Mark Toljagic
Funny how life imitates art.
Stung by the criticism of their
acoustic-tinged third album, Led Zeppelin wrote their anthem "Rock and Roll"
as a sonic missile aimed at fans who had started climbing off the band's
wagon.
Fittingly, Cadillac adopted
the song as the soundtrack for its new branding during the 2002 Super Bowl
broadcast,
where it unveiled its four-door CTS sedan.
Tuned on Germany's famed Nürburgring
racetrack, the car was a departure from anything wearing the Cadillac
crest in recent times – aimed at those who dismissed the brand as a has-been.
The CTS's contentious "art-and-science"
design ethic of sharp creases and faceted surfaces was coupled with
another bombshell: Cadillac's first manual transmission in more than five
decades
(if you dismiss the 1982 Cimarron – and everyone did).
Intended to replace the Opel-designed
and slow-selling Catera, the new-for-2003 CTS was a hit, selling more than
a quarter-million copies in five years.
It competed against such near-luxury
benchmarks as the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class, although it
was definitely the John Bonham of the group (weight wise).
Riding on the super-stiff Sigma
platform, the front suspension, steering rack and engine cradle were all
solidly attached
for better control and feel. Aluminum control arms up front reduced unsprung
weight, while the rear suspension was mounted
on a rubber-isolated subframe.
The rear-drive CTS was powered
by an updated version of GM of Europe's narrow-angle DOHC 3.2-L V6 making
220 hp
and 218 lb.-ft. of thrust.
In addition to the stick, buyers
could order a five-speed automatic transmission – the same one GM supplied
to BMW
for its 3 Series and 5 Series. It had Sport and Winter modes, but no manual
shift gate.
Inside, the instrument panel
signalled a new direction for Cadillac, one filled with cut-rate plastic
and capped with a
steering wheel seemingly lifted from a transit bus.
"The dashboard is not sporty or luxurious. It is downright ugly," blogged one owner.
While the front seats were praised for their comfort and support, the rear bench was roundly criticized for its cramped quarters.
For 2004, Cadillac offered an
optional 255-hp 3.6-L V6 with variable valve timing, mated to the five-speed
autobox
(the smaller engine now came only with the manual tranny). Revised suspension
tuning smoothed out the ride, which
some patrons had found a bit stiff.
Available with either engine
was a Sport package that included 17-inch wheels, an anti-skid system, speed-variable
steering, better brakes and a rear load-levelling suspension.
Midyear brought the high-performance
CTS-V with its 400-hp 5.7-L V8, borrowed from the Chevrolet Corvette,
and six-speed manual gearbox.
The cavalcade of engines continued
for 2005 when the CTS received a new 210-hp 2.8-L V6 to replace the base
3.2.
Due to customer demand, a six-speed manual transmission became standard with
either V6.
The first-generation CTS took its curtain call at the end of the 2007 model year.
ON THE ROAD
All that practice time in Germany paid
off handsomely. Auto scribes were suitably impressed by the sedan's agility
and
carveability (if that's a word), generating 0.83 g of grip on a skid pad
– equivalent to a BMW 330i.
Braking was also good – 112
km/h to zero in just 53 metres – although that performance was only mid-pack
in what is
an overachieving class of sports sedans.
Straight-line acceleration was
not so great with the smaller 3.2-L V6, requiring 7.2 seconds to reach 96
km/h (with the stick),
weighed down by the car's excessive mass. The larger 3.6-L motor shaved a
half second off that time, and that's with the automatic.
The brutish CTS-V burned up
the asphalt with a 4.8-second time to 96 km/h. It was as sure-footed as it
was quick, pulling 0.90 g
on a skid pad. Where it lost out to its European competitors was in its heavy
clutch pedal and lack of refinement in terms of
noise and vibration.
"It is very fast, handles great
and rides stiff but not too much so," wrote a self-professed German-car snob.
"GM really got this one right."
WHAT OWNERS REPORTED
No question the CTS represented a risky
bet for Cadillac, but it paid off handsomely. The vast majority of owners
are pleased
with their choice, praising the car for its styling, comfort, driving dynamics
and ease of ownership.
The kudos weren't uniform, however, especially among first-year (2003) owners, who experienced some teething problems.
A common problem was ice forming
in the air conditioning drain hose, which causes water to leak onto the carpet.
Others included failed power-steering solenoids, drained batteries, faulty
automatics (due to fluid loss) and broken
catalytic converter brackets.
Owners have also reported steering-wheel
shake, which some dealers attributed to the tires.
Some have tried alternative brands with some success. It's also known for
eating its tires quickly.
Speaking of tires, the rear-drive
CTS is no picnic in winter conditions and definitely benefits from four snow
tires,
drivers reported.
CTS-V buyers should be aware
of rear differential problems and failures. Keep an ear out for howling and
whining noises
emanating from the back end. GM seems aware of this problem as the 2006 CTS-V
got a beefed-up differential to better
handle the torque.
For the most part, the CTS is
a great effort by the General. After all, as one of the most brand-managed
bands in the
business, Led Zeppelin won't endorse just any bandwagon.
