Cadillac BLS ready for the world

GENERAL Motors’ global chief Bob Lutz has outlined to GoAuto the anticipated model line-up for Cadillac in Australia and confirmed that a future Monaro coupe was currently under investigation.

After unveiling the production version of the Cadillac BLS at the recent Frankfurt motor show, Mr Lutz told GoAuto that General Motors would not "let Australia be a white-spot on the global Cadillac map" as it developed new right-hand drive models, the first of which is expected to arrive Down Under in 2007.

"Right now in right-hand drive we have the BLS, CTS and the successor to the next-generation CTS, so at this point it is a somewhat limited line to two saloons, and I think to get adequate coverage of the Australian market we also want to do the large saloons, the STS and probably the SRX, neither of which are right-hand drive at this point," he said.

"The XLR? Probably never, or the next generation." The BLS is part of GM’s $US6 billion ($A7.7 billion) investment to launch Cadillac well beyond its home turf of the United States.

Based on the Saab 9-3, the BLS gains a distinctive design, more lush suspension settings and additional sound insulation. Inside, however, the car has a distinct Saab feel, with trim and switchgear difficult to distinguish as uniquely Cadillac.

Visually, the car adopts a similar styling theme to the larger CTS and STS sedans with its vertical headlights and dominant LED centre rear brake light on the boot lid.

For the diesel-oriented European market, the front-wheel drive BLS will be offered with a 1.9-litre, four-cylinder direct injection turbo-diesel, a first for the luxury marque.

Two petrol engines will also be offered – a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder and Holden-sourced 190kW Alloytec 2.8-litre twin-turbo V6. The 2.0-litre is expected to be offered in two states of tune – at 129kW and 155kW.

GM hopes the newcomer will help boost its European sales to 20,000 cars by 2010, up from a previous forecast of 10,000. Last year, Cadillac sold 245,000 cars globally, still behind the established luxury giants of Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

The other nagging question on many Holden enthusiasts’ lips is the status of the future Monaro, given the last of the breed, the CV8-Z is now on sale with a production run of 1200 coupes before the Monaro name bites the dust.

Mr Lutz was reluctant to go on the record about the car, or whether it would piggyback off a future GTO model out of the United States. However, he did confirm: "That’s in the process of being figured out." He also said it was too early to speculate on whether the Zeta platform would serve as a replacement for the GTO, underpinning the new car’s design.