2004-2005 Cadillac CTS

Pros :
- Powerful enough to match the best.
- Head-turning so-called "Art and Science" styling.
- Great track-tuned handling dynamics.
- Short braking distances.
- A midsizer for the price of a baby Bimmer.

Cons :
- Needs all that power to lug all that weight around.
- Styling is neither art nor science.
- Handling is just "pretty good", not "amazing", without Sport package.
- Slight increase in price.
- Long braking distances for a sports sedan.

Interior :

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Press Coverage :
Fashioned from Cadillac's edgy, bold design vocabulary, its lean, chiseled body features sheer forms, sharp edges and crisp intersecting lines that at once honor Cadillac's storied past and look to the future. Built on GM's acclaimed Sigma rear-wheel-drive architecture, CTS was the first North American vehicle to be rigorously tested at the famed Nürburgring in Germany.
For 2004, the automatic transmission CTS features GM's all-new 3.6L V-6 VVT (variable valve timing) engine, new shocks and shock mounts will provide a softer ride without sacrificing performance, and a few interior changes debut.
Designed using the latest advanced engineering tools, the all-new 3.6L V-6 VVT engine debuts on CTS models with automatic transmission and incorporates features and technology packaged to deliver high performance and refinement. It is mated to the Hydra-Matic 5L40-E 5-speed automatic transmission.
The V-6 VVT is the first V-6 to demonstrate a key GM strategy: to develop world-class engines with fully contemporary features - such as dual overhead cams and variable valve timing - but at a competitive cost structure that allows use of the engines in a global mix of vehicles.
The 3.6L global V-6 develops 255 hp (190 kw) at 6200 rpm and 255 lb.-ft. of torque (346 Nm) at 3200 rpm and is mated to the 5L40-E automatic transmission. The adoption of fully variable valve timing for both intake and exhaust valves provides outstanding flexibility, fuel economy and emissions reduction.
Compared to an existing GM DOHC V-6, the 3.6L V-6 VVT develops 20 percent more peak power, a 13 percent increase in peak torque - and a 24 percent increase in torque-integral, or the amount of torque available at most points throughout the rpm range.
Although a design priority was to minimize or eliminate all sources of undesirable engine noise, the sound that does reach vehicle occupants has been carefully optimized to be rich and rewarding. Intense focus on reducing noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) did not compromise the dictates of high specific output.
Numerous design features ensure the V-6 VVT is one of the most polished V-6s on the market. It has specially isolated cam covers to decouple them from vibration created by the combustion process, while the engine front cover incorporates internal damping plates to quell engine vibrations. A structural aluminum oil pan, attached by a full-circle mounting, enhances bending stiffness and mitigates "drumming" from the oil pan.
Polymer-coated piston skirts help the piston to track more smoothly and quietly in the bore. Pressure-actuated piston-oil squirters help cool the pistons, contributing to performance and durability, and help minimize noise that typically emanates from the cylinder bores and reciprocating components. "Hiss" from the PCV valve is eliminated by using two dissimilar-sized flow-metering holes, while equal-length intake manifold runners minimize half-order noise content.
A forged steel crankshaft ensures the durability required of high specific output variants and provides an extra degree of robustness. Flexible oil pan configurations facilitate the engine's adaptability for all drive layouts.
In addition, CTS models equipped with the new engine also feature a dual outlet performance exhaust system.
Other new CTS offerings for 2004 include a retuned base suspension with new shocks and shock mounts, which offers smooth road feel without sacrificing performance. The Sport package, featuring newly designed 17-inch wheels (painted or polished finish), StabiliTrak, performance brake linings, variable assist steering, and rear load-leveling, is now available across the CTS lineup.
Interior refinements include chrome accents on the ashtray, body-colored center armrest and color-keyed center console, instrument cluster temperature gauge and bright white lighting. A new power adjustable lumbar support with power adjustable seat is optional.
The new 3.6L engine is mated to the 5L40-E Hydra-Matic five-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission. A state-of-the-art transmission, the light, compact 5L40-E features a full complement of advanced electronic control capabilities. These include a shift mode button that allows the driver to select between "sport," "winter" and "economy" modes. Another electronic feature is also a first for GM: engine braking in all five gears, giving the automatic the same sporty feel as a downshifting manual.
The Cadillac design team gave CTS a look all its own - one that's uniquely Cadillac. The design adopts the sharp forms, angular shapes and crisp edges of stealth aircraft technology, along with other American, high-tech geometric influences. This risk-taking design is marked by a taut, lean body that's long from dash to axle, with short overhangs.
Traditional design cues, including the grille and exterior lighting, have been updated for the CTS. Cadillac's traditional vertical headlamps and taillamps first appeared in 1965, and CTS carries on and refines the tradition. CTS' integrated headlamps convey the high-tech image of optical instruments and high-end camera lenses. Thin and tall, they create more space for the large, louvered egg-crate grille - another Cadillac staple dating back to the 1930s.
The interior provides all the amenities that luxury customers have come to expect, with the emphasis on comfort and convenience. It makes use of warm, rich materials to contrast with the cool, computer-like, high-tech cockpit appearance, balancing the contemporary feel with touches of traditional luxury. Wood is used sparingly, only in areas with which the customer comes into contact, such as on the steering wheel, shifter knob and door pulls.
The CTS' Sigma architecture is the first usage of ultra high-strength steel at GM, and the first time the steel has been incorporated as a welded member of the structure. In the past, ultra high-strength steel was limited to applications such as bumpers, where bolts were used for attachment. Ultra high-strength steel permits the use of thinner, lighter steel, which reduces mass yet still allows proper energy absorption and reduces intrusion into the passenger compartment in an accident.
In addition, CTS has six air bags, including dual-stage frontal air bags and head-curtain side air bags to help protect front and outboard rear passengers. It also has Xenon high-intensity discharge (HID) halogen headlamps, OnStar and StabiliTrak, and several other safety and security features.
All this leaves little doubt that Cadillac is poised to reclaim world leadership in the entry luxury class with bold, striking design and exhilarating, outstanding performance.
Cadillac

If there is anything to universally cheer about, it's the CTS's handling, thanks to a stiff platform, independent suspension front and rear, and of course rear drive. Caddy engineers spent more time at the Nürburgring in Germany than did Juan Manuel Fangio and Bernd Rosemeyer combined, searching for a magic suspension formula. They came close. For what is a large car by any measurement, the Cadillac is extremely agile and controllable. It generated 0.83 g on the skidpad, equaling the Audi A4 and the BMW 330i.
Gripes centered on steering. Not only was it too heavy but also the wheel's diameter appeared to have been inspired by an ax handle, and the tilt adjustments were too coarse. None of us was impressed by the richness of the materials used in the CTS interior.
Make no mistake, this is the best Cadillac ever. Get past the styling that, to some, has been carved from a bar of soap, and underneath lies a first-rate effort to bring Cadillac into the 21st century. The target is BMW. It is still wide of that mark. A bull's-eye, perhaps, on a 10-year-old 7-series sedan, but not against a current 3- or 5-series from Munich.
Car and Driver

On the open highway, the Caddy is not the plushest car here — ride is firm — but, like the Mercedes, it has nicely damped suspension with just enough compliance to keep it from feeling harsh or annoying. On canyon roads, it just plain carves, like a good set of shaped skis. The steering is nicely weighted, and the car turns in quickly, holding its line through sweepers with dead flat stability. In steady-state cornering it has the reassuring composure of a Can-Am car with big, blocky tires. Cadillac says this chassis was developed at the Nürburgring, and it's easy to believe.
Our test car came with a sport package that included the StabiliTrak stability-control system, which was quite effective in keeping our car more or less parallel with the road, but some of our hot-shoe drivers liked it better turned off, so the car could be rotated more quickly in tight turns.
Manual shifting of the automatic transmission is done in straight linear fashion, with the lever descending through three gears as it comes rearward from Drive. It works pretty well, but is not as intuitive as, say, the Mercedes slap-shifter. You have to look at it sometimes to see what you're doing. This sport shifter comes with the 3.6-liter 24-valve V-6 we had in our test car, and it has a sport mode to hold each gear slightly longer and provide more engine braking.
Road and Track

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History:
2003-2004 Cadillac CTS
3,200 cc / 220 hp / 220 lb-ft / 3509 lbs / 0-60 mph 6.9 sec.