The basis of the mid-size sedan Cadillac Catera was taken by the model of the company Opel - Omega MV6. The car was produced in the German city of Rüsselsheim. It differs from other representatives of the Cadillac automobile industry in that it was the first vehicle that was not manufactured in the United States.
Model history
The first time manufacturers introduced their new brainchild in 1997. Cadillac Cater has changed significantly. Updated the following components of a foreign car:
- wheels
- optics;
- suspension;
- salon;
- engine.
A power unit of type V6 was installed, having a capacity of 3.0 liters. Power also increased and began to make 200 liters. from. A plant in Ellesmere Port, which was owned by General Motors, was selected for the development and production of sotor. Engineers carefully worked on the engine and increased its driving characteristics. After the update, the car accelerated to 100 km / h in just 8.5 seconds, and the maximum permissible speed, according to the test results, was 200 km / h.
Together with the engine, a 4-speed automatic transmission was installed. It is labeled GM 4L30-E. Previously, such a device was installed on BMW cars of the 3rd and 5th series, as well as on some of the Isuzu models. The PPC proved to be quite good, so it was decided to put it on the Cadillac Catera. The technical characteristics of the box were praised by car critics, thanks to the painstaking work of design engineers at another General Motors plant in France.
Even as standard, there was an automatic climate control with two zones of operation, a system that provides remote key identification, Bose acoustics, power windows. In the area of safety, additional airbags, traction control and an advanced security system have been added.
From the appearance side, alloy wheels, a top hatch, and HID headlights were added. Due to changes in these nodes, the weight of the car became a little more, so the designers decided to convert the suspension, strengthening it. Another innovation compared to the prototype was the updated interior of the car.
In 1999, the Cadillac-Cater sports model was released. It was distinguished from the classic version of the suspension, which received even greater stability, wheels with larger wheels, a sports steering wheel, a rear spoiler and an improved dashboard. Drivers especially appreciated the seats, which have 8 types of adjustments and heating.
Advertising company
Initially, the model was conceived as a car for the European market from the elite American brand Cadillac. The manufacturer had high hopes for him. The advertising slogan of a foreign car was:
"Cadillac" passing sharp turns.
To conduct the promotion, they invited the model Cindy Crawford. In the video, she communicates with the cartoon hero - the Ziggy duck, talking about the benefits of a luxury car. At the same time, the press published positive reviews of auto experts describing the benefits of an elite foreign car.
Unjustified expectations
Despite the fact that manufacturers did not stint on advertising, Cadillac Catera, released for the European market, has not achieved the same popularity as its American relatives. The thing is that it was significantly different from other Cadillac models in size and power. Even positive reviews from experts and car owners did not help, sales volumes did not grow. And gradually the sedan was lost among European cars, unable to withstand high competition.
Even fans of the Cadillac car brand admitted that the model was not large enough and representative against the background of other options. Therefore, after five years of production, they decided to stop production of the Cadillac Boat. In total, from the moment production began, 95,500 foreign cars were sold. The platform used in the car, for some time, until 2007, served as the basis for the Pontiac GTO, manufactured in North America. And in Australia, the foreign cars Holden Monaro and Holden Commodore have become the continuation of the traditions of the Caterpillar from the Cadillac.
Price
Cars from the Cadillac company have always been distinguished not only by their quality, but also by high prices. The car concern positioned its cars as elite vehicles. In many ways, this position was justified, because high-quality expensive materials and spare parts were used during the production of this Cadillac model. The price in dollars - 29,995, was inaccessible to most representatives of the middle class, so the car never became popular.