JULY 2010 LUNCHEON
 

By: Giulianna Levin, Photos by Pepe Delfino

The July meeting of SAMA was a special treat sponsored by Cadillac. The meeting was held at Smith & Wollenski in Miami Beach (didn’t I say it was a treat?). The special guest of the luncheon was not the Cadillac executives or even the knowledgeable Cadillac technicians sprinkled throughout the room eager to answer any question a member asked. No, the real star was the 2011 Cadillac CTS coupe parked right outside the restaurant.

One could only expect the best after testing the Cadillac CTS Sedan. Although we were not able to test the Coupe, the look alone is just about enough to know you’re going to enjoy driving this car. The coupe is about two inches shorter in both height and length than the Sedan. The lines on the car and the updated yet familiar Cadillac-esque placement of the tail lamps gives the effect that this is going to go… well, fast.

The Coupe, introduced as a concept car almost three years ago in Detroit, offers on the standard vehicle, a 6-speed automatic transmission, 3.6L V6 engine, Bose audio system, rear parking assistance, and remote access with remote start. Interesting details are handle-free doors and push button entry.

The Cadillac group executed an excellent presentation for the group that focused primarily on the marketing plan for the Coupe. Cadillac states that their goal is to “Engage”, “Enrich”, and “Enchant” the customer. It’s clear that Cadillac is pushing a strong marketing campaign complete with culinary events, golf clinics, and a specific emphasis on supporting the dealerships to promote the car’s launching in their own way. And why wouldn’t they make such an effort? The Cadillac CTS Coupe is quite frankly—very exciting.

Cadillac compares their vehicle to the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E350 2dr Cpe (Rear Wheel Drive) and the 2011 BMW 335i xDrive 2dr Cpe (All Wheel Drive), with special attention drawn to the CTS Coupe’s 3.6L engine vs. these competitors’ 3.5L and 3.0L displacement, respectively.

Also debuting soon are the Cadillac CTS Coupe V and the Sports Wagon V. The CTS Coupe V has a V8 engine with the most powerful engine Cadillac has built so far with over 550 horsepower.
 

For more information regarding the CTS Coupe please visit www.Cadillac.com.
 

,