Cadillac, Saab's Employee Pricing Discounts

Cadillac and Saab round out our GM employee pricing updates. The high-end nameplates don’t suffer from any lack of significant deals, particularly Cadillac, which sees larger and larger discounts as the model price stretches higher and higher. Conventional wisdom says if you have $100,000 to afford the XLR-V, you probably don’t need the $15,000 off that the employee discount grants … but who’s going to turn down $15,000, right?

The bread and butter for Cadillac, though, is its new CTS sedan, which we really like here at Cars.com. Discounts of roughly 10% should keep it selling well. Nearly $13,000 off an STS-V is also darn alluring to our muscle-car side.

A short list of available discounts is below. Be sure to check GM’s full list at its website, according to your zip code and the trim level you want.

Recall Alert: 4,586 Cadillac STS and STS-Vs

Cadillac is recalling 4,586 Cadillac STSs and STS-Vs from the 2008 model year due to “premature tire failure.” The failure is due to a faulty tire pressure monitoring system that fails to alert drivers to falling tire pressure, according to NHTSA's recall summary. Such loss of pressure could cause drivers to lose control of their cars.

Repairs can be taken care of at Cadillac dealerships. Owners can contact Cadillac at 1-800-982-2339 or go to Cadillac's website here.

Recall Alert: 275,000 Cadillac, Pontiac, Saturn Cars and Crossovers

Today, GM announced it would recall 275,936 vehicles in the U.S. due to a faulty seal. The recalled vehicles include:

• 2005-07 Cadillac CTS
• 2005-07 Cadillac STS
• 2005-07 Cadillac SRX
• 2006-07 Pontiac Solstice
• 2007 Saturn Sky

The company said it had received a “higher than normal” number of warranty claims for the faulty seal, which can leak fluid, leading to a loss of control. One crash has been reported, in which the rear wheels locked due to a leak. In another incident, a driver was injured when his vehicle lost control.

The seal will be replaced for free, and the recall will begin in February 2008. Owners can call Cadillac at 800-982-2339, Pontiac at 800-620-7668 and Saturn at 800-972-8876 for more information.

GM Announces Recall (BusinessWeek)

Cars.com Faceoff: Luxury Sedan Showdown

Someone recently asked us what the heck it is we do all day at the Cars.com offices, you know, besides blogging here on KickingTires. Well, one of the things we do is compare some of the big players in segments from convertibles to SUVs. This month we took three of the best entries in the luxury sedan market and compared the good, the bad and the kind of expensive. The 2008 BMW 528i, 2008 Cadillac STS and Infiniti M35 deliver style and value, but which one brings home the win?

Cars.comparison: Luxury Performance Sedans (Cars.com)

Cadillac DTS and STS to be Axed

Automotive News has confirmed with high-level Cadillac executives that the current DTS and STS will eventually be axed in favor of a single up-level luxury sedan that could go by either moniker or a new name entirely. In 2007, the DTS was the better seller, but the STS recently went through a refreshing that added a sharp new exterior. Cadillac executives gave no time frame for when the changes would occur, but we’d expect it’s still a few years off.

Cadillac’s lineup could angle smaller, with possible future models including both an entry-level sedan slated below the CTS and a small SUV slated below the SRX and Escalade. There’s also a reference to a higher-priced flagship sedan in the Automotive News interview.

Related
2008 Cadillac STS Expert Review (Cars.com)
More Cadillac News (KickingTires)

Video: 2008 Cadillac STS Technology

Kelsey Mays recently reviewed the new 2008 Cadillac STS and came away impressed not only by its road manners, but by its use of new technology. In the video above, he tackles the car’s lane departure warning system and the blind-spot warning system, similar to one on the Volvo S80. Check it out and tell us if you like the idea of these new safety devices.

Cars.com Reviews the 2008 Cadillac STS

Cadillac’s new STS gets the full Cars.com review treatment, and Kelsey Mays weighs in with his thoughts on the midsize sedan. Teaser: There’s a bit of Jekyll and Hyde going on with this car, depending on what you focus on when you're sitting in the driver’s seat. Details and photos here.

In Your Grille: New 2008 Cadillac STS Gets Braces

The lead-up to the New York Auto Show is heating up. After all the action yesterday and last night, Cadillac just released the first images of and information on the 2008 Cadillac STS. In most ways, it’s not that different from the outgoing model. The major change revolves around the huge new grille and side vent. The STS’ look is now more in line with the new Cadillac Escalade and the upcoming CTS, which debuted at the Detroit auto show.

There are some changes with the engine options, as well. There’s a new direct-injection V-6 engine. This is the standard engine, and it gets an impressive 298 hp mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive remains an option on the 2008 STS. A lane departure warning system will also be available for the first time.

V-8 equipped models and AWD V-6s will get an electronic stability system, although we think it should be standard throughout the lineup. We’re also disappointed with the mostly unaltered interior.

Prices aren’t available at this time, but will be released closer to the midsummer on-sale date.

More photos below.