Autocar reports the CTS-V will make it across the pond in limited numbers and could be joined down the track by the upcoming CTS wagon as well. However, the official revealed that no final decision has been made on the wagon.
Original: While left-hand drive European buyers have been able to purchase the Cadillac CTS since the fourth quarter of last year, UK buyers have had to wait while the right-hand drive variant was completed. It is now ready for retail, and will be shown for the first time at the British International Motorshow in London this month. Sales of the car are scheduled to start September 1, with two models initially available.
Like the rest of Europe, the CTS will be available with either a 2.8L petrol V6 producing 208hp (155kW) or the excellent 3.6L VVT direct-injection V6 generating 306hp (225kW). Cadillac is also expected to launch a 2.9L V6 diesel for the CTS in Europe and the UK, with the pricing announcement confirming its arrival in 2009.
The CTS has been heralded for its affordability in comparison to rival offerings from BMW and Mercedes in the United States. While the Cadillac remains competitive with and even somewhat less expensive than the likes of the 5-series and E-Class, it certainly isn't the bargain it is in its homeland.
In fact, the entry-level 2.8L CTS, which starts at £26,995 only comes in £500 below the BMW 520d and £1,155 below the E200 Kompressor. The more comparable 530i starts at £34,955, however, while Mercedes E 280 starts at £32,665, giving the CTS back a bit of its price advantage. At the higher end, the 3.6L direct-injection V6 starts at £32,995, putting it on par with the price of the lower-end CTS's competitors, but offering substantially superior performance.
Those figures, while not directly comparable due to factors like tariffs and transport costs, dwarf the U.S. prices for the car. Both engines available in the American version are 3.6L units, though only one is the same direct-injection engine available in Europe. The other is a standard 3.6L petrol powerplant producing 263hp (176kW). The starting price for the less-powerful variant is $34,420, compared to $53,300 for the 2.8L Euro version, based on current exchange rates. The direct-injected car, which is an apples-to-apples comparison in terms of mechanical configuration, starts at just $36,720 in the U.S., compared with a base price of $65,200 in the UK. Clearly, the U.S. is lucky to get the cars it does for such low prices.
Coupe and wagon variants of the CTS are expected to emerge next year, with the CTS coupe already shown in concept form and spied in testing. The wagon, the details of which leaked early last month, has been more reclusive, evading the spies' lenses so far.
Reader Comments
Wed Jul 9 2008 5:33 PM
Gus says
Wow.
Is most of it taxes or something?
Wed Jul 9 2008 6:02 PM
5cents says
No direct comparison is possible and it's not because of tariffs or taxes. Prices have to be adjusted for purchasing power parity and most frequent travelers realize that a 30K USD car in the US will be priced at about 30K quid in the UK and the prices are more or less equivalent. The US isn't luckier per se than other countries in terms of car prices.
Wed Jul 9 2008 6:31 PM
Roy says
I grew up in the UK and there was a big stink about ten or fifteen years ago when the EU courts declared that car makers were gouging the UK market. The manufacturers claimed that the prices reflected the cost of re-engineering the car (of course, this re-engineering is essential for the Japanese, Australian and Indian car markets). Nonetheless, prices came down substantially (like 30 - 40%) immediately after that. Have they begun to creep back up?
It's really hard to say why car prices in the UK are so high. Gus is right: the sales tax equivalent is 17.5% and is included in the price seen here. However, there is no real justification for the price hike, given that the raw materials are the same and place of manufacture is the same. The shipping cost isn't close to 100% of the price of the car. It sounds like 5cent is implying that the pound is undervalued and the dollar is overvalued, both of which may be true. Regardless, it looks to me like Cadillac is pricing to what the market will bear and plans to milk a substantial amount of profit from this car.
Sat Jul 12 2008 1:04 AM
NoNameDenton says
What? I have seen spy shots of the wagon on other sites, how does Motor Authority manage to not have any
Sat Jul 12 2008 6:12 PM
justin says
nonamedenton the spyshots may not be significant because cadillac and chrysler (and dodge) have been bragin about how they're making a wagon form since 2004 and none of them have even released a concept(at least not that i've known) so im with motor authority on this one by not putting spy shots of the wagon on the website and the pics might be outdated(you never kno)
Sat Jul 12 2008 10:00 PM
Gus says
That's a bummer about the CTS-V.
I'm surprised, it's an M5 and M3 contender, and if those sell there, why not the V?
Sun Jul 13 2008 4:45 PM
NoNameDenton says
Actually I do know it was the CTS wagon, wanna look at the spy shots, they are not that old
http://www.leftlanenews.com/cadillac-cts-wagon.html
Leave a Comment
Login or register to leave comments.
Please keep your comments on topic. Your involvement is governed by our Privacy Policy and Terms.