Cadillac'S S-Class Fighter

If Cadillac's renaissance proves real through the rest of the decade, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, and Jaguar will be defending their flagships. The erstwhile Standard of the World is working on an S-Class-fighter to be fitted with V-12 and V-8 Northstar engines and is scheduled to go on sale by 2009.

Yet unnamed but likely to carry a faux-Euro moniker--but hopefully nothing as dull and unimaginative as "ULS" for "Ultimate Luxury Sedan"--the top-of-the-range Cadillac would be a significant step up in size from the 2005 STS, which is 196.3 inches long on a 116.4-inch wheelbase and probably even bigger than the current S-Class, which is 203.1 inches long on a 121.5-inch wheelbase.

The V-12 model will be powered by a version of the 7.5-liter Northstar engine from the 2002 Cien mid-engine supercar concept. A variation of the 320-horse, 4.6-liter Northstar V-8 would remain the volume engine, like V-8s in the Mercedes S500 and BMW 745. A large-capacity turbodiesel will be needed for the car to compete in Europe, where oil burners now account for up to 50 percent of large luxury-car sales.

The new super Caddy won't replace the DeVille/DTS, which is set for a major update and restyle for the 2006 model year under a program codenamed GMX272. The DeVille will remain front drive, but its sheetmetal will be reshaped to borrow design cues from the Cadillac Sixteen concept car unveiled at the 2003 Detroit Show.

Since the flagship strategy is a half-decade away, its future depends much on Cadillac returning to prominence in the world luxury-car market. A smaller front-drive sedan for the European market, based on the Epsilon platform used by the Saab 9-3 and with turbodiesel engines available, remains under study. Good strategy, Cadillac. But, please, ditch the silly three-letter acronyms and bring back the bold, confident names of the past. How about Fleetwood Brougham V-12?