2014 Cadillac CTS World Premier in New York City

By Larry Nutson
Senior Editor, New York Bureau
The Auto Channel (DSC_2092)

New York City’s Lincoln Center Rose Theatre is designed acoustically to be the premier jazz performance hall in the world. Gorgeous both sonically and visually, Rose Theater utilizes ambitious elements to help tailor the sound quality of the hall for individual performances. What better place in New York City for Cadillac to introduce the all-new 2014 CTS sedan.

The third-generation CTS sedan is based on the high-performing rear-drive architecture of the award-winning ATS sport sedan, moving Cadillac into the prestigious class of midsize luxury sedans. It will be the segment’s lightest car, enabling the most agile driving dynamics in the class. A range of power-dense powertrains underpin its performance, including the all-new Cadillac Twin-Turbo engine and eight-speed automatic transmission.

Production of the 2014 CTS begins this fall in Lansing, Mich.

“The all-new 2014 Cadillac CTS sedan delivers crafted design, thrilling performance and sophisticated technology,” said Bob Ferguson, vice president, Global Cadillac. “The car that has always been Cadillac’s centerpiece stretches figuratively and literally to challenge the world’s best.”

A longer, lower and more athletic-looking proportion is introduced on Cadillac’s landmark sedan and evolves the brand’s Art & Science design philosophy. While growing five inches (127 mm) in length, including a 1.2-inch longer wheelbase, the roofline and cowl – the base of the windshield – are about an inch lower, dimensions that complement the longer exterior to accentuate the car’s lean aesthetic.

“With Cadillac growing globally, driven by rising product credibility, the new CTS elevates the brand to a new level,” said Ferguson.

While stretched in overall length and wheelbase, the all-new CTS sedan has a lower curb weight than the preceding model and weighs about 200 pounds (90 kg) less than the BMW 528i. Lightweight features, including Cadillac’s first aluminum door structures, contribute to the lower weight and a nearly 50/50 weight balance. And for the first time on CTS, Magnetic Ride Control, Cadillac’s real-time damping system, is available on base models.

Cadillac’s shield grille and signature vertical lighting elements – including LED front signature lighting detail – evolve on the CTS. The grille is wider, with a more detailed texture, while the headlamps flow up with the hood line, incorporating crystalline LED light guides for a technologically advanced appearance with more uniform illumination.

Active grille shutters are included on some models, improving aerodynamic performance on the highway to enhance fuel efficiency.

Inside, a roomier, driver-centric cockpit interior with integrated technology and hand-crafted appointments complements the exterior elements and supports the CTS sedan’s driving experience. Eight available interior environments are offered, each trimmed with authentic wood, carbon fiber or aluminum. Leather seating is available, including available full semi-aniline leather, with hand-crafted, cut-and-sewn executions.

The new Cadillac Twin-Turbo V-6 and eight-speed automatic transmission combination leads the CTS sedan’s powertrain lineup in the new CTS Vsport. It is the first twin-turbocharged engine ever offered by Cadillac and is the brand’s first eight-speed automatic.

The CTS Vsport also features:
• 18-inch aluminum wheels with Pirelli summer-only performance tires (19-inch wheels with all-season tires are available)
• A quicker steering ratio
• Brembo disc brakes with aluminum calipers and high-performance brake pads
• Heavy-duty track cooling package
• Driver-selectable track mode with specific steering rate and Magnetic Ride Control calibrations for greater track performance
• Electronic limited-slip differential that enhances capability on the track – including optimal acceleration out of turns.

The Cadillac Twin-Turbo is SAE-certified at 420 horsepower (313 kW) and 430 lb.-ft. of torque (583 Nm), making it the most power-dense six-cylinder engine in the segment. A pair of smaller turbochargers helps provide more immediate power on demand, with approximately 90 percent of peak torque available from 2,500 rpm to 5,500 rpm. That gives the engine a broad torque curve that customers will feel as strong, willing power in almost all driving conditions – and helps the CTS sedan reach 60 mph in an estimated 4.6 seconds.

The 2014 CTS is also available with a naturally aspirated 3.6L V-6 rated at an estimated 321 horsepower and also matched with the new paddle-shift eight-speed automatic in rear-wheel-drive models (or six-speed automatic with all-wheel drive; and a 2.0L turbocharged engine rated at an estimated 272 horsepower and paired with a six-speed automatic.

© Larry Nutson