Cadillac BLS

Cadillac BLS
Overview
Manufacturer Saab (General Motors)
Production 2005–2009 in Sweden
2009–2010 in Russia
Assembly Trollhättan, Sweden
Kaliningrad, Russia[1]/[2]
Body and chassis
Class Compact executive car
Body style 4-door saloon
5-door estate
Layout FF layout
Platform GM Epsilon platform
Related Fiat Croma
Chevrolet Malibu
Opel Insignia
Opel Signum
Opel Vectra
Saab 9-3
Saturn Aura
Powertrain
Engine 1.9 L Fiat turbodiesel I4
2.0 L turbocharged Ecotec LK9 I4
2.8 L HFV6 V6
Transmission 5-speed automatic
6-speed automatic
5-speed manual
6-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase 2,680 mm (105.5 in)
Length 4,680 mm (184.3 in)
4,716 mm (185.7 in) (Wagon)
Width 1,750 mm (68.9 in)
1,752 mm (69.0 in) (Wagon)
Height 1,470 mm (57.9 in)
1,543 mm (60.7 in) (Wagon)
Chronology
Predecessor Cadillac Cimarron
Successor Cadillac ATS
BLS Sedan rear
Cadillac BLS Wagon rear

The Cadillac BLS is an compact executive car which was marketed in Europe by Cadillac. Based on General Motors' Epsilon architecture, the BLS was a heavily restyled version of the Saab 9-3. The development was done by Saab and the car cost more than one billion kronor (approximately $140 million) to design. It was manufactured in Trollhättan, Sweden, alongside the Saab 9-3 and the Saab 9-5. Sales of the sedan began in March 2006, with a station wagon joining the line for 2007. The BLS was introduced to the Arabian, Mexican, South African, and South Korean markets for the 2007 model year. It was never sold in the American market. The BLS was not successful; production figures were low at 3,257 in 2006.[3] In 2007, production fell as Cadillac produced 2,772 cars at the Trollhättan factory,[3] with 282 sold in Germany, a market with total annual sales of 3.15 million.[4] Production of the BLS ceased in 2009 as a result of the continuing poor sales.[5]

Features

The BLS was available with a diesel engine (a 1.9 L turbocharged four-cylinder) and two petrol engines (a 2.8 L turbocharged V6 and a 2.0 L available with two power levels).

At 184.3 in (4,681 mm) in overall length, the BLS was almost six inches shorter than the CTS, the smallest Cadillac available in North America.

Engines:

Reviews

  • Auto Express [6]
    'The BLS is OK, but offers nothing new in a market overflowing with talent.'
  • Evo [7]
    [+] Stylish and quiet
    [-] Pushes no boundaries.
  • Honest John [8]
    Positives: Based on the Saab 9-3 so decent handling. Well proven mechanicals. Saab-grade safety.
    Negatives: The ride is far from forgiving. Automatic doesn't work well with the V6 turbo, which also has overly light steering.
  • Verdict On Cars [9]
    'Average. It's built in Europe, shares most of its underpinnings with a Saab and will never see America - meet the strangest Cadillac ever.'

Name

The BLS is known by many as the "Bob Lutz Special" - a reference to Vice Chairman Bob Lutz who oversaw all GM product development at the time. Lutz, a supporter of badge engineering, wanted to leverage the SAAB 9-3 to fill holes in Cadillac's product range.

The reference to Bob Lutz can be viewed both as support and as criticism of his strategy. While the BLS was a market failure, many of the techniques of badge engineering employed in the BLS resulted in other GM product successes, most notably a significant improvement in overall passenger car product quality and performance output.

Under Lutz's revamped strategy, most Cadillac model names had no meaning (aside from preceding models, such as DTS for Deville Touring Sedan, or CTS for Catera Touring Sedan). Hence, the BLS has no official name for its abbreviation - fueling the community namesake.

While GM has never formally said why the BLS bore its name, it is likely the B was chosen for being smaller than the CTS mid-size sedan, L for Luxury, and S for Sedan. This is consistent with the Seville Luxury Sedan, or later the Cadillac SLS.

References

  1. ↑ "Группа компаний Автотор :: Автомобили GM". Avtotor.ru. Archived from the original on 2016-02-10. Retrieved 2010-05-22.
  2. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-09-04. Retrieved 2010-05-15.
  3. 1 2 Automobil Revue, catalog 2008, p. 47
  4. ↑ auto motor und sport, #3/2008, p.13
  5. ↑ Lienert, Anita (2009-08-18). "It's the End of the Line for the Cadillac BLS in Europe". Edmunds Inside Line. Edmunds Inc. Archived from the original on 2009-08-21. Retrieved 2013-08-16.
  6. ↑ "Cadillac BLS". Auto Express. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
  7. ↑ http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evocarreviews/65832/cadillac_bls.html
  8. ↑ "Car-By-Car Reviews - Cadillac BLS (2006 - 2010)". Honest John. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  9. ↑ "Cadillac BLS". Verdict On Cars. Archived from the original on 2005-02-23. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
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Compact Cimarron BLS ATS
ATS-V
ELR ELR
Mid-size Catera CTS CTS CTS
CTS-V CTS-V CTS-V
Seville Seville Seville Seville STS
STS-V
Full-size de Ville de Ville de Ville de Ville DTS XTS
Fleetwood (FWD)
Sixty Special (FWD)
Fleetwood Brougham Brougham Fleetwood (RWD) CT6
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Roadster Allanté XLR
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