Those pics are embargoed. GMI is probably going to hear from GM. The embargo will be lifted on Thursday. Those pics are on the GM Media site, but are in a special, locked section.
I think the front end looks good. The extra bits of styling on the bumper near the fog/turn lights spruce things up a bit.
View from the side, however, is dissapointing, especially in the rear 1/3 of the car. The front overhang is too large. The taillights don't wrap upwards onto the trunk as on the CTS, so I think the rear might have an "old man's Cadillac" look to it.
Overall, it seems like the STS lacks some of the more dynamic style work of the CTS. It looks kind of bland, but maybe it's just a bad picture. The fenders could use some more stamping; they look they just have holes cut out for the wheels like on the G35.
The new Art & Science cars have been selling well largely on account of their styling. Not everybody likes it, but those who do want the cars bad. If GM has designed the STS by committee to offend less people, then I think they're in for a painful surprise, because you do need an exciting, perhaps polarizing design to lure away buyers from the BMW 5-series and Mercedes E-class.
Boy I wish I had that kind of access. The pics will go up on the regular GM Media site on the 4th, along with official press releases and images of a host of other cars.
cornell-
Funny you mention the designing by commitee idea. Lutz hates focus groups, and says it's better if 20% love it than 80% going "meh". He just hates A&S.
the problem with focus groups is they only respond to something, as opposed to 'envisioning' something beyond what the usual focus group schmucks could even comprehend.
Focus groups by their nature need something to focus on. Perhaps a better way would be to get a list of features a car should have and then throw it into a car. Once you have some configuration, work on refining it within the parameters of the features/styling it needs to have.
While I was getting my CTS serviced the other day, I overheard a conversation with the dealer reps and a GM exec (Northstar power train guy) who was visiting. I got into a conversation with him on this car and a few other things. Without getting too specific, on some thing, here's what he had to say...
The STS' dimensions will be a bit larger than the CTS, but not too much larger.
The interior shot that was posted on the Internet of the interior is the real thing.
There will be a future STS-V and XLR-V with supercharged Northstars. This probably isn't real news except for the fact that there are real prototypes running around. Chasing the ever-increasing horsepower race has been a challenge. Originally they were looking for a lower 400s HP engine, but now that's not enough.
Don't expect the big 7.5L XV-12 in anything except an Escalade. If they do a 12 for any other car, it'll be smaller.
And finally, you can thank Bob Lutz for everything. It's a great time to be working at Cadillac again.
"And finally, you can thank Bob Lutz for everything. It's a great time to be working at Cadillac again."
Actually, that's not true. I know a number of GM insiders, and they say Bob Lutz is the biggest obstacle right now "if you happen to like what Cadillac has been doing recently". Bob Lutz is more typical of the 1990's celebrity CEO mould, more focused on self-promotion than being a team player. He's taken credit for a lot of stuff that he had basically no input on.
STS will actually be considerably larger than the CTS, at 196 inches. Previously, it was thought to be only 193 inches.
Two 2005 STS models. Two dimensions 196. vs. 193. Then there is five speed or a six speed. O and the computer generated pics of the exterior. Hp not 320 but 350 standard. Also remember the September issue of Car and Driver and Road and Track both have pictures of the O5 STS. The R/T STS looks like a smaller 16 concept, and its the one the road being driven, while the C/D looks like the old picture in Popular Mechanics a few months ago. Does anyone know which is THE REAL STS. Someone has the no the truth about the 05'STS besides GM-Cadillac officals. I thought I'd just bring that to everyones attention. The only good pic I've seen is the handsome interior. Just some imput.
GM Insidenews already has the "real" STS posted from the embargoed press kit. We know it's real because it looks like the "real" spy shots. Also, GM insiders are confirming it's real.
at a very competitive moment. As far as I can tell, it will face the new BMW 5 (year old), fairly new BMW 7, new Lexus GS, new Infiniti M45, new Acura RL, new Audi A6, new LS430 (year old, but only a year away from a totally new car), etc, etc. Point is, that each of those cars will have lots to offer and Cadillac needs to clearly differentiate itself from the others, or at least, make itself a very comparable American alternative, which many would buy. Not all of the cars above may be direct competitors, but all are in the price "ball park" and will probably be among those "look at" by potential buyers. I want Caddy to hit a home run with the STS, and pray that there is no skimping here and there to save a few bucks, which drives serious buyers to foreign makes. It will not be worth it...
you are our BEST source of info on the new STS. Anything else you can dig up? Pics (obviously), powertrain info, transmissions, gearing, weight, when it is likely to go on sale, prices, etc, etc. Thanks and Happy Holidays!
For all things mechanical, post 145 has it. There aren't any new pics as of right now. Prices should be lower 40s all the way to high 50s or very low 60s.
Check the MSN Autos NAIAS site...they're the official website. It might have Cadillac, I don't know. GM is usually shady on what new models they are about to introduce.
but nobody knows anything new about the STS right now... after those spy pics with the interior shots of the test model, things dried up. Nobody even knows the debut place or time, but obviously it's not LA or NAIAS.
Geneva most likely. The only big thing at Chicago will probably be the Uplander and SV6, nothing to get really excited about. At NY there will be the Buick roadster, the LaCrosse, maybe the refreshed ION, maybe a GMC concept, and maybe, and very maybe on this one, a Chevy SUV concept that will have the Chayanne look. The GMC supposedly shows what the new GMT-900 SUVs will look like.
I'm not sure what some of you were expecting but this car looks very much like a lot of the photo shop jobs I have seen. It's pretty much what I expected, not a surprise at all.
Need to see more pictures to be sure, but it looks like pictures I saw a year ago.
Comments
The real GM PR site, www.media.gm.com does not have pictures of the STS on it.
-juice
View from the side, however, is dissapointing, especially in the rear 1/3 of the car. The front overhang is too large. The taillights don't wrap upwards onto the trunk as on the CTS, so I think the rear might have an "old man's Cadillac" look to it.
Overall, it seems like the STS lacks some of the more dynamic style work of the CTS. It looks kind of bland, but maybe it's just a bad picture. The fenders could use some more stamping; they look they just have holes cut out for the wheels like on the G35.
The new Art & Science cars have been selling well largely on account of their styling. Not everybody likes it, but those who do want the cars bad. If GM has designed the STS by committee to offend less people, then I think they're in for a painful surprise, because you do need an exciting, perhaps polarizing design to lure away buyers from the BMW 5-series and Mercedes E-class.
If so, will photos of an actual preproduction car be released on the 4th?
cornell-
Funny you mention the designing by commitee idea. Lutz hates focus groups, and says it's better if 20% love it than 80% going "meh". He just hates A&S.
so ultimately focus groups have limited value.
If that doesn't work, try a different version.
-Paul
The STS' dimensions will be a bit larger than the CTS, but not too much larger.
The interior shot that was posted on the Internet of the interior is the real thing.
There will be a future STS-V and XLR-V with supercharged Northstars. This probably isn't real news except for the fact that there are real prototypes running around. Chasing the ever-increasing horsepower race has been a challenge. Originally they were looking for a lower 400s HP engine, but now that's not enough.
Don't expect the big 7.5L XV-12 in anything except an Escalade. If they do a 12 for any other car, it'll be smaller.
And finally, you can thank Bob Lutz for everything. It's a great time to be working at Cadillac again.
Actually, that's not true. I know a number of GM insiders, and they say Bob Lutz is the biggest obstacle right now "if you happen to like what Cadillac has been doing recently". Bob Lutz is more typical of the 1990's celebrity CEO mould, more focused on self-promotion than being a team player. He's taken credit for a lot of stuff that he had basically no input on.
STS will actually be considerably larger than the CTS, at 196 inches. Previously, it was thought to be only 193 inches.
Engines will be the same as the SRX.
Probably threat of lawsuit.
So, no.
GM will not provide official timing until the annoucement at the NAIAS next month.
If GM does not launch the STS at Detroit, it would make a lot more sense that we will not see it until New York.
Geneva would be very interesting. GM would have a lot to say about its Europe ambitions for Cadillac if it launched the STS in Geneva.
-juice
-juice
And Happy Holidays to all!
-juice
One guess is the New York show.
-juice
-juice
5pm apparently.
The problem is the front bumper, the middle especially is way too bland. Then the sides look too busy.
Nothing a face-lift can't fix 2 years from now.
-juice
-juice
Need to see more pictures to be sure, but it looks like pictures I saw a year ago.