Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Autoblog Podcast #140]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/14/autoblog-podcast-140/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/14/autoblog-podcast-140/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/14/autoblog-podcast-140/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


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Episode #140 of the Autoblog Podcast is going to just squeak under the wire for the weekend. It's late, and we're going to blame the new guy. Jonny Lieberman joined Chris and Dan for a few moments between bouts of Skype-drop-itis, and the trio started off blithely to discuss the Autoblog Garage and then the Ferrari 458 Italia before giving up on J-Leib for the night. Down a man, Chris and Dan carry on and cover the Cadillac ATS and XTS, along with the Chevrolet Volt's controversial 230 MPG city rating. In between, of course, is plenty of Autoblog inside baseball, including an especially good tangent where Shunk starts psychoanalyzing the team. We cap it off by answering a bunch of questions, and that's it. At least there's value there, as we continue for 80 minutes. Let us know what you think by sending a note to Podcast at Autoblog Dot Com, or hit up our survey, and iTunes users can also leave reviews at the Autoblog Podcast iTunes page. Thanks for listening, we'll see you again early next week!

Continue reading Autoblog Podcast #140

Autoblog Podcast #140 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>autoblog podcastAutoblogPodcastcadillaccadillac atscadillac xtsCadillacAtsCadillacXtschevrolet voldchevrolet voltchevrolet volt 230chevrolet volt mpgChevroletVoldChevroletVoltChevroletVolt230ChevroletVoltMpgfalseferrar 458 italiaFerrar458Italiaferrari 458ferrari 458 italiaferrari 458 italia interiorferrari 458 italia spiderferrari 458 italia videoferrari italiaFerrari458Ferrari458ItaliaFerrari458ItaliaInteriorFerrari458ItaliaSpiderFerrari458ItaliaVideoFerrariItaliagm voltgm volt batteriesgm voltecGmVoltGmVoltBatteriesGmVoltecpodcast 140Podcast140volt 230 mpgvolt mileagevolt mpgVolt230MpgVoltMileageVoltMpgFri, 14 Aug 2009 18:58:00 ESTAutoblog Podcast #140Autoblog80:00autoblog podcast, autoblog podcast 140, podcast 140, cadillac ats, cadillac xts, gm 230, volt 230, chevy volt, gm volt, volt mpg, ferrari italia, ferrari 458 italia<![CDATA[Cadillac XTS looks like Sixteen Concept, ATS aims at 3 Series with RWD]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/11/cadillac-ats-and-xts-coming-soon-ats-is-rwd-3-series-fighter/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/11/cadillac-ats-and-xts-coming-soon-ats-is-rwd-3-series-fighter/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/11/cadillac-ats-and-xts-coming-soon-ats-is-rwd-3-series-fighter/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Cadillac Sixteen Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

This morning at the media preview hosted by General Motors in its design dome, VP of Design Ed Welburn showed off full-size styling bucks of the next two models from Cadillac. Rounding out the lineup for GM's luxury brand will be the XTS and ATS. The ATS is a smaller car than the CTS and will take direct aim at the heart of the 3-Series. The model shown was a two-door coupe with a roof-line closer in shape to the CTS sedan rather than the extreme fastback profile of the CTS coupe. The overall design is an evolution of the current CTS with headlights that stretch back across the top of the fender line. Although no one would confirm the platform underneath, they did say it would be rear- and all-wheel drive, just like a 3. Earlier in the morning, new Cadillac general manager Bryan Nesbitt said the next generation CTS is already under development and would be new from the ground up. It seems reasonable to assume that it is being developed to allow for a shorter version for the ATS.

The XTS, on the other hand, is huge and carries a lot of the design first seen on the celebrated Sixteen concept (seen above and in high-res gallery below), which means it's stunning in person. Given that a V16 is out of the question, the hood is obviously much shorter than the concept's. The flanks have more curvature than the current DTS and a character line with an undercut lies just below the belt-line.

Welburn declined to give specific timing except to say that both cars were coming soon. We already know that DTS is ending production soon to make way for the Volt at the Detroit Hamtramck plant. There was also no indication of powertrains, although the ATS is likely to be powered by four- and six-cylinder engines. The XTS may use the next generation small block V8 that debuts next year.


Gallery: Cadillac Sixteen Concept

sixteenconcept000sixteenconcept001sixteenconcept002sixteenconcept003sixteenconcept004

Cadillac XTS looks like Sixteen Concept, ATS aims at 3 Series with RWD originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 11 Aug 2009 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atsbryan nesbittBryanNesbittcadillaccadillac atscadillac xtsCadillacAtsCadillacXtsed welburnEdWelburnxtsTue, 11 Aug 2009 11:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Cadillac flagship to use stretched CTS platform, two new Buicks on the way?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/20/cadillac-flagship-to-use-stretched-cts-platform-two-new-buicks/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/20/cadillac-flagship-to-use-stretched-cts-platform-two-new-buicks/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/20/cadillac-flagship-to-use-stretched-cts-platform-two-new-buicks/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



Cadillac's on-again, off-again plan to replace the aging DTS and STS with one flagship product - which may or may not be known as the XTS - is reportedly back on track. According to Motor Trend, the original plan to use the Zeta platform of the Holden Commodore and Pontiac G8 has been shelved in favor a stretched version of Cadillac's own Sigma chassis that underpins the smaller CTS. If there's any truth to these rumors, we should expect to see the new Caddy for the 2012 model year.

The demise of the DTS also spells impending doom for the Buick Lucerne since the two vehicles are built atop the same platform at the Detroit Hamtramck assembly plant. MT reports that Buick will get two new models to replace the Lucerne, one of which may revive the old Invicta name from the 1960s. That mid-size sedan would replace the canceled Saturn Aura and be based on the Opel Insignia, which uses the same Epsilon II platform that's used by the 2010 Buick LaCrosse.

The second new Buick will reportedly be a notch smaller and will share its compact Delta guts with the Chevrolet Cruze but be fitted with the suspension adjustments pioneered on the Opel Astra. We'll just have to wait and see how that car goes along with Fritz Henderson's proclamation that he's 'not a fan of rebadging' if it ever sees the light of day.

[Source: Motor Trend]

Cadillac flagship to use stretched CTS platform, two new Buicks on the way? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 buick invicta2012 buick regal2012BuickInvicta2012BuickRegalbuickbuick invictaBuickInvictabuicl lucerneBuiclLucernecadillaccadillac xtsCadillacXtsMon, 20 Jul 2009 15:32:00 EST<![CDATA[REPORT: Cadillac DTS to be replaced by XTS, which will be built in Canada alongside new Buick Regal]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/02/report-cadillac-dts-to-be-replaced-by-xts-which-will-be-built/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/02/report-cadillac-dts-to-be-replaced-by-xts-which-will-be-built/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/02/report-cadillac-dts-to-be-replaced-by-xts-which-will-be-built/#commentsFiled under: , ,



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]

REPORT: Cadillac DTS to be replaced by XTS, which will be built in Canada alongside new Buick Regal originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cadillac xtsCadillacXtsoshawaoshawa ontariooshawa plantoshawaontarioOshawaPlantThu, 02 Jul 2009 08:29:00 EST