Picture this, your Uncle Tony drives up to your house in his brand new Cadillac Coupe DeVille circa 1972. It was a long as a Recreational Vehicle and drove as smooth as glass. It had a back seat that could hold a large family and an engine that was just as big. Every two years Uncle Tony bought a new one and proudly displayed it in the front yard. All of Tony’s friends had one too. The problem was, all of Tony’s friends were all senior citizens. They were the only demographic group that could afford the Cadillac luxury vehicle. You never ever saw a young man or woman driving the car, unless of course they were the parking valet. Slowly GM has figured out that the luxury market has a much wider demographic than it traditionally thought.
GM has stepped up to the plate to try and appeal to a whole new breed of luxury car owner. The Sporty CTS really delivers and has a lot of sex appeal. Just as important as having a good product, Cadillac backs it up with an aggressive marketing campaign. They install the good looks and luxury icon with the new middle class that can afford it. Having a good advertising campaign helps makes the car so appealing. The campaign drips a mixture of sexual overtones and performance. Interestingly there is not one reference to retirement or wealthy retired owners and their wives. Instead they focus on the trendy and successful younger crowd that is looking for luxury and appeal. Historically most people would skip the GM brand and move right to the foreign market. GM hopes to change this with the redesign and paradigm shift, so far its working.
The CTS is Cadillac sporty version and is very fun to drive. It’s not your typical Cadillac ride but rather on the firm side. Some would argue that GM chinced a little in the components department thus giving the interior a slightly scaled down effect. It is not the plush interior that Cadillac is known for. The car is a four door sedan that is equipped with a four hundred horsepower motor. This is the same motor used in the Corvette. The 2008 model has some redesigns planned. Expect the car to vary in sticker price from $29,825 to $51,325 depending on how its equipped.
Specifications include:
- Rear wheel drive
- Engine choices of 2.8 Liter V6, 3.6 Liter V6 and 6.0 Liter V8
- Transmissions: 6 speed manual and 5 speed automatic.
- Weight is 3725 pounds
- EPA of 18 city and 27 Highway.
First Impressions
When you first look at the car you think “wow what is this?” It is definitely not the standard looking Cadillac. Sleek lines and a fast look tell you this is a luxury sports car. Cadillac is trying to appeal to a younger target demographic and in order to do that you have to change some of the features that this demographic demands. Performance is desired and the punchy engine delivers. Great sound systems and leather seating are still the norm for the Cadillac line, but they do try to convey that this car is all about delivery and sex appeal. Somehow, I would have to think my Uncle Tony would still buy one.
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