Cadillac's Standout CTS

In its second iteration, the redesigned CTS returns with vastly improved performance and styling

The fog lays low over the Carmel Valley as we exit the Bernardus Lodge, hook a left and launch down one of the toughest roads in America—and one of the best for testing the mettle of a car like the 2008 Cadillac CTS.

Launched with much acclaim six years ago, the first-generation CTS was intended to serve as Caddy's response to the imports that by then had taken control of the U.S. luxury market. The Detroit automaker's strikingly angular sedan was a visual standout, and unarguably more fun to drive than just about anything the one-time "standard to the world" had put on the road in decades. Yet Cadillac's offering also suffered from a number of flaws, notably a cheap, plasticky interior, and fell short of the benchmark set by the likes of the BMW 3-Series, Mercedes C-Class, and Lexus IS.

The second-generation Cadillac, unveiled to equal acclaim at this year's Detroit Auto Show, promised to fix those shortfalls. The '08 model's interior certainly stretched Audi's yardstick, and if Caddy engineers were to be believed, the new CTS was even better equipped for Autobahn-style driving than the original.

Which is why we were so pleased to spend the first part of the day on the eastern half of Carmel Valley Road . This 30-mile stretch of blind twists and off-camber turns, switchbacks, and sudden elevation changes quickly separates the contenders from the poseurs.

Dueling Powertrains

Over the course of the day, we had the chance to switch in and out of various CTS models. For 2008, the sedan is offered with two powertrains, a 3.6-liter V-6 and a direct-injection six-cylinder. The sedan can be ordered with either six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic, and any of the powertrain packages can be completed in either rear- or all-wheel drive.

We started out with the stick and the DI, a 3.6-liter package making a promising 304 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. It launched like a shot out of the hotel driveway and never looked back.

On the technical side, Caddy chose to widen the '08's track by two inches. It visually enhances the new car's appearance, but it also keeps the CTS more firmly planted, especially on rough pavement and in tight turns. Larger wheels—the base car now gets 17-inchers, and there are optional 18s—also help. Borrowing from the old CTS-V, the nameplate's high-performance model, the CTS now has a front strut tower brace, and there's a new ZF steering system. The double-wishbone front suspension has been enhanced as well.

As they did with the original CTS, Cadillac engineers spent a fair amount of their development time and dollars running the sedan ragged on the German Nuerburgring, perhaps the most demanding course in the world. They also challenged the mighty Autobahn, as well as local European roads. And the payoff for their efforts was obvious.

As hard as we threw the CTS into the corners, it responded with ease, the tires rarely even chirping. Of course, it helped to start out with the FE3, the stiffest and most track-ready of the three suspension packages offered for the 2008 CTS, with, among other things, the stiffest shock valving and larger stabilizer bars.

Yet despite the firmness of the sedan's ride, it was far from harsh. We might not want to pick this package to commute every day on Michigan 's deeply rutted roads, but it would be more than acceptable for performance-oriented drivers.

On the other hand, the somewhat softer FE2 suspension was a perfect balance of sporty handling and comfortable ride. Even the softest FE1 setting no longer calls to mind those sorry, soggy boulevard cruisers of Caddy's past.

The sedan is now among the best in its class, though not yet up to the benchmark Bimmer. For one thing, neither of the V-6s have that sort of refined, silky purr one associates with BMW's marvelous in-line sixes. Both Cadillac engines are still a little raspy under wide-open throttle, though only true aficionados might even notice.

Looking Rich

It's easy to focus on the CTS's performance bona fides. In a segment of real stand-outs, this is one of the key differentiators. But in real-world use, there are plenty of other factors to consider. Like styling.

And to our eyes, the 2008 CTS is even more distinctive and pleasing than before. The original car was the first to follow Cadillac's then-new Art & Science design theme. It looked as if it had been laser sliced from a billet of steel. The new car, suggested Caddy General Manager Jim Taylor, puts more emphasis on art than science, and the often subtle tweaks to its shape have delivered an aesthetic home run.

Working from nose to tail, the front end lifts some cues from the striking Sixteen concept car; the grille is better integrated into the nose, flowing under the bumper, Audi style, and blending into the curvaceous hood. The lamps feature light pipes that remain lit whenever the engine is on.