Cadillac CTS Coupe: The 2011 Wonder

OVERALL RATING 4.5 of 5.0
  • Performance
    4.5 of 5.0
  • Cost of Ownership
    4.3 of 5.0
  • Interior
    4.2 of 5.0
  • Reliability
    5.0 of 5.0
11 Jan 2011
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The CTS coupe was introduced by Cadillac in 2003, and ever since, quite a bit of work has been put into the standard sedan. The improvements have seen the introduction of the new 2011 CTS coupe. There is also another model, the CTS Sports Wagon, which is a great dose of utility. The sports wagon aside, the CTS Coupe is the true expression of art combined with modern science. The Cadillac CTS coupe is a wonder in the vehicle industry. This is a luxury vehicle with strong styling statements and it is a stable piece of science that gives the driver the power of control.

How does it look?

A test drive of the CTS coupe can bring out its superiority on tarmac. This is because it is a high performance vehicle; fulfilling the desires of speed lovers. The design appears to be aggressive and gives any driver the need for speed before sitting behind the wheel. The standard coupe is not the same as the other supercharged versions but still delivers.   The angles in this version is not all that but the exterior still boasts of a great design with hard edges. The car has a wedge shape that is enhanced by perpendicular and parallel lines combined with open plains and tight angles. The shape starts at the bottom grille of the front fascia and extends to the back. The headlamps are designed in an irregular shape which sets the width of the vehicle. Moving from the headlamps backwards it’s difficult to avoid noticing the 19-inch allow wheels having seven well crafted spokes.

The main reason why everyone tends to move their eyes toward the back is because the shape demands it. There is no interruption at any point because the coupe version has C6 corvette-style doors in place of the more traditional handle doors. At the back there is a centered dual exhaust outlet with a vertical line that runs from the top and divides the two outlets. The car leans towards its anticipation owing to the raise rear end.

The Cadillac CTS Coupe Interior

The cabin looks like a combination of sporty and luxurious touches but the materials used tend to say otherwise. Contrary to other dash boards in other cars, the dash in the 2011 CTS does not have padding beneath the leather and consequently feels hard as a rock. There is a metallic colored plastic surrounding the center stack which is a bit complex thanks to the buttons that are not easy to read especially if you pass a quick glance.

The base price of the coupe is set at $38,165 with a premium version that can be acquired for $51,030 because of the additional special features such as headlamps with high intensity discharge, heated and cooled front seats that can be power adjusted in ten different ways, an improved Bose sound system, ambient lighting in the interior, Bluetooth, heated steering wheel and a navigation system with a touch screen with a camera for the rear view displays.

The down side is that the base price rises from the $38,165 mark to a staggering $47,010. This can hit the $50,000 mark as a result of purchasing the extras such as the steering wheel with shift controls, the summer tire performance with the 19 inch alloys, a brake upgrade and other additional charges.

The fact that the CTS coupe comes in two doors tells a lot about what type of a car it is. This is probably the type of car that is meant for two people and the rear seats should be use to carry small items and not people. The front is comfortable and luxurious but complaining about lack of ample space in the back is not reasonable for a two door coupe. It would be like complaining of too much space in a minivan.

The most important part of driving is the windscreen, which allows you to see where you are going. Well, this is taken care of in the 2011 Cadillac CTS coupe thanks to the massive slab of glass used. Trying to see what is at the sides can be tricky but the coupe has got all this covered with the use of a rear view camera display that makes reversing the car child’s play, though you need to pay more attention when switching lanes. There is a touch screen display on top of the center stack that is used for interfacing with the infotainment system and also used for navigation. The display at its normal position in the dash shows basic information about the audio system but can rise and display more functions. For safety reasons, it is advisable to keep the screen hidden but it automatically deploys every time the car is being reversed to display the rear view.

Does it stop?

The braking system can seem to be a bit tricky and if you are not yet used to it you will find the connection between the braking action and the pedal application not communicating effectively. With time it is easy to get used to the process and you won’t have to be forced towards the safety belt every time you brake. The aerodynamic styling used in making the CTS puts it at a better performance position compared to coupes from other manufacturers. German manufacturers have the say when it comes to cabin quality and though the Cadillac’s interior is comfortable it can not compete with the qualities that the BMW, Audi or Benz possess. However, Cadillac is superior when it comes to the engine performance and fuel consumption. Every aspect of Cadillac’s 2011 CTS coupe contributes to the performance and beauty of this machine.

Looking at the coupe, you can classify it in a sports and luxury category, but after driving it for a while you will notice that though the exterior is outstanding and the interior super
cool, the luxury part is over shadowed by the sporty appearance and feel. The 2011 CTS coupe has earned Cadillac a Masters degree in science and art used in the motor industry.  The 2011 CTS coupe is the ultimate sports machine with an element of luxury.

So what are the specs?

The CTS coupe comes with Cadillac’s direct injected V6 putting up 304 horsepower.

Upgrading the Cadillac’s CTS-V Coupe will bring you up to 556 hp as a result of a supercharged V8. Plus, you’ll be upgrading to 19 inch wheels and some amazing sport seats.

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