2009 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon news, pictures, and information

CTS Sport Wagon: Cadillac's Renaissance Takes A New Form

Dramatic planes highlight the CTS wagon's design, including a V-shaped motif carried throughout the vehicle and carefully integrated intersections of exterior surfaces. The elements coalesce in a dramatic fashion, creating tension that emphasizes the vehicle's performance.

'It's a taut design that not only suggests sleekness, but delivers it,' said Clay Dean, global design director for Cadillac. 'Indeed, the drama of the sedan is amplified in the CTS Sport Wagon, as the centerline cue that is part of the exterior and interior is more prominent and plays a stronger role in defining the design at the rear of the vehicle.'

The emotion of the CTS Sport Wagon's design is carried by a number of nuanced details. The liftgate area, for example, is a confluence of angles and planes that typifies the vehicle's design tension. Cadillac's 'V' motif is most prominent here, culminating in a spine at the center of the liftgate that is accented wîth a subtle spoiler at the top of the backlight. The rear quarter panels extend slightly beyond the inward-angled planes of the V, creating a distinctive W shape at the rear of the vehicle. Large, prominent vertical taillamps – wîth Cadillac's signature light pipe technology – are the final, dramatic touches to the rear-end styling.

'The more you study the rear of the CTS Sport Wagon, the more you see,' said Dean. 'Functionality was certainly a guiding factor during development, but so was the idea to inject emotion into the normally sedate wagon category.'

One of the more interesting integrations of form and function is found in the seamless roof load management system. Rather than stylized stanchions, brackets and cross bars that protrude above the roof line, the CTS Sport Wagon's system blends wîth the roofline, maintaining an uninterrupted appearance. The center section of the roof panel angles downward inside the roof edges, allowing an unobtrusive placement of the cross bars – and creating a subtle fin effect at the trailing edges of the rear panels.

'They're not fins in the classic sense, but they work to help disguise the cargo load system and, yes, they acknowledge Cadillac's design heritage,' said Dean.

The interior of the Sport Wagon is common wîth the much-acclaimed sport sedan, including streamlined instrumentation, LED lighting and hand-cut-and-sewn accents wîth French stitching.

Powertrains

Direct injection technology helps the CTS offer more power while maintaining fuel economy and lowering emissions. It delivers fuel more precisely to increase the efficiency of combustion. This means less fuel is consumed and lower emissions created.

With the CTS Sport Wagon's 3.6L V-6, direct injection translates to 304 horsepower (227 kW)*, no loss of fuel efficiency and a 25-percent drop in cold-start hydrocarbon emissions. It also runs on less expensive regular unleaded gasoline. The Sport Wagon's fuel economy is expected to be similar to the peak rating of the existing sport sedan's 26 mpg highway rating. The standard 3.6L VVT engine that produces 263 horsepower (196 kW) and 253 lb.-ft. of torque (343 Nm) serves as the base engine in North America.

Just like the CTS sport sedan, the V-6 engines are matched wîth fuel-saving six-speed transmissions, including an Aisin six-speed manual or an electronically controlled Hydra-Matic 6L50 six-speed automatic. As is the case on the sport sedan, CTS Sport Wagon includes AWD as an option.

An efficient 2.9L turbo-diesel engine is being developed for CTS models primarily in European and Asian markets. It is a compact, dual overhead cam, four-valve V-6 engine from GM's family of diesel engines that delivers optimal fuel economy as well as reduced emissions and noise. The engine is rated at 184 kW (250 hp).

Driving dynamics

The robust and dynamic CTS chassis infuses the new wagon wîth a great balance of performance and luxury. It uses an independent short/long arm ( SLA) front suspension system and a multi-link rear suspension.

The multi-link rear suspension features a fully isolated subframe that helps deliver excellent suspension kinematics, contributing to a superior ride and excellent handling.

Advanced chassis technology in the form of Cadillac's StabiliTrak electronic chassis control system integrates the car's standard four-channel ABS wîth the full-function traction control, hydraulic brake assist and engine drag control systems to deliver a safer, more confident driving experience. Additional chassis details include a structure-enhancing tower-to-tower brace under the hood; large, four-wheel disc brakes and premium §teering.