01/05/2014
When you think of 420 horsepower your first thoughts are probably of a Ford Mustang GT, Chevrolet Camaro SS or a Dodge Challenger SRT8, but surprisingly this 420hp is being laid down by 3.6L Twin Turbo V6.
In March 2013 Cadillac reveled it's new V6 power plant that will be an option for the new 2014 Cadillac CTS. The new engine puts out 420 horsepower, 430 foot pounds of torque and will provide 21 combined mpg. The feat of creating that sort of power from such a small engine is astonishing and the real icing on the cake is the miles per gallon which is around 25-26 mpg highway. Since where on the subject of Cadillac, let's take a brief journey through their recent past to show how far they've come.
The 1980's where tough times for American auto manufacturers, low power ratings, quality concerns and big boxy styling inside and out, and Cadillac was no exception. During the 1980's Cadillac produced a number on "fine quality" products such as the 350 cubic inch diesel which would blow holes in the cylinder walls around 40-50 thousand miles. Their interiors where covered with red velvet cloth and cheap plastic all around, at times it felt like they ran out of time and just slapped in the standard GM radio, standard GM climate controls and other GM standard widgets to meet a deadline. Overall, the 1980's where just a tough time for American car manufacturers.
Moving into the 1990's Cadillac seemed to become more creative, less cheap plastic, more styling and better engines. These where great improvements over the 1980s Cadillac's but with the rise of companies such as Infiniti and Lexus throughout the 1990's, Cadillac was running out of steam in the early 2000s. Infiniti and Lexus where following the trends of their target audience, creating sporty vehicles, more powerful engines, new technology, while the Cadillac was still your grandfathers car.
The GM ideal at the time was an old one, created during the 1950s, that you could start a consumer in a Chevrolet, as they became more financially stable in life they would work themselves up through Buick, Oldsmobile and eventually reach the cream of GM's crop...the Cadillac. This was a good theory 50 years ago, but in the ever changing world we live in and with consumers demanding more from their vehicles, it was a flaw that held Cadillac back.
Just look at the 1999 Cadillac CTS (15 years ago), it's something your grandfather would be proud to own. Moving forward to the 2004 Cadillac CTS (10 years ago), it seemed that Cadillac was finally in the right direction and trying to capture a new audience. The 2004 CTS was a big leap the the right direction, but the interior was rough compared to their competitors.
Finally, a breathe of fresh air, the 2014 Cadillac CTS is upon us. It seems that Cadillac has come around and struck a home run with the 2014 model, winning multiple awards. The interior is much better than previous years, the technology consumers are asking for is there, the quality has been improved and the exterior styling has gone leaps and bounds from the 1999 CTS.
Overall, I like to grant credit where it's due... Cheers to Cadillac for putting a 420hp V6 monster in their newly styled Cadillac CTS. Cheers for making a more sport styled car that your grandfather might think twice about owning but making it more appealing to a new financially stronger audience.
Cheers to Cadillac on their new CTS and 420hp Twin Turbo V6.
- Lance
