2001 01 Cadillac Eldorado Esc V8 Coupe * Only 83k Miles * Loaded * Bose * Heated on 2040-cars

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Such Sweet Sorrow: Cadillac's CTS-V gets an Irish wake

As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. The honkin', stonkin' second-generation CTS-V, powered by Cadillac's brawny supercharged 6.2-liter V8 has been a very good thing. And now that the 500 final coupes – the only CTS-Vs designated 2015 models – have been built (just five remain unsold as of this writing), it is indeed a good thing that's come to an end. But Cadillac is not letting 2009–2015 CTS-V go gently into that good night, even as its replacement is poised to debut in just in just two months at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show. Instead, Cadillac invited us to Austin's Circuit of the Americas racetrack for what it called an "Irish wake" for the model that has proven to be one of the quickest and most charismatic models in General Motors' history. If you don't know what an Irish wake is, if you envision storytelling, songs, debauchery and more than a little liquor, you'll be in the ballpark. In this case, though, adrenaline substituted in for the booze, with squealing tires and shrieking V8s providing the singing. The debauchery took the form of an all-you-can-drive lapping of COTA in all three bodystyles – coupe, sedan and wagon – and the stories were told by the grins plastered on our faces all day. First and foremost, we'll miss the CTS-V's perfect balance of luxury and sportiness. Even after six years with no major changes, the CTS-V is surprisingly spry. Certainly, you never forget that it's a heavy thing, weighing in anywhere between 4217 pounds for the manual-equipped coupe to 4424 for an automatic wagon, but with 0-60 times of about four seconds and the ability to hit about 150 mph on COTA's back straight, the Vs remain an absolute hoot on the track. Sure, some of its details – the blocky front fascia shapes and the spoiler on the sedan and coupe models, for example – look a bit dated, but the overall design still looks sufficiently badass. The interior design has worn pretty well, too, and however Cadillac may feel about center stack buttons being so last decade, we favor them over the capacitive-touch madness of today's CUE system. We're not going to bother doing another full review of the car here, but suffice it to say, there is plenty we will miss. First and foremost, will be the CTS-V's perfect balance of luxury and sportiness. Rumor has it that Cadillac will offer the 6.2-liter LT4 V8 in the next generation (we predict about 600 hp), but we hear that the new car will skew more toward luxury than balls-out performance.

Why we can't have better headlights here in the U.S.

It wouldn't be a European auto show if we weren't teased with at least one mainstream vehicle we can't have here. At the Geneva Motor Show last week, the small but vocal contingent of shooting-brake buffs lamented that the Mazda6 wagon won't be coming to our shores, although they can take comfort in the fact that the vehicle won't get the torquey 250-horsepower 2.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine we'll get here. Mercedes-Benz also announced a new headlight technology in Geneva that likely won't be available here anytime soon. It's just the latest in a long line of innovative and potentially lifesaving front-lighting solutions that the federal government doesn't allow in this country due to outdated standards — and a current lack of leadership at the U.S. Department of Transportation. Mercedes-Benz's new Digital Light system that debuted in Geneva uses a computer chip to activate more than a million micro-reflectors to better illuminate the road ahead. The Digital Light headlamps works with the vehicle's cameras, sensors and navigation mapping to adjust lighting for the given location and situation and to detect other road users. The Digital Light technology also serves as an extended head-up display of sorts by projecting symbols on the pavement ahead to alert drivers to, say, slippery conditions or pedestrians in the road. And it can even project lines on the road in a construction zone or through tight curves to show the driver the correct path. Digital Light will be available on Mercedes-Maybach vehicles later this year, although like any technology it's bound to trickle down to less expensive vehicles. That is, if we ever get it here in the U.S. Audi, a leader in automotive lighting, has repeatedly run into snags trying to bring state-of-the-art car headlights to the U.S. The German luxury automaker's recently introduced matrix laser headlight system, which performs many of the same trick as Mercedes-Benz's Digital Light, also isn't legal on U.S. roads. And five years after the introduction of its matrix-beam LED lighting, which illuminates more of the road without blinding oncoming motorists with brights by simultaneously operating high and low beams, Audi still can't bring that technology to the U.S. either.

2018 Cadillac XTS V-Sport Drivers' Notes Review | Cruise missile

The XTS is a standout in Cadillac's current lineup. It's a throwback to the automaker's cars of the '90s and early 2000s. It's big, comfy and packs a punch under the hood, but there's only a slight pretense of sportiness, despite the V-Sport moniker. If you want a Cadillac that handles, buy a CTS or ATS. Still, there's nothing wrong with being a big, slightly soft cruiser. Not everyone is out to conquer the Nurburgring. Some people just want comfy seats and a half-mile of wheelbase. Our tester is the range-topping Platinum V-Sport trim. At $73,040, it's not exactly cheap. That said, you do get a hell of a lot for your money. This car has heated and cooled massaging front seats with 22-way power adjustment, a heated steering wheel, heads-up display, the latest version of Cadillac's infotainment system, Bose surround sound, LED headlights and adaptive cruise control. That's not including all the V-Sport goodies like Brembo brakes, magnetic ride and a howling 3.6-liter twin-turbo V6. Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder — Hopping in the Cadillac XTS, the familiar surroundings created a certain set of expectations. Like judging a book by its cover, it's an easy trap to judge a Cadillac by its interior (they all feel the same to me). Some of what I expected, I got: a smooth ride, hearty pep, robust driver assist and fussy audio and HVAC controls. What surprised me was just how urgent this motor is. On paper, that should come as no surprise. The V-Sport's 3.6-liter twin-turbo V6, making 410 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, is bound to pack a punch. You almost forget what that should feel like, though, until you put your right foot down. There's no lag, and despite the all-wheel drive, there's even a little torque steer. The lightness of the steering means it's no difficult task to account for it, though. Speaking of steering, I actually enjoyed bending this through tight corners. It's a breeze to saw the tiller back and forth, and the car communicates the interaction between the tires — especially up front — with the road. I'd like to take this Caddy to the track. Associate Editor Reese Counts: I liked this car way more than I thought I would. I was expecting a DTS or STS with a fresh face and a bit more punch. In a way, that's what this is, but I don't mean that as a knock. I don't need every car I drive to be able to put down hot laps. Sometimes I want something with soft seats (that massage!) and a big engine to get me home quickly.