Accidentally Revealed: 2013 Cadillac XTS
Sal at the Cadillac Owners forum has a photo of the new (and accidentally leaked) Cadillac XTS, a front/all wheel drive twin turbo V6 luxury sedan.
Below is the XTS concept that GM paraded around the auto show circuit last year:
And this is the final production car:
After receiving criticism for the XTS being tall, awkward, and jarring, GM delayed its release in order to refine its appearance and technology. Unfortunately, not much has changed. The fog lights are different as well as the shape of the headlights. The production car has different wheels, larger rear view mirrors, thicker door and glass pillars, and amber side markers on the wheel arch. The side profile looks to be mostly unchanged.
Overall, it lacks the stately appearance of the outgoing DTS, coming across as stubby rather than sleek. From afar, it looks like an enlarged Buick Lacrosse with the side profile of a Ford Taurus.
Expect twin turbo power to come from GM’s popular 3.6L V6, producing 320-350hp. There will be no DOHC V8, though an OHV V8 (like in the CTS-V) is rumored to be offered as part of a V-series package. With a front wheel drive architecture, more than 350hp seems unlikely.
To GM’s credit, they did say the XTS will be a stopgap, a segment filler before the arrival of Cadillac’s real flagship sedan. The XTS will compete with the Lexus and Acura. The Germans have no reason to be concerned, nor does Infiniti.
The 2012 concept car’s dazzling interior was going to make up for whatever else the car lacked.
How much of this suede and leather decadence will carry over to the production car is unknown, to be revealed at the auto show in Los Angeles on November 16th.
Here’s a video demonstration of CUE, Cadillac’s infotainment and LCD digital instrumentation system:
Fast Tube by Casper
GM says the production CUE system will be significantly faster and more polished. Note the use of annoying capacitative buttons on the instrument panel.
Cadillac appears to be slumming in entry-luxury territory. The self-proclaimed “new standard of the world” is hardly the standard of Peoria with cars like this.
I’ll be keeping my DTS Platinum…
(Reviewed here…at jesda.com…)
Dude – I’m sure you and your Toyota Camry will get along just fine. I’ve got a 2008 STS4 and if the XTS is even a SLIGHT improvement over it, that would still make the XTS a special car.
Carmine:
I’ve owned four Cadillacs, currently a 2001 STS, so I’m speaking as a Cadillac fan and enthusiast. [You couldn’t make me buy a Camry.] Your 2008 STS is built on a proper rear-drive sport sedan architecture. The XTS is a front wheel drive car with Haldex AWD as an optional afterthought, similar to a modern Saab or Volvo.
The XTS is essentially a gussied up Buick Lacrosse, sharing the Buick’s Epsilon II architecture and wheelbase. The Lacrosse is competent as a comfortable well-appointed value-priced daily driver, but its underpinnings are inadequate for a sport sedan or a luxury flagship.
Expect the XTS to be chock full of technology with a nicely appointed interior — otherwise, in terms of sophistication, don’t expect it to be an improvement over your 2008 STS at all.
Additionally, Cadillac has delayed its twin-turbo V6, so don’t expect the XTS to be any faster than your STS.
The XTS is a step backward, not forward. As Cadillac owners, we should demand and expect better.