CTS Coupe is the new focal point of Cadillac, expressing both our design and technical capabilities. It is intended to appeal to a new generation of car enthusiasts.
The Coupe joins the CTS Sport Sedan and the 556-horsepower (415 kW) CTS-V as the foundation of Cadillac’s lineup.
The Coupe is a classic 2+2 layout bolstered with advanced technology, such as a rear-view camera system and a performance-oriented suspension system coupled to rear-wheel or all-wheel drive.
The CTS Coupe emerged as a proposal inside Cadillac’s dedicated design studio, where designers develop and evolve the brand’s Art and Science design philosophy. It is powered by a 3.6L direct injected V-6 rated at 323 horsepower. The high-performance CTS-V Coupe receives the same, 556-horsepower (415 kW) 6.2L supercharged V-8 found in the landmark CTS-V Sport Sedan.
The coupe has the same wheelbase as the CTS Sport Sedan, but an overall height that is approximately two inches (51 mm) lower and an overall length that is two inches (51 mm) shorter.
Although it draws from its sport sedan sister, the CTS Coupe shares only the instrument panel, console, headlamps, front fenders and grille. Key design features include:
- Classic hardtop styling, with no conventional B-pillar
- Touch-pad operation for the doors removes the need for conventional door handles, creating a technical, clean profile
- A windshield laid at a faster angle (62.3 degrees) and a long, nearly horizontal backglass area combine to create a dramatic profile
- Sculpted lower front fascia with unique brake-cooling vents
- Rear fascia with mesh lower grilles
- Center-outlet exhaust with twin dihedral-shaped tips that pass through the rear fascia
- Signature vertical lighting, highlighted with LED light pipes
- Rear spoiler integrated into the signature center high-mounted stop lamp
At first glance, the shape of CTS Coupe is refreshingly simple, yet amplified with intricately carved details. Distinctive and original Cadillac signature cues combine with hand-sculpted forms, artfully articulating the capability of the chassis. For example, the rear fenders were purposefully developed by hand in Cadillac design studios to visually acknowledge the RWD powertrain. The gestured profile, coupled with Cadillac’s vertical taillamps and pronounced centerline crease, aim to achieve the most visually confident coupe in the segment.
Driving experience
The CTS Coupe extends Cadillac’s emerging performance credentials, with its standard direct injected 3.6L V-6 and a six-speed manual, featuring a revised clutch and dual-mass flywheel that offers better clutch pedal feel and improved engine isolation. A six-speed automatic transmission with Driver Shift Control (and available steering wheel mounted shift buttons) is optional. The Coupe’s final drive ratio is 3.73:1, up from the 3.42:1 ratio of other CTS body styles, providing more responsive acceleration.
The 3.6L DI engine is rated at 323 horsepower and offers EPA-estimated fuel economy of 27 mpg on the highway. It also runs on less expensive regular unleaded gasoline. Direct injection technology delivers fuel more precisely to increase the efficiency of combustion, enabling more power while maintaining fuel economy and lowering emissions – including a 25-percent drop in cold-start hydrocarbon emissions.
The powertrain’s performance is channeled through a chassis that delivers sports car performance without punishment. The hardware includes an independent short/long arm (SLA) front suspension system, with hydraulic control arm front bushings; and a multi-link rear suspension mounted on a fully isolated subframe. Also included are four-wheel disc performance brakes, premium steering and limited-slip differential.
Befitting its luxury sports coupe status, the Coupe has a number of adjustments in the chassis enabling crisper driving performance. The car’s wider track gives it a more planted feel and slightly better cornering. The Coupe has a smaller 29mm front stabilizer bar (2 mm less than the Sedan,) while the rear bar is increased from 20mm to 24.5mm. Damping force is firmer at all four corners, helping the Coupe reach 0.88g peak lateral acceleration in standard form, and more than 0.90 for the V-Series edition.
Two suspension-tuning levels are available: a Performance Package with 18-inch wheels and all-season tires (available in both RWD and AWD,) and the Summer Tire Performance Package, with 19-inch tires and wheels and a higher level of road holding capability. StabiliTrak, the advanced electronic chassis control system, is standard.
Comfort and technology
The CTS Coupe’s interior emphasizes technical precision with elegant, hand-crafted details. The hand-assembled center console leads seamlessly into the center stack, providing a sportier “cockpit” feel for the driver and passenger without compromising space.
The interior includes hand-sewn accents covering the door, center storage console and instrument panel trim. Available heated and ventilated seats incorporate “thin-seat” technology for maximum occupant comfort and enhanced rear-seat leg, knee and foot room. Fourteen-way adjustable Recaro sport seats are optional, as is a heated wood steering wheel.
The Coupe also offers a host of customer driven technologies, including:
- Integrated iPod/MP3 capability
- 40-gig hard drive, including the ability to store music and pause-and-replay live radio
- Pop-up navigation system
- Adaptive forward lighting system
- Bluetooth connectivity
- Standard Keyless Access and Smart Remote Start
- Rear vision camera system
- Bose 5.1 Cabin Surround™ audio system.
Safety features
CTS Coupe is designed to enhance Cadillac’s reputation for providing safe occupant environments in luxury vehicles. Details include:
- Dual-stage driver front air bag
- Segment-first dual depth front passenger air bag
- Driver and front passenger side seat-mounted pelvic/thorax side air bags
- Roof-rail side curtain air bags that cover front and rear seating rows
- Front safety belt pretensioners
- Tire pressure monitoring system
- Body structure with strategically placed high-strength steel.