Cars that promise to transport us along in comfort and safety, with a new sense of style. Cars that move us closer to the green zone and will no doubt help to clean the air that we breathe, burn less fuel, and ease the conscience of those who will drive them (and those who want others to drive them).
The advances of technology have done some wondrous things for the automotive industry.
And then, there is the new Cadillac CTS-V Coupe. Introduced with some drama and with a video created as though it were a trailer for a fictional movie called High Performance Luxury at World's End. There are no zombies, but great googly moogly there is some wickedness - lightning, wind, large waves, fire, lava, explosions, and the authoritative thunder that is the V series’ V8 blunderbuss. This is why I like all the new hybrids and green initiatives. It allows GM to build cars like this, and this is a good thing.
It looks cool enough (although to me, the sedan is actually more attractive), and I’m sure it will sell enough copies to stay in production for a while, but I really like the fact that there’s a large enough market that Maximum Bob Lutz was able to talk the bean counters into building this piece of two door madness (556 horsepower? Really? Thank you Bob).
What’s even better (to me at least, and I’m writing this article, so I’m going to type it) is that although this is good news and a positive sign that GM is advancing even further toward better days, the really cool thing is that Cadillac has revealed that they’re also strongly considering a CTS-V WAGON. Thanks again Bob! I likely won’t be able to buy a new one, but perhaps a gently abused previously enjoyed unit will come available in a few years, before the apocalypse depicted in the Coupe video actually happens and my family can enjoy a totally mad family wagon before everything goes kaboom.
What makes the video so good? Perhaps it’s the juxtaposition of the madness and natural disaster imagery, played against the high technology and scientific wonder that makes up cars like this. Or perhaps Cadillac wants us to think they’ve got a sense of humour about the fact that they’re producing a seriously UN-PC car like this in a world becoming more populated with green soulless appliances vehicles soon to be powered by soybeans and corn husks. Or maybe it’s just a striking video because it looks cool - as though the car was shaped by Thor’s own hammer, with a soundtrack which sounds like a Wagner B-side. What’s not to like about some drama and explosions? Nothing, says I ...
Cadillac has revealed another piece of the future, too. Although it’s still being called a concept, the XTS Platinum Concept gives us all a look into the not too distant future at the car that will likely replace the STS and DTS. This car, like most (or all) recent Cadillac designs is somewhat polarizing. But that’s not a bad thing. And the interior is nothing short of being totally gorgeous. Something that really should have happened long ago, by a brand that was once considered the ‘standard of the world’.