02 Mar 05
Cadillac's European 3-Series rival is to be called the BLS when it goes on sale in spring 2006. The BLS, which shares its underpinnings with the Saab 9-3, will be built alongside the 9-3 at the Saab plant in Trollhatten, Sweden. The BLS is "specifically targeted to meet the needs of the European customer", says GM, and it will be clearly aimed at the premium contenders in the compact executive class. GM promises an "expressive design" and "outstanding ride and acoustic comfort" - and, for the first time in a Cadillac, a turbocharged diesel engine (Cadillac had offered naturally aspirated V8 diesel engines in the 1980s).
Equipment and details of the show car included a chrome-plated grille, 19-inch multispoke alloy wheels, bi-xenon headlamps, chrome window trimming, LED brake lights and a high-quality leather interior with brushed aluminium details, white-on-black instruments with red needles and an analogue clock. A Bose audio system, DVD navigation with touchscreen operation and Bluetooth-compatible telematics are fitted.
Three petrol engines will be offered, all turbocharged - two Saab-sourced 2.0-litre, four-cylinder units and the Holden 2.8 V6, which is fitted in the latest Cadillac CTS and which will also be offered in the Saab 9-3. The diesel is the GM-Fiat 1.9-litre, four-cylinder unit with common-rail direct-injection and a particulate filter; although GM has not released details of its power output, it is likely to be about 180bhp, in line with power upgrades in the Saab and Vauxhall/Opel ranges. Automatic transmission will be optional in all models and the suspension and chassis tuning will be unique to the BLS.
Cadillac General Manager Jim Taylor said: "Cadillac is on the fast lane in its US home market with the best sales figures since 1990... with the BLS, Cadillac will add a premium mid sedan to its model range that is geared to the specific demands of European customers. The new entry-level model underlines the brand's global ambitions and its key role in the premium segment." Although there have been rumours that eventually, Cadillac could offer a BLS station wagon (like the 9-3 SportWagon - see separate story) and even convertible, as yet, only a saloon has been confirmed.
