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If Cadillac’s smart, the CT5 will be a CTS without baggage

Cadillac is, mercifully, about to rationalize its lineup, something that's been a long time coming. The CTS is one of those cars that gets admiration from reviewers, like us, for a concerted effort from GM to engineer an underlying platform that matches the Germans in terms of raw dynamics. From buyers, it gets not even a shrug as they, oblivious to its existence, walk right into BMW and Mercedes dealerships. The reasons for this have a lot to do with the sheer brand recognition, and the image, of the German competitors. You can't really lay that all at GM's feet, but what you can do is critique the uninspired drivetrain selection. The 3.6-liter V6 is a crude implement, making its 335 horsepower roughly. The BMW's equivalent inline six makes its power smoothly, with modern forced induction. There's no directly comparable E-Class sedan until you get into the V-Sport versus E43 situation, but the turbo four is smooth. And the interior? No question. The Mercedes is jaw-slacking. The story for the CTS's turbo four is largely the same. Some blame also has to be leveled at the first- and second-generation CTS sedans, which adopted an odd strategy: sell a slightly larger sedan to folks looking at 3-Series, A4, and C-Class, but at about the same price. Folks weren't interested in a larger car for the same money. Despite the third-gen CTS's growth into the 5-Series size class, the CTS still seems like an odd in-betweener in the sport luxury segment – psychologically, if not physically. CTS sales are in the toilet in 2017, and GM is smart to shake things up. So with the announcement that Cadillac head honcho Johan de Nysschen has finally been allowed to kill off underperforming models, the CTS is toast. (As is the ATS, and much more importantly, the XTS – a shambling dinosaur of a sedan.) What's next is the CT5, and that's what we're interested in now. Cadillac has until 2019 to figure out what the CT5 actually is. That isn't a lot of time, so our money is on it being a repositioned, rationalized CTS. The platform's not bad; it's heavier than the larger CT6, but it's fairly modern. Sadly, it's unlikely that any of the standard powertrain options will get a revamp, but maybe some additional sound deadening or an active engine mount system to reduce NVH will quell the V6's bad habits. View 32 Photos More importantly, Cadillac will get a chance to work on the interior look, almost certainly aligning it more closely with the much improved CT6. That'll help a lot.

Cadillac CTS-V, ATS-V special editions celebrate IMSA titles

This was Cadillac's first year of competition for its DPi-V.R. Daytona Prototype race car in the IMSA Endurance Championship, and it brought home both the manufacturer title and driver title. To celebrate the occasion, Cadillac has created special editions of its fastest road cars, the CTS-V and ATS-V, and their defining features are stickers. Yes, the most unique part of these special Cadillacs is a decal package. But it is an attractive one, with white, gray, silver and red accents inspired by the race car. They're complemented by either a black or white paint job and red side mirrors. The rear quarter windows also get little stickers of the race car's silhouette. Though the stickers are the defining trait of these special-edition cars, they aren't the only features. The CTS-V and ATS-V each come bundled with an array of other features such as a sunroof, the carbon fiber exterior accent package, and a red and black interior that features red-accented carbon fiber trim and Recaro seats. Available as additional options are an eight-speed automatic for the ATS-V, a performance data recorder and a suede steering wheel and shift knob. The other neat tidbit is that, if those extra features are must-haves, the IMSA edition ATS-V is the way to go. The $72,190 price for the sedan is almost $2,000 less than an equivalent standard ATS-V sedan. The regular ATS-V sedan also isn't available with the red and black interior. The special-edition ATS-V coupe starts at $74,390, which is a little over $1,000 more than an equivalent normal ATS-V coupe. Unfortunately for CTS-V buyers, the IMSA edition model, at $105,730, is pricier than optioning up a regular CTS-V. So in that case, you'll have to decide whether the decals and exclusivity are worth it. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2018 Cadillac CTS-V and ATS-V IMSA Championship special editions View 13 Photos Image Credit: Cadillac Cadillac Coupe Luxury Performance Sedan cadillac ats-v

2014 Cadillac XTS Vsport

Not long after bombing around the Milford Road Course in the new CTS Vsport, Cadillac invited me to try out its other new-for-2014 Vsport model: the XTS. And despite using the same twin-turbocharged 3.6-liter V6 from the CTS, the Vsport package takes on a whole new meaning here in Cadillac's softer flagship.
In the CTS, this trim perfectly bridges the gap between the standard models and the hardcore CTS-V, and is focused on being the best-driving version of the range without a standalone V badge. The XTS, however, has no proper V model, so the Vsport becomes the new range-topper for that line by default. But unlike the CTS Vsport, which uses rear-wheel-drive architecture and is focused on driving dynamics above all, the XTS is geared toward a much different customer.
The entire XTS experience is far more concerned with plush comfort than handling prowess, and while this Vsport model certainly ups the ante with more power and some mild suspension and steering tweaks, it's not exactly what we'd call a particularly engaging experience. But that doesn't mean it isn't good.