2013 Cadillac XTS

2013 Cadillac XTS Introduces a New Formula for Luxury

Cadillac unveiled the 2013 XTS today, the newest addition to the Cadillac luxury sedan lineup. It arrives in showrooms in Ú.S. and Canadian showrooms in the spring of 2012 as the most technologically advanced production car in the brand's history.

Larger than the CTS, the new XTS delivers the space, elegance and dramatic presence that are Cadillac signatures, but with entirely new and technically advanced methods tuned for a new generation of luxury customers. It also marks the debut of CÚE, a comprehensive in-vehicle experience that merges intuitive design with auto industry-first controls and commands for information and media control.

In addition to the CÚE interface and connectivity, many other advanced technologies are integral to the new XTS. It will be the only luxury sedan with standard Magnetic Ride Control – the world's fastest-reacting suspension. Advanced technologies that enhance vision and safety surround the driver are available as well.

Positioned directly above the centerpiece CTS family in Cadillac's revamped lineup, the new XTS features a 3.6L direct injection engine and advanced all-wheel drive system, marking a shift to more-efficient performance in a spacious luxury sedan. (concept carz)

'The Cadillac XTS represents a new formula for luxury, driven by advanced technology,' said Don Butler, vice president of Cadillac Marketing. 'XTS showcases the evolution of our Art & Science philosophy, merging the best technical ideas with the continued refinement of Cadillac design.'

Cadillac CÚE is the highly customizable user interface that exemplifies XTS' blend of advanced technology and artistic design. The heart of CÚE, which stands for Cadillac Úser Experience, is the standard eight-inch (203 mm) screen in the 'center stack,' the faceplate below the screen and the steering wheel controls. CÚE features several industry firsts, including capacitive-touch control with proximity sensing, gesture recognition and natural voice recognition.

Available exclusively on the XTS is the 12.3-inch (312 mm) reconfigurable cluster. It features vibrant graphic displays showcased among four driver-selectable themes, ranging from minimal to extensive information. And while it is the prominent element in the XTS' technological character, CÚE is part of a more comprehensive and layered approach to the car's design, capabilities and performance

'The more you look, the more layers you see in XTS,' said Butler. 'They aren't always apparent to the eye, but they build on one another in important ways to reinforce the car's strength of design, comfort and driving experience.'

Highlights include:
• Advanced Haldex all-wheel-drive system with electronically controlled limited-slip differential

• Magnetic Ride Control, rear air suspension, HiPer Strut front suspension and Brembo brakes – all standard

• Standard 19-inch wheels and available 20-inch wheels

• Direct-injected 3.6L V-6 with lightweight features, including integrated cylinder heads/exhaust manifolds

• Capless fuel tank filler for easier, cleaner refueling

• Folding rear-seat headrests that enhance rear visibility

• Safety Alert Seat that vibrates to alert the driver

• Intervening braking system that lessens or avoids potential collisions

• Short- and long-range radar systems that support:

• Adaptive Cruise Control

• Front and Rear Automatic Brakes

• Rear Cross Traffic Alert.

The XTS is also the most-spacious Cadillac sedan, tailored to provide roominess in a more efficiently sized package. It offers more interior space than midsize luxury cars and comparable to full-size sedans, particularly in the rear seat area, where it has 40 inches (1,016 mm) of rear legroom. That's about four more inches than the BMW 5 Series, and Mercedes-Benz E-Class and about two more inches than the Audi A6 – and comparable to larger sedans.

And when it comes to trunk space, the XTS is in a league of its own, with 18 cubic feet (509 L), exceeding both midsize and full-size competitors – more than Audi A6 and A8L, BMW 5 and 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz E- and S-Class. For XTS customers, the cargo advantage means room for five or more suitcases.

Technology reinforces multidimensional design philosophy

XTS' hardware and spatial dimensions are the foundational layers that support a new level of surface detail. Multidimensional exterior and interior elements, including the grille, headlamps and new use of accent lighting, coalesce to give the XTS a presence and attention to detail unlike any Cadillac that has come before it.

'The XTS' technology is woven into its design in ways that affirm the driving experience is of primary importance to a new generation of luxury customers,' said Clay Dean, design director and Cadillac brand champion. 'This is the new expression of luxury at Cadillac and it shows in the multilayered details, authentic materials and unprecedented connectivity.'

CÚE, for example, represents the pinnacle of technology, but it is being showcased using a subtle and sophisticated interior appearance that blends with other features to create a soothing and inviting feel. It offers more capability and driver-selectable choices than ever before from Cadillac, but the center stack has only seven buttons – three of them for the radio. That's less than half the controls found on the center stack of the typical car.

'Technology helps the XTS deliver more with less,' said Dean. 'Choreographed interior lighting and other unique features tailored to individual driver preferences complement CÚE to create an exceptionally refined and advanced ambience.'

The XTS' surface details also convey a more-nuanced design philosophy, with elements that support the long, sleek proportion that is a welcome return to Cadillac. They bring forward more beauty and elegance with refined, graceful forms and surfaces working harmoniously with established Cadillac linear forms. It is a car that conveys the next step in Cadillac form and surface vocabulary.

'It is a bold, elegant design and also very efficient in the ways it encompasses passengers and cargo,' said Dean. 'It's a new proportion for Cadillac and a new era in luxury.'

The XTS Platinum is the fullest expression of Cadillac's multidimensional philosophy, with features that include a chrome/satin-chrome grille finish, polished 20-inch aluminum wheels with chrome inserts, a fully wrapped leather interior with Alcantara headliner and more.

Advanced safety features based on ‘control and alert' strategy

• Forward Collision Alert

• Safety Alert Seat

• Side Blind Zone Alert

• Rear Cross Traffic Alert

• Reflected LED display.

ESS II includes all ESS I content plus:
• Head-up display (in color)

• Front and Rear Automatic Brake

• Adaptive Cruise Control

• Automatic Collision Preparation

XTS also features OnStar as standard. OnStar service also includes myCadillac and OnStar myLink mobile apps, whichoffer vehicle information and OnStar services via the customer's smartphone.

AWD and Magnetic Ride Control support new driving experience

A layered approach to the driving experience relies on new and established technologies – all rooted in a stiff structure. The body is infused with strategically placed ultra-high-strength steel for strength and crash protection and serves as the foundation for the advanced-chassis system.

A smart Haldex all-wheel-drive system – with an electronic limited-slip differential that splits torque between the rear wheels – complements an advanced HiPer Strut front suspension and standard Magnetic Ride Control real-time damping to give the XTS sure-footed, confident and comfortable ride and handling traits. A linked H-arm design with 'air springs' comprises the rear suspension.

HiPer Strut is based on the MacPherson strut front suspension design and features dual-path top mountings that separate the transfer of spring and damper loads to the body structure. It improves ride-and-handling characteristics in four significant ways:
• Provides more linear and communicative steering through improved camber control

• Improves impact isolation on bumps and rough surfaces

• Reduces torque steer

• Improves vehicle sensitivity to tire irregularities and wheel imbalance.

Magnetic Ride Control delivers precise body motion control – 'reading' the road every millisecond and changing damping in just five milliseconds. It replaces conventional mechanical-valve shocks with electronically controlled shocks filled with a magneto-rheological fluid containing minute iron particles. Únder the presence of magnetic charge, the iron particles align to provide damping resistance almost instantly.

StabiliTrak electronic stability control is standard on all models, along with variable-effort steering and Brembo four-wheel disc brakes with four-channel antilock brakes – all features that add important layers of control to the driving experience. Like Magnetic Ride Control, XTS borrows the Brembo braking technology from Cadillac's V-Series of high performance models.

Horsepower for the XTS comes from an advanced 3.6L V-6 that's known by its 'LFX' engine code. It is rated at an estimated 300 horsepower (224 kW). Lightweight features help reduce overall weight for greater efficiency and a more favorable front-to-rear weight balance. Examples include a composite intake manifold saves approximately 5.5 pounds (2.5 kg) over the weight of a comparable aluminum intake and an integrated cylinder head/exhaust manifold design that saves approximately 13 pounds (6 kg) per engine.

The LFX engine is matched with the Hydra-Matic 6T70 six-speed automatic transmission with tap-shift control.

The XTS will begin production in Oshawa, Ontario in spring 2012.

Source - Cadillac

Cadillac XTS Named Connected Car of the Year

Honored for balance of safety, convenience, infotainment
Connected World magazine awarded the Cadillac XTS a Connected Car of the Year award in the luxury category. Available in late spring 2012, the new XTS will debut Cadillac CÚE, a comprehensive in-vehicle experience that merges intuitive design with auto industry-first controls and commands for information and media.

'Rather than just looking for power, speed, and performance, a connected car means turn-by-turn directions, voice-activated controls, and precollision systems,' says Peggy Smedley, editorial director, Connected World. 'Car buyers now want it all under one hood and in the cabin.'

CÚE, which stands for Cadillac Úser Experience, is a highly customizable user interfaces including a standard eight-inch (203 mm) screen in the 'center stack.' CÚE features several auto industry firsts, including capacitive-touch control with proximity sensing, gesture recognition and natural voice recognition.

The intuitive touch interface used in CÚE is the same technology employed by many of today's most popular handheld phones and tablets. Designed for both tech savvy and tech averse users, it allows consumers to securely store those mobile devices while channeling the information on those devices, along with navigation tools, weather maps with Doppler radar and AM/FM and XM radio.

In addition to CÚE, the XTS will debut a network of safety cameras, radar and ultrasonic sensors to bolster driver vision and awareness of road hazards and intervene to help avert potential crashes. In some cases, Cadillac's enhanced vision and sensing systems will act without the driver, such as though automatic braking based on information indicating potential obstacles.

The Connected Car of the Year awards honor vehicles with technology that strike the right balance of safety, convenience, and infotainment. Chosen by the editorial team at Connected World magazine, the 2012 winners were named in small, mid-size, luxury, and ultra-luxury categories.

Cadillac has been a leading luxury auto brand since 1902. In recent years, Cadillac has engineered a historic renaissance led by artful engineering and advanced technology. More information on Cadillac can be found at media.cadillac.com.

Source - Cadillac

Cadillac Expands in China

2013 XTS production marks new stage in brand's global growth
Cadillac announced at this week's Beijing Auto Show that it will build the all-new XTS luxury sedan in China in conjunction with joint venture partner Shanghai General Motors (SGM). The production expansion for the Chinese market is a major landmark in the brand's global growth.

The new 2013 Cadillac XTS launches in North America later this spring with production beginning in the coming weeks at the Oshawa, Ontario Assembly Plant. XTS production will begin in China this fall. The XTS is a new approach to the luxury sedan, blending traditional Cadillac spaciousness with advanced technologies, some of which are industry and segment firsts.

'China is the second-largest market for Cadillac, and of course is one of the largest and strongest markets in the world for luxury cars, so it is a core part of our vision as a brand,' said Don Butler, Cadillac vice president of marketing. 'It is projected that by the end of the decade half of all luxury purchases in the world – all categories, not just cars – will occur in China.'

Cadillac's expansion in China in 2012 is the result of impressive growth for the brand. Since its small-scale debut in China in 2005, Cadillac has steadily earned a solid position. Cadillac sold a record 30,000 vehicles in China in 2011, compared with 17,000 in 2010.

XTS is not the first Cadillac assembled in China. That distinction belongs to the SLS Executive Sedan, an extended-length luxury car exclusive to China that began production in 2006. However, the expansion of XTS production to China marks the biggest step in Cadillac's growth in the world's largest automotive market.

All of the brand's core product lines are sold in China, with the CTS Sedan and Coupe, SRX crossover and Escalade imported from North America. The SRX is Cadillac's top seller in China. In March Cadillac sales set a monthly record of 2,745, an increase of 35.2% over the same period in 2011.

The average age of a Cadillac buyer in China is 35, signifying the explosive growth of the luxury marketplace and consumer perceptions of Cadillac.

'We're very encouraged by the positive response Chinese luxury consumers have to Cadillac,' said Butler. 'Qualities like innovation and entrepreneurship are admired by many luxury consumers in China, which aligns well with Cadillac. The American spirit of Cadillac creates a distinct and compelling position in the luxury marketplace.'

Cadillac's dealer network has grown to 68 locations with projected growth to 120 dealers by the end of 2012. 'Our dealers in China are experiencing strong growth, with some of them quickly becoming among the largest and best we have in the world,' said Butler.

Source - Cadillac

CADILLAC XTS BRINGS ITS BEST TO LIVERY INDUSTRY

W20 Livery Package elevates limousines with XTS Platinum Edition elements

DETROIT - Cadillac is now selling more than nine of 10 all-new XTS models to individual luxury buyers, but the new luxury sedan is also outfitted with a special package that redefines how fleet and car service operators transport their more than 400 million customers.

With the new W20 Livery Package, Cadillac XTS-based limousines no longer take a back seat to showroom models. The package, which includes elements of the XTS Platinum Edition, is exclusively offered to livery companies through Cadillac's Professional Vehicles program.

'XTS represents a new approach to luxury, centered on advanced technology and design,' said Don Butler, vice president of Cadillac marketing. 'This same approach extends to Professional Vehicles, where we are bringing a new formula to the livery customer. Every experience in a Cadillac, front seat or rear seat, meets a higher standard for luxury, performance and technology.'

Únlike many of the cars built for the livery and fleet industries in the past, the special XTS model is at the higher-end of the product range, including 19-inch wheels, exterior door handles with LED illumination, safety technology such as a rear vision camera, and a micro-fiber suede headliner included in the XTS Platinum Edition.

An available rear seat comfort package includes heated seats, window sun shades and a power inverter to charge mobile devices. Navigation, offered through Cadillac's CÚE system for connectivity and control, is also available in the W20 Livery Package.

Carey International, the world's largest livery company, was one of the first companies to sign on, purchasing 150 new Cadillac XTS W20 Professional Services Sedans.

'Our customers wanted approachable luxury and enabling technology,' said Gary Kessler, president and CEO of Carey International. 'We chose the XTS as the cornerstone of the Carey brand because it represented the perfect combination of power, luxury, technology and sophistication that our customers desire and demand today.'

Carey conducted extensive research into 24 vehicles before choosing the XTS W20. 'In the end, the decision to go with the XTS was a no brainer,' Kessler §äid.

Cadillac's Professional Vehicles program includes a select number of coachbuilders authorized by Cadillac to convert vehicles for use in commercial or fleet duties according to a specific set of standards. ( posted on conceptcarz.com) Click here for more information on this program.

Cadillac has been a leading luxury auto brand since 1902. In recent years, Cadillac has engineered a historic renaissance led by artful engineering and advanced technology. More information on Cadillac can be found at media.cadillac.com.

Source - Cadillac

Cadillac Begins XTS Production in China for China

Luxury sedan launch marks new era of growth
Cadillac this week began production of the new XTS luxury sedan in China, the latest and most important milestone in the brand's growth in the world's largest auto market.

Shanghai joins Oshawa, Ontario, as an assembly location for the XTS, marking the brand's biggest step in its expansion since arriving in China in 2006.

'We are reaching the next level of Cadillac growth in China,' said Bob Ferguson, vice president Global Cadillac. 'This expansion in localized assembly for our brand in China coincides with the strong momentum of our new product portfolio and significant growth in the dealer network.'

Cadillac China's dealer network has grown to more than 150 locations, roughly doubling in the past year. It is planned to reach 250 outlets in the next two years. The brand sold 30,000 vehicles in China in 2012 with a goal of topping 100,000 annually by 2015.

The Cadillac XTS marks an important addition to China, redefining the large luxury sedan via advanced technology such as standard Magnetic Ride Control, the breakthrough CÚE system for connectivity and control and advanced safety systems.

The elegant and spacious interior of the XTS is a good fit in China, where luxurious space is highly valued.

Local assembly and a smaller displacement 2.0L Turbo powertrain in the XTS help the car reach a more compelling market position in China.

'We're poised to move to the next level,' Ferguson §äid. 'Growth in the Chinese market is essential to any top-level luxury auto brand, and it boosts our brand and our business everywhere including in the Ú.S.'

Source - Cadillac