The Cadillac CTS is, by most accounts, the best American-made sport sedan. It’s been taking the fight to the BMW 3-Series for several years now, and is gaining ground. It’s high-performance edition, the CTS-V, has even topped the legendary M3 in some comparison tests. But to truly knock off the German king of the entry-level luxury segment, Cadillac would need a CTS Coupe and a hardtop CTS convertible.
Check off another box. The Coupe is coming.
Edmunds Inside Line reports, “Cadillac today unveiled its 2011 CTS Coupe in production form, a week prior to the car's official debut at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show.” The two-door CTS “will arrive in dealerships in spring of 2010, and Cadillac confirms a V-Series edition of the coupe will be released later the same year.”
Journalists love the way it looks. Jalopnik comments, “Cadillac's designed the CTS Coupe to put the wreath-bedecked luxury brand's best foot forward in a tight little two-door.”
The exterior, Autoblog says, “Screams excitement.” It is “by far the most visually distinct CTS, sharing only its instrument panel, console, headlamps, front fenders and grille with the sedan.” A rakish fastback roofline, a trunk that comes to a sharp point in the back and flush door handles make it look like something fired out of a spaceship’s cannon more than something you’d park at work.
Under the hood, Motor Trend notes, “The only engine available is the CTS sedan’s 3.6L V-6 with variable valve timing and direct injection. As in the sedan, it pumps out 304 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque and with curb weights nearly identical to the sedan, performance should be nearly identical as well.”
Except, that is, for one crucial difference. The Coupe, available in rear- or all-wheel-drive, will ship with a six-speed manual transmission as standard equipment. “Check out the gear ratios,” Jalopnik notes, “specifically the final gear ratios — and you'll realize the RWD version'll get you a faster 0-to-60 time than the CTS Sedan.”
Drivers should find the cabin of the CTS Coupe an inviting place to try that 0-to-60 run. Inside Line reports, “Interior comforts include hand-sewn accents covering the door, center storage console and instrument panel trim, 14-way adjustable Recaro sport seats, a Bose 5.1 Cabin Surround audio system with integrated iPod/MP3 capability and Bluetooth, a 40-gig hard drive that allows users to pause and replay live radio, a pop-up navigation system from OnStar, and a back-up rear camera.”
It looks like stiff competition for the Germans. But, Autoblog notes, “There are plenty of competitors out there…just waiting for the CTS Coupe to throw its first punch, including the incredibly competent BMW 3-Series coupe and Audi A5. From this first look at things, they should brace themselves.”
Pricing has not been announced. We’ll bring more when it’s available, probably after next week’s Los Angeles Auto Show.
Now, the only thing that’s missing from the CTS lineup is a drop-top model. Are you listening, Cadillac?
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