Cadillac CTS/CTS-V

jemiller · March 2003

Cadillac is either behind on schedule (e.g. certifying the manual transmission with the 3.6L) or completely screwed up on this one. People in the US don't buy manual transmissions on the little engine for economy.

A narrow (but very vocal, and very devoted) segment of buyers buys manual transmissions on the biggest engines for fun. Until GM learns this one, they will not be competitive at the high-roller table.

The 3.6L engine is going to be used in a wide range of vehicles - aside from where else it might end up in GM's US line, it's replacing the 3.8 Buick rockerbox in the Australian Holdens.

richm4 · March 2003

Considering that the 2003 CTS has been out for well over a year, does anyone know when the 2004's will start hitting the lot?

b4z · March 2003

I am guessing that they will start building the '04's in either June or July with the cars on the lots in August.
But that doesn't mean the new engine will be available then. It could be Sept or October or even later.
Sometimes they will end production earlier and start the next year's production earlier too.
Kind of like what they did with the 2002 Camaro.
It was availble in June '01

merc1 · March 2003

Cadillac had a very good commercial running tonight during the Academy Awards.

A man enters a subway car and sits down, he then notices a vintage Cadillac on a poster on the wall.....then the trains moves......he sees that car in motion and then he sees the CTS, Escalade and finally the XLR. When the train stops the picture on the wall is of the XLR.

Then the announcers says "Who would have seen it coming". Finally a good ad from Caddy.

M

sevenfeet0 · March 2003

That ad played during the Super Bowl. The man starts in the commercial in 1953 looking at an ad for a 1953 Cadillac Eldorado (with correct Cadillac script, though the Cadillac logo is from the late 50's...oops). As the train starts to move, so does the Eldo, which is then passed by a CTS, the an Escalade, a SRX, and finally the XLR. When the train stops, the main is in the year 2003.

merc1 · March 2003

Yep thats the one, I'd never seen it before. It actually grabbed my attention. Probably the best ad I've seen from Cadillac.

M

sevenfeet0 · March 2003

A few other notables from that website:

The colors Sterling, Garnet Red and Copper Sunburst are all history. My dealership said that the dealers never really liked Sterling; they wanted a better silver tone. Copper Sunburst was just a hard color to sell, although the occasional extroverted buyer sometimes came in and had to have it. And I agree that the CTS needed a better red.

The seats get lumbar adjustment...hooray!

The dashboard clock gets replaced by a water temp gauge. Finally! Now where's the oil temp and engine temp gauges while we're at it?

The 3.6L V6 joins the 3.2L V6 in the lineup. Yup, this is classic German marketing, and the correct move. People who want a CTS for under $33K can still get one, while buyers who want the better engine will pay for it. Those of us who have 2003 CTS's won't suffer severe depreciation over a 1 year engine, and GM will still get some return on some of its engineering costs when the 3.2L V6 was modified for the CTS from its original design.

New wheels, but no 18" option...well, at least not until the CTSv shows up. No more exposed polished lug nuts in the new designs.

The LuxSport gets the polished wheels back as standard. I never understood why this was taken away in the first place.

A biggie...no manual transmission for the 3.6 V6. I'm going to assume right now that this is another example of a option that isn't ready for primetime and will be late. Considering that the 3.2L V6 has one, and the CTSv will certainly have one, the 3.6L's absence of a manual is too much to overlook. Hopefully this will get rectified soon.

Split folding rear seat is now standard on the Lux Sport...should be standard across the board.

Lux Sport gets the Xenon headlamps standard...good.

Unlike the SRX, no manumatic available in the CTS...weird.

It looks like the "sport" mods have been decoupled from the LuxSport model, so you can order Stabilitrak for a base 2004 CTS...but you have to take the 17" wheels, firmer ride, load leveling suspension, new wheels, etc. That will only drive the price up.

And lastly, the exhaust tip is stainless steel.

bingoman · March 2003

sevenfeet0 - there is no load leveling suspension. There is a headlamp leveling system with the Xenon headlamps as required by law.

There was a load leveling suspension, including an air compressor and air shocks in the rear on the Catera, but I can find nothing in the service manuals referring to such a suspension on the CTS. The headlamp leveling system is described in the manuals.

sevenfeet0 · March 2003

It's listed in the list of features of the LuxSport model. Check Caddy's web site in the "Specifications->Chassis and Suspension" section. I've seen this in action on my car during heavy loads.

sevenfeet0 · March 2003

Anyone notice that the STS isn't going to be offered for 2004? With the 2005 STS coming, I guess Cadillac wanted to make a real break with the past, and that means retiring the model for a year or so. So if you want a 2004 Seville, you have to take one in SLS trim.

kulkat · March 2003

Thinking about getting the CTS but not sure if I want an Automatic or Stick. Drove the Automatic because the dealer did not have any Manuals, in his words, "They weren't selling". Hmmm? Does that mean I can get a deal? Really would like to try one out first.

mannytranny · March 2003

Just checked the on line ordering ( thanks BIGDADDYCoats ) and I'm shocked. Like in AWE there's is no MANUAL trans available with the 3.6. I was looking forward to the 3.6 as a possible trade for the 3.2 but now that cannot be.
     What is Cadillac thinking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

     After all of the hype about competion and attracting new buyers ( and I think I'm doing my part to help ) this has got to be a mistake. I just don't see a CTS with an auto shift going to the drag races. What kind of fun what that be! When I went last season,young people noticed the CTS , it's performance and it did get attention! I'm probably the only one that went and ran a CTS for time runs but it was great exhileration and just plain fun to drive it and get to see how it can perform and how I performed with it. To almost become one with the car is a great feeling. Imagine a CTS going down a dragstrip. Not something even I would have imagined years ago let alone being the driver.
     I don't race every week but time trials are fun events. They are held about 6 times a season. I am simply performance oriented and like to test it out from time to time.
     Sorry Cadillac! Performance image is futile without a manual transmission!

eaton53 · March 2003

2 manual tranny CTS on AutoTrader now for less than $21K.... no autos anywhere near that. Looks like the manuals may be taking a massive resale hit.

sevenfeet0 · March 2003

In this country, we've been getting very used to slushboxes. I admit I prefer them to manuals, primarily because I usually don't have enough legroom in cars to make it practical. My wife actually really likes manuals, and would have ordered our CTS with one if it weren't for the fact that I would be driving thr car alot.

BMW has a dedicated customer base of manual drivers that they have built up over the years, but I imagine that they still sell more automatics in this country than manuals. Mercedes-Benz doesn't even offer manuals on most of their models and hasn't seen their sales or prestige suffer.

It's also possible that the current manual doesn't have the ability to handle the increased torque from the engine, or there could be other technical issues. The 6 speed manual for the CTSv will certainly be able to handle the torque, but whether you can mate a transmission donated from the Corvette (I assume) to a 3.6L V6 remains to be seen.

Still, I think Cadillac needs to make a the manual available with the "middle" engine to give buyers and choice, and to continue to press the point with journalists that they are serious about the sporting aspects of this and other products. The last time I remember that Caddy offered a manual on the base engine but only an automatic on the upscale engine was the <gasp> Cimmaron.

richw5 · March 2003

I checked out the 2004 on-line order page and found it was missing "lots" of information. Check out some of the other divisions. They have models and equipment missing too. As time goes by, more items and cars will be listed. I'm sure an '04 STS will be available.

Although I've never owned a manny tranny, I learned to drive on a '56 Ford Crown Victoria with a V8 and a stick on the column. Later on (1966-67), I raced "4-speed" Corvette's on dirt tracks in Texas. I agree with all of you that a stick should be offered with both engines and the "sport lux". Cadillac should match and beat the competition.

The build date for the '04 CTS is June 9th. Availability will probably be some time in September.

This thread keeps on getting better. With the exception of some anti-GM or anti-CTS people that pop in once in a while, it's become a great source of information and experience sharing. I just hope that someone from Cadillac (not just pmdriver) looks at this page and listens to our compliments and our criticisms. CTS owners are their best salesmen and women.

Rich

eaton53 · March 2003

It doesn't appear people are putting their money where their mouths are when it comes to the manual CTS.

2 reasons why a car would take such a dump in value so quickly... either it has issues, or no one wants it. Reports of widespread issues on the CTS are non-existant, so the latter is likely the case and seems to be corraborated by dealers. This isn't the first dealer I've heard of saying manuals aren't selling.

It's a catch-22.... if no one buys them, they're going to get dropped regardless of any enthusiast's protests (they couldn't save the Camaro), but this instant, heavy depreciation is certainly a sure way to scare off the few who might be interested.

Too bad my wife doesn't want to shift. This could be one of the greatest used car bargains ever.

bigdaddycoats · March 2003

It looks as thought the 3.2 will only be available with a manual. So, if you want an auto you have to get the 3.6. I can only imagine that a manual for the 3.6 will not be ready in time and they are keeping the 3.2 with manual until it is - I HOPE this is the only reason. I am trying to find out from some friends a GM what is going on - will let everyone know what I find out.
As far as the manumatic on the CTS, it would seem that it would have on since the SRX will. From that site it is not clear if both the SRX and CTS use the exact transmission.
In my opinion people that buy cars in this class with manuals want it for the added performance. The problem is that the 3.6 with auto will most likely out perform the 3.2 with manual - making it hard to sell the 3.2. Please Cadillac wake up and get it right! Here is my suggestion - drop the 3.2 at the end of the 03 model year (build extra manuals with the 3.2 at the end of the model run). Start 04 production with autos only and work like heck to get the manual for the 3.6 ready ASAP - no later than six months after launch. Infiniti launched the G35 with auto only and made the manual available under a year later. Cadillac needs to do it a little faster though.
Also, maybe Cadillac should consider pricing the manual and auto models the same. Nissan does this with the Maxima and Infiniti charges more for a manual G35 than a auto G35 ( there may be some added equipment). This would help GM get back some of the cost of developing the manual. Just some ideas.

akirby · March 2003

If the public isn't buying them, the dealers will stop ordering them. If the dealers stop ordering them, Cadillac will stop making them. It's pure economics.

Lincoln tried but gave up. Cadillac will probably do the same. The other brands can subsidize the cost by selling the manual overseas even if the US sales aren't that strong.

At least they're planning on putting a manual in the CTS-V. If Lincoln ever comes out with a Hi-Po LS it will probably get the ZF 6-speed automatic from the S-type and not a manual.

sevenfeet0 · March 2003

Ah, interesting. I didn't realize that the 3.2L engine is manual only. This does sound like the manual + 3.6L V6 isn't ready, so rather not have any manual option at the start of 2004, it was easier to keep the older engine + manual around until this issue is fixed. If Cadillac had planned to drop support for a manual, then they wouldn't have even bothered with the 3.2L V6.

Regarding the STS, if you click the "New for 2004" icon, in the next screen it describes "Deletions". In that section, it lists "STS model", as well as three paint colors, and the old sound system.

bxd20 · March 2003

I'm 27, professional career, auto enthusiast who lives and breathes cars, and talks to others about them. I would think Cadillac would want me as a customer desperately.

And they almost have me. Currently I drive a 1999 Contour SVT. With 200hp and a tight 5 speed the car does 0-60 in 6.9 and pulls 0.86g on a skidpad.

Funny that those numbers line up almost perfectly with a 3.2 CTS with manual.

So why would I want to go from a $23xxx to something in the high $30s unless along with the huge improvement in luxury, fit, and finish, it at least SLIGHTLY outperformed my current sport sedan. Please Cadillac, give me more reasons under the hood.

A 0-60 of 6.9 wasn't bad a couple years ago, today it doesn't really stack up to the middle tier BMW's and Infinity's.

And unless the CTSv comes in much lower than expected, it's out of range for myself.

brian dors

bingoman · March 2003

Sevenfeet0 - you are right that a load leveling system is listed as an included item on the Lux-Sport version, but I can find no mention of it in the 2003 service manuals, volume 1 or 2. These are the official dealer service manuals from Helms.

Are you seeing an actual maintainence or recover of rear bumper height when you load the vehicle, or are you judging from the fact that the headlight aim is maintained? I will have to check further.

eaton53 · March 2003

With few manuals being built, it's very hard to believe they'd keep building that powertrain.

What I think....
Manual and auto 3.2. Base and sport versions only, no lux - I'd even like to see them decontent it a little, maybe delete some gizmos and make leather optional.

With lack of manual demand, I expect to see only manumatic 3.6 with lux and sport versions, new console, etc. How about some more wheel choices, esp. in 18" and 19"?

Manual and auto 5.7 CTSv. 400 hp, not 350.

sevenfeet0 · March 2003

Bingoman, I noticed recovery of the height of the rear wheel well from the ground when the car is powered up, and subsequent squat when the car is turned off. Recently I moved from Atlanta to Nashville and piled into my CTS (with the rear seat folded) all of my home theatre components and some computer gear.

I noticed the full load definitely caused the car to squat. I got out a ruler and measured the distance between the rear wheel well from the top of the rear tire. Then I started the car and measured again. The CTS slowly recovered to proper height...it was pretty obvious, even without the measuring stick.

I'm not sure why you can't find it in the manuals. That is strange.

eaton53 · March 2003

I too own a Contour SVT.... believe me, the current CTS is a big step up.

jemiller · March 2003

The BMW vs Mercedes debate is always entertaining - there's no question, though, that a specific component of BMW's ownership base is loyal (almost to a fault) to the brand because they do offer manual transmissions and other driving-related features rarely found elsewhere.

The problem Cadillac and Lincoln face is getting the would-be BMW driver into the showroom in the first place.

And, as for the CTSv's manual transmission, the parts will probably be more or less straight out of the Camarobird parts bin - while the Corvette uses a T56-based transmission, it's packaged up in a rear-mounted transaxle configuration, which you won't see in the CTSv.

mannytranny · March 2003

I got my recall notice in the mail today and have scheduled an appointment for Thursday to have the steering bolt checked. The letter said it would take 15 minutes to check.
Also I asked at the dealership about the specs on the 2004. Apparently they haven't been informed yet as to the new engine only being available with the auto trans.The salesman said that they haven't received the data yet on 2004s

richw5 · March 2003

I didn't look under "New for 2004" for the Seville. Thanks for the info. I don't know why they would eliminate the STS unless they were getting ready for the change coming up in 2005. The first pre-production 2005 STS is scheduled to appear at the Detroit show (NAIS) next year.

Although my '99 STS doesn't handle as good as the CTS, it's a great road car and almost as much fun to drive.

mannytranny - We received the CTS recall letter today too. I'll call tomorrow for an appointment.

Rich

lbthedawg · March 2003

Don't worry about not being able to get a manual tranny in CTS. There will be a stick in the V-Series. But of course it will be expensive and fast, very fast.

b4z · March 2003

This thread has certainy picked up again.

Camaro, Firebird, and Corvette all use the Borg Warner designed and now Tremec built T56.

Corvette's is rear mounted like the poster said.

This is a heavy transmission and weighs 75lbs more than the old T5.

It weighs as much as an automatic.

A heavy duty piece that is rated for 450 ft. lbs of torque.

bigdaddycoats · March 2003

Kelly Cusinato at Cadillac and asked if a manual will be offered with the 3.6. She responded "We will not offer a manual on the new 3.6 V6. The vast majority of our customers want automatic".
That is a mistake.

sevenfeet0 · March 2003

Well, that's that. I'm actually surprised that someone fessed up to it so early. Caddy is going to get crucified in the press, especially after running so many TV ads featuring the stickshift.

But I hate to admit it, but she's probably right. According to GM's own website, the average age of the CTS buyer is 55...a decade younger than the typical Cadillac customer, but still a decade older than where they'd probably like to be in this car. And I imagine it would be the younger buyers who would demand a stickshift.

Well, at least the CTSv will still get one.

jemiller · March 2003

Not to mention the V8 Holden and HSV models, the 2003-up Mustang Cobra, Viper, the new 'cheap' Aston Martin, and probably a few others I'm overlooking.

The Aston and the '05 Cobra get hardware added to the T56 to make it a toggle-shifted sequential-pseudoautomatic e.g BMW's SMG and Ferrari's F1 setup. I'm sure it'll get into other T56 applications at some point.

jemiller · March 2003

What you have here is the danger of a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I'm honestly very surprised at that number, because it indicates that Cadillac may have sold quite a few CTSes, but they haven't gotten to the market they need to get to.

eaton53 · March 2003

Too bad you didn't ask her if the automanual from the SRX will be offered. That would make both me and my wife happy, and I will likely wait a little longer and get a 3.6 instead of a 3.2.

dindak · March 2003

So many people I know always look for a stick in a car but then if you see what they drive or ask them what they drive, it's typically an automatic. If people don't buy them, they won't be made.

mannytranny · March 2003

I was still hoping that Cadillac would not follow the LS and drop the manual. When I went out looking for a car I looked at the LS and asked to test a manual. The only way I could do that was to order one because there were none around except one several states away and no local dealer wanted any. So I went to Cadillac. Tested it and wanted it immediately.
Looked at Mercedes, and BMW but decided on CTS because I liked it better overall. I thought Cadillac had it together.
I was waiting for the 3.6 as a trade but now with the facts in hand I guess that I'll be looking at BMW again. The Corvette is also a possibility, but presently family is restoring our 63 so I didn't want another Vette or maybe just wait it out for a V.
I suspect that Cadillac will follow LS even when the CTSv arrives. Even on this thread most of the CTSs are auto.

bxd20 · March 2003

I can understand the short-term economics of not offering a manual with the 3.6 but in the long term they are hurting their attempt to gain a younger audience and hurting their chances of ever competing with the likes of BMW.

I'm 27, screaming for a true domestic sports sedan. This is an insult, I won't drive something rated 6.9 that costs almost $40k loaded and have 330's, G35's, Passat W8's, Maxima's, Altima 3.5's, Buick Regal GS, Pontiac Grand Prix (i'll stop the list here).... all packing more punch.

Brian

cu95 · March 2003

mcgreenx mentioned in his earlier post that when his faulty radio was replaced that it got a digital clock and the button on the right of the steering wheel now mutes the radio. What does that button do on older CTSs and when did the switch occur? I know that the navigation system went from cd based to dvd based, were there other tweaks that occurred during the 2003 model year that may make a later edition 2003 more desirable? Thanks.

bigdaddycoats · March 2003

I sent this message to Kelly -Will there be on offered at a later date or never? She responded "Possibly at a much later date (into new model year)."
I also sent her a email today in regards to the manumatic. I will let everyone know what I find out.

oldsman01 · March 2003

I've seen the subway ad a few times and agree, it is pretty good. While I know Cadillac is wanting to focus on their future products, I don't think putting the STS or DTS in some of those ads is a bad thing. The STS and DTS ae still very nice and modern Cadillacs and from an engineering standpoint, they are more advanced than the Escalade.

Someone please forward this to Cadillac: Not offering a manual with the new engine is a BIG mistake. What could me more fun than a well balanced RWD sedan with a 260 hp engine and manual transmission? THIS IS WHAT CADILLAC NEEDS TO ATTRACT NEW CUSTOMERS FROM BMW, AUDI, AND MB. Sure the manual may not sell in big numbers, but don't ruin the fun for those of us who enjoy driving. Several months ago I had read that the 04 CTS would have the new more powerful V6 engine and a 6 speed manual. When I read that, I was fully prepared to wait another year before I get a new car. Now that Cadillac is not going to offer a manual with the larger engine and looks to be offering the larger V6 on higher priced models, I may just go ahead and look seriously at a Saab 9-3 Arc(which BTW has a 6 speed manual). Don't get me wrong, I love Cadillacs and I love the CTS as it is now, but if Infiniti can build a similar sized car with a powerful V6 and offer a manual(which will probably sell in small numbers) at a low 30s price point, then I know Cadillac can. Sure I'd love a CTS-V when it comes out, but it will probably be out of my price range. While I could probably be happy with a CTS(3.6) with the automatic, I'd love to be able to row my own gears. Cadillac, I'm 27 and in my life have the potential to buy alot of cars and I'm sure there are others here(young and old) with similar sentiments. This may sound cliche, but if you build it(CTS with the 3.6 and manual) and keep the price at a competitive point, the customers will come. My guess is the number of manual customers would be small, but trust me they will be very loyal. And as word gets around and more people drive the car(as well as continual improvement) sales will increase. Remember, the BMW 3 series used to sell in the 40K annally range, now it is one of the best selling "near luxury" cars. Cadillac has serious potnential with an already great car here, I'd like to see them take full advantage of it.

garnes · March 2003

I think you may put a little too much stock in those "first drive" magazine tests. But if you really like the magazine tests, C&D did one of their comparison tests a couple months back with the CTS and 5 other similar cars (many that you listed). I remember it out accelerated some of the cars you mention and was very close to several others. It did very well. Plenty of punch.

Also, the same issue (different article) had the "first drive" new Accord V6 with 0 to 60 and 1/4 mile times better than the cars you list as having "more punch". Yes, the BMW 330, the W8, and the G35. For some reason, many of these cars performed nowhere near their earlier "first drive" tests. Hmmm.

Anyway, not to make a federal case, but I would not put a whole lot on the magazine acceleration numbers. There is a lot of questionable stuff going on there.

pmdriver2 · March 2003

Sorry for not replying for a while, good to see the thread this hopping!

Sevenfeet0 - Thank goodness your wife is o.k. Our team appreciates the kind words and I'm personally happy that the attention to detail in the handling is recognized. Hopefully it won't be in such dramatic circumstances next time! (By the way my wife is 5 months along with our first!)

Bigdaddycoats - Sorry if I haven't replied to your specific questions before. Perhaps it is because you're knowledgeable enough to ask questions that I'm not allowed to answer! I'd love to "spill my guts" but I can't. By the way, I don't think the manny future is as dire as it may seem to you right now

The FE3 package does have load leveling in the form of Nivomat self-leveling shocks from Sachs. The vehicle will correct its trim height within 1 km of driving (shocks level with pumping of driving). By the way the Nivomats increase spring rate to level the load, and also increase the amount of damping so the vehicle remains well damped when loaded.

I look forward to when I can share some tidbits about the CTS-V!

stanny1 · March 2003

Talked with my client who is co-owner of the largest Caddy dealership in San Diego.
He said that Manual tranny CTS sales are 2% of total CTS sales.
Has 2 in stock.
Has sold only 3 or so.
Doesn't know when the High Feature V-6 will come out with the manual.
Is the Manual doomed as it was with the Lincoln LS?
Is the G35 and IS300 MTXes going to have the same fate as well?

rayainsw · March 2003

"Also, the same issue (different article) had the "first drive" new Accord V6 with 0 to 60 and 1/4 mile times better than the cars you list as having "more punch". Yes, the BMW 330, the W8, and the G35. For some reason, many of these cars performed nowhere near their earlier "first drive" tests. Hmmm."

In a later issue (Jan.?) - in letters to the editor - C/D acknowledged the performance numbers discrepancy. They attributed it to likely be the result bad gas.

Cheers,
- Ray
Always desiring the best performance . . .

garnes · March 2003

Yes, I am aware of that. The "bad gas" excuse. I did hear they printed that lame-o excuse. If you think about it, it is laughable at best. So the reader is to believe that they run this comparison test (it was at least 6 cars) and they had NO CLUE that anything was wrong. Good grief, these are paid professionals. Or, they print the whole article knowing something was wrong without mentioning there was a problem. Either scenario - no way.

If the gas was bad, you'd think these paid auto professionals would have noticed something with the car's performance. The times should have at least tipped them off. They could have run it again after correcting the situation. Yeah, they "figure out" it was "bad gas" after people write and point that something was wrong. Did they test the gas somehow afterward to confirm it's deficiency or problem?

Also, it's funny that the "bad gas" seemed to affect some of the cars more than others. If I remember, that G35 really must have got some bad stuff while other cars performed closer to other tests.

Additionally, they do this stuff all the time. You'd think they've secured a reliable source of fuel for their tests.

That excuse is so easy to shoot full of holes it's sad. The reality MAY be that some of the "first drive" cars are "tuned" a bit differently then what you buy. They are blueprinted perhaps. Ringers. Whatever. It's a nice relationship between the auto manufacturers and the magazines. They can send whatever they want to the magazine and it's gets reported (advertised) with that performance. Also, the excitement sells magazines.

Notice, I said MAY. But it is my strong suspicion. When you look at all the huge money to be had at the first impressions and the often quoted magazine performance numbers in TV and magazine advertisements, it's easy to see a motivation.

I also remember the 350Z being tested in some magazine and they actually dyno'd it (actually, all the "first drivers" should be chassis dyno'd in a controlled environment to test output to keep everybody honest - but I don't think we will see that anytime soon). Anyway, the 350Z was putting about 85% power to the wheels. I'm no expert on that, but 85% seems awfully good. Maybe it was pumping out a little more at the crank to start with.

I still say - don't pay too close attention to the magazines.

b4z · March 2003

Back in 1993 when the 4th gen Z28 came out Car and Driver pulled a 0-60 time of 5.0 seconds.
This was with the 275hp LT1 motor and a 6 speed tranny.
Fast forward to 2002 when the LS1 powered SS packing 335 hp couldn't meet the 5.0 second 0-60 time of the '93 car.
And it has been proven that the LS1 was underrated. They will usually do 285-300 hp at the wheels.
I guess it would be fair to say that the '93 car was a ringer.
Same thing with the '94 Impala SS. 0-60 time of 6.5 seconds according to Car and Driver. I can guarantee you that no stock Impala SS ever did 0-60 in 6.5 secs.

wwhite2 · March 2003

It's hard to believe Cadillac isnt offering a 5/6 spd on the 3.6 even if they are not selling that well ( does anyone sell high percentage of manuals ) how many 540i 6spd out there ? Do 540i 6spd take big hits on resale ?

wwhite2 · March 2003

autotrader does have ONE 5spd CTS at 20995 ( can you say stripped with what kind of history!!) but if you do a search for manual CTS 21K seems to be 10K- 12K under AVERAGE asking price . So maybe the cited crashing resale prices are just fabrications of the imagination ?

bingoman · March 2003

Was the "bad gas" in the cars or the drivers? LOL, sorry, the devil made me do it.

thebug · March 2003

What is the FE3 package?

thebug...

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V

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