Cadillac Vistiq Reviews

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. 

DETROIT: While they may or may not end up in driveways, there were plenty of vehicles turning heads at this week's North American International Auto Show, including Hyundai's new luxury sedan, a Cadillac coupe, Chrysler's green concept cars and a hybrid Toyota pickup.Slumping US car sales did not slow down the action at the grandaddy of the car show circuit, where car makers introduced more than 50 production and concept models in three media preview days. High fuel prices did not play much of a role, either. For every plug-in hybrid or fuel-cell concept, there was a 620 horsepower Chevrolet Corvette or a brand new full-sized sport utility vehicle from Kia. Chrysler promoted a tiny electric concept car as well as the full-sized Dodge Ram, which made a grand entrance alongside 120 longhorn cattle.“The overriding theme was that there was no theme,” says Jack Nerad, executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book, the car buyers' guide.Car makers put a head-spinning variety of fuel-efficient technologies in cars at every price range. There was the $US80,000 ($91,000) Fisker Karma, a plug-in electric hybrid sports car with Maserati good looks that can travel 80km on a single charge. BYD, one of four Chinese car makers at the show, unveiled a plug-in hybrid sedan that will go on sale in China for under $US30,000 this year. Ford introduced EcoBoost, a direct injection, turbocharged engine which it says will improve fuel economy by 20 per cent. Even Ferrari unveiled an ethanol-capable F430 Spider.Diesel engines, which are about 30 per cent more efficient than their petrol counterparts, made a big comeback now that cleaner diesel fuel allows them to meet emissions standards in all 50 US states. BMW unveiled its first diesel-powered vehicles for the US market, the 335d coupe and X5 xDrive35d sport utility vehicle. Audi showed a 500 horsepower diesel super car concept, the Audi R8 V12 TDI, which can go from zero to 90km/h in 4.2 seconds. Daimler offered a diesel option on its GLK compact sport utility vehicle, among others.But diesels were not limited to German car makers. Toyota announced it would soon offer a diesel V-8 in the Tundra pickup and the Sequoia SUV, while Honda said it would put a diesel engine in its Acura sedan in 2010. Chrysler put a diesel hybrid in its Jeep Renegade concept vehicle, while General Motors has a diesel engine in its Saturn Flextreme plug-in concept car.David Champion, the senior director of Consumer Reports' Auto Test Centre, says diesel used to connote pollution and big trucks. He is eager to see if clean diesel has changed that perception, and if US consumers will choose diesel even though it is no cheaper than petrol.“Whether the marketplace is going to endorse diesels remains to be seen,” he says.Other car makers met demands for more fuel-efficient vehicles by downsizing. The Hummer HX concept, a Jeep-like offroad vehicle with a removable roof, would be the smallest Hummer ever if it is made. Toyota's A-BAT concept is the Prius version of a pickup, with a hybrid powertrain and a 1.3m bed. Land Rover unveiled the compact three-door LRX concept, while parent Ford showed the Ford Explorer America concept, a reworking of its phenomenally popular SUV that uses a unibody frame — rather than the traditional truck frame — to save fuel and give the vehicle a more car-like ride.“Explorer has been such an important model for them over the years. Taking that in an inventive direction that's still true to the Explorer name could be a big success for them,” Nerad says.Ford also got kudos for the eye-popping design of its Verve concept, which showed what Ford's subcompact may look like when it hits the US market in 2010.“Here's your proof that good design doesn't cost any more than bad design, but it makes all the difference in the world in terms of buzz,” Global Insight car analyst Aaron Bragman says of the Verve.Other cars generating serious buzz were the Cadillac CTS coupe, a sharp-looking, two-door concept that many analysts agreed was a highlight of the show, and the posh Hyundai Genesis sedan.Hyundai hopes Genesis will help it compete with other luxury makers when it goes on sale this year for just under $US40,000, but analysts aren't sure the bet will pay off, saying the Hyundai name means great value but not luxury. “You don't sell Mercedes-Benz and BMW because they're great value. You sell them because of the cachet and the image,” Bragman says. 

Caddy’s back, and with any luck, its full-on flagship CTS-V will follow the standard sedan to our shores this year. Think of this CTS-V as a Holden Commodore V-Series, with a few bits of HSV thrown in for good measure. But the CTS-V makes 101kW more than anything from our HSV… It features a 410kW 6.2L supercharged LSA V8, which pounds out 745Nm of torque. This is kept in check by a new stability control system which regulates torque at individual driven wheels – though if you want to rip rubber from your rears, it can be switched off. It also features the HSV GTS’s Magnetic Ride suspension (MRC). But in contrast to our manually-laboured Holdens, the Caddy features a light and efficient paddle-shift six-speed automatic, which hints at a new automatic option on the next HSV and Holden Commodore… The V-Series Caddy has been confirmed for launch in the fourth quarter of America, and will be exported to Europe, Asia and the Middle East. We’re next in line… either for the CTS-V, or the LSA engine for our own Commodores.

General Motors Holden will launch the Cadillac CTS sedan next year. GM Holden boss Chris Gubbey made the announcement in Melbourne yesterday, adding a third top-end marque to GMH's growing imported portfolio, alongside Hummer and Saab. GMH hope the CTS will lure buyers away from the more expensive version of the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4 when it arrives here towards the end of 2008. The Cadillac is expected to cost more than $90,000. The CTS will be powered by a version of the 3.6-litre V6 used in Holden's VE Commodore. One of the world's great names in luxury motoring, Cadillac was first imported to Australia in 1909. The first local models were built by GM at the Woodville plant in South Australia in 1930. Official production stopped after World War II but a small number of models were imported by independent retailers into the late 1980s. Cadillac will be sold under the GM Premium Brand with Saab and Hummer through yet-to-be determined outlets. “Cadillac is luxury performance,” GM Premium director Parveen Batish said yesterday. “The brand is undergoing a renaissance, driven by a new generation of vehicles, dramatic design and technical innovation. “While it has an undeniable heritage, Cadillac has entered a new phase with a very clearly defined global strategy.” The CTS was named the 2008 car of the year by US magazine Motor Trend two weeks ago.  

Millions of dollars worth of history's finest cars of all shapes and sizes will go for auction this weekend at the close of the Australian International Motor Show.All eyes will be on the 1971 Ford Falcon GTHO Phase III, which is expected to sell between $600,000 and $800,000 with the value of Aussie muscle cars going through the roof.This could set a record price paid at auction for a Phase III, the previous sitting at $683,650.“It's one of the nicest Phase IIIs we've ever had on offer,” Shannons national auctions manager Christophe Boribon says. It features racing legend Allan Moffat's signature on the glove box.While seems like a lot of money for a car, it's an old number plate that is expected to be the biggest seller of the event. Organisers believe the No.6 plate will attract $1 million-$1.5 million.A 1929 Hudson Super 6 'Model L' Dual-Cowl Phaeton has a range of $100,000 to $140,000.A classic 1972 LJ Torana XU-1 Sedan is expected to be sold for $85,000 to $100,000.For '50s style, try a pink 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Seville “Cool 57” Custom (LHD). Restored in 87 days, it's priced at $70,000 to $100,000.But it's not just the big cars going under the hammer. A 1929 Austin Seven Wasp Sports is up for grabs, expecting to attract $10,000 to $15,000.The auction starts at 2pm on Sunday at the Australian International Motor Show; dont miss out.How much do you think the Falcon GTHO Pase III will go for?  

They are some of the questions, among others, many Australians who still buy the “local hero” tag Holden promotes, would like to be answered.

GM Holden chairman Denny Mooney has often talked about including the Corvette among American imports starting with the Hummer H3 next month.GM Holden national media relations manager John Lindsay said he had “no further update” on importing the Corvette or other brands such as Camaro and Cadillac.Meanwhile, Chevrolet has announced more power for the iconic Corvette next year.The 2008 'Vette coupe and convertible will get a bigger small-block 6.2-litre V8 engine, even bigger than Holden's 6-litre V8 in models such as the Commodore and Caprice.Chevrolet says it will have 321kW of power and 575Nm of torque, which compares with Holden's V8 figures of 270kW and 530Nm.An optional dual-mode exhaust system will boost power to 325kW and torque to 580 Nm.But the Z06 edition of the 'Vette will go even bigger with a 7-litre V8 with a claimed 376kW of power and 637Nm of torque.Chevrolet claims a 0-100km/h time of 3.7sec in first gear.It also maintains that the six-speed paddle-shifted automatic Corvette is its fastest automatic yet, capable of hitting 100km/h in 4.3sec.

The Cadillac CTS was revealed at the Detroit Show as GM Holden ramped-up plans that will eventually also include the Camaro Coupe and the successor to today's iconic Chevrolet Corvette.The heavyweight Hummer H3 is already set for Australia this year but the Cadillac is the pivotal car for GM Holden, dealers and company president Denny Mooney."It will be here in 2008. That doesn't mean January 1, but 18 months from now is pretty realistic," says Mooney, who has pushed the Cadillac cause almost from the day he arrived at Fishermans Bend."Price? I don't know what it is. It will be similar to today's CTS in the States. That car sells for $40,000 Aussie, but that's not what it will sell for in Australia."We don't have a final date yet, but it will be coming as soon as we can get it. We are still working out the distribution."Mooney says they are looking to have up to 24 dealers nationally and they would use the same premium strategy that GM is developing globally.Mooney says the bottom line on the CTS — which joined the Cadillac line-up in 2002 — will be more costly Down Under once shipping, exchange rates and taxes are included. It will probably be a rival for the Lexus IS and Audi A4 in the $60,000 range.There are a range of Cadillac CTS models in America, all with six-speed gearboxes, three engines and with a choice of rear and all-wheel drive.GM Holden is pushing for a 300kW V6 engine and rear-drive, as well as a full set of standard specifications."Ultimately, the V-Series performance vehicles are the ones we want," Mooney says."We won't get all-wheel-drive. I don't see what it gives you in Australia, except worse fuel economy."The Cadillac CTS was one of GM's hero cars in Detroit, after a huge makeover that included some body tweaking by Australian design ace Mike Simcoe.The car is a five-seater, which qualifies as a compact in the US, has edgy new styling and a lot of new engineering work including a revised front-suspension system and improved noise suppression.Cadillac designer Peter Lawlis, introducing the CTS and the Cadillac team that produces it, says: "Things change. A lot of thinking went into this car."We want our customers to feel rewarded for choosing a Cadillac."The CTS is part of a youth push at the American luxury brand, which has been tortured by Japanese and European rivals in recent years.The package for next year begins with a chassis that is longer and wider, the improved 3.6-litre direct-injection V6, a move to six-speed manual and automatic gearboxes and LED tail lamps.The aim is to make the car quicker and a better drive, and to improve quality and refinement.The CTS goes into production in the US about the middle of this year."I cannot wait to get it to Australia," Mooney says.

Selected dealers have been approached to join an exclusive network that will sell the military-inspired Hummer H3 SUV, and eventually encompass Saab and US luxury marque Cadillac."It's gone beyond the discussion stage. It's been formally talked about to the dealer network," an automotive retail source said. The source said Holden had modelled its strategy for adding two new American brands on Ford's Premier Automotive Group of Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo."What they're envisaging is Holden going to do its version of PAG — Hummer being Land Rover, Saab being Volvo and Cadillac being Jaguar," the source said. "It's a lot of money to spend for dealers, but the pay-off is they'll eventually get three brands. They haven't finalised the Cadillac bit of it, but the Hummer plan is a fait accompli."The longer term intention was to integrate Saab with the Hummer and Cadillac network, the source said.The offer was only being made to selected high-volume Holden dealers or dealer groups."The volumes will be too small to spread across the Holden dealer network, so the plan is to ensure a concentrated market presence," the source said.Large Holden dealers were aware of the plan but reluctant to discuss it."It (Hummer) will be bundled in with other products — just what, we haven't been told yet," one metropolitan dealer principal said.Another city dealer principal said, "Not everybody's going to get Hummer ... I've been told it could come under Saab, HSV or Holden."Holden launched the Hummer H3 at the Australian Motor Show. It said the SUV would go on sale next year after right-hand drive production begins in South Africa, but sales and marketing director Alan Batey declined to give specifics."We're finalising the details of which distribution channel we'll use and we'll make an announcement in two months' time," he said."It's a niche. It's not going to be a mainstream segment but it's going to do well."About 1000 Hummer sales a year was the initial target with prices starting between $50,000 and $60,000, according to another Holden executive.Holden spokesman Jason Laird said the company had yet to finalise its Hummer marketing strategy and had no detailed plans for Cadillac."We're looking at all options available to us," he said. "But nothing's firmly in place when one of the brands is not confirmed for this country."If approved, Cadillac would be unlikely to arrive here before 2008, Mr Laird said. "Discussion about Cadillac would be premature, although we've made no secret of our interest in the company," he said.Cadillac is on an export push with foreign sales up by 42 per cent last year, giving the brand its best result since 1990.Cadillac launches in South Africa — another right-hand-drive market — next February.The three-model line-up consists of the Cadillac BLS, a sedan based on the Saab 9-3 for $44,000, the STS sports sedan at $70,000, and the SRX crossover at $79,000.The vehicles will be marketed together with locally made Hummers and imported Saabs by GM South Africa's newly established Premium Channel division.GM executives in Detroit are bullish about the export prospects of Hummer, which has been one of the few sales successes in the automotive giant's recent history.In Europe, where the H3 went on sale last year, the brand's sales are up more than 200 per cent. Exports could account for up to 25 per cent of the brand's 62,000 annual sales, Hummer general manager Martin Walsh last week told the Detroit News.