2008 Cadillac CTS Coupe Concept

In the early part of the decade, Cadillac realized that it was going to have to seriously re-structure its lineup in order to shed the image of boring, poorly engineered cars aimed solely at the elderly. A huge amount of effort went into creating an entry-level mid-size vehicle that would be able to compete with the top luxury brands in the world – namely, BMW and Mercedes. The end product was the CTS, a four door sedan that was available with a wide range of engines and transmissions from mild to wild, with the top of the line being the 400 horsepower CTS-V. The CTS was a solid performer both in sales and on the streets, and it helped Cadillac rebuild their reputation as a relevant manufacturer.

In 2008, Cadillac decided that they needed to expand the CTS line to include a coupe, and the 2008 Cadillac CTS Coupe Concept was born. More than just shortening up the sedan and stretching out the roof, the CTS Coupe Concept rolled onto the stage at the Detroit Auto Show looking like a natural extension of the CTS family. The back story behind the vehicle is that the CTS design team had initially created the Coupe as a side project, but it so impressed management that a concept vehicle got the green light. The Cadillac CTS Coupe Concept therefore benefited from an almost clean slate when it came to style and engineering expectations, as there was no pressure to have the vehicle conform to any pre-existing sales goals or demographics.

The Coupe Concept maintains the new CTS sedan’s diamond-cut styling, with a multi-faceted front end replete with clean, sharp edges. The grille is quite large, and vertical headlamps are matched with rectangular LED style fog lights in the bumper. The clean lines continue down the side of the car, which is remarkably free of ornamentation – not even door handles spoil the sheet metal, as doors are opened via proximity sensors. The CTS Coupe is a hardtop, meaning no B-pillar separates the front and rear side-window glass, similar to the Mercedes CL coupe. 20-inch wheels in the front and 21-inchers in the back combine to provide a sizeable portion of the CTS-V’s muscular bad attitude. A more severely raked windshield serves to help set the coupe apart from the standard sedan, as does LED lighting to highlight the dual exhaust outlets under the rear bumper.

As is popular with coupes in today’s marketplace, the Cadillac CTS Coupe Concept has an interior modeled after a traditional 2+2 arrangement, with a long center console dividing the cabin into distinct halves. Many interior components are shared with the sedan, but the coupe gets new Recaro seats and different interior colors.

Cadillac has said that they intend to use the same power train options found in the CTS sedan when the coupe comes to market. This means that the base model will most likely be powered by a 304 horsepower 3.6 liter direct injection V6, with the possibility of a 2.9 liter diesel eventually making it into showrooms. This diesel motor generates 250 horsepower and an astonishing 406 lb-feet of torque. If offered, this would mark the first time in decades that any domestic automaker has chosen to power a car with a homegrown diesel motor. All engines in the coupe are mated with a 6 speed manual transmission.

The Cadillac CTS Coupe Concept is a thing of beauty, and would be the perfect answer to the BMW 3-Series coupe as well as the larger Audi A6. An eventual CTS-V edition of the coupe would make Cadillac a legitimate contender in the world of high-powered personal luxury.