Just like the CTS-V, huh?

 

Browse around Cadillac Hotrod Fabricators website for a couple minutes...
http://www.chrfab.com/projects.htm
http://www.chrfab.com/Engines.htm

The engines have a lot of potential, they are just highly restricted from the factory.

They've also been used in IRL cars.

 

I figured somebody would throw that one out there, but I don't see this car as any different. To the relatively small portion of the population (mostly domestic owners, if I might add) that are willing to listen and hear arguments in favor of pushrod V8's the car might do just fine. But the perception of most luxury car buyers (accurate or not) is that a pushrod engine is not premium or luxury, no matter how fast it goes.

FWIW, I see zillions of M3's and AMG's around here, but I almost never see a CTS-V.

 

I know that's the argument. I just don't think it's worth developing two separate engine ranges, especially when the "volume" engine range is objectively better than the "luxury" range, except maybe for operating smoothness. A lot of people with these perceptions won't buy a Cadillac anyway, because they don't perceive Cadillacs as sporty luxury cars.

Cadillac is fighting an uphill battle against perceptions anyway. How much more will it hurt to have a pushrod engine that performs as well as the GenIV V8s do? I think it actually hurts less than it does to have a DOHC 32 valve engine that is an also-ran at best.

A smoother running version of the LS2 at 375hp in the STS would be so much better than the 320hp Northstar that it should change perceptions. And it would be in much better shape to take on the likes of the 360hp 550i, approx 380hp GS460, and the 382hp E550.

If GM is committed to the dual ranges, then they have a lot of work to do on the Northstar to catch up. I'm sure it's in progress, but it looks like it's going to be late. And expensive.

 

The current N* engine is not out of date by no means, its a very mature platform, and there a lot left in it, It may seem a also-ran because only in the last few years has it's main rivals have just caught up to it really, imagine in 93 when it came out, no main stream engine come close the N* in power, all it needs now is direct injection tech "which i heard that they are working on" to get it back into the game.

 

Why would anyone take the Northstar engines out of the Caddilacs? Is Caddilac the struggling brand? I don't think so. They are the one brand that is having some success. Also, the CTS-V accounts for how many of the CTS sales and what motor is the main motor used in the CTS? A OHC V6.

Outside of the Escalade and CTS-V, all of the others have some kind of OHC motor. How many people would go spend a 100k on a XLR-V or almost 80k for a STS-V if it had a LSx motor in it? The motors that are in the Caddilacs are not about power, they are about exclusiveness.

If its not broke, don't try to fix it.

 

It makes some sense on paper but their has to be brand diffrentiation.

They would save even more money if they used the same interior in the Silverado as they do in the DTS... Oh wait they tried that...

 

Exactly. I don't know where this 90% of luxury owners would laugh at it crap is coming from. Most luxury car owners don't seem to know as much about their engines as you would expect them to when they are dishing out the kind of money some of those cars cost.

If no one else, I am with you on this. The Northstar has grown to be less necessary over the years, and I think GM could do great things with the pushrod motors if they dissolved the budget of the Northstar engines into them.

 

I haven't driven one, so I can't comment on power and refinement. They do seem to have a reputation for being hard to work on. Not that a luxury car owner would care about that though.

 

I think GM have little choice but to have an engine of 'import quality and appeal'. They need an engine that is smooth and refined that only the diehard technophiles can relate to - you know, the people who wouldn't dare buy OHV, no matter how superior the GM smallblock is in comparison.

 

Right. If they knew a lot about engines, they *Might* be willing to listen to technical arguements in support of a pushrod engine, but they typically don't know that much. It's the price of entry to be a real luxury car. Just like RWD or AWD is the price of entry to being a real sports car. Personal opinions don't matter that much...it's what the market thinks.

 

Your kidding right , hahaha . How well do you think the new M5 woulda went over if it had a pushrod V10 ? Not our perception , but in the eyes of the luxury enthusist . Alot of those people are just as much into their cars as we are , just at a different level . The Tire Rack is 10 minutes from my house , and almost every weekend theirs some type of event going on , while you may see a few hundred BMW's , Mercedes , Audi's ect ect mixing it up on the short track .....you dont hardly ever see a Caddy out there .

The CTS-V has a massive appeal to the hot rod community and cadillac faithful , but it did little to pull people out of their Imports .

 

I'd like to see the Northstar engines get smaller and go the way of Solenoid operated Intake/Exhaust valves. Now that would be trick!

Probably a long ways off and expensive. But if they could be the first ones to use direct injection, and no valvetrain (basically). Completely computer programmed which could allow a "Performance Mode", "Economy Mode", with the push of a button... "drools..."

Although, if they did I probably couldn't afford it... heh

 

They already are doing great things with the LSx line....

Again, Cadillac has become a real renaissance brand. Would you, as a GM product planner, want to risk flushing that all down the toilet when the automotive press rakes you over the coals for going back to what is perceived to be a common-man's engine? Let Cadillac be known as GM's turn-around luxury brand that GM now decides to cheap-out on?

 

Thats not exactly how I meant it. One of my bosses drives a 528i. If I go up and ask her if that engine is DOHC she is going to give me a dumbfounded stare. Most people aren't buying a BMW because they run DOHC engines, they are buying a BMW because it is a BMW, and this seems to hold true with a lot of the 3 series owners I have met.