Tuesday, September 25, 2007

2008 Cadillac DTS Review

Cadillac continues to reign supreme as the premium automobile manufacturer in the US with the 2008 DTS introducing the new limited edition, hand-crafted Platinum Edition to its stable of thoroughbreds. The other 5 trim levels, Base, Luxury I through III, and Performance rounding out the line, Cadillac has a distinctive array of luxury 4-door sedans. All models except the Performance and Platinum Edition are powered by a 4.6L V8 engine that generates 275hp @ 4400rpm and 295 ft-lb of torque. The Performance and Platinum series are powered by the 292hp V8 which churns out 288 ft-lb of torque @ 4500rpm. All are mediated with a 4-speed automatic transmission.

The 2008 Cadillac DTS Platinum Edition is distinctive in that its interior is hand-crafted of premium materials using techniques perfected by master craftsmen. Using rich burled walnut and rare wood trim from a forest west of the Ubangi River, craftsmen inlay trim throughout the cabin, including the steering wheel and indicator array. Standard on the DTS are leather upholstery, an analog clock, AM/FM receiver, Bose audio matrix with an octet of speakers. Along with a 6-Disc CD deck and MP3 juke box, the DTS offers its OnStar service. As if that were not enough, Cadillac also inserts a pair of DVD screens into the front seat headrests.

Along with its hand-crafted accents, the Cadillac DTS series tops the list of luxury sedans with life-saving safety features including front row side impact airbags, side head curtain airbags, 4-wheel anti-Lock power disc brakes, front and rear crumple zones, plus reinforced side door beams. NHTSA crash tests for the DTS scores 4 and 5 stars for frontal, side and rear collisions. Cadillac DTS also rated a rollover resistance rating of 4/5.

The ride and creature comforts in the 2008 Cadillac DTS are exemplary, with its 4-wheel independent suspension and programmed hydraulic load-leveling making the road a mirror finish no matter what the load. Although Cadillac does not have models that compete with top of the line Mercedes or BMW, its DTS series put luxury and quality engineering on the road for a moderate price.

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