Rather than mimic the stark grays and blacks that dominate the interiors of
European luxury sedans, Cadillac elected to go its own route with the Seville and
Eldorado, using warm, muted color schemes and lots of zebrano wood trim, a striking
trademark touch.
Though the front seats don't offer as much side support as competing European
makes, they're well shaped and spacious. The leather upholstery that goes with the STS
is perforated, allowing it to breathe, and the range of adjustability--power-operated,
of course--should make any driver comfortable.
Entry and exit are exceptionally easy here--no more difficult than plunking
yourself into your favorite living room. Room behind the front seats is plentiful, and
the sound systems--an AM/FM/cassette Delco unit (standard) or one of three optional
Bose systems, two of which include CD players.
Our test car had the top-of-the-line Bose system with a 12-disc trunk-mounted CD
player, a $1513 option.
As you'd expect of a car with a price range that starts at almost $42,995, the
Seville standard equipment list is long and comprehensive. The STS adds dual front
controls for the automatic climate control system, power lumbar support for the front
seats, a floor-mounted shifter (vs. a column shifter in the SLS), a fold-down rear
center armrest with cupholders, analog instruments, heated outside mirrors and, of
course, leather upholstery.
Aside from sound system choices, about the only major addition one might make is
the power moonroof, a $1700 option that was also part of our test car's equipment
list.
One interesting new touch is Cadillac's new Rainsense Wiper System. Set the system
in the automatic delay mode, and it adjusts the wiper speed based on the amount of
moisture falling on the windshield.
Comprehensive also applies to the Seville's standard safety features. In addition
to daytime running lights, they include ABS, traction control, dual airbags and side
impact protection. About the only thing that's beginning to be conspicuous by its
absence in this inventory is side airbags, which are beginning to show up in European
sedans from Volvo, Mercedes-Benz and BMW.
Although we wish the Seville included door panel map pockets, the interior is
otherwise hard to criticize. It's beautifully assembled and elegantly posh.
SLS or STS, the Seville's throttle response is exceptional. In fact, for all its
other strong points, it's sheer power that sets these cars apart. Although this is a
large car, weighing in at almost 3900 lbs. in STS trim, it can sprint to 60 mph in
less than seven seconds, and its response in tight passing situations is nothing short
of spectacular. In this sense, power can be viewed as a safety feature. In another
sense, power is the key element that distinguishes memorable luxury cars from the rest
of the here.
Either way, the Seville and Eldorado have lots of it, double in spades.
The only soft point in the power picture is torque steer--the tendency of the
powertrain to pull the car to one side or the other at full throttle. These are the
most powerful front-drive passenger cars on earth, and managing this kind of power in
a front-drive system is tricky. Cadillac has all but cured the problem, but there's
still a hint of torque steer when the driver punches the throttle wide open at low
speeds.
The balance between ride and handling, augmented by Cadillac's Road Sensing
Suspension system, leans toward firm in the STS, softer in the SLS, a distinction that
also applies to the basic Eldorado and the Eldo TC. The suspension adapts to various
road surfaces as well as more extreme handling maneuvers with infinitely variable
damping.
Like the original STS, our test car was surprisngly responsive in abrupt
maneuvers, particularly for a large front-drive automobile. However, Cadillac has
softened the ride a bit from the original, a change that most drivers will welcome on
rough roads.
Another positive change from the original is reduced interior noise, largely the
result of exhaust system revisions. Cadillac wants its owners to hear the powerful
sound of the Northstar V8 in action, but early owners have told Cadillac that there
was a little too much of this. Now there's less.
Another interesting technical feature is the Northstar's limp-home capacity. For
example, even if the engine loses all its coolant, the car can keep going by firing
only four of the eight cylinders in an alternating pattern--for up to 50 miles.