GM: Cadillac CTS could get 4-cylinder turbo today, but are you ready?

GM’s ready to introduce a number of compact economy-cars in its lineup but says that customers are still going to have to indicate whether or not they’re serious about downsizing powerplant expectations. According to Thomas G. Stephens, GM’s executive vice president of global powertrain, customers have to send a signal to GM that they’re ready to accept small engines.

He said that GM is pretty excited about its engine options as an answer for better fuel-economy. However, making a huge move to smaller-engines means it will lose capability to produce larger engines with more horsepower for the long-term.

Stephen says that their is a possibility of a 4-cylinder turbocharged engine for vehicles in GM’s lineup like the Cadillac CTS. “From a technical point of view, we could...
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bmwdrvr - 7/30/2008 11:30:47 AM

+3 Boost

i dont understand why GM doesnt create a car smaller than the CTS, and give it a turbo 4. for example a stretched version of the solstice/sky platform, about the same size as the 3 series, or c class, with a turbo 4, and a 6 cylinder as options. Than they would have a small rear wheel drive entry level vehicle thats sporty with good epa ratings, instead of giving such a large heavy car a turbo 4 it takes 300hp to get to 60 in 6 seconds.....

91z4me - 7/30/2008 1:08:52 PM

+3 Boost

They are the chassis is called Alpha and will be shared w/ Holden and Opel, possibly also Pontiac as well.

EnnNorak - 7/30/2008 3:00:04 PM

-3 Boost

BMWdrvr, I hope you don't mean a smaller Cadillac with a 4-banger. BTW, I now drive a 4-cyl. Passat -- my first ever turbo. A true Cadillac should always have a powerful DOHC V8. We considered a CTS but my wife thinks it is too wide and did not feel confident driving it -- I disagree and am glad we bought the Passat as it has more comfortable seats.

bmwdrvr - 7/30/2008 8:57:36 PM

+2 Boost

you said your wife, so I wont be to insulting, but you had more confidence driving a Passat with a turbo 4, than a CTS.....your kidding right????? Ive driven both of these cars, and dynamics the CTS is well ahead of the bloated, diving, light steering Passat.......I wouldnt even consider these 2 competitors certainly not the turbo 4 as its lag inducing engine is marginal at best, and its dynamics are poor but hey it is CHEAPER than the CTS

EnnNorak - 7/31/2008 9:06:55 PM

+1 Boost

bmwdrvr, my wife is the principal driver (plays bridge and tennis 3 times a week) so I had get her something she is comfortable with. Getting more comfortable seats in the process is a bonus for me. BTW, my Passat has no turbo lag which surprised the hell out of me. I have to agree that the CTS handles well but I like the handling of the Passat also. My Passat has the same big low profile tire and wheel dimensions that my A6 had but the ride is much more comfortable than the A6 ride. I drive on public roads only -- not at the track.

ktu01 - 8/2/2008 3:09:39 AM

+1 Boost

They do (or did) have one in Europe - the BTS or something, based on the Saab 93.

BMW995 - 7/30/2008 11:32:25 AM

+1 Boost

What a major change!
Will Cadillac owners accept a in-line 4 cyl? Now that oil prices are declining (at least for now) GM will probably put this plan on hold.
If oil prices were not falling, and were inching towards $5/gal for gasoline, the 4 cyl would be a no-brainer.

TopGear - 7/30/2008 3:02:27 PM

+1 Boost

It's not matter of whether potential Cadillac buyers will accept 4-cyl or not. I doubt the turbo charge 4-cyl can really match the V6. Who would want Cadillac with turbo-lag and slower than GM trucks.

85bmw745i - 7/31/2008 11:49:15 PM

+1 Boost

Considering the 306hp v6 takes 6 sec to 0-60 the 4 would be an outright sloth.

SHOWTIME - 7/30/2008 11:36:03 AM

+2 Boost

The problem with GM and every other auto American brand is they're always planning to do just enough to stay in the market. What they should do is try to come up with new ideas and set goals that would blow everyone else out of the market just the way the Germans and Japanese do it. It all boils down to how highly you think of your self/company.

SHOWTIME - 7/30/2008 11:47:48 AM

-2 Boost

lol oh yea you really chose the right brands to compare GM engines to.

Htay7500 - 7/30/2008 12:03:56 PM

+1 Boost

lmao. hes jealous because they didn't win engine of the year award that BMW had.

Heyhuub - 7/30/2008 1:09:08 PM

+2 Boost

Garbage underpowered motors? BMW and Audi produce some of the best small engines available.

91z4me - 7/30/2008 1:13:01 PM

+4 Boost

Well GM powertrains are some of the best in the industry. BMW was such a fan of GM's automatic transmissions they used the 5 speed ones for a few years. Actually I think the base 3 series uses a GM 6 speed auto at this time.

Also there is no other engine series on the planet that offers the performance for the dollar as the LSx V8 series. It is compact, light, and cheap and makes amazing power while being able to still get great gas mileage compared to it's competition.

GM's DI turbo 2.0 (LNF) Ecotec runs with any other FI 4 cylinder in the world. Perhaps not all of GM's offerings are world class but they certainly offer some of the best engines in the world.

neutral - 7/31/2008 11:23:46 AM

+1 Boost

True, GM powertrains are amongst the best in the world, and this is especially true today.

Also, the BMW 3-series and the X3 both use a GM sourced, 6 speed transmission.

As for Audi/BMW making crappy engines...I can't say that I agree.

I do find it somewhat annoying that a buddy's BMW 525 (I think...its the smaller engine offered like 2 yrs ago) is kind of sluggish on the low end. People often forget the importance of low-end torque that the Big3, Mercedes and Nissan/Infiniti seem to get right.

85bmw745i - 7/31/2008 11:50:21 PM

+1 Boost

Underpowered? What GM engine has more power per litre than BMW excluding turbo/forced induction?

mini22 - 7/30/2008 12:31:54 PM

+3 Boost

crapan is full of crap

Tour18 - 7/30/2008 1:59:16 PM

0 Boost

This would be an instant turn off for me. Instant.

BMW995 - 7/30/2008 3:00:08 PM

+1 Boost

91z4me: "..Well GM powertrains are some of the best in the industry. BMW was such a fan of GM's automatic transmissions they used the 5 speed ones for a few years."

Well, I had one of those BMWs with GM's 5 sp automatic, which for your information was one of the worse automatics produced in recent memory. They had catastrophic failures as low as 40,000 miles which resulted in a $5,000 repair charge. Sure, it worked very well, but could you go on a trip with confidence? Absolutely not. I sadly, sold an otherwise great 323i and bought a Lexus IS250 whose 6 sp auto is great.

ghosthunter - 7/30/2008 3:45:46 PM

+1 Boost

LMAO, and you think a a 2.5L 323 has more than 170 hp?
stop making excuses for that horrible transmission and weak engine.

i somehow agrees with lexus's approach, put a small v6 instead of turbo 4. that 2.5 L engine, while not a powerful one, is one of the best among NA 2.5 in term of performance and fuel effiency.

91z4me - 7/30/2008 5:13:46 PM

+1 Boost

BMW, what can I say everyone makes lemons (even Lexus). Individual experience varies amongst every single vehicle. By and large GM's automatic transmissions are smooth shifting and reliable.

bmwdrvr - 7/30/2008 8:59:37 PM

0 Boost

Ok....its not GM's transmission they may have the same supplier but not a GM sourced transmission.....comeon

91z4me - 7/31/2008 10:53:18 AM

+1 Boost

bmwdrvr, no it was, and is, a GM designed and built in a GM factory (in France IIRC) that was sold to BMW who installed it into their cars.

mattman953 - 7/30/2008 7:39:34 PM

+2 Boost

How very untrue. You are a typical biggot.

mattman953 - 7/31/2008 4:17:52 PM

+1 Boost

Well, that's not the case in Europe or Asia.

Htay7500 - 8/5/2008 10:32:46 AM

+1 Boost

"When you think about it Mike finally got one right for a change, 4 cylinders dont belong in luxury cars. the future of performance will be a luxury thanks to the high cost to run a sports or sports luxury car."

When you start selling a big V8 in Asia or europe, you'll be welcomed with heavy displacement taxes and expensive fuel. Thats why europes big 3 can sell so well down there.

91z4me - 7/30/2008 6:15:59 PM

+2 Boost

BMW is a part of the consortium of companies interested in using the 2 mode system (Chrysler, MB, BMW are on board as I recall).

BMW995 - 7/30/2008 3:29:38 PM

+1 Boost

crapan: "...Just the fact you bought a CHEAP Lexus shows you don't know what the EFF you're talking about."
Having a BMW 3 and the Lexus IS, I can tell you that the Lexus quality (fit and finish, ride and handling) is NOT cheap. It easily outhandles my last BMW and the current BMW would have cost me $9,000 more than the IS250 with the same equipment.
Yes, 204 HP for the IS250, but it feels like a lot more than that - and I get 26 mpg in normal driving and 33 mpg at 75 mph on the highway.
In this gas price environment, why would I want 300 HP and horrible gas mileage when I give it the gun.

Bored - 7/30/2008 6:02:14 PM

0 Boost

"According to Thomas G. Stephens, GM’s executive vice president of global powertrain, customers have to send a signal to GM that they’re ready to accept small engines."

ROFL!!!

Hey genius, why the hell do you think GM, Ford and Chrysler has been losing market share to Toyota, VW, Honda, and Hyundai?

This Stephens guy is just another overpaid, useless, moronic exec that only on the payroll because he's part of the old boys' club.

91z4me - 7/30/2008 6:18:37 PM

+1 Boost

Hey armchair quarterback. GM, Ford, and Chrysler haven't been increasing displacement at NEAR the rate that Japanese brands have been. Take a look at the Camry's offerings over the last decade for starters. Also manufactures across the board have been working on performance much more so than economy recently. Increased fuel economy has been more of a side effect than the primary goal recently as well.

neutral - 7/31/2008 11:26:01 AM

+1 Boost

I say scrap the standard fuel injected 3.6L V6 and make the base motor on the CTS the 2.0L, turbo, direct injected 4 cyl (260hp/260lbft). The next engine up should be the 3.6L direct inject, but power might have to be boosted, otherwise it may be too close in numbers to the 4 cyl.

mattman953 - 7/31/2008 7:12:49 PM

+1 Boost

Very much along the lines of what I was thinking. However the CTS is no lightweight, and the 4 probably wouldn't put out the percieved feel that a luxury customer would want. Not to mention that with all that weight, it might strain alittle [heh.] harder than what it would need to in say a cobalt, or sky, and would produce similar if not worse fuel economy. How about a diesel or hybrid for now?

neutral - 8/1/2008 10:52:25 AM

+2 Boost

Yes, Caddy's are heavier, more solidly built vehicles. GM, Mercedes and Audi (to name a few) seem to build heavier, more solid vehicles. But this day & age, with fuel the way it is, I think more and more poeple would be perfectly happy waiting a fraction of a second for the turbo to spool. Hell, with Variable Geometry turbos the lag times are almost nothing.

Personally, I like N.A. engines best, but I'd love to have the 2.0SIDI Turbo in a CTS if the mileage gains were at least a few mpg!!

As for diesel, the 2.9L GM-VM Motori engine will be going in the Euro version of the CTS. You can thank Congress / California / EPA for the lack of diesels in America. I don't even want to get started on that conversation because I will flip out.

tkindred - 8/1/2008 1:15:21 PM

0 Boost

"Considering the 306hp v6 takes 6 sec to 0-60 the 4 would be an outright sloth."

Interesting statement. So if a turbocharged 4 puts out 306 hp and perhaps more torque than the v6 it will be slower? Turbocharged 4's are light and rev better too. The SR20DET is one example. Just do a google search. Some racers and speed freaks have swapped out larger v6's etc, for a turbocharged 4.

It doesn't always come down to the number of cylinders.

tkindred - 8/1/2008 1:19:23 PM

+1 Boost

Also, I can of look at an engine like a block box. First there are 2 simple aspects. How much hp and torque does it produce? How much does it weigh? Who cares about how many cylinders it has. Then, I ask where the power is delivered through out the rev band, etc.