Cadillac to sell diesel CTS sedan in Europe

Posted Mon Jan 22 2007 9:12 AM by Viknesh Vijayenthiran

Cadillac will be launching a diesel powered version of the all-new CTS sedan aimed at European markets. Automotive News is reporting that the engine will be sourced from Italy's VM Motori, with the diesel variant appearing in showrooms several months after the gasoline version. "We expect at least 50% of CTS sales to be diesels," said Dick Braakhekke, Cadillac Europe spokesman.

The CTS sedan made its official debut at the Detroit Motor Show and is expected to go on sale in Europe this October. It’s expected that VM Motori will supply a 3.0L V6 diesel developing 245hp. Last year, General Motors only managed to move 464 CTS sedans in Europe. The company already sells a diesel version of the BLS lower-premium sedan with a 1.9L engine.

Cadillac requires a popular diesel model if it genuinely wants to compete with the German premium brands. Roughly 70% of Audi’s sales are diesels, while for BMW it’s close to 67% and for Mercedes-Benz 58%.

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