2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe – Beastly Beauty

European and Asian luxury car manufacturers need to watch out. The all-new for 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe is a beastly beauty, an absolute head turner and the latest model in the vaunted CTS portfolio. The most recent iteration of this car goes on sale late this summer, the clearest demonstration of Cadillac’s art and science design scheme in all of its chiseled glory.

Concept Coupe

I’m biased when it comes to this model because I was on hand at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit when the concept of this coupe was rolled out. Its striking design captivated the audience, especially its non-existent B-pillar. Safety considerations required slight changes to the coupe’s appearance since then, with a very discreet B-pillar added in. Other than that, the original beauty we saw way back when is what consumers can now buy.

Cadillac is central to GM’s recovery plans with the CTS portfolio driving the brand’s success. With sedans, sports wagons and coupes now part of the line up, this mid-size Cadillac line offers a worthy challenge to competing brands including BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Lexus, Infiniti and Acura. Yes, Cadillac easily bests Lincoln with the CTS, providing a strong American built line able to take on the world’s best production cars.

Powerful Engine

A standard direct-injected 3.6-liter V-6 engine is paired with a six-speed manual transmission, featuring a revised clutch and dual-mass flywheel that Cadillac says offers better clutch pedal feel and improved engine isolation. Optionally, CTS buyers can select a six-speed automatic transmission with Driver Shift Control (and available steering wheel mounted shift buttons). Significantly, the Coupe’s final drive ratio is 3.73:1, up from the 3.42:1 ratio of other CTS models, allowing for more responsive acceleration.