Cadillac Optiq Reviews

The SRX is intended to be a rival to the BMW X5, Mercedes ML and Lexus RX and was planned to be built in both left- and right-hand drive, enabling it to be sold in Australia.

The Cadillac Converj coupe has a petrol-free driving range of 64km but when equipped with a petrol generator can travel up to hundreds of kilometres between refills – the same as the Volt.

Cate Blanchett, Jennifer Hawkins, Sandra Sully and Ian Thorpe all drive shiny new Audis, Laura Csortan has a Cadillac, Jim Stynes and Matt Shirvington drive Volvos and horse trainer David Hayes has a BMW.But none of them pays.It cost Michael Clarke more than $250,000 to slide Lara Bingle into a raunchy new Aston Martin V8 Vantage but car brands are so keen to connect to potential buyers that they are happy to loan cars to A-list celebrities and sports stars.Most of the cars are high-cost flagship models, from the Audi TT coupe and Q7 four-wheel drive to the Volvo XC90 SUV and the Cadillac CTS which goes on sale in Australia next month.The list of occupations of the ambassadors is almost as long as the companies involved, including athletes, environmentalists, radio jocks and fashion folk.Audi runs such a big freebie fleet that rival brands call it the United Nations - because it has so many 'ambassadors' - at an estimated cost of more than $1 million.The German brand currently has 18 ambassadors on its books, with Collette Dinnigan, Cathy Freeman, Sarah Murdoch, Grant Hackett and George Gregan among its other famous faces.Volvo has environmentalist David Ireland on its books, as well as Shirvington and footballer Matt Giteau."It is another way of raising awareness of the brand. It helps us to break through into areas where we might not otherwise have had a foothold," says Volvo spokesperson Laurissa Mirabelli."Our assocation with Matt Giteau and Matt Shirvington takes us into the sporting world, which is a new area.And she says Volvo has plans to sign more drivers."We will be expanding our program into other new areas," Mirabelli says.At Saab, Sigrid Thornton is a long-term ambassador and chef George Calombaris has also come on board.Sometimes the celebrity association goes beyond a car, with driver training as part of the package. And many A-listers get a taste for the deal through the Celebrity Race at the Australian Grand Prix, which has been backed in the past by BMW, Mini and Fiat.Homegrown brands Holden and Ford are part of the program, with the red team backing Deborah Hutton and the Australian netball team and the blue-oval brand taking on cricketers Andrew Symonds, Matthew Hayden and Michael Hussey, as well as Stephanie Gilmore.But BMW has wound back from the days when Felicity Kennett, James Morrison and Ken Done flew its flag."People are much more savvy these days. Having ambassadors is less relevant when people are more interested in the value, the technical innovation and whether the brand is something they aspire to own," said BMW Australia spokesman, Toni Andreevski."Just because a celebrity drives a car does not make it any more relevant to their purchase."And Mercedes' best-known brand rep, retired racer Mick Doohan, actually pays for his hot AMG Benzes - although not full retail."Mick is more of an enthusiastic customer," said David McCarthy of Mercedes-Benz Australia."Certainly, Mick's invovlement with AMG is very beneficiial when you see the reaction when he drives our cars in classic rallies. But, beyond that, we don't see much value."It's good to raise the profile, but how do you assess the value? The public is pretty aware."Another motorsport legend, Sir Jack Brabham, has been getting cars and bikes from Honda for decades, and is now on a team with fashion designer Akira Isogawa, Geoff Cox and Suzie Wilks."We get good value for money from our celebrities," said Honda's Mark Higgins.But Mazda has also wound back and only has Olympian Michael Klim, surfer Serena Brooks and radio personality Andy Lee on its books."It's very low-key. Everyone knows it's a commercial relationhip but we don't tend to use our celebrities like other car companies," said Mazda spokesman, Glenn Butler. CAR COMPANY BRAND AMBASSADORS:AUDI:Collette DinniganJennifer HawkinsShannon BennettAlisa CamplinJohn EalesCathy FreemanSarah MurdochAdam GilcristGeorge GreganGrant HackettMatt MoranZali SteggallSandra SullyIan ThorpeSteve WaughTodd Woodbridge BMW:David Hayes CADILLAC:Laura Csortan FORD:Andrew SymondsMatthew HaydenMichael HusseyMitchell JohnsonStephanie Gilmore HOLDEN:Deborah HuttonAustralian netball team HONDA:Geoff CoxSuzie WilksSir Jack BrabhamAkira Isakawa  MAZDA:Andy LeeSerena BooksMichael Klim MERCEDES:Mick Doohan SAAB:Sigrid ThorntonGeorge Calombaris VOLVO:Matt ShirvingtonDavid IrelandMatt GiteauJim Stynes 

Introduced early this year at the Detroit auto show, the production version of its Coupe Concept show star could fill the hole left by the retired Holden Monaro - it was even designed in the States by Aussie ex-pat and Monaro creator Mike Simcoe. The front-end has recognisable CTS design cues, and running gear is the same V6 engine as the Aussie-spec CTS. But its sculpted fastback rear is exaggerated and arresting, with genuine musclecar presence. The B-pillar is done away with, leaving a rakish side profile and a squat front and rear silhouette. The Concept sits on the same CTS platform and drivetrain, though on lower sports suspension and shod with huge 20-inch (f) and 21-inch (r) rims. It’s two-door, 2 +2 seater coupe format connects the front passengers to the rear via a continuous centre console, and features a wild black and yellow contrasting interior trim. And the good news for Caddy fans (though perhaps not so fortuitous for Monaro lovers) is the announcement that the Coupe will join the CTS sedan by late 2009.

The bold, burly American brand that brought us convertible subculture, the shark fin taillight, and inspired many a song is back in Australia after a three decade sojourn with its stonking CTS sedan range and a possible coupe to follow. The CTS is introduced here with a 3.6-litre VVT V6 developing 227 kW and 370Nm of torque through the rear wheels via an electronic Hydra-Matic 6L50 (think Grease) six-speed auto, which allows quick clutchless gear changes through the shifter. It prefers beer to champagne too, running on standard 91RON, but fuel figures are not yet available. Suspension is an independent front/multilink rear, and a sportier suspension setting is an option, though both sit on huge nine-spoke, 19-inch rims and performance stoppers. Inside, hand-made trims are bathed in a soft lighting scheme that contrasts the butch exterior. A Bose stereo linked to an in-dash retractable screen with 40gig hard drive storage and MP3/iPod compatibility is standard. Standard safety is also high, with six airbags, reverse parking sensors, tyre pressure monitors, a pedestrian pop-up bonnet, and Caddy’s ‘Stabilitrak’ stability control. Options include a full moon roof, choice of a real wood finish over the standard metal, and heated/vented seats. The CTS will join the GM Premium Brands of Saab and Hummer in early 2009, with pricing revealed closer to its release, though bets are currently hedged at around $60,000 - $70,000. Cadillac is using the Sydney show to gauge consumer interest and garner feedback on the CTS, and evaluating further powerplants for import into Australia. This means we might see the forceful CTS-V performance version in the future. However, given the Aussies’ love of powerful rear-drive V8s, we would say their minds are already made up.

After a three decade sojourn with its stonking CTS sedan range and a possible coupe to follow.

The big Caddy is due for release in Australia within months and now there's the possibility of a two-door Coupe stablemate to join it on the showroom floor. Right-hand-drive production of the CTS saloon has started. It is making its world debut at the British Motor Show next week and will go on sale in Britain in September. The big American should be in Australian showrooms in October. But Cadillac also has unveiled a Coupe version, below, of that car, officially listed as a concept at this stage, but one that management of the U. S. iconic car brand says “is a strong indication of Cadillac's future design language”. Given that the Coupe is based on the production sedan, sharing its wheelbase, underpinnings and components such as engines and dashboard, it would help contain the cost of tooling and production for such a car and so make it more feasible. “The dramatic design of the saloon begged the question of what it would look like in the unbridled form of a Coupe,” says Cadillac boss Jim Taylor. The Coupe is 50mm lower and 50mm shorter than the CTS saloon. It even shares the same windscreen, but it is laid at a steeper angle. It's a classic hard-top style with no B-pillar, has slim-profile exterior mirror and roof-mounted antenna for radio and navigation signals. The concept car has 20in front wheels and 21in rear wheels behind which are massive brakes with six-piston front calipers and four-piston rear units. The Coupe is a 2+2, with special Recaro seats. It has a premium Bose sound system with a 40GB hard drive. The navigation system, like that on the CTS saloon, has a screen that rises from the centre of the hand-finished instrument panel. It has been designed to accept the range of Cadillac CTS engines, including the 3.6-litre V6 that will power the CTS saloon in Australia through a six-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive. That engine is essentially the same unit as the power plant used by GM Holden in its range of VE Commodores. But the Cadillac version runs high-pressure fuel injection to lift power output to 227kW and torque to 370Nm. GM expects the Cadillac CTS saloon will carry a $75,000 price tag when it hits Australian showroom floors.  

The super-hot CTS-V is the king of the Cadillac hill — and claimed to be the world's fastest four-door sedan. Still, the key is the engine: a supercharged 6.2-litre V8 with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic directing power to the rear wheels. The bottom line is 410kW and 745Nm. Unfortunately, all that engineering has left little room for a right-hand drive conversion that would bring it to Australia.  “When we put the 6.2-litre V8 engine in and the supercharger plumbing on it, we ran out of real estate,” General Motors product boss Bob Lutz says. Its mechanical package includes magnetic ride control for the suspension, Brembo six-piston disc brakes and Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tyres. But Lutz, always the optimist, believes there is potential for Holden Special Vehicles to tweak a go-faster CTS for Australia. “Talk to HSV. I'm sure they will whomp up something,” he says. Pick up the phone, HSV.

The Australian new-car market will soon see the Cadillac badge return to showrooms, but an event in Adelaide next week will refresh our Cadillac memories. While the reintroduction of Cadillac - it was last sold here between 1960 and 1973 - will begin with the CTS sedan in the last quarter of this year, more than 100 older Cadillacs will arrive here tomorrow for the Cadillac and LaSalle Nationals. More than two dozen pre-1930 and at least 40 Cadillacs with some of the biggest fins yet seen on a car will be here until Tuesday. The biennial event will be based in the Barossa Valley. National Cadillac Club of Australia SA branch president Ian Robertson says; it is the first time in the club's 31-year history to have entries from every Australian state and territory for the Cadillac Escape. “The event promises to be one of the largest gatherings of Cadillacs ever seen in Australia,” he says. The event also has confirmed entrants from the U.S., Canada, Britain and New Zealand. Activities include a car show at the Australian National Motor Museum, Birdwood, and a drive to the top of the Barossa Valley's highest point for panoramic photos. Mr Robertson says a wide variety of Cadillacs will be at the event. “The cars range from the 1905 Model F Tourer, through to a 1994 Eldorado Touring Coupe,” he says. “In between, there will be the elegant 1920s models, the Art Deco models of the '30s and '40s, the giant fins of the '50s and '60s and to the utter opulence of the Fleetwood d'Elegance models of the '80s.”  

The expression “Yank tank” could have been coined for Cadillac, the American luxury brand whose history is filled with hulking motoring palaces that are ideal for cruising on US freeways but have foundered everywhere else.Not the Cadillac CTS.The car that will bring the American brand to Australia is taut, youthful and surprisingly good to drive.For something built in America, the quality is surprisingly good.And just like the gangster Chrysler 300C, the CTS will stand out in any crowd. In a good way.The CTS will go on sale here in the final quarter of the year with a starting price in the $75,000 range, which will put it up against a range of rivals, including BMW's 5 Series and the Lexus GS.Its arrival is part of a strategy for GM Premium Brands that began with Saab, grew with Hummer and will reach its full potential with Cadillac.The plan is to eventually have a broad spread of luxury cars and four-wheel drives from throughout the General Motors world, all banded together in Australia in a network of premium dealerships.The Cadillac plan was revealed more than two years ago and, at the time, looked wildly ambitious. There was nothing international about the Cadillac family — despite promises of a new generation of global cars — that would work in Australia.The first of the global Cadillacs is the second-generation CTS — for compact touring sedan — and it was previewed to the Australian press last week during a drive from San Diego to Palm Springs in California.It made a strong impression, from the bold styling to the roomy cabin and enjoyable driving, and proved the global approach to Cadillac development.To the best of anyone's knowledge, Cadillac cars have not been sold in Australia by an official importer for more than 70 years. There have been Caddys on the road, mostly the ghastly '70s limousines, but they were granddad cars that were ugly in every way.The chief engineer on the CTS program, Liz Pilibosian, knows all about the challenges in creating something special and says Cadillac has made a fundamental change.“We're in the game now. This was a global car from the beginning,” she says.“It is much easier to start from the beginning. There is less need to rework things.“You have to make sure you are satisfying your global customer. And you need to understand them.”So who will be buying a CTS sedan, or the CTS wagon and coupe that will eventually follow?“It's an affluent buyer in a country like Japan or China, but in America it is a middle-class person, and that's probably the same in Australia,” Pilibosian says. “It's for the entrepreneur, for the up-and-coming person. They are looking for more than just transport.”She says the CTS was always intended to be a European-style drive, despite its aggressively American design. That meant a total commitment from the 500-plus people who worked on the program.“The biggest challenge was engineering the car while keeping the styling,” she says. “We had to make sure we emulated the design we were given, and that doesn't always happen.“We basically worked with two cars, the previous-generation BMW 5 series for steering, handling and ride. And we looked at Audi for fit and finish.”So the shape is the same as the CTS concept car revealed at last year's Detroit Motor Show and the mechanical package is built around a 3.6-litre V6 engine, a six-speed automatic gearbox, rear-wheel drive and a roomy four-seat cabin.The engine is basically the same as the one used in the VE Commodore, but picks up high-pressure direct fuel injection and other tweaks to lift output to 227kW and 370Nm.The chassis is a wide-track layout with independent control at all corners — with two suspension settings — and there is switchable electronic stability control and anti-skid brakes.The safety package runs to six airbags, though a costly pedestrian-friendly bonnet will not make it to Australia. The car is also available with a keyless entry system, Bose sound system with 40GB hard drive, LED interior lighting and a lot more.Satnav is fitted for the US, but will not be coming here because of a conflict in mapping. The 2009 model cars will land here with a a paddle gearshift change and some other tweaking.Parveen Batish, GM Premium Brands boss in Australia, says: “We have not finalised the specification or the pricing. That will happen closer to the on-sale date.”Work on the CTS is continuing, with new features and a tough emphasis on safety.Pilibosian says she is committed to making the '09 model even better.But she is happy with what the Cadillac team has produced and is looking forward to the next full model change on the CTS.“There is always room for improvement. The current car is really close to a 10, for what we wanted. But I know what I'm going to do in the next program,” she says. ON THE ROADThe CTS is a very, very good car. There, we said it. We landed in the US with a low expectation and some baggage from earlier Cadillac cars, but the CTS turned us around. Fast.It took only 5km and a couple of tight corners to realise the chassis is taut and responsive, the steering is most un-American and the final finishing is tight. It looks good and has zero squeaks or rattles.The upgraded V6 rattles like a diesel at idle — which means an impressive noise-suppression package — but really gets along. It pulls more like a V8 from a standing start and the six-speed auto is smooth and has well-spaced ratios.Just as good, considering the likely price, the cabin is roomy, with good space for tall people in the back, and there is plenty of equipment, including a punchy sound system and even a built-in garage door opener.The ride is compliant and smooth, but still has good control, though opinion is split on the FE2 and FE3 suspension choices.The CTS is smooth and refined on freeways when running the slightly softer FE2 suspension settings, but the sports-tuned FE3 pack meant some thumping over potholes and broken surfaces. Both are good on twisty roads, with a bit more grip and response from the FE3 set-up.The CTS is not perfect. Fit and finish is not up to Lexus or Audi levels, but Pilibosian is quickly on to the flaws and promises an investigation and improvements. She cannot do anything about the restricted rear vision, but the car does have parking radar.So there is a lot to like and little to criticise, at least until we know the final prices and specifications for Australia.And one thing is certain — this is not your granddad's Caddy.  INSIDE VIEWCadillac CTSON SALE: estimated OctoberPRICE: estimated $75,000ENGINE: 3.6-litre direct-injection V6POWER: 227kW at 6300 revsTORQUE: 370Nm at 5200 revsTRANSMISSION: six-speed automatic, rear-wheel driveECONOMY: not availableSAFETY: front, side and curtain airbags, electronic stability control, anti-skid brakes  CTS-V NOT RIGHT FOR AUSTRALIAThe king of the hill Cadillac — a super-hot CTS-V (right) claimed to be the world's fastest four-door sedan — will not be coming to Australia.Like so many US cars, the steering wheel is on the wrong side, and there's no chance of a change.But, unlike heavyweights such as the Ford F150 and Dodge Ram, the CTS problem comes down to engineering and not just neglect during planning.“When we put the 6.2-litre V8 engine in and the supercharger plumbing on it, we ran out of real estate,” General Motors product boss Bob Lutz says.Its mechanical package includes magnetic ride control for the suspension, Brembo six-piston disc brakes and Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tyres.Still, the key is the engine: a supercharged V8 with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic directing power to the rear wheels. The bottom line is 410kW and 745Nm.But Lutz, always the optimist, believes there is potential for Holden Special Vehicles to tweak a go-faster CTS for Australia.“Talk to HSV. I'm sure they will whomp up something,” he says.  APPEALING CONCEPTTwo bold new concept cars point the road to the future at Cadillac. They couldn't be more different — a four-wheel-drive family wagon and a two-door coupe — but they share the same design direction and youthful approach to the world of cars.And both are going on the road and could easily join the Cadillac product offensive in Australia.The CTS Coupe concept is as good as anything at Detroit '08 and points to a new style of two-door headliner, with as many angles and edges as the curves on most coupes.It was previewed with a turbodiesel engine, but will take the V6 petrol motor used in the CTS sedan, and the rest of its running gear.The Provoq was billed as a fuel-cell electric car at the show, but its real purpose is to win younger families to a Cadillac family wagon.It is fitted with GM's E-Flex drive system, which uses electric power with a petrol engine as a “range extender”.But the body and cabin have a much bigger job to do.And it is definitely coming to Australia as an under-the-skin twin to the Saab 9-4X prestige wagon.