ON THE TABLE

February 2, 2011

 GM Design, Cadillac. Editor-in-Chief’s Note: Last week I took GM Design and Cadillac to task because rumors about the design of the next-gen CTS were not complimentary. Well, I am not going to reveal the who, what, when, where, why, or how of it all, but let’s just say I have been enlightened as to the depth and breadth of Cadillac’s upcoming product offensive. Within context of the upcoming ATS and XTS (both of which have been refined and made dramatically better, by the way), the CTS fits right in, with several notable improvements in look, feel and substance. Am I convinced it's totally excellent? Not quite, but it will come into focus better when you take the rest of the lineup into consideration. And Cadillac’s future interiors continue to “wow” and are very impressive. So, the short story is that GM Design, especially as it pertains to Cadillac has not begun to lose its much-touted mojo. As a matter of fact, judging by the direction and the stuff I can’t talk about, they’re going to be a force to be reckoned with in the luxury-performance market for many years to come. - PMD

 BMW. The classically German automaker has announced the return of a four-cylinder engine to its U.S. lineup for the first time since 1999.  The new all-aluminum 2.0-liter engine will combine twin-scroll turbocharging with high-pressure direct-injection and BMW’s VALVETRONIC intake control to deliver 240 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 260 lb-ft of torque at just 1,250 rpm, offering more power and torque than BMW’s normally aspirated 3.0-liter inline six. BMW has not announced which U.S.-specific model will get the new direct-injected turbo 4, but whatever it is will arrive at the end of the summer/early fall.

Cadillac. Editor-in-Chief's Note: Has GM Design begun to lose its much-touted mojo? Word is that the next-gen Cadillac CTS has "softened" the in-your-face and now instantly-recognized cutting edge Cadillac "look" in favor of a more "me-too" profile that will fit right in with all of the other competitors out there. Hmmm. Memo to GM Design: Does anyone there remember where Cadillac was before the "Art & Science" look emerged on the famous Evoq show car many moons ago? I'll remind you. Back then Cadillac was lost in a Vogue white-walled, vinyl-topped hell that almost killed the brand in this market entirely. And does anyone need to be reminded of just how difficult it is to establish a distinctive brand presence on the road, one that not only doesn't blend in but one that can't be confused with any other automaker? It's only the most difficult design challenge in this business, that's all. If you guys back away from the now-accepted Cadillac design idiom even for a moment it will mark the beginning of a long, slow slide into mediocrity, the kind that you were so desperately trying to avoid when you relaunched the brand way back when in the first place. Pull back on the stick before you guys auger the whole thing into the ground. And remember this - if anything, the Cadillac CTS Coupe should be the launching point for an even more aggressive look in this market for Cadillac. Anything less just won't do. I expect to be able to delve deeper into this subject, so I will keep you posted. - PMD

Chevrolet. The automaker is hell-bent on making a splash on the Super Bowl this year, with a total of five spots in the mix. One of the spots, which Joel Ewanick, GM's marketing guru, has up his sleeve is actually a two-part spot that resolves itself in the hit Fox TV show, "Glee." First teased during the game with the cast from "Glee," Part II of the spot unfolds during the show. Expect to see the cast of "Glee" dressed all in white, on an elaborate white stage, delivering a knockout rendition of "See the U.S.A. in Your Chevrolet."

(Susan Goldman/Ford)

Jay Leno celebrates the donation of the Ford Focus Electric Vehicle with Matt VanDyke, Ford director of U.S. marketing and communications, center, and Leslie Kendall, curator at the Petersen Automotive Museum, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2011, in Los Angeles. The car, Ford's first ever all electric passenger car, was featured on the Green Car Challenge on the "Jay Leno Show". “This donation signifies Ford’s transition from a prototype version of Focus Electric to the real production vehicle,” said Matt VanDyke, Ford director of U.S. Marketing and Communications. “We still believe the Focus Electric prototype can continue to create awareness and excitement for electric vehicles like it did during the Green Car Challenge. The Petersen Automotive Museum is the perfect place for the car to do that.” Used throughout the 2010 season, the Electric Orange battery electric prototype was outfitted with Recaro racing seats, a full roll cage and a five-point racing harness for use on a racetrack designed specifically for the show.

(Photos courtesy of Mercedes-Benz)

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled its restyled C63 AMG sedan which will debut in the U.S. this fall as a 2012 model. The revised C63 includes various design tweaks including a new radiator grille with a large Mercedes star, a new AMG front apron with a lower cross member painted in high-gloss black, special AMG daytime running lights and side air outlets, and a new AMG rear apron featuring a black diffuser insert with three pronounced fins. The new C63 also undergoes a number of performance enhancements aimed at significantly reducing fuel consumption. The AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission comes standard with a "Controlled Efficiency" mode along with a new power steering pump that helps reduce the combined fuel consumption by an estimated ten percent. The output of the AMG 6.3-liter V8 engine is unchanged at 451 hp and can be increased to a maximum of 481 hp with the optional AMG Development Package. Bring money.

(Cadillac)
Cadillac has announced a Black Diamond Edition of its high-performance CTS-V. The Black Diamond Edition -- available in the CTS-V Sedan, Coupe and Wagon models -- will be the first use by an automaker of JDSU's proprietary SpectraFlair pigment in North America. JDSU, a Milipitas, Calif.,-based optical technology firm, specializes in cutting-edge color solutions for a wide range of markets. Its pigments are used in certain DuPont paints supplied to Cadillac. In the CTS-V Black Diamond, a dark tri-coat paint is embedded with SpectraFlair Bright Silver pigment. While other luxury makers offer metallic paints containing small bits of metal, the SpectraFlair pigment in Black Diamond uses aluminum flakes encapsulated in a glass-like substance called magnesium fluoride. The result is a paint that has a diamond-like sparkle as light hits the surface from different angles. In addition to the unique paint, CTS-V Black Diamond comes standard with Satin Graphite 19-inch wheels with yellow Brembo brake calipers, Recaro seats that feature 14 adjustable elements, French-stitched leather and microfiber suede inserts in the center sections of the cushions and seatbacks and Midnight Sapele wood trim known for its durability and distinctive grain. The CTS-V Black Diamond comes with a suggested retail price, including destination charges, of $69,190 for the manual or $70,490 for the automatic, a $4,850 premium over the CTS-V base price. The CTS-V Black Diamond will be available at U.S. dealerships in March.

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