What else for the Division’s Latest Image-leader?
Both were five-speed units, Cadillac’s first. As a result, most reviewers found little lacking in the handling department, especially when optioned with firm damping and 17-inch wheel/tire package. Some evident interior cost-cutting also drew barbs. Actually, even the base CTS suspension might have been a bit too Teutonic for some buyers, as the 2004 settings were softened a bit to enhance ride comfort. To the same end, engineers spent much time tuning the chassis on Germany’s famous — and famously demanding — Nurburgring race track. The sharp-edged styling was unlike anything else around, so it took a while to catch on with the public (and even some GM bigwigs).
MRC was highly effective, but did nothing to change the less-than-electric image of the STS, let alone that of the less-sporting SLS model. If you loved this article and you would like to get more info pertaining to bangkok thailand condos for sale i implore you to visit our own site. From the first, it sold quite well for a premium SUV, and kept on selling even after soaring gas prices scared off many prospects in the mainstream market. And why not? Anyone who could splurge on a $50,000-$70,000 rig wasn’t likely to worry about pump prices — or big-truck fuel thirst. The Escalade bowed as a late addition to GM’s “T800” full-size truck family, using the same “short” 116-inch wheelbase as the GMC Yukon/Denali and Chevrolet Tahoe wagons. The Cadillac Escalade serendipitously began Cadillac’s image rehabilitation.
The crisp Art & Science look was well-suited to this wagon, which maintained Cadillac tradition with a posh leather-lined interior and power everything; the ’06s added a nifty power-operated liftgate. V-8 SRXs were dressed with real-wood cabin accents, heated seats, and power-adjustable pedals, all available for V-6 models. A high level of safety was standard for every model: antilock brakes, traction control, front torso side airbags, and curtain side airbags.
Running an ultra-high 11.4:1 compression ratio, this optional 3.6 produces some 300 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed manual gearbox remains standard, but a new six-speed automatic replaces the previous five-speed option. Suspension, steering and brakes are unchanged in concept, but components have been redesigned and/or upgraded where needed. The 2.8 V-6 is now reserved for export models — Cadillac still craves a global presence — but is largely unchanged otherwise.
An early 2004 arrival, it was the first in a planned series of high-performance V-models that would be to Cadillac what the M Division was to BMW and AMG to Mercedes. Other upgrades included a massive four-piston Brembo-brand disc brake at each corner and meaty 245/45ZR18 Goodyear run-flat tires on special seven-spoke alloy wheels spreading 8.5 inches wide. Some steel suspension pieces were swapped for lighter aluminum components, but the basic geometry was unchanged. Not this time. To the already capable CTS chassis, engineers at GM’s new Performance Division added heavier-gauge steel suspension cradles, thicker front and rear stabilizer bars, high-rate shocks, and a crossbrace atop the front-suspension towers to bolster rigidity. Cadillacs had usually offered good speed, but only in a straight line.
