The first generation Cadillac SRX brought General Motors' premium brand into the crossover segment, providing better fuel economy compared to similarly sized SUVs while also delivering significantly improved driving dynamics. We bought into that first-generation, rear-wheel-drive SRX when we reviewed it way back in 2007, but the luxury car-buying public apparently wasn't all that interested. Sales of the sharp handling SRX never took off, largely keeping Cadillac off of the luxury crossover gravy train long dominated by the Lexus RX 350.

Cadillac hopes to change its crossover fortunes with the introduction of the all-new 2010 SRX. This time out, the SRX is very different from the one it replaces, with a fundamental shift from a rear-wheel drive platform (with available all-wheel drive) to a front-drive setup (also with available AWD). Along with that shift in powered wheels, the 2010 model goes with smaller, more efficient powertrains. Cadillac doesn't try to hide the fact that the new SRX is gunning for the RX, but GM's designers and engineers didn't want to simply copy the strong-selling Lexus. Cadillac wanted its crossover to be more expressive inside and out, with state-of-the-art tech and superior driving dynamics. Does the new SRX have what it takes?

Follow the jump to find out.



Photos Copyright ©2009 Chris Shunk / Weblogs, Inc.

The days of Cadillac's big DTS sedan are numbered as the plant that builds it will soon be shut down and re-tooled. The Detroit Hamtramck assembly plant that builds the DTS and Buick Lucerne will switch over to building the Chevy Volt in 2010 and the current products are both long in the tooth.

The National Post is reporting that the new Cadillac flagship will be dubbed XTS and will be produced at the Oshawa assembly plant. It will be built alongside an updated Chevrolet Impala, the new Camaro and the Buick Regal. The DTS is a front-wheel drive car, but the XTS is expected to the share the Epsilon II platform with the Regal and the new Impala. As such, it will likely get all-wheel-drive at least as an option. For its part, the Regal will likely be a re-badged version of the Opel Insignia. The report goes on to say that Oshawa will produce a hybrid version of one of those offerings – a gas-electric Regal model is a reasonable bet.

Earlier reports had pegged the next Cadillac sedan as a model that would supplant both the DTS and the slow-selling STS, and although the NatPost article does not speak to this, it is reasonable to assume that the new XTS will result in the phase-out of both model lines. The new model line was reportedly put on hold back in August of last year, but it apparently has once again been given the go-ahead.

The XTS is scheduled to be launched in December 2011, with the new Impala coming in early 2013. Thanks to Ben for the tip!

[Source: The National Post]

J.D. Power and Associates has released its 2009 Initial Quality Study (IQS) and Lexus has taken the top spot away from Porsche, the initial quality leader for the past three years. The annual J.D. Power study measures IQS based on problems reported per 100 vehicles (PP100) -- a lower score means a lower rate of problem incidences and higher quality.

This year, the industry average is 108 PP100, demonstrating a steady improvement from 118 PP100 in 2008, and 125 PP100 in 2007. In addition to the marked improvement by the industry overall, many brands continued to perform well in 2009. Following Lexus and Porsche is Cadillac (which moves from 10th rank position in 2008 to third in 2009), Hyundai (jumping from 13th rank position in 2008 to 4th in 2009) and Honda (up from 7th in 2008 to 5th in 2009). Infiniti, second in last year's study, drops to 11th overall, while Suzuki posts the largest improvement in ranking, moving from 32nd place in 2008 to 9th in 2009. The complete J.D. Power press release and charts can be found after the jump and in the gallery below.




[Source: J.D. Power and Associates]

Cadillac is one of the core brands that will form the new General Motors, but the dealership network can't continue in its current guise, according to GM sales head Mark LaNeve. There are 1,422 Cadillac dealers nationwide, more than four times the number of Mercedes-Benz dealers and more than six times the number of Lexus dealers. That kind of saturation meant that in 2008, the average Cadillac dealership did one-sixth the business of a Mercedes dealer and one-tenth the business of a Lexus dealer.

To be fair, Cadillac has fewer cars on offer than Mercedes, BMW, or Lexus. Still, GM wants to gets its dealer volume numbers closer that of the competition – proportionally speaking – and that means more dealer closings. GM hasn't said how many, but to even get close to retail parity they'd be looking at many hundreds of closures, with many of them likely to be in metropolitan areas. Whenever those dealers are chosen, as with the others, they will be allowed to remain open until their franchise agreements on October 31, 2010.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Despite recent products to the contrary, when much of America thinks "Cadillac," a lot of people still recall the land yachts of the '70s and '80s. Hoods and decks marginally shorter than your average aircraft carrier, and Sedan de Villes and Fleetwoods serving as hearses or transportation for those awaiting a ride in one. But something happened to Cadillac a few years back. After several failed attempts to compete with the Germans (Seville STS, Allante and Catera), General Motors began crafting a strategy to take on the luxury marques abroad. At the forefront of that movement is the Cadillac CTS and the pinnacle of their efforts is this, the CTS-V. To paraphrase and co-opt the grizzled Oldsmobile tag-line: "The 2009 CTS-V is not your grandfather's Cadillac." Not by a long shot.



Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Max Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Episode #129 of the Autoblog Podcast is here! Chris, Sam, and Dan toss the ball around this week discussing the Lexus HS250h, the Toyota Prius's newfound chassis grace, the production version of the BMW 5-Series GT, Cadillac's sharp new SRX, and of course, a few questions. We even go back and update an answer to a question from last week. This installment clocks in just shy of an hour, so enjoy... and thanks for listening! As always, hit us up at Podcast at Autoblog dot com with any questions/comments/over-the-top praise! Thanks to reader/listener Dat for taking in the Podcast while at LeMons in Reno and sending us a pic!

Follow the jump to subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes, add the show to your RSS aggregator... or listen to it right now!

Mark McNabb loves a challenge. After working for General Motors for 13 months leading Cadillac, Hummer, and Saab, McNabb announced his resignation last week as of June 1. His destination, it turns out, is Maserati, where he'll replace former North American CEO Marti Eulberg, Who resigned last month after less than a year on the job.

At GM, McNabb ended up shepherding one of his brands and trying to sell the other two. At Maserati he'll have just one brand to lead and he'll be focused on selling its cars. Maserati sales have done their impression of a sinkhole, falling 48% worldwide and nearly 58% in America, taking revenue numbers with them. We find those numbers a little surprising, but perhaps the coming GranTurismo convertible will help things out. In the mean time, best of luck to you, Mr. McNabb.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

The second-generation 2010 Cadillac SRX will be rolling into showrooms later this summer with a base price of $34,155. Jumping into the crowded luxury crossover segment, Cadillac hopes to lure customers with the SRX's fuel efficient 3.0-liter direct injected V6, technical features, and versatility. Of course, they've thrown in a dose of Cadillac's "visual appeal and driving character," says Steve Shannon, executive director of marketing for Cadillac. "We believe the Cadillac SRX offers emotional appeal to a segment previously devoid of much of that," he added.

Joining the Cadillac SRX later in the summer will be the 2010 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon. The Sport Wagon mirrors the CTS sedan in design and features, yet it offers nearly double the cargo space. The standard engine in the CTS Sport Wagon will be the same 3.0-liter direct-injection V6 as is found under the hood of the upcoming SRX. Check out the press release after the jump for more details.

Mark McNabb, the general marshaling the forces of General Motors' premium channel – Cadillac, Hummer, and Saab – is leaving the company in 10 days "to pursue other job opportunities."

Only 13 months into his stint, McNabb has presumably spent most of his time trying to figure out how to help his company get rid of two of his three brands, something that likely hasn't built much confidence for McNabb in terms of job security. In addition to uncertainty about what the future holds for the premium channel (Cadillac and GM itself), we suspect that the job's responsibilities are ultimately probably not what he he had in mind.

McNabb came to GM after a second stint at Nissan – he had actually been with both Nissan and Infiniti for 20 years, before he jumped off to join Mercedes-Benz in 2005 as head of marketing. After moving over to become head of Benz sales, he returned to Nissan the summer of 2007.

There is no official word yet on where McNabb is headed or who will be his permanant replacement, but in the meantime, Stephen J. Hill, currently the general sales manager of the premium channel, will take over in the interim. Said a Cadillac spokesman, there has been "a lot of positive change here" under McNabb, "and we have a lot of product in the pipeline and so we're well positioned for the future."

[Source: Automotive News, sub req'd]

Although things are understandably more than bit somber in General Motors' U.S. operations as of late, over in China, the mood is a bit more upbeat. The evidence? Check out this CTS stunt-driving exhibition held last weekend on Shanghai's Formula One circuit.

According to GM's Cadillac Notes blog, some 19,000 fans gathered to watch the show and celebrate the arrival of the CTS-V in China last weekend – this, despite the heat (with temperatures at around 86°, it was reportedly the hottest May 9 in over a century).

In any case, the professional Hollywood stunt team delighted the masses, as did GM test engineer supremo John Heinricy, who (aside from apparently not being all-the-way retired), marked the occasion by setting a record in the CTS-V for the quickest-ever lap (2:32.80) of the course in a production sedan. Heck, even Spider-Man showed up! Check out the high-res hijinks in our below. Thanks for the tip, Scot!

UPDATE: YouTube video of V-Day added after the jump.



[Sources: Cadillac Notes; YouTube]

General Motors and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have announced a suite of recalls for the Chevrolet Camaro, Traverse and various body-on-frame SUVs and pickups (Cadillac's Escalade, Chevrolet's Avalanche, Colorado, Suburban and Tahoe, along with GMC's Canyon and Yukon).

The Camaro recall has been discussed before, but now we have the official language and affected unit numbers to share with you. The recall of 1,243 Camaros is due to the possibility of the positive battery cable rubbing against the starter motor housing. When the insulation is worn through because of that chafing, the system can short out and the car won't start (or continue running if the motor is already going). Dealers will reroute the positive cable to fix.

15,393 2009 model-year Traverse crossovers are being recalled for a parking brake cable link that is not to federal specifications. According to the official press release, the parking brake pedal may cause the cable link to snap. Dealers will replace the cable link connector for free. Oddly, the recall does not make mention of GM's other Lambda-based three-row crossovers, which include the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, and Saturn Outlook.

Finally, 27,189 GM SUVs and pickups are being recalled due to potential faults with their fuel system control modules. The modules might have a seal problem that allows water in, which could then cause a short- or open- circuit, a development that could potentially trigger a host of warning lights or render the vehicle inoperable. Dealers will install a new fuel system control module unit at no cost. You can read all of the notices after the jump.

[Source: NHTSA - Camaro, Traverse, GMT900]

As far as we can tell, John Hennessey and his crew have somehow warped time and space to create the 36-hour workday. With all the products the Texas-based tuner is coming out with, there's no other explanation. So in addition to creating the 705-hp Corvette ZR700, 715-hp GTR700 and a duo of force-fed Camaros, Hennessey has decided to tackle the 2009 Cadillac CTS-V – and in the process created a four-door ZR1.

The team is releasing four complete packages for Caddy's M5-fighter, ranging from a 610 hp version all the way to a twin-turbocharged 800 hp variant. You can check out each package, including horsepower, torque, mods and performance times, along with corresponding videos, after the jump. And we've also got a gallery of the fire-breathing CTS-V below.



[Source: Hennessey]

With Pontiac's death official, Holden stands to lose around $1 billion annually with the demise of the Pontiac G8. However, Holden doesn't plan to go quiet into night. The Aussie automaker has drawn up plans to offer the rear-wheel drive Commodore platform to Cadillac and GMC.

Although GM's CEO, Fritz Henderson, has confirmed that the G8 won't live on, there's a chance it could be used by law enforcement in the States, and with Cadillac's recent attempts to inject more RWD models into the mix (save the Epsilon II-based sub-CTS), the Zeta architecture could be used for a new line of Caddies.

More interestingly, with GMC safe – for now – from sharing a grave with Pontiac (not to mention the inevitable liquidation of Hummer, Saab and Saturn), Holden could make a case for importing the stillborn G8 ST 'ute to the U.S. as a fuel-efficient alternative to GMC's otherwise big and thirsty pick-ups. Where there's a niche, GM normally likes to fill it, and while the case for the Zeta-based Cadillacs could be made -- particularly as GM seeks to downsize the platform to aid its survival -- the G8 ST's revival seems far less plausible.



[Source: GoAuto]

Just a year ago, the future of Cadillac's line-up looked pretty bright. By 2010, the CTS would spawn coupe and wagon versions, the "super-Theta" platform SRX would replace its Sigma-based predecessor, the Escalade would get a Lambda-based replacement and the Converj would come to market. Cadillac was also tipped to launch a new small sedan to slot in below the CTS using the new rear-drive Alpha platform, plus a new larger sedan to replace the aging DTS and STS models. However while the CTS derivatives, the new SRX, Escalade and Converj are all still in the works, drastic cutbacks at GM have meant the Alpha and DTS/STS successor have been canned. In their place, the next-gen. CTS is expected to grow larger, while a new front/all-wheel-drive sports sedan is now tipped to enter into the mix.

In order to make the Alpha compact rear-drive platform feasible, GM would have needed to spread development costs across several of its divisions, but many of those brands – chiefly Pontiac and Saturn – are now facing the axe, while its European assets Saab and Opel are on their way out the door. So what is a downsized GM planning for Cadillac instead? Using the next-generation Epsilon II platform, the replacement for the European-market BLS is tipped to come home to roost, positioned between the new Buick LaCrosse and the Cadillac CTS. With its advanced turbo-diesel programs also on hold, the General realizes it lacks the resources to produce a serious contender for the European market, so expect a decidedly more American approach when the new small Caddy hits the market late in 2011 as a 2012 model with a price tag of around $35,000.

[Source: Motor Trend]

What better way to kick off your weekend than a new podcast, full of incisive commentary and rapier wit, delivered by well informed, articulate experts? Instead, we bring you Episode #123 of the Autoblog Podcast. Chris, Sam, and Dan hash it out for this installment, covering such gems as the Toyota's expectations for the new Prius, Bill Gates and his fantastical patent and the Fiat/Chrysler deal, as well as other assorted gems as the conversation rambles. Friday's the perfect day for 70 minutes of the Autoblog Podcast's dulcet tones, so enjoy, and thanks for listening! Drop us a line at podcast at autoblog dot com, and hit our Twitter feed, too.

Follow the jump to subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes, add the show to your RSS aggregator or listen to it right now!