After a couple of months of tooling around in performance coupes (roof optional), we’re all pretty knackered at crankandpiston, and figured that our Management Fleet needed an injection of comfort. Since Cadillac has been on a bit of roll recently with the launch of the new ATS we figured we’d take some time to sample one of the American giant’s staple models, the CTS. There were though a few other reasons behind our decision.
[Not a valid template]The bare essentials for one. This particular all-wheel drive Cadillac comes complete with a 3.6-litre V6, which chucks out a hardly scoffable 317bhp and 275lb ft of torque. It’s a trifle on the weighty side perhaps, tipping the scales at close to 1868kg, but we’re confident that a firmly placed right boot and some quick fire work at the paddle shift gearbox should deliver some interesting results.
We’re also pretty intrigued by the looks of our new White Diamond Tricoat model: it’s difficult to describe them without using words like ‘presence’ and ‘bearing’. There’s a machismo for example about the front end, dominated as it is by the enormous front grille and pointed headlights, both of which are likely to have fellow motorists diving for cover on the open road and parents clutching their young children tightly as you cruise past.
Then there’s the tail lip rear light, the heightened stance of the chassis over the rear wheels, and the 19-inch alloys. Hardly subtle but we think they add to the presence (there, see!) of the overall package. Indeed, the simple act of firing up the V6 – via a retro-looking starter switch on the steering column – and the resultant roar from the exhaust valves accentuates the saloon’s shouty personality.
Sliding behind the wheel for the first time, the pseudo bucket seats are a nice if unexpected touch, as is the nicely laid out instrument cluster and LED information screen that slides vertically out of the dashboard on start-up.
We’ve got a couple of heavy duty photoshoots lined up over the next few weeks, and the digital crew has already singled out the Cadillac CTS as their mule for said tasks, courtesy of an ample-sized boot and rear seats that fold down. Expect updates on their progress, and we’re not just talking about the collection of Red Bull cans getting slowly bigger in the rear footwells.
The Management Fleet record is 28, just FYI.
