Tuesday 12th January 2010

Cadillac XTS Platinum Concept

New plug-in hybrid exec saloon concept for Caddy

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Cadillac is to officially reveal its new flagship saloon concept in a conference later today at the Detroit Auto Show. The XTS Platinum is the bigger brother of the CTS saloon that's been in its current guise since 2008, but where the CTS was a rival to the BMW 5-series, the XTS is a few rungs higher up the executive ladder, somewhere closer to a 7-series.

In its smart new Cadillac 'Art and Science' family look the XTS has sharp European-style lines and a coupe-like high window line, and shows a clear resemblence to its little brother. The generous lashings of chrome on the outside and beige and wood interior trim are a little more 'on-message' for an American sedan, but they can't hide what is, in essence, a neat and modern design.

Indeed, beneath the obligatory walnut and leather appears to be quite a modern interior, including a clever 'OLED' (Organic LED) digital instrument cluster, bold centre console and rising screens for the rear passengers.

The four-wheel drive concept is a plug-in hybrid, with an electric motor that can apparently charge from a conventional US power outlet (half as powerful as over here at 120V) in around five hours, and should be in use full-time at congestion speeds. Once the traffic clears (or if the 'leccy motor runs out of juice) a direct-injection 3.6-litre V6 picks up the slack, but the electric motor can also be used for boosts at higher speeds, and the combined power output peaks at an estimated 350hp in short bursts.

The XTS Platinum concept also has Magnetic Ride Control (MRC), which can sense road conditions and adjust the damper settings appropriately, and the inevitable array of electronic systems for stability, traction and braking that you'd expect of a car in this segment.

Though this is just a concept, production of the final road-ready XTS Platinum should begin in early 2012. There's no word yet on UK availability, but if the Caddy makes it across the Atlantic you can bet it'll be priced to worry the established players in the European market.

And with modern styling and a fashionable hybrid drivetrain, the XTS Platinum may be a safer bet for the European market than most American saloon cars have traditionally been.

[wab172uk]

Would someone really buy one of these instead of a 7-series, Audi A8 or equivalent Merc?

[soad]

It looks bloody huge, interior not to my liking - reminds me of a boat.

[MrTappets]

Well the bonnet looks a little high, probs because of pedestrian safety regs, but i think overall that looks pretty darn good. Maybe if the new A8 was a little more distictive it wouldn't be a bad thing.

[vz-r_dave]

wab172uk said:

Would someone really buy one of these instead of a 7-series, Audi A8 or equivalent Merc?

Have you seen the latest A8?

I would buy this over the lot of them because I am not a badge following snob with a lack of imagination

[Ed.]

Not sure how 120v being half 240v is relevant, a 60w bulb still uses 60w on either side of the pond whether its drawing .5 or .25 amps.

Not a fan of the whole Cadillac styling but isn't the Lexus LS the only real competitor until the Germans bring their hybrids out?

[anonymous-user]

I quite like it! The A8 is very boring the 5 series is ugly and the S class is too obvious! I think this deservese a chance and could be a nice alternative along the lines of a Lexus LS and the Pheaton!

[Gun]

I like that as well, now all they need to do is put the engine from the CTS-V in there.

[ScottishSamurai]

I really like the look of new Cadillacs, especially the CTS-V thingy!

[anonymous-user]

Ed. said:

Not sure how 120v being half 240v is relevant, a 60w bulb still uses 60w on either side of the pond whether its drawing .5 or .25 amps.

Technically you're right but never forget that this is PH and anything American is only half as good as the British equivalent. For instance,

Voltage - American mains voltage only just more than half of British voltage.

Temperature - American degree Farhrenheit only just over half a degree Celsius.

Liquids - American gallon barely over three quarters of the British equivalent.

[300bhp/ton]

wab172uk said:

Would someone really buy one of these instead of a 7-series, Audi A8 or equivalent Merc?

But seriously unless you are blind and dull why would you want any of the cars you've listed. They are all a cross between bland multiplied by infinity and then being beaten with the ugly stick.

I'm not saying I'd look at this Caddy either. But maybe the people who do buy some of cars you've listed do so for totally different reasons to actually wanting a descent, interesting good looking car?

[timewatch]

There has been a lot of new rumblings in the GM camp recently, for the good I may add !

The new Astra looks like a big seller too, I've heard a lot of friends make mention of it and that's unusual, so good on you GM.....

I really like this car, the interior looks fantastic, that steering wheel looks 'Awesome' to quote the Yank's.

TW>>>

[ellisd82]

vz-r_dave said:

wab172uk said:

Would someone really buy one of these instead of a 7-series, Audi A8 or equivalent Merc?

Have you seen the latest A8?

I would buy this over the lot of them because I am not a badge following snob with a lack of imagination

Could not agree more!

[F93]

My view of the competitors is:
New Mercedes styling is essentially the first time Mercedes has made its cars look more like a Lexus. It's ugly, not a Mercedes.
No Mercedes today is what a Mercedes is meant to be, subtle yet elegant.
BMW = Immensely ugly for a 'luxury' car. Trying to make a something like a Bentley have the styling of a Ferrari was doomed to fail. Again, BMW is meant to be subtle and elegant, not a slab-doored badly proportioned thing designed by someone with a blindfold on.
Audi = Probably the best now, but invariably boring.

Cadillac = You only have to flick the book back about 15 years and the boats they made really mess their image, but for once, at least in black, they've designed a car that looks dynamic and yet subtle. not really elegant with that sharp front end, for sure, but it's from America.
It'll probably be crap plastic inside, but do you really buy a car and rub your face in the dashboard just because it cost £70,000? And then go 'This is bad plastic, it really spoils the car... '

No.

[BlackSteel]

I really hope they put this on sale in the UK.

I'm not a gambling man but I would walk into the nearest bookies & put down some serious wedge on the fact that sales over a year wouldn't get into double figures!! lol

[infradig]

I like it, and I'm glad that cars that have a distinct National identity are still being designed in these platform sharing penny pinching times.Although GM would be mad to try and sell it here.Have they sold the SRX that was in the Park Lane showroom for months, yet?

[LuS1fer]

I love it. It is elegant and it's all in scale and has fantastic proportions. Makes the new XJ look a bit dippy and makes the rather odd German offerings look plain weird. Not only would I buy one, it would top the list quite easily on looks. An XTS-V would be quite something although traditionally the CTS-V would remain the performance version.

[Tim16V]

That is a refreshing, edgy design that moves things on nicely for luxobarges compared to the boring A8 etc.

Doubt very much we'll see it here, the numbers are just too low and that's a shame.

[Tim16V]

infradig said:

I like it, and I'm glad that cars that have a distinct National identity are still being designed in these platform sharing penny pinching times.Although GM would be mad to try and sell it here.Have they sold the SRX that was in the Park Lane showroom for months, yet?

I think all the SRX's have gone - but they sold last year brand new at fifty per cent of list. The PL showroom now comprises used mass market kit, the last Caddy went about four weeks ago. I think this says a lot about the prospects for Cadillac in the UK but I hope I'm wrong.

[rypt]

Too much chrome, and stupidly large grille.

[davepoth]

Rear reminds me of the new XJ...