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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We’d seen spy shots of Cadillac’s halo roadster before, and today, GM officially announced the updates made to its luxury brand’s halo vehicle. The range has been winnowed down to the Platinum and the supercharged V-Series. Look for the V-Series hood on all models and revised front and rear fascias with unique grillework for each trim level. The Platinum (above) wears the CTS egg-crate look, while the $100K V-Series presumably soldiers on with the mesh visage that is the V signature. New fender vents have been added, and a number of tweaks have been made to the cars’ interiors, including Alcantara headliners, new instrumentation (say good-bye to the Bulgari-designed gauges), and a leather cut-and-sew treatment on the instrument panel. Drivers will also now get Bluetooth connectivity with the car’s OnStar package. Look for the new XLRs to hit showrooms in July. Whether you see many on your local streets is another matter; XLRs are a bit of a rarity in most neighborhoods.

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Influential auto resource Kelley blue book (KBB) and its marketing research team have named Cadillac and Audi as the two highest performers in improved brand perception in the luxury segment. According to the results of a recent study, Cadillac improved most among the factors of driving comfort, exterior styling, interior layout and design, interior roominess and storage space.  Audi was deemed most improved when evaluating seating capacity, luxuriousness and available options.

The survey is based on the responses of thousands of new car buyers in the U.S. over the past 12 months and focuses on how consumers perceive and rank car brands – not on how the vehicles actually perform themselves. The study delves into how each manufacturer’s brand equity differs across vehicle segments, compares the relative standing of each make versus competitive makes, and reveals the decision factors of new-vehicle buyers within each make and segment.

Researchers cite the increased number of new models and significant redesigns for Audi and Cadillac as well as increased marketing efforts as the key reasons for the improvement in brand perception.

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Cadillac STS

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Cadillac XLR

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Cadillac SRX

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