Street Car Racing

2012 FIAT 500 ABARTH

admin — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:39:32 +0000

may be small—smaller than even a Mini Cooper—but it’s a heavy car.
With a curb weight of about 2500 pounds, the 500 Abarth isn’t pound-heavy—it’s heritage-heavy. Just look at all the stylized scorpion badges. The 500 Abarth has eight of those badges on its exterior alone, if you count the wheel centers, and all of them remind you of one thing: a reputation for performance that’s as large as the 500 is small.
This is the car the most fervent Fiat have been waiting for, ardently g local dealers for fear of g and buying a regular 500. It cenainly looks the part, especially our tester, turned out in Rosso paint and the optional gunmetal-colored 17-inch wheels, red brake calipers peeking out from behind the spokes. The rear valance has the requisite vents to match the restyled front air dam, with inlet and exit ducts for the twin intercoolers mounted just forward of the front wheels. The interior gets a restyled shiftknob hunky flat-bottomed steering And those Abarth badges…well, they do the intended deed.
Open the hood and you’re greeted with a red plastic engine cover that isn’t quite long enough to hide the most revision to the little 1.4-liter Multiair engine: the small Garrett turbocharger that puts 160 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque on tap. As in the good old days, the heart of any Abarth is the engine, and this one pushes out nearly 60 percent more hp than the standard car. While the engine is somewhat different from the European version despite its identical horsepower to the premium esseesse (Italian for SS) model, the transmission is the same—a five-speed manual unique to the Abarth (an automatic is not available).
The engine fires with a throaty burble, the din exiting via twin chromed exhaust tips—a far cry from the normal car’s mild rasp. Setting off, a mash of the throttle sends the boost gauge twirling and the Abarth leaps forward, picking up steam north of 4000 rpm and revving strongly to redline. Torque steer, a valid concern with high-output front drivers, is virtually nil in a straight line, thanks in part to an active locking differential that’s tied into the new three-mode electronic stability control program. At the dragstrip, we recorded a 0-60-mph time of 6.8 seconds—3 seconds faster than the 500 Sport—and a 15.3-second quarter-mile run with a trap speed of 89.8 mph. The last Mini Cooper S we tested (the Cooper is a primary 500 competitor despite its slightly larger scale) was roughly half a second quicker to 60 mph, but a full second quicker to the quarter mile. A standard Cooper was just over 1 second slower in both categories.
Like the Abarths that have come before it, the 500 Abarth has been tuned to be a well-rounded sport coupe. Engineers tweaked the 500′s front MacPherson strut design and added Koni dampers and shorter coil springs that are stiffer by 40/20 percent front/rear.
Abarth also added its own front control arms, beefier anti-roll bars front and rear, and reinforced the rear axle and coiled spring mounts. An Abarth tweak to the electronic power steering makes it 10 percent quicker and improves road feel compared with the 500 Sport’s. Front brake disc diameter is increased by an inch to 11.1 inches, and our tester’s optional alloys were wrapped in sticky 205/40R17 Pirelli PZero Nero rubber.
With the new setup, the 500 Abarths grip is impressive and the car stays much flatter, though the chassis seems a little less playful than before. Where the 500 Sport can be coaxed into generally neutral behavior with a throttle lift here, a dab of the brakes there, the Abarth seemed intent on understeering its way around our figure-eight course. While the Abarth was unquestionably more capable, we can’t wholeheartedly say it was more fun to throw into a turn.
We were also disappointed with the driving position—as in the normal 500, the seats are too tall and unsupportive for spirited driving, and the steering wheel is too far away in relation to the pedal placement. It’s the classic Italian long-armed, short-legged driving position we thought died in the ’80s. A telescoping steering column, not available in the 500, is needed to overcome it.
Pricing is yet to be announced for the 500 Abarth, but we’re told to expect a number in the low $20,000 range when it hits showrooms in March. As a complete package, the Abarth is a solid choice for those who want a hot hatch that stands out from the Coopers and GTIs of the world. For those dyed-in-the-wool Fiat and Abarth fans, it will be the only choice.

have been waiting for, ardently g local dealers for fear of g and buying a regular 500. It cenainly looks the part, especially our tester, turned out in Rosso paint and the optional gunmetal-colored 17-inch wheels, red brake calipers peeking out from behind the spokes. The rear valance has the requisite vents to match the restyled front air dam, with inlet and exit ducts for the twin intercoolers mounted just forward of the front wheels. The interior gets a restyled shiftknob

Storm Cloud Traffic ticketing via the cloud could be on its way— but there may be a silver lining

admin — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:02:27 +0000

BEFORE LONG, BIG BRO WILL BE E-MAILING YOU A TRAFFIC CITATION BEFORE YOU EVEN GET HOME.

I LOVE THAT the cloud can store my music for enjoyment on multiple devices, and that Dropbox or iCIoud can keep my docs safe from terrestrial catastrophes (and one hopes from hackers). But I’m not wild about a cloud development that was widely reported last Halloween. Ontario-based Peak Gain Systems, bless their hearts, came to the conclusion that the companies currently selling sneaky, underhanded, robo-ticketing devices on this continent were underperforming those developed by their more Big Brotherly counterparts in Russia. Hence, it has partnered with St. Petersburg-based CUMMKOH (Simicon) to bring its new Cordon product to our shores at about the time you read this.

As the name sort of hints, this photoradar unit casts a cordon of enforcement across a four-lane highway, recording the speed, position, time of day, and license number of every car that passes, providing they’re not so close together as to obscure the plates. The compact box can be mounted anywhere, from 16 to 26 feet high above the roadside. Infrared spotlights allow it to work at night, and while it saves data to an SD card, it also syncs this encrypted info to cloud or terrestrial databases via WiFi, 3G, or WiMAX. Now, I’d be all for leveraging cloud-tech to find plates associated with stolen cars or criminals, or to cite drivers dangerously exceeding the posted speed limit and the average flow of traffic by 10 or more mph. But local budget realities suggest that buyers of this efficient device will expect it to pay dividends, and so before long Big Bro will be e-mailing you a traffic citation before you even get home.
But the cloud itself isn’t invested in either side of this drama, and Escort Inc. is now leveraging it to form a global protection network for its million-plus customer base. Here’s how it works: Buy a new detector for $339-$539, or upgrade your old Escort/ Belltronics unit (the last four platforms are compatible) with a new SmartCord Live power cord for $80. The new cord incorporates a Bluetooth chip that links to your iPhone or Android smart phone, running the Escort Live app. Then, when a radar or laser signal is received by your detector, the incident and location are uploaded to the cloud and shared with any other motorists traveling the same road. After the initial pairing, the phone doesn’t need to be out or visible; it connects automatically. Naturally, the devices also warn Escort’s database of known speed traps, and because the cloud knows the road network and many speed limits, the detector and/or your smartphone screen can be set to warn you when you’re a certain number of mph over the limit. Potential future enhancements may include sharing a database of known false-alarm door openers and the like, though Escort’s top models do a pretty good job of learning and eliminating those now.
Escort hopes to quickly lure a high percentage of its direct-sales owner base into upgrading to this new social media road cloud, but admits that initial network benefits may be largely constrained to more densely populated areas. It takes only one car somewhere ahead of you to add that margin of safety against a ticket, which Escort says costs $150 on average, resulting in a $300 annual insurance premium hike. Hey, this cloud may be your best shot at outsmarting the Russians.

Blinded by the Spot. Can’t see it? Let there be light.

admin — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:55:00 +0000

ABOUT 5 PERCENT OF ALL POLICE-REPORTED CRASHES AND 0.5 PERCENT OF VEHICULAR FATALITIES STEM FROM LANE-CHANGE AND MERGE MANEUVERS….WHY NOT ATTEMPT TO CURTAIL THOSE STATS?

THE FIRST TIME I experienced a blind-spot warning system was back in 2007, in an Audi Q7.1 didn’t realize the big SUV even had the technology until I went to change lanes, and was startled when a light at the stem of the right mirror flashed at me three times. What the heck was that? After settling in my new lane, I looked in my rearview and saw a car close on my tail. Gee, I guess that space was tighter than I thought. Still, it wasn’t until I pulled out the owner’s manual that I learned what I was dealing with: Audi’s so-called Side Assist. Using radar, Side Assist notices objects in the driver’s blind spot—a vehicle’s undetectable peripheral area that ranges in size from around 100 square feet for a small car to over 1400 square feet for a large SUV—and then alerts the driver via a lighted LED at the base of the mirror. And if the driver misses the blazing LED, like I did, and still attempts to change lanes with a car in or close to the blind spot, the LED flashes three times, saying, “Hey, idiot, watch out!”
Since the Q7, I’ve driven many vehicles with a blind-spot system; and every time, I’ve become more convinced of its merit. Naysayers will argue that it’s too expensive or that drivers can just turn their heads to catch a glimpse of an occupied blind spot. But guess what? Turning your head—even for a second—means diverting your view of what’s ahead, and at 60 mph, you’re traveling 88 feet per second. And a lot can happen in 88 feet, especially when your eyes are pointed elsewhere. Further, since its debut in the mid-2000s, the blind-spot system, like any new technology, has become more affordable. At Volvo, for instance, it’s now a $700 option.

Speaking of Volvo, it introduced the blind-spot system in the Safety Concept Car at the 2001 Detroit show. As the safety brand, Volvo knew that about 5 percent of all police-reported crashes and 0.5 percent of vehicular fatalities stem from lane-change and merge maneuvers. Volvo’s current Blind-Spot Information System (BLIS), unlike Audi’s radar-based unit, utilizes cameras housed beneath the side mirrors to snap pictures (at 30 frames per second) that are then analyzed by a computer. Volvo introduced BLIS in its 2005 S60, V70, and XC70 models, and today it can be had on all its products.

Many luxury brands currently offer blind-spot systems. They’re readily available on various Acuras, Audis, BMWs, Benzes, Infinitis, Lincolns, etc., but more modest makes are pushing them as well. On the $23,095 Mazda3 i GT, a blind-spot system is part of the $1400Tech Package, making the 3 the only non-premium small car to offer a blind-spot system for 2012. Nissan and Honda fit their topline minivans with blind-spot tech;Toyota is making it available on its premium 2012 Camry XLE; and Ford offers it on the Taurus. As for Hyundai and Volkswagen? Hyundai will only say that it’s “actively working”on a blind-spot system, while VW notes it is “analyzing more affordable [blind-spot] technologies… to bring this feature to the masses.”VW claims Audi’s Side Assist, obviously available to the parent company, and its advanced radar are too cost-prohibitive for, say, Beetles, Jettas, and Passats.

Like anti-lock brakes before it, the blind-spot system will become commonplace. I’d say within the next decade, easy. I know I wouldn’t buy a car without one. After all, once you see the light, you’ll never go blind again.

Performance Luxury for the Snowbelt MERCEDES AMG, JAGUAR, WORKING ON AWD

admin — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:45:16 +0000

MERCEDES AMG and Jaguar are working on AWD sedans for the Snowbelt. Across much of the U.S., as well as such other significant markets as Switzerland and Austria, RWD luxury sedans are avoided when AWD versions of BMWs, Mercedes, and Cadillacs are available. Jaguar is preparing AWD versions of the XF and XJ, though the cars were not initially engineered for it. The AWD XJ will launch in calendar year 2013. By then, every XJ and XK will have an eight-speed automatic transmission. The electronically controlled AWD system will also find a home in Jaguar’s 2015 midsize longitudinal-engine crossover vehicle.
For Mercedes AMG, the AWD system already is available, as it is fitted to a wide range of base Mercedes models. Mercedes is moving toward AWD for all its higher-powered models. The V-8-powered E550, for example, is sold in the U.S. only with 4Matic. There is some resistance against AWD within the AMG division, a senior AMG marketing executive told Motor Trend, because AWD adds weight to the cars, as the division has made a commitment to make each new model lighter than its predecessor.
Audi’s high-performance cars are all AWD of course— albeit because base Audis are FWD, not RWD. Mercedes and Mercedes-AMG product planners tend to watch BMW and BMW M more closely, and it’s notable that the new BMW 6 Series is available in an xDrive AWD version. The AMG version of the forthcoming A-Class also will be AWD, the source says.The base car is FWD, so for better dry pavement handling and to avoid torque-steer, the force-fed four-cylinder 350-hp A-Class AMG will need AWD to rival such cars as the Audi RS3and BMW1 Series M. A small crossover will also be built off this platform, so we know AWD is available.

We Hear We Hear

admin — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:32:57 +0000

BMW is slowing development of its so-called 0 Series, the front-drive sub-1 Series that’s a reaction to Audi’s A1. Word is BMW has come to realize it’s working on FWD from both sides. The i3 and i8 electrics will be FWD-based. The all-new 2013 1 Series will be FWD too, though only the hatchbacks sold outside North America. The next 1 Series coupe and convertible remain RWD. BMW already has, of course, a competitor for the Audi A1, called the Mini.
FJ3t will not complete a merger with Chrysler Group until the end of 2014, says Sergio Marchionne, chief executive officer of both companies. Fiat’s share rose to 58.5 percent of Chrysler at the end of 2011 after the Italian automaker met certain performance goals, including the launch of the new 40-mpg Dodge MultiAir-powered compact that makes its debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this January. Marchionne told business reporters in London that it’s “not on the agenda” for Fiat to buy the remaining 41.5 percent of Chrysler from the United Auto Workers’ union retiree healthcare trust in 2012.
All 2012 Chevrolet Volts sold in California early in 2012 will have a special Low Emissions Package that allows access to the state’s High Occupancy Vehicle traffic lanes. Owners will be eligible to apply for one of 40,000 HOV stickers made available in ’12, and are eligible for $1500 in state rebates. Chevy engineers modified the catalytic converter with a secondary air-injection pump that streams ambient air into its exhaust stream and potentially removes more pollutants.
Lots Of assembly plant news. GM is spending $61 million to reopen its Spring Hill, Tennessee, Saturn plant to build Chevrolet Equinoxes in the second half of ’12. The plant will employ 594 hourly and 91 salaried workers, and a second investment of $183 million will be used to build future midsize vehicles there. GM says the plant, which built Saturns from 1990 to 2007 and Chevy Traverses through 2009, is one of the most flexible in the world. Chrysler has announced a $1.7-billion investment in its 2014 Jeep Liberty replacement, which may revert to the Cherokee name. Dodge is expected to drop its slow-selling Nitro variant. The investment includes $500 million to retool Jeep’s Toledo Assembly Complex in Ohio. Finally, Toyota has begun production of the Corolla at its new $800 million Blue Springs, Mississippi assembly plant, Toyota’s 14th in North America.
Audi sells long-wheelbase versions of its A4 and A6 sedans in China, where such cars are chauffeur-driven. It plans to build the upcoming A3 sedan there too. The A3 sedan is designed to take the place of the old, smaller, less-expensive A4 sedan that used to be sold in the U.S., Europe, and China.

Closing on 18-18-18? U.S. MARKET SHARE FOR THE TOP FIVE AUTOMAKERS

admin — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 05:25:29 +0000

EVEN BEFORE General Motors’and Chrysler Group’s summer 2009 bankruptcies, the U.S. auto industry was moving toward a Western European model. There, the largest automakers, Volkswagen Group, Ford, and Renault (or, sometimes Peugeot/Citroen) each have about 18 percent market share. VW leads, but none of the three dominates in the manner that GM has dominated the U.S. market for much of the last century.
GM’s market dominance was so big, in fact, it didn’t look to be in serious trouble until market share sank to about 25 percent, halfofwhatitwasin the 1960s and 70s, when European and Japanese automakers were minor players. GM wouldn’t be making it with its current market share if it still built Pontiacs, Saturns, Hummers, and Saabs, let alone Oldsmobiles. After it announced that it would cut Pontiac in April 2009, while preparing for bankruptcy, then-CEO and president Fritz Henderson said a reconstituted GM would be able to make money even in a year with just 10 million car and light truck sales in the U.S.Though not specified, the assumption was GM needed 18-20-percent market share of that 10 million to make money.
By late last autumn, the industry was looking at a 12.9-million calendar year 2011. The top three automakers were hovering a bit closer to that 18-18-18 model. GM said it was retaining most of its old Pontiac and Saturn customers, and Ford said it was doing the same with Mercury customers a year after killing that brand.Toyota was second-largest by market share in 2009 and on its way to 18 percent when its quality reputation took a hit in’10, and Ford became resurgent. Toyota might have bounced back in ’11 if not for the earthquake and tsunami. Honda fell behind Chrysler, which was turning things around and took back fourth place in U.S. market share.
Market share figures for 2008 to’11 are for the full 12 months. The shares for CY11 cover the first 10 months. We expect Honda’s share to rise slightly and Toyota’s to increase significantly for the last two months of the year, as the latter gets more new ’12 Camrys onto dealer lots. We’ll update the numbers in a couple months.

percent market share of that 10 million to make money.

By late last autumn, the industry was looking at a 12.9-million calendar year 2011. The top three automakers were hovering a bit closer to that 18-18-18 model. GM said it was retaining most of its old Pontiac and Saturn customers, and Ford said it was doing the same with Mercury customers a year after killing that brand.Toyota was second-largest by market share in 2009 and on its way to 18 percent when its quality reputation took a hit in’10, and Ford became resurgent. Toyota might have bounced back in ’11 if not for the earthquake and tsunami. Honda fell behind Chrysler, which was turning things around and took back fourth place in U.S. market share.

Market share figures for 2008 to’11 are for the full 12 months. The shares for CY11 cover the first 10 months. We expect Honda’s share to rise slightly and Toyota’s to increase significantly for the last two months of the year, as the latter gets more new ’12 Camrys onto dealer lots. We’ll update the numbers in a couple months.

HOW DO YOU REPLACE AN ICON? Land Rover DCIOO Sport Concept

admin — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 05:21:29 +0000

WHEN IT COMES to filling the tire tracks of a storied model like the Defender, there’s no way to make everyone happy. External forces are at hand. It doesn’t meet U.S. safety requirements or stricter Euro Union C02 standards, it’ll hurt LR’s American Corporate Average Fuel Economy ratings, and SUV buyers continue to move away from hard-core off-roaders toward crossovers. If Land Rover wants to bring the Defender back to the U.S.— and seems it does—big changes must happen.

The DC100 is the more traditional of Land Rover’s two concepts. We briefly drove the other, the lifestyle-oriented DC100 Sport. The Sport’s interior is more modern and easier to use than the ergonomically challenged yet charming original. Some switchgear, including the pushbutton starter, look borrowed from Jaguar. The concept has a gasoline four, though that doesn’t reflect what the production engine might be when it goes on sale mid-decade. We drove it on three loops around a parking lot and briefly on sand. This drive was more about the new Defender’s potential than anything else.

Land Rover hopes to retain the Defender’s off-road capability by using modern technology. LR engineers are considering a new generation of Auto Terrain Response that could anticipate changes in the landscape; sensors that could help when traversing water; on-demand spiked tires; a driveline disconnect; and torque vectoring for both on- and off-road.

As with the original, Land Rover plans to proliferate the new Defender with multiple models for a wide variety of would-be buyers. That’s how the company hopes to bring new buyers into the model without offending die-hard Defender fans.

Why wait for C-X16? XKR CONVERTIBLE GETS AN S

admin — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 05:14:21 +0000

WHILE THE AUTOMOTIVE world turns its attention to the new age E-Type, to be based on the C-X16 concept unveiled at last fall’s Frankfurt show, well-heeled Jaguar buyers recovering from various recent global financial crises can get their kicks with the brand’s most powerful drop-top ever.
Jaguar unveiled the convertible body XKR-S at the Los Angeles International Auto Show. Our first drive was a preproduction prototype, with thin strips of yellow stickers intersecting body panel gaps (to measure chassis flex), a full rollcage, fire extinguisher, Sparco racing seats,four-point seatbelts, and a matte-black paint job. Everything else was production ready, including mechanical bits identical to the car’s coupe counter-part, which means Jaguar’s direct-injection, supercharged 5.0-liter V-8 rated at 542 hp and 502 Ib-ft of torque. The XKR-S convertible recreates the coupe’s magic, but with a windblown effect. Not only does the active, free-flowing exhaust sound spectacular, it’s part of the horsepower-increasing equation, along with remapped fuel characteristics, with 32 more horses more than the XKR.

Cruising at 55 mph, wind noise and buffeting are minimal, the boisterous exhaust note is absent, and normal conversation is possible.The suspension is stiff, but driving over freeway bumps and imperfections is never jarring. Like the XKR-S coupe, the convertible’s suspension has a more robust aluminum steering knuckle and an active differential. Damper and spring rates are 28 percent stiffer front and rear.

Sticky 20-inch Pirelli PZeros combined with Jaguar’s Active Damping system keep the XKR-S flat and planted through tight corners. Downshifting the Jag’s six-speed automatic is met with rev-matched throttle blips, exhaust pops, and plenty of power. Jaguar claims the convertible scoots 0-60 mph in 4.2 seconds, the same time needed for the coupe.

Turns out all 125 XKR-S, $16,759,375 worth, are sold out. Looks like you’ll have to wait for the production C-X16 after all.

Ford Fights Back – 13 SHELBY 500GT DOES 200 MPH

admin — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 05:09:36 +0000

When Ford announced its 5.8-liter supercharged aluminum V-8. The most powerful production V-8 in the world, according to its creator, will put out 650 hp and 600 Ib-ft of torque in the 2013 Shelby GT 500.Top speed will be more than 200 mph, a lot for a car with a live rear axle. Its power levels sucker-punch Chevrolet’s new Camaro ZL1 by 70 ponies and even edge the Corvette ZR1 ‘s 638 hp.

If Ford does proceed with its long-rumored GT supercar successor, it certainly has the engine. Ford says it expects the new engine’s fuel efficiency to be sufficient to avoid the gas-guzzler tax, while the GT 500′s curb weight of 3850 pounds closes the weight gap between the relatively light Mustang V-6 and GT and the Camaro V-6 and SS.

The Shelby and its engine get a new supercharger; new cross-drilled block and heads; sion, anaaxie.

The Shelby GT 500 also benefits from a minor face-lift designed to carry the Mustang forward to an all-new 2015 model by spring 2014, in time for the car’s 50th anniversary. The ’13 Mustangs get a new hood, grille, and headlamp treatment and LED lighting, and the Shelby adds new downforce-generating front grilles, a splitter, quad exhaust tips, and two new forged aluminum wheels.

More mild-mannered ’13 Mustangs add a SelectShift feature when equipped with the automatic transmission, and a 4.2-liter LCD screen with acceleration, braking, and g-force monitoring. Ford cribbed from its own Mustang Boss 302 to squeeze an extra 30 hp out of the 5.0-liter V-8, making the GT’s 420 horses just 24 shy of the Boss’

Not the Flagship, XTS IS THE CAR CADILLAC NEEDS, FOR NOW

admin — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 05:04:22 +0000

LET’S PUT THIS fallacy to rest. The 2013 XTS is not Cadillac’s new flagship. Its base price will probably be close to that of the CTS, though with the new Cadillac User Experience (CUE) infotainment system and all the features of the topline Platinum trim level, it will top out a bit higher than a non-V CTS. It won’t come anywhere near the Ciel concept-inspired RWD S-Class-size sedan GM tentatively has under development.

Cadillac hasn’t held back on loading up what’s essentially a V-6-powered replacement for the DTS with the latest interpretation of the Art & Science design language, cutting-edge features like CUE, and the most sumptuous interior it can manage. Consider the door handles. No one else—not Mercedes, BMW, or Audi—has these door handles, which are Cadillac’s new bling for a post-bling world. Instead of lighting up the door-handle pockets, as in most modern luxury cars, Cadillac puts light pipes in the door handles themselves. They’re not on the Buick LaCrosse, which shares the XTS’s Epsilonll architecture, transverse 3.6-liter V-6 engine, 111.7-inch wheelbase, and optional Haldex all-wheel drive.The XTS is 5 inches longer, has a roomier back seat and a much bigger trunk.

The new bread-and-butter Caddy shares a good deal under the skin with the topline Buick, including HyPer strut front suspension, though the XTS adds magnetic ride shocks, like the CTS-V and Corvette, and its multi-link rear suspension features air shocks.

Like the ’10 XTS Platinum concept, the production version relies on modern technology to bend the sheetmetal in interesting ways, including an Escheresque twist atop the rear fender lines coming off the sail panels. The grille badge seems large enough to adorn an Escalade and is made of a transparent outer material that allows conceals the radar for the adaptive cruise control. The XTS is the first Cadillac sedan with six side windows since the early ’60s four-door hardtops, giving rear-seat passengers good outward visibility.

The XTS is all about the interior, where you’ll find intricate French seams—dark purple on black leather in the L.A. show launch car—along the center of the dash, and repeated on the center armrests. Real wood accents are high up on the dash, and the Platinum features a suede-like headliner. Cadillac will offer six interior color/wood trim combinations, a controlled buyer customization plan for the majority of customers who prefer to purchase off the lot rather than wait for special orders.

The carmaker touts an almost Mercedes-level of safety items, from 10 airbags (including two front kneebags), front and rear park assists, optional distronic cruise control, rear cross-traffic alerts, and side blind alerts and lane-departure alerts with haptic warnings in the driver’s seat.

Where does the XTS fit in the lineup? Until the ’15 CTS grows slightly, the XTS is the FWD/AWD Mercedes E-Class 4Matic/Audi A6 compeitor, offering the ultimate luxury to American drivers: No need for winter tires.