The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a recall of 12,662 MY2009 Cadillac CTS vehicles due to a software problem within the passenger-airbag sensing system. The electronic glitch may lead to the disablement of the front passenger air bag when it should be enabled or vice-versa. GM’s dealers will reprogram 2009 CTS’ passenger sensing system module free of charge with the recall expected to begin on or about November 18, 2008.

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The All new Cadillac CTS-V will be priced from $59,995 (€44,700 with the current exchange rates) in the US market seriously undercutting the less powerful though quite possibly a bit more rewarding from a driver’s point of view, 507HP BMW M5 which costs in the States $85,100 (€63,500). Aside from the 556HP supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine and the Magnetic Ride Control suspension, the CTS-V comes standard with plenty of features, including a hand-crafted cabin, a 6-speed manual transmission and a Bose surround sound system with a 40-gigabyte hard drive with a USB port. Continued

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After decades of decay, Cadillac began a transformation in the waning years of the last century that would allow the brand to compete against modern luxury brands. Decrepit beasts like the late Eldorado and Seville were euthanized and, while the decision to switch mostly to alpha-numeric naming was dubious, Cadillac finally started creating cars that could compete directly with the best from Europe and Japan, and the first generation CTS was one of them.

 In spite of this progress, the Germans still had something Cadillac lacked, namely AMG, M and RS models. So Cadillac devised the V-Series, the first of which was the 2004 CTS-V. Just as BMW does with the M3 and M5, Audi with the RS4 and RS6 and Mercedes with innumerable AMGs, the CTS-V had a bigger, more powerful engine; beefier brakes and tires; a suspension to match and an upgraded interior. This, however, is an arms race that has yet to subsie in spite of ever higher fuel prices. With BMW, Mercedes and Audi now offering even more powerful engines, Cadillac has stepped up to the plate with an all-new CTS-V and we had a chance to drive it at the even newer Monticello Motor Club in New York. With a new supercharged LSA engine closely related to the LS9 in the Corvette ZR1, the CTS-V makes some big promises. Read on after the jump to see if it delivers. Continued

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General Motors will be sending letters to more than 944,000 owners worldwide, 857,735 of which are located in the U.S., due to voluntary recall that affects 16 cars and SUVs from 2006 to 2008. The huge recall involves vehicles fitted with a heated washer fluid system that could short circuit causing other electrical features to malfunction and lead to smoke or even fire. According to GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson, up until now, there have been three reported fires related to the problem. GM said that its dealers will install a wire harness with an in-line fuse free of charge. See the affected models after the jump. Continued

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With enormous V8 land-yachts and even bigger Escalades rolling down America’s boulevards, Cadillac’s doesn’t have the most environmentally friendly of images. But that’s a perception that the premium GM division is working hard to combat. After unveiling the Escalade two-mode hybrid, reports have begun to surface that Cadillac is considering a four-cylinder model for the American market like the Saab-based BLS it offers in Europe.

New emerging reports now suggest that Cadillac might get its own version of the highly-anticipated Volt plug-in hybrid from its sister-company Chevrolet. No telling at this point if the Cadillac version would be based on the Volt, transplant the Volt’s powertrain into an existing Cadillac model, or breed an entirely new Caddy – or for that matter if there’s any substance to the rumors – but sources suggest a higher sticker price than the Volt’s anticipated $40k.

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 Cadillac has released the first official images of the next generation SRX that is in essence the production version of the Provoq Concept that appeared at the CES show in Las Vegas last January. According to GM, the all-new SRX will make its debut at major global auto shows later this year (quite possibly at the Paris Show in October and the LA Show in November), with sales set to start worldwide in mid-2009. With an overall length of about 4,580 mm or 180.3 in, the five-seater SRX is about roughly the same size as the BMW X3 SUV meaning that its far more compact (and lighter) than the outgoing seven-seat SRX. -Continued

“The next-generation SRX, along with the new CTS Sport Wagon, showcases Cadillac taking its dramatic design into new directions, particularly cars and crossovers that are the right size at the right time for today’s luxury consumers,” said Jim Taylor, Cadillac general manager.

Cadillac hasn’t released any mechanical details yet, but expect to see the CTS’ 3.6-liter V6 gasoline units along with a 2.9-liter V6 turbo diesel engine (for Europe). The new SRX, which was initially referred to as the Cadillac BRX, will also form the base for the upcoming Saab9-4x suv/

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Promising a 50% improvement in fuel economy in city driving over its non-hybrid sibling, the 2009 Escalade Hybrid arrives at Cadillac dealerships this month with an MSRP of $71,685. According to GM, the price represents a premium of $3,600 over a comparably-equipped gasoline-only Escalade. Featuring GM’s Two-Mode Hybrid technology that allows it to operate entirely on battery-electric power during low-speed driving situations, the Escalade Hybrid has EPA fuel economy ratings of 20mpg city and 21mpg highway versus the standard Escalade’s 12 and 19 mpg (2WD) respectively.

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