1997 Cadillac Eldorado Base Coupe 2-door 4.6l on 2040-cars

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Despite De Nysschen saying it won't, Cadillac cuts struggling CTS prices

Ah, well that didn't last long. Not even two years after elevating the price of the then-new third-generation Cadillac CTS by $7,000, the company is now stepping back, telling dealers it will be slashing the price of the 2015 model by anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000. It seems that there are two reasons behind Cadillac's move. First, and most obviously, are its slumping sales, down seven percent last year. That figure is made worse, Automotive News reports, by the seven-percent gain made by the greater luxury market, not to mention gains from fellow American luxury brand Lincoln. Cadillac, meanwhile, also likely faced pressure from its dealer body, which AN reports hasn't been so keen on the price increases. The price reduction is something of a surprise following statements made by Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen shortly after he took office. In September of last year, the 54-year-old exec, who took charge of Cadillac in July of 2014, defended the company's decision to raise prices, telling Automotive News a price cut was "not going to happen." It seems current conditions contradict de Nysschen's statements, though. "We're taking what we've seen are the more desirable optional features for customers and making them more readily available," Cadillac's Dave Caldwell said of the price cut. "Once a car has been on the market for a while, it's not unusual to look at the customer behavior and try to optimize for it." In what's sure to be a pleasant surprise for anyone in the market for a CTS, the most expensive models are getting the biggest price cut, with the price on the Premium and Performance Collection sedans dropping $3,000, AN reports. The 2.0T will get a $2,000 drop, while certain optional extras will now be standard on the Luxury trim, including a panoramic sunroof, navigation and Bose stereo.

Cadillac ATS and CTS get blacked-out treatments

Some still think of gallons of chrome when Cadillac comes to mind, and some of the automaker's models still take the blinged-out approach (we're looking at you, Escalade). But for those whose impression of the America luxury marque's is about more than brightwork, Caddy has announced a new Black Chrome package. Available for the ATS coupe, ATS sedan, and CTS sedan, the optional package, as you might have guessed, applies dark chrome to the outside of the vehicle. On the ATS, that includes the front grilles (upper and lower) and rear trim, as well as body-colored door handles, gloss black window moldings, and dark-finish 18-inch alloys. Buyers can choose to apply the package to the Luxury or Premium trim, with the 2.0-liter turbo or 3.6-liter V6, in rear- or all-wheel drive, with four exterior paint choices, any interior available, and in two- or four-door bodystyles. The package goes for $795 on the sedan and $595 for the coupe. The package costs a little more for the CTS but includes a bit less trim, limited to the grille and those same 18-inch alloys. It can still be paired to the 2.0 turbo or 3.6-liter V6 in rear- or all-wheel drive, with three exterior tints and a limited selection of interior treatments. Pricing here starts at $1,295 with the Luxury trim, or $1,095 in either Performance or Premium spec. Those looking for a shinier treatment, however, need not apply. Related Video: Cadillac Introduces Black Chrome Package for ATS and CTS ENHANCES ENGAGING PERFORMANCE, STRIKING DESIGN 2016-03-14 Cadillac today introduced the Black Chrome Package for Cadillac ATS Sedan and Coupe and Cadillac CTS Sedan. The package further enhances the engaging performance and the striking design of the ATS, a Consumer Guide Best Buy for three years in a row, and the CTS, named one of Car and Driver's 10Best for three years in a row. The Black Chrome Package is available now to order at local Cadillac dealerships or through the Build Your Own tool on the Cadillac.com website. For additional information, customers can call Cadillac Customer Experience at 1-800-458-8006.

Cadillac CT6 gets a plug in Shanghai, will come to US

Don't call it the third coming of the Chevy Volt. The unsurprising debut of the Cadillac CT6 PHEV in Shanghai today has a powertrain that sounds an awful lot like the one that can be found in the Volt and the Cadillac ELR. The plug-in CT6 – identical to the CT6 that debuted in New York earlier this month – has an 18.4-kWh lithium-ion battery (just like the 2016 Volt) and offers an all-electric range of around 37 miles. It also copies the "Regen on Demand" feature from the new Volt and the battery cells "use the latest generation cell chemistry found in other GM plug-in vehicles." But Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen doesn't see the two powertrains as similar in at least one important way. General Motors calls the Volt and the ELR "extended range electric vehicles" (EREV) but in a statement, de Nysschen says that the plug-in hybrid CT6 is, "an ideal platform for Cadillac to offer its first plug-in hybrid." That GM is using the PHEV terminology rather than EREV is going to be important to some, even if the practical difference is only semantic. And yes, we all understand the irony of de Nysschen – the same guy who has a history of speaking ill of plug-in cars – hyping them now. Back when he worked for Audi, he said the original Volt was too expensive for what it offered and was thus, a car for "idiots." Speaking in Shanghai today, de Nysschen said the new CT6 PHEV was, "an EV without any of the disadvantages or range constraints," according to Automotive News. If the batteries are similar to GM's other EREV/PHEV cars, the CT6 powertrain is at least different. The ELR uses a 1.4-liter engine, while the new Volt has a 1.5-liter four-cylinder mill. The CT6, on the other hand, has a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine with direct injection. There is also an "all-new rear wheel electric variable transmission (EVT) with exclusively designed motors," that will give the CT6 PHEV, "smooth, spirited acceleration." The EVT is a two-motor-unit that uses three planetary gears. Maximum overall system output is 335 horsepower and 432 pound-feet of torque. Perhaps most interesting for American audiences is the fact that GM's press release, available below, makes multiple references to US-market sales of the PHEV. Official details on the EV range and fuel economy will be made available closer to the car's US launch.