Segment Buster: New Cadillac SRX post biggest gains in mid-size crossovers

June 21st, 2010 § 0

p5 010-srx-cadillac-fd-340After its debut in 2009, the 2010 SRX from Cadillac has been showing some promise as it leads its segment of luxury, mid-size crossovers.

The totals sales of the SRX in the United States show a 500% jump comparing it to the sales figures of the first 5 months in the market last year. It outpaced the Acura MDX, BMW X5, Audi Q7, and the M Class of Mercedes-Benz. The transaction price for the current model year of the SRX is about $2,300 more than its older sibling.

Aside from the excellent sales figures, the resale value of the Cadillac SRX is also up by 17% from last year which is the biggest gain for its segment.  The resale value of the vehicle is estimated to be at 48% after 36 months after the sale. The previous model has a resell value of 31% after the same period.

» Read the rest of this entry «

New Cadillac Escalade in the works, other SUVs not being axed

February 24th, 2010 § 0

General Motors is working on the next generation of Cadillac Escalade which has been the bread and butter of the company in recent years. According to GM executives, the carmaker does not have any plan to kill the model any time in the near future despite earlier speculations that the big Cadillac and other full-size sports utility vehicles will be axed.

The new Escalade together with the various full size SUVs was originally planned to roll out by 2011 but the strategy of the brand was reviewed in 2009 due to the sky rocketing fuel prices. As a result of the study, the production of the Escalade and the Suburban under the Chevrolet brand was frozen.

The designers and automotive engineers are back again on the drawing board and is said to develop the Escalade and the rest of the gang in a matter of three years.

Rick Spina, global line exec from General Motors, disclosed the information recently. He also said that their full size trucks will still RWD truck platform and will not move to the Lambda platform used for large crossover vehicles.

The current version of the Cadillac Escalade is utilizing the GMT800 platform of GM which is also shared by other vehicles like the Yukon from GMC and the Tahoe from Chevrolet. The new generation of the Escalade will also have an EXT variant.

Espina also said that a new gen of full size SUVs are expected as well for other GM brands.

Cadillac range to have Platinum and V-Series Trims

January 21st, 2010 § 0

2011 Cadillac CTS-V CoupeCadillac recently showcased two vehicles, a production and a concept car, at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show which featured the Platinum and V-Series trims for their whole range. Cadillac executives explained that these two levels will be offered for all of Cadillac vehicles including the 2012 XTS.

First on spotlight is the Platinum XTS concept vehicle which is basically the Platinum edition of the flagship sedan expected to roll out by 2012. The CTS-V Coupe was also in display and is the high performance variant of the next generation CTS Coupe.

The V-Series labeling of Cadillac is similar to the tagging of the high performance units like the M for BMWs and the AMG for Mercedes Benz.

» Read the rest of this entry «

Cadillac Converj gets nod for production

November 13th, 2009 § 0

Cadillac CONVERJ ConceptThe red and green lights on the production of the Cadillac Converj created some doubts that it will really be rolling of the factories. A recent confirmation came out from Detroit affirming that the Cadillac hybrid is set for production.

The Converj Concept was unveiled during the 2009 Detroit Auto Show and wowed the crowd for its design lines and a promise of extended range capabilities to downplay other electric vehicles in the market. The powertrain of the Converj is similar to the Chevrolet Volt and it might take a same guise when it goes to the assembly line.

The company has not confirmed any production date yet but the Converj, according to an insider, was one of the vehicles presented to the GM board last November 2 as a vehicle that should soon go on production.

2009 Cadillac Converj Concept

After its debut back in January, the financial capabilities of GM to come up with the production version of Converj were in question. After coming out of bankruptcy though, supporters of the idea pushed for the construction of the Caddy hybrid.

» Read the rest of this entry «

2010 Cadillac Escalade – Leading the pack

September 6th, 2009 § 0

Despite the surges in gas prices, the segment of luxury SUV is still performing well when you look at the sales figures. The 2010 Escalade from Cadillac continues to be among the pack leaders in a market where clamor for smaller and more efficient cars gets stronger.

The Cadillac Escalade for 2010 is a carryover of the 2009 release with very little changes. Consumers can purchase a standard or an extended version of the SUV. The longer version gives 21 inches more which gives the vehicle enough space to seat about 8 adults.

Some small changes to the vehicle were made. These include its body color of Silver Lining, adding of USB access at the center console, more airbags for safety, park brake system improvement, and redesigned inner door which also enhances its safety.

The power plant of the vehicle is still a V8 with a 6.2L displacement capable of using E85 Ethanol fuel. The car also uses magnetic suspension with big 22-inch rim and rubber combos. The engine is coupled with an automatic six-speed transmission equipped with better fuel management system to up the fuel efficiency of the vehicle. The mileage is still not impressive though at 12 mpg when driving in the city while it jumps to at least 18mpg when in the highway.

» Read the rest of this entry «

Henessey to release modified Cadillac CTS-V with Godzilla 700, Venom Specs

August 3rd, 2009 § 0

Henessey Performance Engineering, a tuning company Henessey Cadillac CTS-Vheadquartered in Texas, is planning to release upgraded CTS-V sedans from Cadillac in the latter part of 2009. The line of cars will be called the V-series and is expected to have an engine output ranging from 610 hp to 800 hp.

Upon the released of the modified Cadillacs, they will join the ranks of super power cars like the Nissan GT-R Godzilla 700 and the Dodge Venom Vipers.

The cars will be boosted by putting under its hood a supercharged V8 LSA 6.2L engine which is the new baby of General Motors. The output of the untweaked engine is 556 hp but the rev can be up by adding a supercharger kit, sports filter from K&N, and a modified ECU.

The new engine can bring the Cadillac CTS-V from 0 to 60 in just a blink of 3.7 seconds. A quarter mile can be covered in 11.8 seconds with top speed reaching around 195 mph.

» Read the rest of this entry «

New Cadillac XTS model replaces old DTS sedan

July 27th, 2009 § 0

Cadillac is said to replace its old DTS sedan. Rumors of the model’s replacement have been rampant on the Internet for a long time now. Today, we get the report about the Cadillac’s plans. The new Cadillac model with get the XTS badge and is set to go side by side with the likes of Lexus, Mercedes Benz, Audi, and BMW.

The present CTS model is doing fine as an average sized sedan. It’s reviews are average, however, the design and technology are stuck the last generation of General Motors’ sedans.

The rumored replacement took a long time to see production because of the state of the United State’s economy as well as the bankruptcy threats that plagued General Motors. Fortunately, the market sees a turnaround the new XTS might help GM become steady.

» Read the rest of this entry «

Hundreds of Cadillac dealers to be cut from GM portfolio

June 9th, 2009 § 1

General Motors reveals a plan to cut hundreds of dealers from their brand portfolio. This does not spare Cadillac dealers across the nation especially those in the metros. The Cadillac dealers and other brand distributors will be informed by the end of October 2010, this is also when the most of the dealer agreements will expire.

The decision to slash the Cadillac dealerships comes after studying the position of the brand in the market. Checking the luxury segment of the market, rivals like Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW are selling more units with fewer dealerships.

GM plans to adapt the strategy of their competition and increase the sales stats. Lexus dealers sold about 1158 cars on average in 2008 with only 226 franchises. Cadillac, on the other hand, has 1400 dealers but a store sold on average only 110 units.

» Read the rest of this entry «

Cadillac CTS Coupe Caught on Spy Cam

April 5th, 2009 § 0

When one sees the Cadillac CTS Coupe blazing the asphalt, prayers will be uttered to make sure GM will Cadi CTS Spottedovercome the financial crisis and put this amazing car on production.

Here are some photographs of the Cadillac CTS Coupe caught during a road test. What was seen could be the base version of the CTS Coupe which kicks with more than 300 horse power with its V6 3.6L engine under its hood.

The car closely resembles the CTS Coupe concept that was unveiled during the 2008 Detroit Auto Show with the central twin exhaust. The front end of the CTS Coupe was toned down a bit and was designed after the genes of the CTS Sedan. The B pillar is now clearly incorporated to the design compared to the window-window of the concept car.

According to speculations and the obvious absence of the door handles, the CTS Coupe is set to come with a touch pad system to open its doors. It might also come with a camera assisted backing up system given the limited rear view.

» Read the rest of this entry «

Cadillac Converj Concept Revealed

March 15th, 2009 § 2

Cadillac CONVERJ ConceptGeneral Motors‘ new two-door Cadillac coupe made an astonishing debut at the Detroit Auto Show when it featured a concept car that is power-driven by a “future evolution” of the electric powertrain of Chevrolet’s Volt.

The new Cadillac Converj concept is a four-passenger coupe built to showcase GM’s cutting-edge electric engine—the Voltec, which was formerly known as E-Flex. The Voltec is made up of a 16-kWh, T-shaped battery, a four-cylinder engine-generator, and an electric drive unit. It provides power to a luxury coupe and can run 40 miles on electricity using the thermally managed16kW lithium-ion battery pack and can extend up to 700 miles when it switches to the extended-ranged mode which uses a flex-fuel-powered engine to create electricity. It has 273 lb.-ft. of torque and 120 kW of power running at the top speed of 100mph.

2009 Cadillac Converj Concept

» Read the rest of this entry «

« Older Entries