2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe Review Editor's Review | Page 1

Cutting Edges

View article's photos (17)
or View all photos

I Say

75%

By Lesley Wimbush
Monday, February 14, 2011
View author's other articles

Summary Rating:

Complete Rating

Styling (85%)
Accessories (80%)
Space and Access (70%)
Comfort (77%)

Performance (72%)
Driving Dynamics (72%)
Safety (70%)
General Appreciation (80%)

Styling
Exterior (90%)
Interior (80%)
Exterior fit and finish (90%)
Interior Fit and Finish (80%)
Accessories
Convenience and equipment (80%)
Instrumentation and controls (80%)
General ergonomics (80%)
Heating / ventilation / air conditioning (80%)
Sound system (80%)
Space and Access
Front space and access (80%)
Rear space and access (60%)
Cargo space and access (70%)
Storage capacity (70%)
Access to mechanical components (70%)
Comfort
Seats (80%)
Driving position (80%)
Suspension and ride (70%)
Noise level (80%)

Performance
Acceleration (70%)
Engine output (70%)
Transmission (80%)
Fuel consumption (70%)
Driving Dynamics
Steering (70%)
Handling (70%)
Braking (80%)
Manoeuvrability (70%)
Safety
Traction and stability control (80%)
Mirrors (70%)
Visibility (60%)
General safety (70%)
General Appreciation
General Appreciation (80%)

Page 1 of 2
Previous
1
2
Next

I first encountered Cadillac’s CTS Coupe shortly before its debut at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show. Inside a graffiti-splashed, razor-wire encircled warehouse in one of L.A.’s gnarliest neighbourhoods, the coupe was unveiled, spot-lit on the bleached-oak dance floor of a chi-chi studio.

Reminiscent of the gorgeous shark-like XLR sports car, the CTS coupe features up-to-the-second modern elements, refreshingly simple, yet dramatic in execution. (Photo: Lesley Wimbush/Auto123.com)

We got the message – if it wasn’t already established by the Nurburgring-devouring CTS-V, that this new breed of Cadillac is so tough and edgy – it bitch-slaps your grandfather’s STS into ancient history.

There are no dolce Maranello curves here – the CTS coupe appears to have been hewn from a single block of steel by the axe of Thor himself.

Reminiscent of the gorgeous shark-like XLR sports car that kick-started the “Arts & Science” design ethos, the CTS coupe features up-to-the-second modern elements, refreshingly simple, yet dramatic in execution. No door handles mar the continuous line of its sleek flanks, instead, there are touch-panels similar to the XLR’s. Although loosely based on the CTS, the coupe shares only instrument panel, console, front fenders and grille with the sedan. Everything from the windshield back is coupe-exclusive.

All wedge-shapes and knife-edge creases, my obsidian black V6 press car is anything but demure. I’ve got Freddie Mercury’s “Fat Bottomed Girls” on a continuous earworm loop in homage to its rump-in-the-air, bounteous booty. It’s topped with a signature boomerang-spoiler rear brake light, and finished below with dual centre-outlet exhaust tips.

Huge glittering nineteen-inch chrome rims fill the muscular wheel arches – so snugly that my test car rubs at full lock-up like a cheap pair of sneakers. (A closer look reveals it’s merely the low profile tires making contact with the rubber fender liner.)

Cadillac’s name has become synonymous with luxurious indulgence and comfortable cruising. My tester’s cabin is replete with luxury: cushy, stitched leather, genuine Sapele wood, iPhone-compatible OnStar integration, a beautifully crisp graphic display, and a heated steering wheel that completely won my heart in the frigid, below 20 temperatures we’ve been enduring.

My tester’s cabin is replete with luxury: cushy, stitched leather, genuine Sapele wood, iPhone-compatible OnStar integration and more. (Photo: Lesley Wimbush/Auto123.com)