Cadillac STS

Cadillac sts

Though it has evolved into an entirely different species, the luxury performance DNA of the Cadillac STS can be traced all the way back to the special range-topping Seville hardtop coupe of the 1950s. At that time one of the fastest, flashiest and most luxurious cars on the road, it evolved into various different forms over the course of several decades until emerging today as the buttoned-down STS luxury sedan. Based on GM's global Sigma rear- and all-wheel-drive platform and utilizing powerful V6 and V8 engines, the Cadillac STS is once again capable of sharing company with Europe's finest.

If you're in the market for a luxury sedan with competitive amounts of power, roominess, comfort and value, a used STS could be a good idea. However, the STS has been eclipsed in more recent years, with even its smaller CTS sibling offering better performance and handling, a much nicer interior and class-competitive interior space.

A full-size luxury sedan in its physical dimensions, the Cadillac STS is priced in line with premium-badged midsize sedans. The STS features a 3.6-liter V6 rated at 302 horsepower and 272 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard, as is rear-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is available.

There are three trim levels -- V6 Luxury Sport, V6 Luxury and V6 Premium. Common features on all models include leather seating, dual-zone climate control, a Bose sound system and OnStar. The V6 Luxury adds perks such as Bluetooth, heated/ventilated front seats, heated rear seats and rain-sensing wipers. The V6 Premium highlights include 18-inch (versus 17-inch) wheels, upgraded braking/steering/cooling systems, auto-dimming xenon headlights, upgraded audio and a navigation system.

In reviews and road tests, our editors have found the strengths of the Cadillac STS to include a level of agility that belies its size, respectable performance and a high-quality audio system. Downsides include an aging design, a small trunk and hit-or-miss interior quality. Overall, it's hard to fully endorse this full-size luxury sedan when Cadillac's own smaller CTS offers a more involving drive while only giving up a bit of interior space to its big brother.

The Cadillac STS rear-wheel-drive luxury sport sedan officially debuted for the 2005 model year and was offered in 255-hp V6 and 320-hp V8 versions. The latter could also be had with all-wheel drive (AWD). The following year, AWD became available on the V6 while for 2007 a six-speed automatic transmission was fitted to the V8 version. A midcycle refresh took place for '08, bringing revised styling (including ubiquitous chrome fender vents), a more luxuriously trimmed interior and the current more powerful V6 matched to the six-speed automatic. Those who fancy V8 power should know that 2010 was the last year it was available for the STS.

Those interested in a used model previous to the debut of the STS model will want to check out the front-wheel-drive, fifth-generation Seville produced from 1998-2003. The performance-oriented version of that car was known as the STS and featured a more powerful V8 engine and more luxury features. The 1992-'97 Seville also featured a similar STS edition.

For the 2007 model year, the Chinese market received the Cadillac SLS. Compared to the STS, the SLS has a longer wheelbase, unique interior appointments, and a near-identical exterior appearance. Engine choices are the 2.8-liter V-6, 3.6-liter V-6 (the non-direct-injection version shared with the 2005-2007 STS V-6), and the same 4.6-liter Northstar V-8 as in the STS V-8.

Chinese-Spec SLS receives facelift at the end of 2009, and is sold as 2010 Model Year. The grille, bumper and many other details have been revised. Shanghai-GM has also introduced OnStar system to MY2010 SLS. With the introduction of two SIDI engines (one is 272 hp 3.0L, the other is 310 hp 3.6L), the new SLS goes up-to-date. The new SLS is priced from 448,000RMB to 698,000RMB.

For 2008, the STS has been updated. Changes include a refreshed exterior, with styling cues resembling the 2008 CTS, such as larger, more aggressive grille and chrome fender vents. The interior has also been updated, with new materials and a new steering wheel, though the overall interior design remains the same, despite previous rumors of an all-new interior similar to that of the Chinese-market SLS. The standard powertrain is now a direct-injected 3.6 L V6 mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, which in the STS will produce 302 horsepower (225 kW) and 272 lb·ft (369 N·m) of torque.

It also offers enhanced safety features, including a lane departure warning system developed by Mobileye, a blind spot monitoring system, and an improved version of GM's StabiliTrak stability control system, which can now operate the steering system in addition to the brakes to help correct a skid. Additionally, options previously limited to the V8 model (such as HID headlamps and heads-up display) are now available with the V6. The 2008 Cadillac STS debuted at the 2007 New York Auto Show.

A 2010 update for the STS removed the GM badges, although early 2010 models still retained GM badging. For 2011, the V8 is entirely dropped from the Cadillac STS lineup.
 

 

Courtesy by: http://www.edmunds.com/cadillac/sts/
Courtesy by: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_STS

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