While the new CTS Sedan has been out pounding the pavement and garnering numerous awards GM designers have been quietly cutting their diamond inspired CTS Coupe out of clay. The CTS Coupe takes many styling cues from the Sedan and yet has many distinctive lines that are all its own. The lower sport-tuned stance, the steeper rake from the front to the trunk, the angular cut and handle-less doors and the short rear all give the CTS Coupe plenty of aggression to separate it from the rest of the Cadillac field.

Currently the CTS Coupe is still labeled as a concept car, but it seems impossible that Cadillac would not be rushing this design into production. With space for nearly any engine configuration that GM has available beneath the hood the CTS Coupe already has the base design for the next CTS-V and the bones and brass to carry, dare we say, the new LS9 Corvette ZR1 engine. …Maybe we are getting ahead of ourselves.

The word around the wire has it that Cadillac is planning to do away with their V8 option for their luxury sedans in favor of their Direct-Injection V6. For a company that has built a reputation out of their “Low and Wide” stance and their V8 power this could be a historic move, but only to those who thrive on History. Considering the economy we are living in today and the rising cost of fuel it is quite a sensible move for Cadillac to make. Especially when today’s Northstar V8 and Cadillacs Direct-Injection V6 are quite comparable in their performance.

The Northstar 4.6 liter V8 that resides as an option for the 2008 Cadillac STS pushes out a respectable 320-hp and 315-ft lbs of torque at their peak RPM’s. However the 3.6 liter Direct-Injection V6 that is the predominant selling engine already for the 2008 STS manages a very comparable 302-hp, yet a mere 252-ft lbs of torque. But the Direct-Inject V6 also provides an additional 2-mpg in fuel rating. With oil reaching $100 now it is more likely that improved fuel ratings are going to trump additional horses for many normal buyers.