When the second generation CTS bowed in 2007, I, as well as other automotive critics worldwide, knew Cadillac had a stunner on its hands; tested at the legendary Nurburgring in Germany, this Cadillac would mark the first "real" European fighter from Cadillac.
Previous attempts include the last generation CTS, which was a fine car in its own right, although it seemed to lack a tad on the "sport" side of the spectrum (hidden car pun in there!) Then there's the Catera debacle. Okay, so calling the Catera a "bad car" isn't really appropriate; it just didn't have enough "Cadillac" in it. The styling didn't say Cadillac, the power didn't say Cadillac, and the price was.. well.. you get the idea. I don't think the whole "Caddy Zigs " campaign worked either. But what do I know, I was only about 9 or so when that car came out.
Fast forward to 2008. Near the start of the auto show season, there was an announcement that GM was considering more variants of the CTS, to truly "attack" other premium players, namely the BMW 3 Series and Infiniti G37. Proposals included the wagon, which and I reviewed already, and this stunning coupe, which you see above you. Sharing only the front clip and taillights with the sedan, the coupe has a sharp distinctly Converj-esque roofline. While it looks GREAT from behind (uh oh!), it does absolutely nothing for visibility. That is why we have mirrors, and on a car like this, you should definitely make use of them. In profile, the CTS Coupe leaves a bit to be desired, if you look it in the wrong colors. In both black, and red, the car is absolutely jaw-dropping. In white, though, it looks.. somehow wrong; like the designers rushed it into production.
I didn't get a chance to sample the interior, but its no different than GM's latest efforts. High quality, good touch and feel, but the theme seems a bit.. 2005? It's like the dash was designed in 2005, as a general idea of what GM predicted a "future dashboard" would look like. Still, though, the interior in the new car is of a way higher caliber than the "Euro look" of the first generation. And please, don't even compare it to the Catera. That's like saying the interior on Ford Fiesta is better than a Ford Festiva. Well, I would hope so anyway.
If you are looking for a sexier alternative to the bland, BMW 3 Series, and don't want a Japanese coupe, then the CTS is your car. Whether you choose the DI V6 or the V8 equipped V, you'll have one stylish ride. And it's cheaper than either the BMW or Infiniti to boot.
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