Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="mjayanatha" data-source="post: 13867258" data-attributes="member: 71029">2013 XTS2013 Cadillac XTS<img src="http://media.caranddriver.com/images/12q2/456683/2013-cadillac-xts-photo-457950-s-520x318.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="http://media.caranddriver.com/images/12q2/456683/2013-cadillac-xts-photo-457951-s-520x318.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Rather than saying what it is, the men and women of Cadillac are quick to note all the things the new 2013 Cadillac XTS is not; it's not their flagship, it's not a replacement for the DTS or the STS, it's not directly competing with any of those German luxury brands (the XTS is bigger than a 5 Series but smaller than a 7 Series) and most of all, the car is not finished yet, even though it will go on sale in June.   I'll address all of the above shortly, but first it is my duty to tell you what the new Cadillac XTS is. Namely, a surprisingly good, big car, if not a bit of a head scratcher. Due to that whole bankruptcy thing, the XTS is the first new product Cadillac has launched in three years. That's nearly brandicide when you're dealing in a highly emotional auto segment like luxury. At least give the people with the big checks something to think about once in a while. And, due to the XTS initially being planned back in the bad old days of GM, this new Cadillac shares a platform -- Epsilon II to be precise -- with the Buick LaCrosse and the upcoming Chevrolet Impala. Then the whole project was put on hold for most of 2009. Meaning that even though the XTS was first conceived way back in 2006, the car is still a bit of a rush job, coming to market both sooner and later than it should. Worst of all, the XTS is not the big, sexy RWD flagship the brand so desperately needs.   The car's exterior design is strong, despite certain "hard point" limitations the XTS inherited from Buick. For example, the large, nearly swaggering Cadillac 16-Concept like front end is cheated by a dash-to-axle ratio that just screams front-wheel drive. Look at the puny amount of metal between the front wheel cut and the door. It's nearly identical to an Accord or a Passat. While all-wheel drive is available on three of the four XTS trim levels, the car is clearly, visibly based on FWD architecture. And while Audi somehow gets away with marketing front-wheel drivers as luxury cars, I just don't think it will work for Caddy. Neither do they, as the coming-very-soon ATS, new CTS and eventual "flagship" will all be rear drive. Back to the XTS. There are some nice exterior touches, like the future-look side mirrors and the fin-like taillights, a nice homage to Caddies like the 1958 Fleetwood Series 62. But while the design is good, it doesn't scream "Standard of the World." That's problematic because according to Caddy, that's where the brand must be headed. In other words, while pretty good looking, the XTS's bulbous bod just isn't as sexy and desirable as it needs to be.<img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/cars/1/0/M/l/2/ag_13xts_intleft.JPG" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="http://media.caranddriver.com/images/12q2/456683/2013-cadillac-xts-photo-457958-s-520x318.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="http://media.caranddriver.com/images/12q2/456683/2013-cadillac-xts-photo-457957-s-520x318.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="http://media.caranddriver.com/images/12q2/456683/2013-cadillac-xts-photo-457957-s-520x318.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Read more: <a href="http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedans/1205_2013_cadillac_xts_first_drive/#ixzz2CS80leuV" target="_blank">http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedans/1205_2013_cadillac_xts_first_drive/#ixzz2CS80leuV</a></blockquote>

Verification: Dahaya deken beduwama keeyada?

Top Bottom