ….
So I’m guessing you dislike the look of the 300C and/or CTS, Andrew M?
The only thing I don’t like about the Cadillac CTS is those clear tailights like on the last picture above, I like just the normal (traditional) red tailights.
And, Andrew M I DON’T KNOW HOW MY TASTE IS IN MY ASS, if I like the design of the Chyrsler 300C and the Cadillac CTS.
Both are very good looking cars IN MY OPINION!
…………I heard Holden may get a similar engine to the V6 CTS Cadillac too!
Duck – Yes the upcoming Commodore is expected to have the same 230Kw Direct Injection V6..
Yet the Direct Injection Twin Turbo Optimised [DITTO] version is capable of 300Kw. However; that will probably be reserved for HSV to make a car to try and compete against the Awesome F6
Holden should try and get a hold of the 400Kw [Northstar] V8 as well if they can – the engine is the only decent thing with Caddies
^^^^^^^^^^I hope they do better than they did with the HSV XU6.
If we do have to get a “premium” American car here – I would go rather Holden import the New Buick LaCrosse.
I’ve just read a brief article on it but I can tell you It’s way better looking than this thing.
It looks like a WM Statesman crossed with a BMW 5 Series and hint of an Lexus IS-F Sedan..
It uses the same Direct Injection V6 as the upcoming Commodore and this Ugly thing.. it is also availabe with a new 6 speed Automatic and AWD.