Cadillac to replace BLS with global model based on Epsilon II platform

Posted Tue Apr 28 2009 6:58 PM by Viknesh Vijayenthiran

The FWD Epsilon II platform also spawns the Opel Insignia, and upcoming Buick LaCrosse and Saab 9-5

Cadillac knows its future lies in small cars, especially if it wants to be considered a global player, but GM’s financial woes means the company has had to pare back some of its more ambitious plans. In the latest viability plan, GM CEO Fritz Henderson revealed that Cadillac would have to scale back on its European expansion plans, while development of new diesel models plus a RWD 3-series rival have been put on hold. Instead, the GM luxury division will focus on its performance in existing markets, including North America, parts of Asia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East, as well as the development of a sub-CTS model based now on the FWD Epsilon II platform.

Epsilon II is a global platform, which underpins cars like the upcoming 2010 Buick LaCrosse and Opel Insignia, and according to MotorTrend it will also be used for a replacement for Cadillac’s poor selling BLS. Codenamed GM 166, the new car will be available in both FWD and AWD and will be priced somewhere between the LaCrosse and CTS. Expect pricing to fall around the $34,000-$35,000 mark, pitting as a prime target for the Lexus ES 350.

This sub-CTS model is expected to be Cadillac’s highest volume model but it won’t be just another BLS. Instead, the car has been described as a brand new global model with “dedicated architecture and content.”

According to the source, GM 166 will be bigger than its LaCrosse and Insignia cousins and will arrive sometime in 2011. The bad news is that the much-hyped 3-series rival, rumored to be based on a brand new RWD platform called Alpha, is most likely dead.

Reader Comments

Tue Feb 5 2008 1:29 AM
Sir Yappie says

I just wish that Holden would develop and release this car here. It deffo needs it, what with the Epica (a rebadged Daewoo mid sized sedan) doing so poorly that Porsche outsold it last year. Besides its the global platform that GM is crying out for to compete with the (imho absolutely brilliant) new Mondeo
Tue Apr 28 2009 7:14 PM
www.mywheelsonwalls.com says

Sir Yappie, I believe the BLS is all part of the Saab 9-3 platform. Do you not get Saabs down under? As for Holden developing a Caddy why not just get the Holden? It would be a heck of alot cheaper for the same result.
Wed Apr 29 2009 4:07 AM
gazzed says

Heard Holden is still planning on building their own car now that Commodore is on it's last leg and might altogether be discontinued...
... plus it's not really a good idea to bring in a prestige car when most people are looking for bargains.
Wed Apr 29 2009 2:51 PM
ItaloKnight says

Viknesh, this story is a bit confusing.

First you say that GM will produce an EpsilonII based product that will be slotted below the CTS and essentially replace the BLS. Fair enough.

However, then you go onto say that "will be bigger than its LaCrosse and Insignia cousins".

First of all, the LaCrosse and Insignia are both EpsilonII derived, but they are NOT the same size. The LaCrosse is larger than the Insignia as it uses a stretched and widend version of the EpsilonII platform.

Second of all, the CTS itself is rougnly the size of the A6, 5-Series and E-Class -- all of which are roughly the size of the Insignia itself (take a look at the specs!).

Something is WAY off here.
Thu Apr 30 2009 10:54 AM
NaBUru38 says

ItaloKnight is right, a sub-CTS should be under 4700mm long.

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