2013 Cadillac XTS [w/video]

Jeffrey N. Ross — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Cadillac, New Car Reviews, Luxury

The Cadillac Of Stopgaps

As confusing as most alphanumeric car names have gotten in recent years, at least one constant has been that the letter "X" is generally indicative of a crossover. Then why did General Motors use this letter on its new 2013 Cadillac XTS luxury sedan? Well, for that, we'll have to look to the world of mathematics where "X" stands for an unknown variable or a placeholder. Now we're talking. The XTS is just an interim product sitting at the top of Cadillac's four-door food chain until the brand gets a true flagship in place. That sounds like a lot of resources to spend on what will likely be a one-and-done model, but the automaker needed to get something - anything - to replace the DTS.

So here you have the 2013 XTS. A big luxury sedan that was created to bridge the gap between Cadillac's recent past and its pending future. Going into our week with this XTS knowing that it was a stopgap measure proved to be both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, we know (or hope) that this car will act as a baseline for future high-end Cadillac models, but at the same time, we couldn't help but be mindful of past stopgap models, albeit in more entry-level segments, like the Cimarron and Catera.

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2013 Cadillac XTS [w/video]

Michael Harley — Tue, 29 May 2012 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Cadillac, First Drives, Luxury

Not Quite The Cadillac Of Cadillacs

There was a time when the name of the second oldest American automotive nameplate meant something more. The term "Cadillac" was widely used to express the best of the best. In fact, it was common for people to use the term when referring to other items (e.g., "It's the Cadillac of stereo receivers" or the "Cadillac of washing machines") to drive home the point that something was nothing short of top-of-the-line.

It was good to be Cadillac, and the automaker supported the conviction with vehicles such as the 1928 Series 341, 1936 V12 Series 85 and 1947 Series 62.

By the 1970s, though, much of the luster had begun to fade. Then vehicles like the Cimarron and Catera happened.

But Cadillac has been on track to redeem itself. Vehicles like the SRX crossover and CTS range (especially the high-performance CTS-V models) have helped the 110-year-old luxury automaker alter the public's opinion and reinvigorate the brand. Retiring the full-size DTS is another milestone, as fresh new products began to fill the pipeline.

Enter the all-new 2013 Cadillac XTS. For the next couple years, the full-size luxury sedan is tasked with holding the flagship role in Cadillac's passenger car lineup. Meaning, in so many words, that the range-topping model loaded with nearly every bell-and-whistle known to man and a base price of $60,000 should be... well... the Cadillac of Cadillacs.

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2013 Cadillac XTS [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 May 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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