1997 Cadillac Catera - First Drive - German Car

Introducing a new car line into the market is always a formidable challenge. For Cadillac, the fall 1996 launch of its Euro-themed Catera sedan will take on particularly critical proportions. Not only will it be responsible for putting the division into the hottest segment of the U.S. luxury market, it's also expected to serve as a catalyzing agent to firmly position Cadillac as GM's international brand, to lure a whole new breed of buyer (read, younger and more European-oriented) into Cadillac showrooms, and to reestablish the division as the automotive "Standard of the World." That's no minor undertaking by anybody's account.

Throughout the '90s, the "affordable luxury" niche has been quickly gaining significance. By the year 2000, Cadillac believes models in the $30,000-$35,000 arena will account for almost 40 percent of all luxo-car sales-one more reason General Manager John Grettenberger sees the success of the Catera as being vital to the division's future.

Brand manager Dave Nottoli notes that the Catera's projected demographics differ markedly from those of existing Cadillac owners. The anticipated median age of 44 is nearly a decade younger than typical Seville purchasers and a full generation below DeVille and Fleetwood customers. While projected to be somewhat less affluent than the rest of Cadillac's customers, Catera buyers likely will be better educated. They'll also more likely be female; Cadillac projects that 53 percent of Catera's principal drivers will be women.

From a price standpoint, the Catera's primary competitors include the Acura TL, BMW 3-Series, Infiniti I30, Lexus ES 300, Mazda Millenia, and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. But with a 107.4-inch wheelbase, 100.4 cubic feet of interior volume, and a 16.6-cubic-foot trunk, the Catera offers passenger accommodations and cargo capacity rivaling many larger sedans.

Although Cadillac explored designing its new model from the ground up, cost and timing considerations dictated that the Catera be based on an existing GM platform. The rear-drive Opel Omega-specifically the top-of-the-line MV6 variant-was deemed the most suitable donor. Built in Russelsheim, Germany, by GM's Adam Opel AG, this midsize sedan debuted in April 1994 and has since become the best-selling car in its class throughout Western Europe. The transformation from Omega to Catera involved a collaborative effort between teams at the Cadillac division's home office in Warren, Michigan, and the Opel Technical Development Center in Russelsheim-and it involved far more than just a new name badge.

To impart an upscale feel to the Catera, the engineering group mandated that a host of structural modifications be made. Significant reinforcement of an already solid unibody improved both bending resistance and torsional rigidity; redesigned front and rear subframes attenuate tire and road noise input to the passenger compartment. Further isolation was achieved through the use of special bushings and motor mounts plus a massive infusion of sound-deadening material.

The Catera was styled by Cadillac's U.S. design studio under the command of Dennis Little. Save for a subtle tweak of the character lines on its hood, the car retains all the Omega's basic sheetmetal. Changes to the front and rear fascias impart a different flavor from its Opel counterpart, and additional detail modifications further distinguish the Catera from the original Omega-based Cadillac LSE concept car, first seen in early 1994. The brightwork "moustache" is narrower than the one on the LSE, and the grille will be anodized black chrome on production cars. The grille on the prototype seen here is merely painted. Rear fascia styling also changed, with a single full-width taillight lens replacing the LSE's two-lamp design. Bold C-A-D-I-L-L-A-C block lettering at the rear displaces the ubiquitous quill-and-scroll-type script used on Caddys since the '50s.