2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe

Based on the CTS sedan, the CTS Coupe uses a dramatic design. Cadillac did more than just strip the rear doors from the sedan. The CTS Coupe is 2 inches shorter in length and 2 inches shorter in height, yet has a 2 inch wider rear track. The back glass, nestled in the angular rear of the car, seems almost horizontal. With the Coupe's design, the rear pillars are particularly wide, which Cadillac says leads to greater rigidity than the sedan.

The CTS Coupe didn't change much from the concept shown at the 2008 Detroit auto show. The car still has the handle-less door openers, a touch borrowed from the Cadillac XLR. The exhaust still comes out the center rear of the car from two trapezoidal ports. It cuts a striking figure.

Cadillac brought us out for a preview drive in the new Coupe, but much of it was familiar from the CTS sedan. The CTS Coupe uses the same direct injection 3.6-liter V-6 available in the sedan, producing 304 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. Likewise, the car gets the same six speed automatic with its oh so aggressive sport mode.

2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe

2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe, about to enter a blind turn on a narrow two lane road. Figuring 60 mph might be just a little hot for this corner, we hit the brakes, making the smart six speed automatic transmission decide a gear change down to second was in order.

As the tach needle swung around to brush the 7,000 rpm redline, the engine sounded off with a strained growl, sounding as if someone were putting a beehive through a bandsaw, not one of the best engine notes we've heard. The wheel felt lifeless as we turned into the corner, its power mechanism tuned more for comfort than track days. But the front end of the car pointed where we wanted, and our still considerable speed in the turn made the summer tires start to slide.

Based on the CTS sedan, the CTS Coupe uses a dramatic design. Cadillac did more than just strip the rear doors from the sedan. The CTS Coupe is 2 inches shorter in length and 2 inches shorter in height, yet has a 2 inch wider rear track. The back glass, nestled in the angular rear of the car, seems almost horizontal. With the Coupe's design, the rear pillars are particularly wide, which Cadillac says leads to greater rigidity than the sedan.

The CTS Coupe didn't change much from the concept shown at the 2008 Detroit auto show. The car still has the handle-less door openers, a touch borrowed from the Cadillac XLR. The exhaust still comes out the center rear of the car from two trapezoidal ports. It cuts a striking figure.

Cadillac brought us out for a preview drive in the new Coupe, but much of it was familiar from the CTS sedan. The CTS Coupe uses the same direct injection 3.6-liter V-6 available in the sedan, producing 304 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. Likewise, the car gets the same six speed automatic with its oh so aggressive sport mode.

2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe at Chicago

Cadillac spokesman Nick Twork dropped by our Chicago offices this morning to take us for a spin in an early production CTS coupe. The car hits dealerships this summer, and journalists won’t get to drive it until later this spring. So, coffee in hand, we hopped in the passenger seat and learned some new tidbits about the car.

With a standard direct-injection 3.6-liter V-6, Cadillac plans to position the CTS coupe slightly upmarket of the sedan. Pricing has yet to be announced, but the 3.6-liter CTS sedan starts at $41,565 for 2010, so the coupe could start somewhere in the mid-40s.

The CTS coupe won’t be offered with the sedan’s 3.0-liter base V-6, at least for now. Its nominally wider rear track and higher final drive ratio — with automatics, 3.73 versus 3.42 in the sedan — should make for a “more lively” driving experience, Twork said. Zero-to-60 mph acceleration times could be a few tenths quicker than the 3.6-liter sedan’s mid-6-second times, he estimated.

Inside, the coupe has a unique black headliner; it’s a lighter color in the sedan. As we noted during last December’s Los Angeles Auto Show, the coupe ditches the sedan’s traditional door handles for Corvette-like electronic, button-actuated ones.

2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe

Cadillac surprised many people with the introduction of a CTS Coupe concept at the 2008 Detroit auto show. Now we're getting a look at the production car and not much has changed. Design has been Cadillac's focus for the past few years and the CTS Coupe is the ultimate expression of Cadillac's current design language.

Fans of the concept's B-pillarless design will be happy to see the production Coupe lacks a B-pillar and has hidden door releases, like a Corvette. According to Cadillac, only the instrument panel, console, grille, headlights, and front fenders are shared between the coupe and sedan versions of the CTS. Inside, the Coupe seats four in a classic 2+2 layout.

Of course the CTS Coupe isn't just about looks. The only engine offered is a 3.6-liter V-6 featuring direct injection and delivering 304 hp. A choice of six-speed transmissions will be available, though only rear-wheel-drive cars are available with a clutch pedal. Two suspension packages are offered: a so-called performance package includes 18-inch wheels and all-season tires while the summer tire performance package upgrades to 19-inch wheels and Continental summer tires, though it can't be paired with AWD. A Limited-slip differential is standard for all CTS Coupes. A V-series Coupe will follow, likely at the Detroit show.

2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe AT LA Auto Show

Expected to make its public debut next week at the LA Auto Show, the Cadillac CTS Coupe will join the CTS sedan and wagon in the brand’s lineup for the 2011 model year. The coupe will have the same wheelbase as the sedan, but it will be two inches lower and shorter. As expected, it shares much with the sedan, but the Coupe has distinct hidden B-pillar, touch pad for the doors (in place of conventional door handles), and a steeper angle for the windshield and rear window, which contributes to the sleek aerodynamic look.

The coupe doesn’t get the “budget” 3.0-liter V6. Instead, it’s powered by the direct-injection, 304–hp, 3.6-liter V6 engine. A six-speed manual and six-speed automatic will be offered. The EPA estimates that highway fuel economy will reach 27 mpg. Two suspension packages will be available, including a performance package with 18-inch wheels and all-season tires available in both rear- and all-wheel-drive. A summer tire package comes with 19-inch tires and wheels.

The coupe will hit showrooms in the spring of 2010 with a high-performance V-Series edition arriving later in 2010. Unfortunately, there won’t be a convertible version to compete with the likes of BMW 3 Series and Audi A5.