Former Holden boss and now GM USA chief, Mark Reuss, was front and centre in Los Angeles today, introducing the first all-new big Cadillac in over a decade.
Dubbed the XTS, the new Caddy flagship is claimed to usher in a new era of luxury and cutting edge electronics for GM's luxury brand. What it won't do is speed up any plans to bring Cadillac back into the running for a kick-off in Australia.
motoring.com.au caught up with the ex-Holden boss, if briefly, before the XTS' unveiling. In short, he said Cadillac's international expansion would be organic... And that strength in Asia would now need to be the precursor for an entry into Australia for the brand.
"What we can't do is spend the profit from our trucks [pick-ups] to fund this [Cadillac]," the straight talking Reuss told motoring.com.au's Joshua Dowling.
Reuss' presence underlines the importance of the XTS for Cadillac. It is very much a brand at the very start of its international expansion.
There are some very familiar lines in the XTS's flanks – perhaps if Commodore was to shift to a front-drive platform, Caprice might not look too different in profile. Don't confuse front-drive with downsized, either -- Cadillac claims over 500 litres of luggage space and 1.0m-plus rear legroom for the new XTS.
The big sedan goes on sale in Q2 of 2012 in all-wheel drive variants but front-wheel drive versions may follow. It's powered by a direct-injected 3.6-litre V6 engine rated at 224kW and features suspension using the same Magnetic Ride Control as used by brands as diverse as HSV and Ferrari. The gearbox is a six-speed auto and the AWD system is Haldex.
The XTS rides on 19-inch wheels, but 20s are optional. Brembo brakes are standard and driver aids include adaptive cruise control, autonomous braking and a 'Safety Alert Seat' that vibrates either the left or right side of the driver’s seat cushion, "depending on the location of the impending concern".
The full safety suite also includes colour head-up display, lane departure and blindspot warning systems and more.
Indeed, the XTS is touted as the most technologically advanced production car in Cadillac’s history. It marks the debut of CUE (Cadillac User Experience), a "comprehensive in-vehicle experience that merges intuitive design with auto industry-first controls and commands for information and media data".
CUE allows the driver to re-configure both the eight-inch centre stack screen and the vehicle's instrument panel. This is actually another screen -- a whopping 12.3-inch unit which offers four driver-selectable themes "ranging from minimal to extensive information".
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