Page 44 - Layout 1

AUTO
REVIEW

Cadillac CTS:

Now a legitimate global luxury automotive brand

By Steve Schutz, MD

Over the past five years, Cadillac has stantly refer to the BMW 3- and 5-series in BIGGER BACK SEAT
been making steady progress toward global any discussions of the ATS and CTS sedans, Anyway, the 2014 CTS has grown by 4
luxury vehicle respectability by relying on but GM's luxury arm is emulating the Bavar- inches in length with most of that growth
the same recipe as the Germans: aggressive ians' by making their small and midsize going to expand rear leg room. That's a nod
product improvement funded by sales sedans their product core with all other ve- to Chinese customers, of course, but every-
growth in China. While Cadillac's rise has hicles radiating out from that nucleus. As one can appreciate a bigger back seat, espe-
not been as noteworthy as we’ve seen with BMW makes sure everything they make, cially when there's no weight penalty, as is
BMW, Mercedes and Audi — especially from the diminutive X1 to gigantic 7-series, the case here.
Audi — it's still been impressive. And shares genetic material with the 3 and 5, so While the Chinese luxury car buyers who
when you consider that Lexus, the brand Cadillac is endeavoring to tie their vehicles drive the market these days appreciate bling
that dominated the U.S. luxury market to the ATS and CTS. They have succeeded on and in their cars and SUVs, they're not
until three years ago, is still struggling to nicely with the FWD/AWD XTS sedan and big on creases, so the new CTS features
gather momentum, Cadillac’s upward tra- SRX crossover, but amusingly, not at all with plenty of chrome accents combined with less
jectory has been remarkable. the Escalade. (Frankly, that vehicle is so prof- angular bodywork than we saw on the last
The all-new third-generation CTS has just itable Cadillac doesn't care how different it version. Overall, the design is understated
launched, and it clearly reflects Cadillac's is from the CTS. And it's not like BMW compared with the previous CTS, but it’s
focus on BMW as its benchmark manufac- would ever build an Escalade competitor, so nicely integrated, particularly the low-key
turer. Not only do Cadillac marketers con- it doesn’t matter.) rear end and flowing greenhouse.

44 San Antonio Medicine • February 2014