Queen of the Road

The name evokes images of high quality luxury cars. A car brand that has been always associated with superior make, precision car technology and innovation. It has become ingrained in our vocabulary that everything of high quality has been tagged "the Cadillac" of sorts.

As a high quality car manufacturer, Cadillac assures that every vehicle that comes out of its assembly line fits to be called a Cadillac. Ever since the introduction of the very first Cadillac in 1902, the company had made its mark on luxury cars and sport utility vehicles.

The first Cadillac was first manufactured by the Cadillac Motor Company, a company formed by former employees of the Henry Ford Company. The 10 hp Cadillac rolled out of the factory floor on October 1902, marking the birth of one of America's top car manufacturers. The first model was shown at the New York Auto Show, where it impressed thousands and meriting 2000 orders. It defined Cadillac's position as a reliable and precise manufacturer; the Cadillac was better made than its nearest competitor. As a measure of its greatness, the Cadillac was awarded the 1908 Dewar Trophy; for the most important advancement of the year in the automotive industry, the interchangeability of its car parts.

In 1909, the Cadillac Motor Company was purchased by General Motors, and became its luxury car division. Cadillac not only made large luxury vehicles, it also made "commercial chassis" institutional vehicles such as ambulances, funeral home flower cars, hearses and limousines.

It was under General Motor's management that numerous firsts and technological advancements became standard features in Cadillacs. In 1911, the Cadillac became the first internal combustion engine automobile to feature an electric starter, as opposed to the competition's crank start. The first mass produced V8 engine became available in 1915; shatter-resistant glass in 1926; and the first fully synchronized transmission in 1928.

Pre-World War II Cadillacs were models for well-built, powerful, and mass-produced luxury cars. These were aimed primarily at the upper class market. In the 1930s, 12- and 16- cylinder engines became part of the Cadillac stable. These cars were fitted with custom-built bodies, and their engines were able to deliver a combination of high power, smooth driving and quietness.

After the War, Cadillac introduced the "finned" car concept. Inspired by the twin rudders of the Lockheed P-38, Cadillacs sported tailfins in 1948. It reached its highest point in 1959, when the Cadillac had the most recognizable tailfins in the automotive world.

Since then, the Cadillac became a symbol of innovativeness, of simple elegance and bold design. Today, the Cadillac's stable include the STS, XLR, XRX, CTS, EXT, ESV, the Escalade, the Deville and the V-series. All of them carry the proud lineage of quality and luxury packed with sophisticated Cadillac parts that only a Cadillac could muster.

Despite its strong, recognizable design heritage, the Cadillac has resisted any efforts to bring back its "old" or "retro" designs. However, the Cadillac has trailblazed on a new road, the design philosophy of "art and science" - a form Cadillac says "expresses bold, high-technology design and invokes the technology used to design it."

As a progenitor of bold ideas, the Cadillac has the world waiting for its next innovation.

By Fernando Asedillo.

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2006 Cadillac CTS: Steering and Control Reviewed

They had to make sure that they got it right this time and they did instead though they got it spot on and it is truly stunning to get behind the wheel of one of these Cadillac’s. These are exactly the cheapest cars to purchase so you have to make sure that you save up before you buy one of these cars.

Cadillac and racing usually are not found in the same sentence or in the same place. However, the 2006 Cadillac CTSV was tested on a race track in Europe. The 2006 Cadillac CTS is Cadillac's speed machine with a combination of art and science and marketed that way. The 2006 CTSV was created and produced to compete with comparable cars in the auto market place like the BMW 528i. The ride is extremely smooth which fights against hard turns but not to the point that it hurts your neck. The steering is always linear and the engineers working on the 2006 Cadillac CTSV used racing cars as influence to CTSV position of pedals, operation of the brakes, and the design of the interior especially the design of the seats. Additional features include the extended length of the control arms, anti roll bars in the front and bas, and gas charged shocks. There is also a suspension system levels itself, increased handling, and huge 17 inch tires.

Even the base model of 2006 Cadillac CTS comes with assistance for steering but does not have the critical acclaimed StabiliTrak. But the base model rides just as well as the 2006 Cadillac CTSV high end model. The CTS comes with a five speed transmission which is manual. There is also an option for an automatic transmission. The manual transmission offers the driver 60 miles per hour in less than eight seconds. The engine sounds great and vibrations are subtle but not annoying. The 2006 Cadillac CTS offers tires that are V rated that wear well under extremely speeds up to 147 miles per hour. The base model of the 2006 Cadillac CTSV offer H rated tires that wear well up to 128 miles per hour.

The standard model of the 2006 Cadillac CTS costs just under $35,000. Cadillac engineers do a good job of balancing refinement and handling in the CTSV series of Cadillac cars. For example the suspension in the rear now has a rubberized cover on the frame. The steering rack, engine harness are both better attached. This increased quality in attachment and construction can be felt in the better steering control.

Be warned the 2006 Cadillac CTS after just a little bit of use reported high oil temperatures. Not only is high oil temperatures bad for the engine it is accompanied by a ringing to signal the driver something is wrong. While the tires are supposed to be high end and of high quality of construction, there have been reports that 2006 Cadillac CTSV tires off the lot lose air and continue to lose air until new tires have to be purchased.

The 2006 Cadillac CTS steering is extremely good. And many people claim even better then the BMW M5 which is state of the art driving and steering systems. Needless to say the Cadillac is not perfect but like every other car in the luxury car line – it is a work in progress. High end cars which are only affordable to an elite number of wealthy people are usually simply a show place to exhibit new technology, and modern design. But when you see people driving around in these cars then they will no doubt get the respect from other people because they are one of the lucky few to own one of these stunning cars.

By Kevin Dark.