No Plans for Cadillac XTS-V

Wards Auto is reporting there will be no V performance version for Cadillac's new-for-2013 XTS sedan lineup.

Slated to replace the DTS as the largest Cadillac in the lineup, the XTS is based on the Buick LaCrosse's architecture but is several inches longer. It'll feature a V-6 powertrain when it goes on sale this spring. The sole engine will be a 300-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 in front- or all-wheel drive.

With the CTS having a performance version and a plan already in the works for the forthcoming ATS's entry to the V club, Cadillac doesn't see the need to offer a more potent XTS. In fact, Cadillac told Wards that unlike its stable mates, the XTS isn't intended to be a performance vehicle.

Wards is also reporting that Cadillac hasn't ruled out a larger sedan that would slot above XTS in size and price and offer a performance-oriented powertrain.

No XTS Performance Model Planned, But Bigger Cadillac Being Eyed (Wards Auto)

2013 Cadillac ATS Challenges Status Quo in Super Bowl Spot

Cadillac decided to advertise its new challenger to the BMW 3 Series at the Super Bowl this year, even though the ATS won't go on sale until this summer.

The 30-second spot touts the compact luxury sedan's track performance and how it was tuned to master the most challenging of racetracks, the Nürburgring test ring in Germany. Unlike most of the other ads we've seen so far, there’s no humor in the ATS ad; it's just a straightforward pitch on the sport machine’s track credentials. Yawn.

2013 Cadillac ATS: Photo Gallery

Cadillac’s metamorphosis into a sporty luxury carmaker entered a new chapter today with the introduction of the 2013 Cadillac ATS.

More 2012 Detroit Auto Show Coverage

The compact sedan has the BMW 3 Series squarely in its cross hairs. With its Nurburgring track-tested and near-50/50-weight-distributed chassis, the ATS is sure to be a formidable competitor.

2013 Cadillac ATS Video

Cadillac's new luxury compact sedan was engineered to directly compete against America's best-selling luxury car, the BMW 3 Series. On paper, the platform, drivetrain and engine lineup matches up favorably against the BMW. Cars.com Industry Analyst Kelsey Mays offers us some insight on the model's real-world look and feel, spaciousness and fit and finish.

2013 Cadillac ATS: Up Close

Cadillac had fighting words backing up the ATS, a car that GM North America president Mark Reuss said will challenge German supremacy in the sport-sedan segment. Touting the brand's latest small sedan, Reuss said the ATS is "the most mass-efficient car in its segment," with a curb weight of well under 3,400 pounds. The proof will be in the driving, but the ATS fits the Cadillac lineup and it doesn't look deliberately scaled down.

More 2012 Detroit Auto Show Coverage

Photos don't do the headlights justice. They're intriguing. They sweep over the fenders, ending above the front axle, and there’s a bit of first-gen CTS in their character. It's a cool look. A shoulder line appears under the C-pillar, sweeping around the tail. It looks OK, but I found the rear too busy and a bit forgettable. The wheels max out at 18 inches — appropriate here, if smaller than some rivals' wheels — to keep unsprung weight down, Cadillac says.

2013 Cadillac ATS at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show

• Competes with: BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, Acura TSX
• Looks like: A sleeker CTS, except maybe in back
• Drivetrain: 200-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder; 270-hp, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder; 318-hp, 3.6-liter V-6; six-speed automatic or manual transmission; rear- or all-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: Summer 2012

Ever since the CTS grew with its second generation, Cadillac has needed a credible competitor in the entry-level, rear-wheel-drive sport sedan segment. Behold the long-awaited ATS, which hits Cadillac dealerships this summer.

More 2012 Detroit Auto Show Coverage

It's GM's latest shot at the BMW 3 Series, which is still the best-selling luxury car in America. Cadillac says the ATS weighs less than 3,400 pounds — less than the minimum weight of the 2012 Acura TSX (3,400 pounds), BMW 328i (3,406) and Audi A4 (3,505). That's an impressive statistic from GM, a company whose cars often show up heavier than that neighbor who ignored all restraint on holiday fudge.

2012 Cadillac Escalade Gets Security Enhancements

One of the most stolen vehicles in the U.S. just got tougher to boost. For 2012, Cadillac is adding new security features that make the Escalade harder to steal, especially for thieves trying to push or tow the automaker’s large luxury SUV.

Car thieves are apparently drawn to big, blingy vehicles; Cadillac’s high-profile Escalade consistently tops the Highway Loss Data Institute’s list of most popular vehicles to steal. The Escalade EXT, with its pickup-truck bed, appeals most to burglars, according to the institute.

The new standard safety features include PASS Key 3+, which encrypts the key and the ignition system and reduces the risk of drive-away thefts. To deter push-away and tow-away thefts, Escalades will have a tougher steering-column-lock system and a sensor that detects an unexpected change in incline and sounds an alarm. Also available are new shock sensors that sound an alarm if a window is broken and a wheel lock system designed to prevent thieves from making off with Escalade’s wheels and tires.

These added security measures are in addition to the theft-monitoring functions already provided by GM’s OnStar security system. OnStar offers remote-engine lock and stolen-vehicle slowdown functionality after a vehicle has already been compromised.

2012 Chevrolet Sonic, Volkswagen Passat Earn Five-Star NHTSA Ratings

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released another batch of 2012 model-year crash-test ratings today. Under the stricter guidelines, the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic compact and the new 2012 Volkswagen Passat sedan earned five-star composite scores.

NHTSA’s composite scores are composed of five-star ratings for frontal, rollover and a combined side pole and barrier tests. The side pole test, which is new, simulates a 20-mph side-impact crash into a 10-inch-diameter pole or tree at a 75-degree angle just behind the A-pillar on the driver’s side.

Cadillac Adds New Touring Package to 2012 CTS Lineup

Components typically reserved for Cadillac’s exclusive and expensive V club are now a bit more accessible to 2012 CTS buyers. Features usually found in V-trim Cadillacs are newly available on 2012 CTS models through a Touring Package.

Available on coupes, sedans and wagons, the CTS Touring Package includes equipment like Recaro seats, suede seat and steering-wheel inserts, high-intensity-discharge headlamps and specific V-themed spoiler and wheels.

Recall Alert: 2010-11 Cadillac SRX

General Motors is recalling 20,000 model-year 2010 and 2011 Cadillac SRX SUVs for problems with the transmission shift cable. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, cables in the affected vehicles were improperly installed and may come out of the transmission bracket.
 
In these cases, owners may not be able to shift the vehicle out of gear. The shifter may also indicate that it’s in Park when it’s in another gear. Affected vehicles were built from Oct. 26, 2008, through June 23, 2011. You can find your vehicle's manufacture date on a label affixed to the driver's side doorjamb.

Owner notification will begin in January. GM dealers will inspect and replace the affected parts free of charge. For more info, owners can call Cadillac at 866-982-2339 or NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236.