Cadillac BLS Wagon
Like the Saab 9-3 Sportwagon but want something with an edgier appeal? You probably havent considered the Cadillac BLS Wagon but its built on the same underpinnings and, as such, is a solid choice. Forget about the usual Yank stereotypes this one has been fast tracked right up to the Euro class best.
You could choose to see Cadillacs BLS as a very smart piece of product development. Rather than plough enormous amounts of money into a model that, despite Cadillacs boldest projections, will always be a niche player in European markets, the BLS could only be realised on the basis of shared costs. Hence the Epsilon platform it shares with Vauxhalls Signum and Saabs 9-3. As long as the fundamentals are right, and theres a decent amount of scope for each manufacturer to put their personal stamp on the cars, as is the case here, then the formulas a winner.
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8-litre V6 turbo that punches out a hefty 255bhp. Theres even a 1.9-litre direct injection turbodiesel engine thats good for 150bhp, a first for Cadillac. Itll notch off the sprint to 60mph in just 9.
3 seconds but the in-gear acceleration times that really indicate a diesel engines torque response have been slashed dramatically. The 1.9-litre TiDs powertrain includes the most advanced diesel particulate filter on the market, enabling Euro IV emissions compliance - an essential requirement for many company car drivers. Unlike other particulate traps, it is maintenance-free and self-cleaning, requiring no additives or periodic replacement.
In order to clean the filter and to keep the exhaust flow as free as possible, these deposits are periodically burnt off by short pulses of over-fuelling. These briefly raise exhaust temperatures to the required level of 600ΒΊ C. The process is automatically initiated when back pressure in the exhaust system reaches a certain level and is completely undetectable by the driver. The self-cleaning process takes place whenever necessary, irrespective of throttle load or engine temperature.
"The whole team was very excited to apply Cadillacs design language to a wagon for the first time," noted a Cadillac vice president at this cars launch. "The V-shaped chrome-plated grille, a Cadillac hallmark, is picked up again by the shape of the rear window, and the body side character lines make it unmistakably a Cadillac." Unlike many vehicles that campaign in this class, the Caddy offers some serious carrying capacity. Theres 419 litres available with the rear seats in place and a whopping 1,273 litres with the seats folded down. Theres often a disappointing sensation of getting into a cheap hire car at LAX whenever we sit in an American import but the BLS offers a clean if not adventurously-styled fascia.
Cadillac may have a long and illustrious history but youll search in vain for an estate car in all its 104 years of vehicle production. Good job the company has been eased in gently then. The BLS Wagon is a very tidy piece of styling with the trademark origami Cadillac edges at the front, and a neatly integrated estate glasshouse at the rear. Vertical tail lamps, alloy roof bars and a high mounted stop lamp positioned in the rear spoiler are all sharp design touches.
"The whole team was very excited to apply Cadillacs design language to a wagon for the first time," noted a Cadillac vice president at this cars launch. "The V-shaped chrome-plated grille, a Cadillac hallmark, is picked up again by the shape of the rear window, and the body side character lines make it unmistakably a Cadillac." Unlike many vehicles that campaign in this class, the Caddy offers some serious carrying capacity. Theres 419 litres available with the rear seats in place and a whopping 1,273 litres with the seats folded down. Theres often a disappointing sensation of getting into a cheap hire car at LAX whenever we sit in an American import but the BLS offers a clean if not adventurously-styled fascia. Theres a choice of three BLS Wagon variants.
The standard trim level, SE, offers 16-inch alloy wheels, an engine immobiliser, front, side and curtain airbags, driver trip computer, a three-spoke leather steering wheel with audio control buttons, cruise control, air conditioning, front and rear electric windows, a seven-speaker audio system with CD player, and Piano Black interior decor trim. The intermediate trim level, Luxury, features additional standard equipment including Cadillacs StabiliTrak electronic stability programme, wipers with rain sensors, an eight-way electrically adjustable drivers seat, dual-zone climate control and 17-inch alloy wheels. Red walnut wood veneer trim enhances the interior decor. The top of the Range Sport Luxury trim level additionally offers 18-inch alloy wheels, sports suspension, xenon headlamps, and heated, electrically-adjustable leather front seats with memory function.
The Sports Luxury package will initially only be offered with the 255bhp 2.8-litre V6 petrol engine. The Cadillac BLS shouldnt be hugely expensive to run, especially if you opt for the turbodiesel variant which can average 48mpg and doesnt do too badly on carbon dioxide emissions either. Naturally, if you go for the more powerful petrol engines, youre going to run up bigger bills but the 2.
0-litre turbo powerplants are very efficient. Cadillacs concern will be that the BLS Wagon will merely cannibalise sales from its GM stablemate, Saab. Its a possibility but the sort of customer who buys a Saab is not quite such an extrovert as the sample BLS buyer. If you like the edgy, radical styling of the Cadillac, youll likely be younger than the typical Saab demographic.
You might have been thinking about buying a BMW 3 Series but were put off by the conservative styling or maybe the Audi A4 appealed but you could only afford the entry level car with almost no equipment to speak of. If youre that person, heres why this sharply-styled estate might have your name on it. The Cadillac BLS Wagon is an interesting addition to the massed ranks of small, premium estate cars. This sector has mushroomed in recent years with a market demographic thats often younger than the hatch and saloon models upon which these part-time load luggers are based.
The lifestyle aspect of this sector plays well with Cadillacs image conscious branding and we confidently predict the BLS Wagon to outsell its saloon sibling. Cleanly-styled, practical and with an element of the unusual about it without the financial penalty that usually accompanies such choices, the BLS Wagon is a refreshing change to the usual suspects. Although the turbo diesel model stretches the branding to the limit, its nevertheless the pick of the bunch and a car that can give the entry-level diesels from Audi and BMW something to contend with. Theyll be hard pushed to offer anything like the value proposition of this curiously attractive US/Euro amalgam.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Cadillac BLS Wagon
PRICES: £21,250-£31,250 - on the road [est]
INSURANCE GROUPS: 14-17
CO2 EMISSIONS: [150bhp]161g/km [est]
PERFORMANCE: [150bhp] 0-60mph 9.5s / Max Speed 130mph [est]
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [150bhp] (average) 48mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side and curtain airbags, ABS with EBD, Brake Assist, Traction Control
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height 4685/2038/1466mm [est]
