2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe preview: click to watch video.

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Paul Batista
Instant Wheels Editor, InstantRiverside.com

I’ve only seen the pictures, but this is a good looking car. With it fresh out of the design studio, this is our first look at what will be sitting on Cadillac-showroom floors. The 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe.

Cadillac is very unapologetic about its style. The lines are very sharp and creased, I see several-sloped edges. For now, it’s a look that will be uniquely Cadillac. They’ve taken that look and put it on a two door coupe body. Edgy is a good way to describe it.

It’s a four-seat vehicle, and since I haven’t seen the vehicle in person, I’ll be fascinated to check out the backseat.

The twin-tail pipes reveal themselves at the center of the rear bumper. It’s a cosmetic feature that makes the vehicle look more futuristic. (Watch more on this in my video report on the right.)

They’ve taken what’s good about the CTS, but it’s not a copycat. The roof, the C-Pillar, tail lights and the exhaust are all unique.

The last time Cadillac tried making a coupe, it was the El Dorado touring coupe (ETC). Honestly, it wasn’t anything hip, or spectacular. But it served it’s purpose; being popular with the more-mature consumer; the former core consumer for the Cadillac Motor Car Division.

They’re starting fresh, and they’re clearly going for a younger crowd. Competing with offerings from Infiniti, Lexus, Mercedes and BMW seems to be part of the latest strategy to go hip with a classic-American brand.

I’d say that they’re trying again, and proving an American auto company can raise the bar, and stun its competitors. In the mid-’70s vehicles like this were known as personal luxury coupes. But at first blush, it’s anything but a highway cruiser from a quarter-century ago.

Initially, the CTS Coupe will be offered with the same 304 horsepower 3.6L Direct Injection V6 that is found in the Camaro and CTS sedan. A 6-speed manual transmission is standard, with an automatic transmission available as an option. It will be driven by the rear wheels, with AWD as an option.

This is just the beginning. They plan on making a V-series CTS Coupe to debut later in 2010.

The new CTS Coupe ups the game. GM is setting the bar a little higher, forcing other auto companies to take notice. Cadillac has decided that there’s an untapped market among American brands.

In 2009 I reviewed the Cadillac CTS-V, which was touted as a worthy competitor to the BMW M5. It’s also the fastest production-sports sedan in the world.

CTS Coupe is another example of the fact that GM finally gets it. They’ve taken their 8 brands, and pared them down to 4.

Like anything it’s better to do a few things, and do them really well. In my opinion that allows the company to focus more on quality, craftsmanship and original design.

–posted at 9:02 p.m. PST by P. Batista

Filed under Video Library, Review, Wheels

Sunday, November 22, 2009

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