Autoblog

Review: 2010 Cadillac CTS Sportwagon eats up cargo, swallows open road

Chris Shunk — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: Wagon, Cadillac, GM, Reviews, Luxury

2010 Cadillac CTS Sportwagon - Click above for high-res image gallery

In Europe, the humble station wagon holds a big-time slice of the family driver demographic, partly because ridiculous petrol prices make big SUVs and crossovers far too uneconomical. Americans, on the other hand, have a fundamental problem with the station wagon. We're not sure if the wagon is uncool because it was our parents' preferred family vehicle or if the aesthetics of it are just too boxy for our fashion forward culture. The only subset of the American public who has consistently called for more wagons are automotive enthusiasts, though even we seldom seem to vote for the Griswald Family Truckster with our pocketbooks.

Cadillac is all too aware of America's disdain for the wagon, as evidenced by the fact that General Motors' luxury brand has never built a squat two box for the U.S. market. That changes for 2010 as the Wreath and Crest begins production of its 2010 Cadillac CTS Sportwagon. This Caddy begins life with hot-to-trot sheetmetal and the underpinnings of the excellent CTS sedan, but does it have the chutzpah to change our less than flattering opinions about the station wagon? We gave the CTS Sportwagon some time in the Autoblog Garage to see if the first-ever U.S.-market Caddy wagon has the goods to make Americans stop their loathing and get to loading. Click on the jump to find out.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Cadillac CTS Sportwagon

Continue reading Review: 2010 Cadillac CTS Sportwagon eats up cargo, swallows open road

Review: 2010 Cadillac CTS Sportwagon eats up cargo, swallows open road originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

2010 Pontiac G8 ST may get direct-inject V6

Chris Shunk — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:59:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, GM, Pontiac, Rumormill

Click above for high-res gallery of the 2010 Pontiac G8 ST

The Pontiac G8 Sport Truck was originally supposed to be powered only by General Motors' 361-horsepower 6.0L V8, but tough fuel economy standards and customer demand for fuel efficient products have conspired to change the General's plans. Edmunds Inside Line quotes an anonymous senior engineer at the General saying that the unique sport ute will receive automaker's 3.6L V6, as well. That's good news for fuel economy, but the better news is that the 3.6L V6 of choice will be the direct injection versoin. That will likely give the G8 ST the same 300+hp as the 2010 Camaro and Cadillac CTS. That should also make the base ST more appealing to enthusiasts and the average Joe, with more power at the pedal and a healthier torque curve. The DI version of GM's 3.6L V6 will also likely be available in the base G8 sedan for the 2010 model year, as well.

It makes sense that GM would go with direct injection for the G8 ST, as the General has already promised the powerful V6 for the Chevy Traverse and Camaro. Putting DI in more vehicles will help drive down the cost of producing these more high-tech engines economy of scale while also giving customers V8ish performance with V6ish fuel economy. Keep in mind, however, that though a GM engineer was quoted, none of this is official word from GM, so plans could change.

Gallery: 2010 Pontiac G8 ST

[Source: Inside Line]

2010 Pontiac G8 ST may get direct-inject V6 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

GM plans to sharply increase production of next-gen V6

Chris Shunk — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:59:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Marketing/Advertising, GM

High fuel prices have car buyers looking away from V8 engines in favor of smaller, more efficient powertrains. GM is looking to feed the increased demand with an expansion of its Ramos, Mexico plant that builds its 3.6L V6 engines. The planned increase in output will allow the General to increase production of its next generation V6 engines an additional 350,000 units to a whopping 940,000 engines per year. The next generation HFV6 engines will also provide more of everything customers want, including improved fuel economy and a 6% increase in power. The engines will likely feature direct injection across the lineup this time. There is no word at this time if GM will change the displacement size for the next-gen HFV6 engines, but we did hear a couple weeks back that a Cadillac CTS wagon may feature a smaller 3.0L version of the engine in base form.

The HFV6 production increase was announced at the opening ceremony for Ramos' new six-speed transmission plant, which will also supply slush boxes for FWD crossovers and cars. The transmissions will replace the long in the tooth four-cogs (Yay!) and increase efficiency by up to 7 percent.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd, via AutoblogGreen]

GM plans to sharply increase production of next-gen V6 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

At the Cadillac CAFE, V8s likely to come off the menu

Alex Nunez — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 08:02:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Cadillac

It all changed on December 19, according to Cadillac General Manager Jim Taylor. That's when President Bush signed the bill that made increased CAFE standards a reality. The revised fuel economy requirements mean that the days of widespread V8 power at Cadillac are all but over. This all dovetails neatly with GM's announcement that the DOHC "Ultra V8," a replacement for the aging Northstar, has been canceled. The Northstar will go out of production permanently in 2010.

Instead of the traditional V8, look for expanded use of the powerful direct-injected 3.6L V6 currently available in the CTS and STS. A caddy without a V8 might seem odd, but we thought the same thing when Lincoln announced the MKS wouldn't get eight cylinders underhood, either. That appears to be working out fine, and we're inclined to believe Cadillac will also have no problem making the transition. The DI V6 makes more than 300 horsepower in its current form anyway, and the General's pushrod V8s will still be around to service the Escalade and low-volume niche vehicles like the V-Series cars if needed. Automotive News says that the 2.9L turbodiesel in development for the European CTS could also be used Stateside when the time comes. Sounds good to us. A refined, punchy diesel and the excellent DI V6 would do well carrying Caddy's mainstream lineup into the post-V8 era, particularly when little to no power will be sacrificed along the way.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

At the Cadillac CAFE, V8s likely to come off the menu originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Jan 2008 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments