RPM Daily 2008 Cadillac CTS Preview
When the 2008 Cadillac CTS was first unveiled at NAIAS all the hype that lead to that moment was justified. A much more refined exterior showed that "Art and Science" can be smooth and civilized. It showed that Cadillac and cheap interiors would no longer co-exist on the same page again. When GM Brass declared 300+ HP from its high-feature 3.6L it showed that Cadillac will no longer be overpowered. The CTS has once again clawed its way back to the top, and it's ready to take on Lexus and BMW.

The Exterior
I remember very vividly the 2002 NAIAS when the first-generation CTS was unveiled. Critical eyes saw two different sedans... either forward-thinking and sleek or ugly and overdone. There seemed to be little middle ground. The 2008 model, on the other hand, seems to have just about everybody on its side. The lines are more crisp, the front end elicits more respect, and even the wheels look more impressive.

Overall, the CTS looks more smooth and blended than the previous model. The rear of the car is much more smooth and without the abrasiveness of the previous model. The front grill blends nicely into the hood and looks more like an extension of the vehicle. The headlights seem to one-up the STS model and give the entire vehicle a more up-class feel.

Cadillac found it neccessary to put one of those funky cheese grater things above the front fender. It does look kind of neat, but I'm not sure it should be on every trim level.

The Interior
The first time I saw an 03 CTS I remember thinking that GM must have run out of money when the interior design team got their shot. The center cluster was cock-eyed and it looked like it was glued on top of another center stack. GM Product King Bob Lutz assured everyone that the General used expensive materials on the previous CTS while managing to make them look cheap. With the 2008 model, everything has changed.

Take, for example, that center stack. Everything on the dash flows to the central point, which is both elegant and ergonomical. Very little wood is used in the cabin, which is a good thing, but the wood that is used is good-looking and delivers a nice contrast for the different materials. Leather seats are both comfortable and classy-looking, and even the stitching screams upscale luxury.

The vehicle has also been widened about two inches, which will improve ride and performance, but will also provide a more roomy interior. Since we spend most of our time in the car instead of looking at it, the new-found room will be a welcome addition.

The Powertrain
GM has done an awful lot of work on the tried and true 3.6L engine that has been used in the CTS since 2004. Variable Valve Timing and Direct Injection push the HP numbers from 255 to over 300. This results in an engine that competes with any its size. Heck, it'll be tough to only have 320 HP in the 4.6 Northstar that sits in the up-model STS with the 3.6 CTS sitting next to it... and for a bit less cash too. Heck, it should be a long year or two for the STS anyway since the CTS is even better looking.

Overall Impression
As well as the Cadillac unit has been doing for GM, the CTS really needed to be a hit to keep up the momentum. It needed to meet or exceed its competition in pretty much everything it did. Though we haven't driven the vehicle yet, all the numbers seem to tell us that the CTS will be a huge hit for the General... and customers now have yet another top-rate option in the entry luxury market.