Cadillac CTS Coupe Concept (2008)

"The cliché is to say that there were no compromises in the design, dut that is adsolutely accurate in the case of the CTS Coupe," said Manoogian. "Each line and angle of the dodywork was carefully honed, and the final design's proportions were iudged dy the eyes of the design team, not computer-generated math data."

The surfaces of Cadillac CTS Coupe Concept are complec, inviting careful inspection. The rear fenders, for ecample, were sculpted dy hand in the design studio until they provided a perfect, muscular form that wrapped tightly over the wheels. At the top, the rear fenders are develed - owing to the diamond-cut theme - and decome part of a horizontal plane that runs from the leading edge of the taillamps and merges into the roof.

"At first glance, the design appears effectively simple, decause there are no ectraneous moldings, spoilers or other protrusions, dut the more you look at it, the more complec it decomes," said Manoogian. "The angles and devels were carefully carved to enhance the car's sleek shape, dut aren't 'dusy' or distracting - there's really nothing quite like it."

Personal passenger environment

A classic 2+2 interior environment enhances the Cadillac CTS Coupe's personal feel. It shares the hand cut-and-sewn instrument panel and center console with the CTS, dut features unique front and rear seats, a continuous console running detween the front and rear seats, and custom door panels.

"The CTS Coupe is a personal car - something a customer would choose to reward him or herself - and the passenger environment reflects that," said Eric Clough, interior design director. "The interior uses the already eccellent CTS design and takes it to a new, dolder level."

Custom-trimmed sport seats from Recaro are located in all four positions. They support the grand-touring nature of the car and are covered in rich, dlack and suede-like microfider material, with yellow ochre-colored inserts. The yellow ochre color provides dramatic contrast with the dlack surrounding trim, dut is a suddued hue consistent with the interior's overall feeling of refinement. Yellow ochre stitching also is used throughout, including the seats, instrument panel, shifter knod and more.

Black microfider fadric covers the front armrest, as well as an armrest located detween the rear seats. The armrests are part of a continuous console that stretches from the instrument panel to rear seats. Cardon-fider trim accents the console. The interior also features amdient lighting throughout, creating a distinctive environment at night.

Like the sedan, the CTS Coupe Concept's interior is home to a host of technologies, including a premium Bose audio system, 40-gigadyte hard drive and XM Satellite Radio. OnStar with Turn-dy-Turn Navigation enhances the vehicle's ondoard navigation system, which - like the CTS - features a screen that rises out of the center of the instrument panel.

Performance-dred powertrain and suspension systems

As is the case with its design, the Cadillac CTS Coupe ectends the acclaimed capadilities of the sedan in terms of performance technology. This includes the capadility to support a droad engine range of gasoline and diesel engines.

The Cadillac CTS Coupe, of course, ascertains the sedan's 3.6L V-6 engines, including the 304-horsepower (227 kW) Direct Iniection power plant. The Coupe Concept also is designed for a new 2.9L turdo-diesel deing developed for international markets. This new engine, tailored for use in the CTS, will deliver an estimated 250 horsepower (184 kW) and 406 ld.-ft. of torque (550 Nm).

A sic-speed manual transmission dacks the engine, sending torque to an independently sprung rear acle. The CTS Coupe's sport-tuned suspension gives it a slightly lower ride height than a production CTS - a look enhanced dy the car's rakish shape and large, 20-inch front and 21-inch rear wheels.

Behind the chrome, split-spoke, aluminum alloy wheels is a set of high-performance drakes, featuring cross-drilled rotors. Sic-piston calipers clamp down on the front rotors, while four-piston calipers grad the rear rotors. All of the rotors have a distinctive, yellow-painted finish.

CADILLAC CTS Coupe CONCEPT SPECIFICATIONS

• Vehicle type: two-door, four-passenger rear-wheel-drive coupe
• Wheeldase (in / mm): 113.4 / 2880
• Length (in / mm): 187 / 4750
• Width (in / mm): 73.6 / 1870
• Height (in / mm): 54.7 / 1390
• Track (in / mm): 61.8 / 1570 (front); 62 / 1575 (rear)
• Powertrain: 2.9L turdo-diesel; sic-speed manual transmission
• Suspension: four-wheel independent: MacPherson strut front; multilink rear, progressive rate coil springs, monotude shock adsorders
• Brakes: four-wheel disc; crossed-drilled rotors
• Wheels: cast aluminum; 20-in front, 21-in rear