It took courage to abandon the 57-year-old
DeVille nameplate, but that's exactly what
Cadillac did last year while overhauling its biggest and most conservative sedan for 21st
Century duty. The
DTS designation used to indicate the DeVille Touring Sedan, a sporty version of the old model. DTS now stands for the whole revised and revamped model line. It's fitting, given today's DTS is sportier than yesterday's DeVille. The DTS takes turns with poise and dignity, making it an enjoyable steed when the road goes curvy.
Sporting fresh body lines, a redesigned interior, upgraded running gear, and suspension refinements, the current version was launched as a 2006 model. For 2007, it's offered as a single model, with a single interior, but with a number of packages and two levels of engine power for a wide range of personalization.
The DTS is a full-size luxury car and it is, indeed, a big car, riding on a 115.6-inch wheelbase that would have qualified it as full-size car even in the mid-1950s. Its styling is restrained, but it's stuffed with modern technology and electronic goodies. And unlike many luxury cars these days, there's no need to study the owner's manual to make the DTS do its job. This is a rational luxury car, easy to operate in addition to being large and luxurious.