Auto Reviews

LAGUNA SECA, Calif . -- At one of the most thrilling road courses in the United States, a series of turns has been affectionately dubbed the Corkscrew.

It starts with a long, sweeping uphill turn, cuts back into a hairpin then drops off like a cliff, turning the other direction.

Cut the turn too tight, and you'll shoot across the inside corner and will never straighten out. Go too fast, and you'll be stuck in the kitty litter or against a rail.

The redesigned 2008 Cadillac CTS made me look like a superstar on that track, and a bank executive off of it.

I am neither, but after test-driving the new CTS on a tough road course and through California's Salinas Valley, home to the Bag-o-Salad, I reached two conclusions: This car isn't just good -- it's world-class. And that unless we change our immigration policies, our days of eating salads are short-lived.

You talk about immigration policies, banking and things of importance when you're riding around in this Cadillac. It feels natural to comment with authority on things you know nothing about. Encased in luxurious leather, sophisticated technology and an extremely quiet ride, the CTS makes you feel like an aristocrat at some country club, exuding gems of wisdom from the driver's seat.

This entry-level luxury sedan sets a new standard for affordable luxury and performance. Starting at $32,990 (including shipping), the CTS feels like a wise investment. Considering its performance, it's a steal; it's like buying shares of Google during its IPO. Something none of us did, but should have.

Standout style

The second-generation CTS has taken a quantum leap with its science and technology design. The first-generation vehicle had a nice design, chiseled and edgy but unfinished. The interior and exterior didn't work well together.

Now, the CTS softens its looks outside, adding more chrome in all the right places and taking on a more confident stance with its wider track. It doesn't blend into the luxury market; instead, it stands out with its extremely stylish and distinctively Cadillac looks.

While most of the car's exterior draws upon its sporty look, some additions come from other sharp Caddys. The double-pane sunroof (from the SRX), the front fender side extractors (from the Sixteen concept) -- every detail painstakingly thought out and perfected.

Luxury is about the details. Put the CTS under the microscope and even Dr. Gil Grissom from CSI Las Vegas would be dumbfounded -- nothing is out of place. The CTS hits every mark: Fit and finish, intuitive controls, quality materials and a tactile elegance. Every standard to measure the quality of a vehicle, the CTS surpasses.

Classic but modern

The interior feels natural and clean. The pop-up navigation screen fits perfectly into the faux leather dash, and the heavy stitching adds to a classic look.

It's classic but also modern. The navigation screen is easy to use and moves through different controls quickly, whether through the touch screen or dash-mounted buttons and knobs.

It also includes an iPod connector that allows you to operate the music player from the navigation screen or the steering wheel controls. Ingenious and easy is a combination that rarely fits together this well.

The upgraded stereo in Bose 5.1, 10-speaker surround sound includes a 40-gig hard drive to store music and other things such as audio books. Why should a commute prevent a driver from listening to the complete works of Oscar Wilde?

The optional interior lighting helps create the vehicle's soothing and angelic aura. Lighting pipes along the dash add soft indirect lighting, simulating the ambience in a theater before the curtain raises. GM designers wanted to create drama every time you enter the car, and their efforts deserve a standing ovation.

The seats wrap you in leather. My only complaint -- a minor one -- is that the bolsters were a little too far away to keep me firmly in the seat, especially on the track. But that's only because I was able to take corners at 60 mph, so I was more likely to be tossed around the seat.

Performance is exceptional

The handling and performance of the CTS is exceptional.

The new all-aluminum direct injection V-6 provides 304 horsepower and 273-pound-feet of torque. Acceleration was quick and smooth through the car's six gears, whether using the manual or automatic transmission, which includes sequential manual shifting. A few times, however, the automatic transmission up-shifted too quickly, even with the pedal mashed to the floor.

The standard 3.6 liter V-6, which produces 263-horsepower, also holds its own.

After driving a number of models, I tended to like the direct injection engine for its cleaner pickup off the line. I also liked that both engines only need regular gasoline instead of premium, which some sport sedans require. I also preferred the second-level suspension, known as FE2.

Based on a multilink rear suspension and short/long arm independent suspension, the overall ride is specifically tuned for a comfortable ride (known as FE1), performance and sporty handling (FE2) or racing on a track (FE3).

All share the vastly improved frame, which is stiffer and more rigid, rebuilt from the ground up.

The biggest improvement comes with the ZF Servotronic steering. Cadillac engineers said refining the steering's feel, feedback and precision was one of the most important aspects of the redesign. They nailed it. The steering, which adjusts its feel at different speeds, was perfect on tight turns, high speed turns and highway cruising.

There really isn't enough space in the Drive section to discuss all of the CTS's improvements. Inside and out, it's better, cleaner and offers everything a customer is looking for in a well-priced luxury sedan.

Cadillac has raised the stakes -- a threshold BMW, Lexus and Mercedes will now have to meet.

After driving more than a dozen laps on Laguna Seca in the CTS, my heart still raced from the thrill of the ride. From the front seat, I looked across the endless fields of lettuce ready for the picking and realized this was an appropriate place to drive the new sedan, especially as the brand re-establishes itself in the luxury segment.

Who knows, maybe it can once again enjoy a few salad days.

Scott Burgess is the auto critic for The Detroit News. He can be reached at (313) 223-3217 or sburgess@detnews.com.