2008 Cadillac CTS First Drive Minnesota

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Introduction

Cadillac CTS - 2008 First Drive: Sports teams and car companies are a lot alike. Each is part of a fiercely competitive and high-dollar business that depends on its players, striving to build the strongest squad possible and subsequently squeezing out weak performers. At the end of the year success is largely determined by the number of wins (sales). Failure allows your competition to eat your lunch and steal the favor of all but your most diehard fans.

Cadillac has known the scenario all too well. Once a brilliant star outshining much of the North American car market, GM's flagship luxury brand fell victim to increased pressure from all over the globe, and was quite simply outgunned, outwit, and outsold.

The 2008 Cadillac CTS proves a shift has been made.

As with any recovering sports team, a single win does not a winning streak make. Well, Cadillac can count at least three - its performance-oriented V Series line, the redesigned Escalade, and now the overhauled CTS. That smacks of a comeback, albeit one in its infancy. For its part, the CTS hits the streets with a striking new front end, an elegantly designed and higher quality interior, added muscle under the hood, and more performance built into the chassis. It's a strong package, as it will have to be when customers cross-shop it against the redesigned Mercedes-Benz C-Class, the upcoming revised Audi A4, the boosted BMW 335i, and others. We'll have to wait until the final buzzer to see how it all unfolds, but there's one thing that can be said for sure - this time, Cadillac showed up with its game face on.

by Thom Blackett
Photo Credit: Cadillac