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Cadillac: BLS news
GM plans a Euro Caddy - - Source: Autocar
General Motors is considering a new Cadillac to rival the BMW 3-series. According to Bob Lutz, vice president of GM product development, it would be based on GM’s Epsilon platform – the basis of the Vauxhall Vectra, Saab 9-3 and Chevrolet Malibu – which would make it front-wheel-drive. Diesel engines would also be available. It could be on sale by 2008 and should be engineered for right-hand drive. The car would be built exclusively for Europe, said Lutz, although cars could be exported to the US if the demand was there and the exchange rate was favourable. Lutz considers the Cadillac CTS the equivalent of a BMW 5-series, and thinks there is room for a smaller Cadillac – a change of tack from earlier this year, when GM said that the CTS would be the smallest model in the range. Engines would include the new-generation 250bhp turbo V6 engine, which makes it debut in the Saab 9-3 next year, and the 1.9-litre CDTi turbo-diesel designed by Fiat. The project has yet to achieve approval however, and GM CEO Rick Wagoner said: ‘I don’t rule it out, but it’s not mainstream.’ More pressing for Cadillac’s prospects in Europe is the development of a range of diesel engines. A V6 turbodiesel and a 3.8-litre V8 turbodiesel – created by fusing two 1.9-litre Fiat JTD four-cylinder engines – are thought to be on the table. Lutz also indicated that Cadillac is still considering a ‘flagship’ model inspired by the dramatic Sixteen concept car (right) that appeared at the 2003 Detroit show. The car would be significantly smaller, but retain the much-admired style of the Sixteen. Nor would the production version use the V16 of the concept car – a V12 is more likely, ‘an engine costing £4000 to £5000, based on an existing power unit,’ rather than the V16 which would cost tens of thousands per unit to produce. He estimates that the car would cost around £85k and would be available in right-hand drive. |
First thought: Big mistake because it will be FWD.
Second thought: It will probably get AWD and so play the Audi game so it could be competitive. Still though, not a true BMW-competitor. |
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i dunno...i always though the cts's main competition was the 3 series
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It looks like an Acura product from the front. I don't think the CTS competes with the 5-Series either. I really wish Cadillac would stop with the vertical taillights on everything.
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Originally Posted by phile
I really wish Cadillac would stop with the vertical taillights on everything.
I'd rock that convertible one, looks like a four seat XLR. |
Originally Posted by Minch00
Dude that's what MAKES it a Caddy!
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Originally Posted by phile
I think it's part of the Art & Science theme Cadillac's got going, but I don't like it.
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Originally Posted by Minch00
They've had those tails since the 50s mang
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Originally Posted by bkknight369
i dunno...i always though the cts's main competition was the 3 series
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I thought the CTS went against the G/A4/3Series, etc. I think it's a bit to beg, actually. If they brought this car here, I guess i could see it going against the TSX,A3,etc, in the sub-30K field, though I think it's a bad idea to do so.
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https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...4/100_6339.jpg
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...4/100_6338.jpg Source: Road and Track (Feb. 05 issue) |
This sounds to me like the same mistake Jaguar made. You cant go against the 3 series with a FWD (coverted to AWD) platform. Period.
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I think this is just to supplement sales. The CTS, despite GM's insistence, is really up against the 3-Series, not the 5-Series.
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Originally Posted by phile
I think this is just to supplement sales. The CTS, despite GM's insistence, is really up against the 3-Series, not the 5-Series.
:agree: I agree. The CTS is actually almost to large, IMO... but I understand the size because Americans tastes leans towards larger cars. This car could compete against the upcoming 1-Series,TSX,B-Class, etc. I like the looks of the sketch. |
Originally Posted by gavriil
This sounds to me like the same mistake Jaguar made. You cant go against the 3 series with a FWD (coverted to AWD) platform. Period.
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FWD small Cadillac? Shades of the old Cimarron perhaps?
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Originally Posted by titan
I wonder if the Kappa platform could be stretched for a sedan. It's already RWD. I just wonder if the engine bay could accept the CTS's base 3.0L engine.
You probably mean the 2.8 liter engine. To the point, I think the Kappa platform can accept a small V6. I rememeber this coming up in the past. |
Originally Posted by gavriil
You probably mean the 2.8 liter engine.
To the point, I think the Kappa platform can accept a small V6. I rememeber this coming up in the past. |
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^^ WWHHOOOAAAA.... I knew they were thinking about a BLS, but I wasn't expecting this! Great find GAV. I really like the looks of this car. And I prefer this interior over the the CTS and STS; not nearly as severly angular. It looks closer size wise to the C-Class, A4, 3-Series. I wonder what eninges it'll be using; and the weight; this car could be a real runnder. :thumbsup:
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Shame there's no plans to come here. This Euro car has a Euro plate cutout. I wonder if Caddy's gonna put analog clocks in all of it's cars now...
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This very interesting. BTW...how come the rest of GM cars are crap? Why is Caddly, the ones doing all the work?
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I imagine this will compete with the TSX or IS300.
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Looks great outside and inside.. GM should use this interior in the CTS and STS
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Gav is right. Moving downmarket is just plain dumb for Cadillac.
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Originally Posted by SpeedyV6
I imagine this will compete with the TSX or IS300.
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That interior looks so much nicer than the CTS's cheap interior.
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I was hoping the final product would look more like either of the two drawings. The headlights on the prototype is just too Maxima and too big for the small car.
The interior is actually decent, but I don't like the silver frame in the center of the dash. |
not bad. i hate the name though. how about ZTS?
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Hmm...actually looks pretty good... :ponder:
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Originally Posted by titan
^^ WWHHOOOAAAA.... I knew they were thinking about a BLS, but I wasn't expecting this! Great find GAV. I really like the looks of this car. And I prefer this interior over the the CTS and STS; not nearly as severly angular. It looks closer size wise to the C-Class, A4, 3-Series. I wonder what eninges it'll be using; and the weight; this car could be a real runnder. :thumbsup:
I dont know. I am skeptical about the FWD "feature". I like the looks though and the interior looks very promising. I hope this interior gives us a clue of what the next CTS interior will look like. Hopefully next year. |
Originally Posted by SpeedyV6
I imagine this will compete with the TSX or IS300.
There is no TSX in Europe, but it will for sure compete with the IS200 (no 300 there). |
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Looking at it from the side, the front overhang is not that pronounced, so they tried hard. But still, it aint as small as that of a RWD car.
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I may be skeptical about FWD but on second thought it may not be as detrimental to a car's sales-future in Europe. Why? Because Europeans do not perceive RWD/FWD the way we do here (especially during the last 7 years). If a car can handle, they dont care about it being FWD. The main (but not sole) reason for this is because cars in Europe dont make much power and especially torque. That makes it easier for engineers to "hide" the disadvantages of FWD.
So this car, if good in every other respect, may do well for Cadillac in Europe. Good luck to them. |
I hear that the engines will be:
1. a turbocharged 4-cylinder with 200 bhp, 2. a 2.8 V6-turbo with 275 bhp and, 3. a (first for Cadillac), 1.9 dieselengine with 180 bhp. It's an engine from Fiat/Alfa Romeo, and used by Opel and Saab as well. "The BTS will go on sale in the fall [in Europe], and it's said that ít will be replaced by a completely new model as soon as 2010. That's because the Opel Vectra and Saab 9-3 will move to a new version of the Epsilon-platform as soon as 2007/2008." Source: Autoweek Forum |
I am guessing that the 200HP four is the one used in the Opel Astra and other Opel cars. The V6 Turbo must be interesting because it looks like they went for refinement than power. Lag should be minimal probably, partially due the use of a small turbocharger. We'll know soon I guess.
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Cadillac Crafts BLS Just for Europe - - GM’s “standard of the world” prepares an entry-level fighter for Europe. - - by Paul A. Eisenstein - - Source: The Car Connection
How can you call yourself the “standard to the world,” if your only real market is the United States ? That’s the conundrum Cadillac has faced in recent years. It’s not that the automaker hasn’t tried to develop demand in Europe and other parts of the world, but despite some high-profile introductions, it’s so far found little success. Now, as General Motors pumps an estimated $6 billion into Caddy’s nascent comeback, going global isn’t just a nice idea, it’s absolutely essential. Recent additions to the product line, such as the edgy CTS and STS sedans, as well as the XLR roadster, show some promise, but Cadillac officials are betting that the best way to gain traction in the tough European market is with a model designed exclusively for overseas luxury buyers. What they have in mind will take its formal bow at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, but TheCarConnection was given an early preview of the sedan that will carry the designation BLS. The basic shape of the four-door will likely seem familiar to those who have followed the evolution of Cadillac’s new Art & Science design theme. The bold grille and vertical head and tail lamps are pure Cadillac, as are the tall and angular body panels, with a wedge-shaped stance designed to suggest power and performance. At 184.25 inches in overall length, the BLS will be nearly six inches shorter than Caddy’s current entry model, the CTS. But that shouldn’t be a problem outside the States, where buyers are less likely to link size with price. “Premium is not a question of size, but purely of excellence,” declared Bob Lutz, GM’s Vice Chairman and global product chief. The BLS will certainly have plenty of premium touches, including bi-xenon headlamps, leather seats, Bose audio hardware, and a touchscreen DVD navigation system. Bluetooth-equipped cellphones will be able to link to the Caddy sedan’s hands-free phone system. While the new BLS might visually fit into the Cadillac brand, it remains to be seen if European consumers will accept the sedan’s pedigree. This particular Caddy started out life as a Saab, the basic platform shared with the Swedish automaker’s 9-3 lineup. The decision was anything but unexpected considering Saab’s ongoing sales problems and excess production capacity. The automaker already has gotten plenty of cash, engineering, and marketing assistance from GM and the other members of its global alliance. The new Saab 9-7X is a rebadged version of the parent company’s big SUV, and a version of Fuji Heavy Industry’s sporty Subaru WRX was launched in the U.S. last year under the Saab 9-2X nameplate. Beyond basic expediency, there are some advantages to using the 9-3 as a starting point. It gets Caddy into this very global segment far faster than if it had started developing an all-new product entirely on its own. Saab also makes it easy for Cadillac to offer a right-hand-drive model for Britain and various export markets, such as Japan or Australia . The BLS won’t be your typical Cadillac in the powertrain department. Diesels now account for nearly half the overall European automotive market, and perhaps counter-intuitively for Americans, these highly efficient engines are particularly popular among luxury buyers. The BLS will be offered with a 1.9-liter, four-cylinder turbodiesel, a first for the luxury marque. Alternately, buyers will be offered a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine and a 2.8-liter V-6, both also turbocharged. Preliminary specifications suggest Caddy’s version of the 9-3 platform will get unique suspension tuning designed to enhance the car’s sporty feel. Additional sound insulation is also part of the package. Though the BLS will take its bow in Geneva next month, it won’t hit showrooms until spring 2006. That will give Cadillac time to mount an aggressive introduction campaign for a brand virtually invisible to the typical European luxury buyer. |
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