When Cadillac said it was going global, did you guys think they were kidding? The all-new CTS luxury sedan was launched in Japan of all places this all places, with prices ranging from 5.99 million yen to 6.99 million yen ($58,500 to $68,300). We found a video of one of the first examples arriving in the country and it looks really special, its "Art of Science" design language clashing with all the tiny cars on their streets.
From what we've been able to understand, you can only get the CTS in Japan with one engine, the downsized 2-liter turbo. According to the official rating, this makes 276 PS (203 kW) at 5,500 rpm and "(40.8kgm) / 3000-4500rpm" of torque, which is 400 Nm in metric numbers. A six-speed electronically controlled automatic gathers the power and sends it to the rear wheels. Indeed, the sound we hear while the engine is idling is distinctly that of a four-cylinder.
This particular model supposedly has a trim level called the Elegance. That name is not something you get in the US, but it plays nicely with Japan's obsession for Romanized pronunciation.
The "Elegance" package is the most senior of trims that costs 400,000 yen and adds the Magnetic Ride Control system and CUE (short for Cadillac User Experience).
What's striking about seeing a CTS in Japan is how huge this thing is, bigger than any German midsize (A6, 5 Series or E-Class). The video takes us inside the car as well, which reveals that all the menus are now unfathomablely converted to Japanese and that the dash is carbon fiber.
The CTS is one of only four Cadillac models sold in Japan. The company hopes to attract as many customers as possible and is organizing an open-house event from April 23rd to the 29th to show people what American luxury is all about.
We definitely noticed the added wind deflectors, which are another option we've never seen on the CTS before. They cost 48,000 yen ($460) and ruin the look a bit.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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