Motoring Blog

Cadillac has always been synonymous with excellence and luxury among American car brands, and it never lost its status as being the best of the best. The 2010 Cadillac CTS 4 door sedan is a prime example of it supreme status, and it’s why I am craving one.

What’s so special about the Cadillac CTS? Well, nothing except for exhilaration combined with world-class comfort and sheer driving joy. No big deal.

Let’s start with the motor options. The new base engine on the Cadillac CTS is a 270 horsepower 3.0 liter V-6 that delivers 223 pound-feet of torque. Not bad for the lower-priced entry model, starting at $35,165. But why not upgrade to the 3.6 liter direct-injected V-6, with a mightier 273 lb-ft of torque, not to mention 304 horsepower? It’s only around $11,700 more. Okay, maybe that’s a bit too high, but read on to see what else you can have.

Both engines get around the same fuel milage–18 mpg city and 27 mpg highway. How General Motors managed to generate more power with while maintaining the fuel economy is anyone’s guess. Quite frankly, I don’t care–I’ll take the 3.6 liter V-6.

Then there are the options to consider. The 2010 Cadillac CTS has an optional all-wheel drive system to the standard rear-wheel. All-wheel drive naturally means better handling and more stability, although fuel economy is going to be affected by a mile or two per gallon of gas. Again, no big deal.

For the transmission, count on the reliable, smooth 6-speed automatic. Odd as it may sound, however, the base CTS model is equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission. That’s right, a manual in a Cadillac. But you have to understand what direct competitors Cadillac is aiming to beat.

The CTS is meant to rival the BMW 3-class, the Mercedes-Benz C-class, and Infinity G5/G7 sedans, all of which come with stick shift. General Motors is obviously trying to make potential customers buy American, and it can only do that by offering options typically found nowadays on affordable foreign performance sports sedans. The automatic transmission model starts at around $39,765.

With the 3.6 liter engine, you can get a shiftable automatic transmission, meaning you can change gears manually if necessary with controls on the steering wheel.

There is even a CTS Sport Wagon this year if you need extra cargo room and don’t want a SUV.

The Cadillac CTS-V is a whole different story that I can’t dwell on very much in this post. I can say that it is a go-fast car, with a 6.2 liter V-8 monster engine outputting 556 hp and 551 pound-feet of torque, which  can fly 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds (according to Cadillac). That makes it one of the fastest sedans available.

Once again, General Motors is directly challenging its German competition with this offering. With the automatic transmission, you’re looking at a minimum of $64,145, and as high as $73,230 if you want all the available interior accessories.

High performance and gorgeous styling make a highly desirable car. Begin your search with the 2010 Cadillac CTS.

Photo © Edmunds.com

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