Cadillac DTS will suit North American luxury tastes

This front-wheel-drive large luxury sedan incorporates a single-model strategy -- one exterior and one interior with multiple option packages -- and has essentially the same dimensions as the DeVille it replaces.

DTS has an interior that Taylor said ''incorporates a clean, sculpted contemporary design consisting of genuine materials, fabrics and low-gloss, tactile surfaces.''

Refinements from the DeVille's interior include:

• dual-firmness seats ''engineered for comfort and support,'' with an additional 25 mm of seat travel
• optional real burl wood garnish
• a lowered and more forward-positioned instrument panel for increased ''perceived'' spaciousness
• a new analog clock
• soft-backed, cast-urethane surfaces on the instrument panel and upper doors, and
• an integrated center stack design for a ''clean, uninterrupted'' appearance.

DTS gets the Northstar 4.6L V-8 mated to a familiar four-speed automatic transmission that Cadillac likes to describe as a ''proven powertrain combination that assures a level of sophisticated performance consistent with the inherent refinement of the vehicle.''

The engine comes in two flavors -- L37 and the LD8. The former delivers more horsepower while the latter provides more torque, which translates into better launches and quicker moves when the car is rolling. For the record, the preliminary numbers for the L37 are 291 hp at 5,600 rpm and 286 lb-ft of torque at 5,200 rpm, while the LD8 is 275 hp at 5,200 rpm and 292 lb-ft of torque.

Taylor said changes to the chassis were done with an eye to ''achieving a smooth, quiet, refined ride,'' with the biggest differentiator between the current DeVille offerings and the DTS being an entirely new front cradle design. On the DTS, the engine is mounted to the cradle, and the cradle is mounted to the body rails.

DTS also gets a host of integrated chassis control technologies that includes four-channel anti-lock brakes and traction control, four-channel StabiliTrak with Brake Assist, and Magnetic Ride Control.

That last item is exceptionally good at altering a car's ride and handling characteristics to suit the precise circumstances, which means the DTS should deliver a more comfortable ride more often.

The DTS also gets 17- or 18-inch wheels and tires, Taylor said, as well as larger brakes (323-mm) for enhanced stopping power.

Comfort, convenience and safety offerings on the DTS include:

• a heated steering wheel and rear seats, and heated and cooled front seats
• a standard tri-zone climate control
• Adaptive Remote Start with personalization
• heated windshield washer fluid that comes out of rain-sensing wipers
• power folding outside rearview mirrors
• front and rear ultrasonic park assist
• IntelliBeam automatic high-beam headlamps
• an in-dash six-CD changer and MP3 player
• standard dual-stage (driver) and dual-depth (front passenger) air bags
• roof-rail curtain air bags, and front seat side-impact thorax air bags
• adaptive cruise control with audible and visual alerts, and
• OnStar safety and security system, DVD navigation, and the XM radio system that should be available in Canada this fall.