Cadillac+–+What+it+doesn’t+Lack

I have always remembered the Cadillac from the movies that my parents loved and adored when I was little. Girls in that era wore frocks with umbrellas or hats and the era when all men opened doors for the ladies. Apart from that there was nothing to connect to when it came to the Cadillac.

However, it was always the fancy car with a fancy name that never really came to India. Only the Bourgua had access to it and imported it to satiate their luxurious desires. That was a good enough reason to delve into what makes the Cadillac the luxury car it is and how it is shifting to the small car segment to be with the masses.

Cadillac began its journey over 100 years ago and is the second oldest American automobile manufacturer after Buick. But well, that depends on how you look at it. Cadillac is arguably older than Buick. Cadillac was founded in 1902 by Henry Leland, a master mechanic and entrepreneur. General Motors purchased the company in 1909 and today it is available in 37 countries across the world with its primary market in North America.

Cadillac's first automobiles, the Runabout and Tonneau, were completed in October 1902. These were two-seater horseless carriages powered by a 10 horse power (7 kW) single-cylinder engine. But right from the beginning, the company did give a lot of importance to its automotive engineering and precision. Why would I say that? Well, look at the number of firsts this company has to its name. Cadillac was the first to introduce a “car with no crank” – the first car to use an electric self – starter, ignition and lighting. It was also the first mass produced car with a V – type, water cooled, 8 cylinder engine which has now become a standard and signature of the Cadillac brand. This is what makes it such a premier luxury car across the world.

Today, the Cadillac offers sedans, crossovers, SUV’s and hybrids. My favourites? Here goes my list.

1. The Cadillac Escalade
The Cadillac Escalade is the top SUV made by Cadillac. One would have never imagined Cadillac to make an SUV and I don’t think many took them seriously when they announced getting to manufacturing one. But Cadillac once again proved that when they do a job they do it well. They set standards and yes they did. The interior is stunning with brushed aluminum accents and polished chrome, leather upholstery. It can accommodate 8 adults comfortably and the front seats can be adjusted in 14 ways!

For the power, the SUV comes with a 6.2L, 403 HP V8 engine mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. Plus, Escalade is available with All-Wheel Drive (AWD) to help you power through some of the worst road conditions with confidence.

2. Cadillac CTS v- Coupe
Now this is an expensive car. It is available in the US for $ 64,515 and still it is one of the highest selling models from Cadillac. This goes to show how good the car is. The Cadillac CTS is a modern day classic.

It’s a stunner to look at and is powered by The Eaton-supercharged and intercooled 6.2L V8 engine generates a massive 556 horsepower and 551 lb.-ft. of torque. Inside, the driver-centric cockpit features full instrumentation. The 2012 CTS-V Coupe. Stunning in every way.

3. Cadillac ATS 2013
General Motors has lacked a small luxury car in recent years and the ATS seems to be filling up that vacant space. After all this segment accounts for 60 per cent of the luxury market.

The ATS, which goes on sale in the US this August, will be the smallest and least expensive Cadillac starting at just under $34,000.

On the outside the ATS looks taut and ready for the kill with its expressive and athletic body. The highlight is the illuminating door handles. The interior gives you a choice of seven distinct handcrafted environments like exotic wood, aluminum or carbon fiber trims.

At a powerful 270 HP, the available 2.0L turbocharged ATS engine has more horsepower than the 2012 BMW 328i (240 HP), 2012 Audi A4 2.0L Turbo (211 HP) and the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C250 1.8L Turbo (201 HP).

And this brings us to the fact that this Cadillac is all set to take on its competitors like BMW, Mercedes Benz, Audi heads on with direct comparisons feature by feature. The campaign to launch this car reads – Cadillac ATS vs The Rest of the World. Will the ATS strike gold for Cadillac. We say, it better set the standard again!

Image Courtesy: Cadillac