News Update: Check out the Cadillac Drivers’ Log
By Randy Schwarz
Vehicle Line Executive, Global Luxury RWD
In case you haven’t had a chance to check it out yet, the Cadillac Drivers’ Log is a new blog in which some of our best engineers share a bit of what they do with other auto enthusiasts. (These are the people who are developing the all-new 2008 CTS that premiered at the Detroit show.) The Drivers’ Log shows real images and stories of the incredible lengths they go to as they develop and test a car, from the Nurburgring to a quiet road down the block. If you’re curious to see a bit of what real car testing consists of, you’ll want to give it a look.
- Posted in Cars & Trucks
Talis
Can I get paid to drive Cadillacs around all day?
Tom O'Brien
Keep up the good work the cts looks great
Rick Lupori
Sounds like a great job.
I like sliding around empty parking lots in the snow, it does make a difference when you need to make a emergency move on roads with traffic.
One question, will the new CTS-V hava an AWD option?
With power levels at (over?) 400 HP there is only so much rear tires can take. It would make a great option, but do keep the CTS-V RWD at least as standard equipment.
Drew
Cadillac doesn’t look too shabby. The new CTS looks very nice, and the old CTS was a hit with my family: my stepfather and grandaunt own ones.
rollie demay
I have had Cadillacs in the past, and like the new CTS. However, I will not buy one because the gas filler door is on the right side, instead of the left. I understand the safety implications, but the chaos of driving in the wrong way at the fill station far outweighs the safety benefit. Besides, I suspect accidents have been CAUSED by this feature as well. I simply cannot purchase a car with the filler door on the wrong side.
CaptainDan
Rollie,
There are MILLIONS of cars on the road with their fuel filler on the “wrong” side. I have NEVER seen any chaos or accidents at gas stations over this. Just how fast are you driving through? I can pull up to either side, from either direction without running into anything.
Bill Aston
The location of gas filler can very easily be seen by placing an appropriate symbol on the proper side of the fuel indicator. Works easily.
More important to me is the “new” center stack that doesn’t intrude into the sparce front space. Now the car is much more usable.
Install the former Cadillac feature of auto truck pulldown and you’ll have something for everyone.
phil racicot
Hi, when will Buick offer a RWD car too? Will I ever get the chance to get a new Buick that I like? I have never been a Cadillac fan and I will never be. Don’t count on me to buy another GM product if Buick can’t get a decent RWD car as I have no interest in the other GM divisions (unless GM buys Chrysler!).
If nobody at GM could find how to make a real Buick that real Buick fans will like, I’m here to help, anytime!
Gereon Langlitz (Germany)
Today I was checking the latest statistics from our official authority for vehicle registrations, the so-called Kraftfahrtbundesamt.
To me it looks like if the Cadillac BLS still is marketed poorly over here, at least the market in Germany obviously doesn’t respond significantly yet. I think it’s time to reconsider the initial decision and also to offer the BLS in The States. In my opinion it simply would be an unacceptable waste, to sell this great car only at those relatively low figures.
Beaugrand
rollie said:
“…I simply cannot purchase a car with the filler door on the wrong side.”
In my job I may drive any of several company vehicles- it’s challenging to remember which side the gas filler is on, so I use post-its on the dash with an “arrow” indicating on which side the filler door is located. It works on my personal vehicles too.
Gereon Langlitz (Germany)
“I will not buy one because the gas filler door is on the right side, instead of the left.” - rollie demay on February 22, 2007 04:56 PM
??????
I really don’t understand this statement. I hardly can remember any vehicle having the filler door on the left side instead on the right. I just can think of these: Previous Ford Fiesta and certain VW Cargo-Vans. I would estimate, at least 90% of all vehicles over here have the filler on the right side. So I ask myself, what’s the problem.
Jason Kettering
Randy,
I just hope you kept your cost cutters away from the new CTS. The current Cadillac line falls far short of the competition in both the fit and finish category, and choice of interior materials. Why is GM so focused on building cheap cars? Isn’t anyone responsible for sales anymore? Talk is cheap, but building truly world class cars is hard work. When will Cadillac take the challenge to BEAT the competition?
Ron Markey
I’m hoping that GM will actually act on some of the comments from would-be buyers in this blog. This is pertinent, to the point, and more valuable customer input than any clinic information. I find the new CTS grille too large, overdone, bloated and bordering on gawdy looking. Simple elegance would be much nicer (ala BMW 3 Series). Why not give it a try in the coupe to set it further apart from the sedan - or is it already too late? Will the fit and finish and quality of materials be at an appropriate level fitting for an entry luxury car? Will it have a tilt and telescoping steering wheel, 24oz carpeting, fold down rear seats, articulating headrests, soft plastics and quality switchgear, adjustable lumbar controls and the other expected features in a car of this class? If not, why not?
Please Bob, keep the beancounters pointed away from Cadillac.
Stephen Wixler
Randy,
Does Cadillac come under the same cost cutting recklessness as other GM brands? What exactly does standard of the world mean if the features are not competitive with other cars in this class?
Most drivers will never experience the benefits ffrom closed track tuning that engineers spend so much time and money developing. But the everyday creature comforts that make the car liveable and are used everyday are too often cut by the beancounters. Please, don’t let it happen Randy - don’t let the beancounters get their meathooks into Cadillac. I hope I’m pleasantly surprised by extras instead of underwhelmed,.
CaptainDan
By the way…..if you pull up to the “wrong” side of the gas pump (if the station is crowded you may have to) the hose still reaches to the other side of your car.
Sam Snyder
Who cares about the freakin’ gas pump filler door? Jeez-O Pete get over it already.
I don’t see anybody over at VW complaining - deal with it. There are much bigger and more pertinent issues to be concerned about with the CTS. Like will the beancounters get their way to cost cut everything that’s not in sight? I sure hope not.
Lamar Cole
Some love relationships can be like driving a Cadillac. A real smooth ride.
Gereon Langlitz (Germany)
Mr. Kettering,
I really wonder how you did come to your statements. To me this sounds a little like prejudice. Cadillac actually IS beating the competition. See:
http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=210784
If you believe in the latest CR-Rankings and if any luxury-brand falls far behind the competition, then let’s talk about Mercedes Benz. Occasionally I was driving a C-Class at my former company, but I was also sitting in a CTS. I always prefer the Cadillac, even more since it delivers tremendously more room and more comfort-features than its European competitors at a lower sticker price at the same time. In addition the Cadillac-Design is much more extraordinary than the more conservative styling from other brands.
Tim Yates
Randy,
Does GM pay attention to the dismal reliability ratings in Consumer Reports? It looks very bad when Cadillac has such a poor showing. Granted, more content laden cars with many features typically means lower reliability simply because there are more things that can go wrong. Plain vanilla cars like Toyota and Honda limit their features and reliability goes up.
But Cadillac is not plain vanilla, you’re supposed to be a luxury brand with “standard of the world” as a benchmark. Poor reliablity doesn’t meet this standard and the biggest reason for this result is the continued cost cutting focus by your purchasing team. You get what you pay for, and continued focus on paying less has driven Cadillac’s reliability into the tank. Does the purchasing group take any responsibility in these results? - I highly doubt it.
When GM finally decides that it truly wants to be the best, and starts driving the organization accordingly, I think you may actually deliver sustained sales growth, profits, and warranty and reliability improvements. But until all the cost cutting focus gets turned around, all you will reap is what you sow.
doug in everett wa
Best thing for cadillac is the new 2.9Lcrd V-6 for over seas market. Too bad GM can not envision that motor in US in the impala, trucks & vans 1500, H3, & mid size trucks for the US market. Police departments wouldn’t mind better fuel mileage that the diesel would offer. The question is will GM offer it to the police in the impala or cadillac or will Dodge beat them to it with the charger MB3.0Lcrd. Or will both fall on their face and police departments turn to some other company that supplies hybrids?
Mark L
Cadillac, is a love affair,its all I have ever owned,oh sure I have been behind the wheel of the bmw, benz, Audi, etc, when I was a kid 16,all I could afford was a second hand chevy,I fell in love with Cadillac when I was 7,my first caddy at the age of 18 was a 78 eldorado biarritz,bought mint used in 82, I have had several,I have also never had anymajor problems,when my friends where all wanting mustangs and camaros, I wanted a Cadillac,the brand just got ahold on me,and I am now a certified middle age {43} Cadillac fanatic but to be honest even if I were to of had a bad experiance, I would still buy one, why ? because its a Cadillac, here’s to the most beautiful Car in the world,to this man anyway
Cadillac !