Cadillac CTS (2008)

Overview:

The 2008 Cadillac CTS is redesigned this year, gaining new styling, more available power, and new features. The '08 CTS is similar in size to the 2003-2007 generation and has similar interior accommodations. Rear-wheel drive is standard, and all-wheel drive is available for the first time. Base and Direct Injection models are offered. The base model has a 263-horsepower 3.6-liter V6 engine. Named for its engine, the Direct Injection model has a 304-horsepower V6. Both engines team with a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic transmission. Available safety features include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, curtain side airbags, and front side airbags. CTS's interior is redesigned and is available with real wood trim. Other newly available features include steering-linked headlamps and keyless entry and ignition. A navigation system is optional. Aggressive and elegant, expressive and sophisticated, the 2008 Cadillac CTS exudes a dramatic design presence. This all-new luxury sedan not only pushes Cadillac's acclaimed design theme higher, it aims to redraw the boundaries of the normally conservative luxury sedan category. Inside and out, the 2008 CTS contradicts many traditional design conventions. CTS' design expresses its serious performance intent, yet also is more elegant and luxurious. It's a sedan in the heart of the luxury market, yet reaches for the charisma of a sports car. CTS is thoroughly new and contemporary, even while it evokes the grandeur of classic Cadillac cars. Since the inception of the first-generation car in 2002, CTS is about trend-setting design. The edgy form of the CTS initially created controversy. But from the moment it hit the market, its design also attracted lots of buyers, with design often noted as a top reason for purchase. The all-new 2008 edition extends that edgy and contemporary character, with an injection of elegance. On the exterior, there's no mistaking the five-passenger sedan's stronger stance, thanks to a two-inch wider track. Additionally, the overall shape of the CTS features a faster profile with more rake, coupled with surfaces that add elegance and grace. Borrowing from Cadillac's legendary heritage, design cues include vertically shaped headlights and taillamps, signature light emitting diode (LED) exterior lighting, horizontal spline lines and its dihedral-shaped hood, all highlighted with many bright and jeweled accents. Just as definitive of CTS' evolution in design is the dramatically new interior. Like the exterior, it expresses luxury and performance themes with appointments that are both purposeful and elegant. Advances in surface development, technology, materials and construction combine to make the CTS cabin a compelling blend of technical sophistication, precise tailoring and luxurious character.

Performance/Specifications:

Engine

• Size, liters/cu. in: 3.6/217
• Horsepower @ rpm: 263 @ 6200
• Torque (lb-ft) @ rpm: 253 @ 3100
• Availability: Standard.

EPA City / highway mpg

• 6-speed manual: 16/25
• 6-speed automatic: 17/26

Drivetrain

• Drivetrain: Rear-Wheel Drive.
• Transmission: 6 -speed Manual.

Safety

• Driver Air Bag.
• Passenger Air Bag.
• Passenger Air Bag On/Off Switch.
• Side Air Bag.
• Side Head Air Bag.
• Rear Head Air Bag.
• 4-Wheel ABS.
• 4-Wheel Disc Brakes.
• Auto-On Headlights.
• Traction Control.
• Auto-Off Headlights.
• Electronic Stability Control.
• Safety belts, 3-point, driver and right-front passenger.
• Child seat restraint system.