President of Cadillac-Hummer-Saab Channel Wants More Cadillac Derivatives

The critical acclaim of its newest sedan, the Cadillac CTS, prompted GM to spawn both wagon and coupe derivatives off the platform. If Mark McNabb, the president of the Cadillac-Hummer-Saab channel gets his way, Cadillac will get more models based on that scenario.

"Look at a CTS and I think you can start understanding where we are going. Look at a CTS [sedan], CTS wagon, CTS coupe - obviously, derivatives off a platform make a lot of sense from a financial perspective," McNabb said at the 2009 Chicago Auto Show.

Cadillac's plan mimics the business model of one of Europe's biggest luxury players, Mercedes-Benz, which offers several niche models based on similar platforms. BMW has been following the trend as well, debuting an X6 "sports activity coupe" last year, which is based on the X5 platform, and unveiling a 5-Series GT hatchback built on the underpinnings of the new 7-Series.

"I compete today in about 65 to 68 percent of the market," McNabb said. In addition to the CTS, Cadillac sells the STS and DTS sedans, the XLR roadster on schedule to be discontinued after the 2009 model year, the SRX crossover which is redesigned for the 2010 model year, and the Escalade SUV. The CTS wagon will arrive in showrooms this year as a 2010 model, while the coupe will be available next year as a 2011.

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GM Delays 2010 Cadillac CTS Coupe

Production of the Cadillac CTS Coupe, which debuted as a well-received concept at the 2008 North American International Auto Show, has been postponed until next summer, according to GM spokeswoman Joanne Krell.

The CTS coupe was originally one of three vehicles scheduled to debut this summer, in a sort of Cadillac advent. The other two vehicles, which are still scheduled to go into production this year, are the 2010 Cadillac CTS Wagon and 2010 Cadillac SRX crossover.

"We made a few changes to the overall portfolio," Krell said. "Obviously we are in a challenging economic time, and one of the changes is to move the coupe back a year. Instead of coming out this summer, it will come out next summer."

The coupe was initially scheduled to make its production debut at the Los Angeles auto show last November, along with the redesigned 2010 Buick LaCrosse. Although the LaCrosse was delayed until the 2009 NAIAS, the CTS coupe failed to make an appearance in Detroit.

Krell said GM doesn't know if the CTS coupe will be a 2010 or 2011 model due to the delay.

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Cadillac E-Flex Concept pops up at Detroit Auto Show as the Converj

The rumored Cadillac E-Flex concept was confirmed this morning at General Motor's 2009 Detroit Auto Show press conference. The concept's official name will be the Cadillac Converj and, as anticipated, it is based on the Chevy Volt platform.

The Converj concept is the latest rolling showcase for GM's extended-range electric propulsion system, which the company is now calling Voltec. The Converj features the same 16-kWh, T-shaped battery, electric drive unit, and four-cylinder engine-generator as the Volt. Thus, like the volt, the Converj will go 40 miles on emissions-free electric power. It then switches to the four cylinder engine to provide power to the motor and charge the lithium-ion battery.

Although the Converj is based on the Volt, the design, from GM's U.K. advanced design studio under the direction of Simon Cox, is pure Cadillac. Unlike the Volt sedan, it sports a coupe body style with seats for four passengers in a 2+2 layout. A small trunk is accessed through an even smaller opening. The overall shape resembles the CTS coupe concept that debuted at last year's show with a bit of the Cien show car mixed in. The design emphasizes aerodynamics, with minimal grille openings, a fully covered underbody, and slim cameras in place of rearview mirrors. The smallest Cadillac ever made, the Converj is some 10 inches shorter than the CTS coupe. The Converj is about the same length as the Volt but it's wider, due to the Cadillac's larger wheels and tires (21-inches up front and 22 inches at the rear).

Inside, the Converj is trimmed with white suede and black leather and there is a blue ambient glow throughout the cabin. The instrument cluster is illuminated with LEDs and touch-screens are used for navigation, climate, center-stack controls and audio systems. A screen placed high on the instrument panel displays surrounding images provided by cameras.

Although no production plans have been announced at this time, the Converj is intended to show the flexibility of the Voltec propulsion technology. It's also a window into GM's thinking as to where to take the Cadillac brand.

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2009 Cadillac CTS-V Prices

Though we knew the official performance stats and its official Nurburgring lap time, there was one aspect of the 2009 Cadillac CTS-V that we didn't know until now: its price.

According to a new release from Cadillac, the new CTS-V carries a base price of $59,995. Not only does that undercut the BMW M5 (which starts at $83,900), but it also provides some in-house competition to the more expensive (and less powerful) STS-V.

That $59,995 figure yields buyers a 'base' CTS-V, which, in addition to the monstrous 556-hp supercharged 6.2-liter V-8, includes a six-speed manual transmission, Bose surround sound system, and a stitched leather interior. A six-speed automatic will be offered as an option, as will Recaro performance seats and a panoramic sunroof.

If the performance and the price seem too hard to pass up, plan a visit to your local Caddy dealer in November, when the first production examples arrive from the factory.

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Will Bugatti Reveal a 1350-hp Veyron at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show?

In celebration of the company's 100th birthday, there is a rumor that Bugatti is bringing a 1350 -hp version of the Veyron, supposedly called the "Centenaire Edition," to the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. Never mind a few periods of dormancy since the company started in 1909, a Veyron with that kind of power heals all wounds.

Bugatti is no stranger to special edition versions of their super car, but this could be a bit more than the typical paint-and-trim job. If the rumors are true, that massive quad-turbocharged W-16 engine will pump out another 350 ponies, allowing the car to reach speeds of up to 261 mph. With the increased power, the Veyron could reach speeds of up to 261 mph. Increasing the top speed could put the Veyron back on top of the SSC Ultimate Aero and the Maxximus G-Force as the world's fastest production car.

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BMW to trim standard features from UK spec Cars

In an effort to avoid raising its prices due to poor exchange rates in the UK market, BMW will "de-spec" some of its cars. Starting with the 3-series, the company will make some standard features into options.

For example, a 320d coupe with the M Sport package will lose some standard features this month. The electric power steering, introduced as part of the EfficientDynamics program, will become optional and hydraulic power steering will become standard. Also cruise control will become optional on sedans and wagons, but will remain standard on coupes and convertibles. Power seats will also be dropped from some trim levels and sedans will have run-flats on all trims except the ES.

However, BMW will still offer the M sport package on the coupe as well as the metallic paint option for all models for free until the end of this month. So if you're jonesing for a 3-series and live in the UK, contact your dealer soon to find out what options you have left.

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BMW Z10 ED for Production...?

Last summer, BMW unveiled the BMW M1 Homage concept, a taste of what a BMW mid-engined sports car could look like-only to follow up later with confirmation that it had no plans to produce such an Audi R8 competitor. Instead, the board member in charge of BMW's EfficientDynamics division, Klaus Draeger, said BMW would focus on green technologies.

Citing an unnamed insider "privy to BMW's plans," Autocar is reporting today that BMW's previously announced focus on green technology will yield the BMW Z10 ED, a flagship that will showcase new drivelines, electronics and body construction. The Z10 ED will be a two-seater costing around $105,000, developed by BMW's Technik division, and sold in limited numbers.

"The idea is to bring all the very latest technology together in a way that will allow a high level of performance without overburdening the environment in a way that the current crop of supercars do," said the insider. "There is no reason why they need to be mutually exclusive when you consider the sort of technology that exists today. It is just a matter of applying it correctly."

By utilizing its carbon fiber construction techniques, BMW intends the Z10 to weigh no more than 3,087 pounds. Moving forward from just carbon fiber body panels, BMW's engineers have found a way to combine several pieces of the frame into a single sub-assembly. They are also exploring integrated door frames and sill panels to lower curb weight and improve rigidity.

Engine possibilities include a high-pressure turbocharged direct-injected straight six-cylinder making a projected 400-hp. That engine could replace the 3.0-liter in the current BMW lineup. The engine has been conceived in two variations: a conventional mechanical valve system with BMW's VANOS variable valve timing, and another with an electronic valve control that allows a variable compression ratio.

The Z10 ED will also feature stop-start technology, a generator, and brake energy regeneration engineered to story energy in a lithium-ion battery. All of these technologies will filter down to the higher volume BMW models, if all goes according to plan.

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