Contrary to popular perception, Cadillac has been selling cars in the UK for a few years now. Progress has been glacial (that's in the climate change sense of glaciers that retreat rather than advance). However, the company did hope the CTS would change that by challenging Europe's mid-sized executive kings, including the Mercedes E Class and BMW 5-series. Yeah, right. Much of its projected success banked on the attention of the ostentatious buyer; one that finds the German saloons a bit too conservative, and dare we say it, too common. With its high-rise lamps, gridiron mouth and chiselled flanks, the CTS will certainly turn some heads, for better or for worse.
Weighing in at almost 1800kg, the car needs significant horsepower to bring it up to pace. The 2.8-litre V6 produces 208bhp, which is enough to sweep the CTS from 0 to 60mph in a modest 9sec, whereas the much more impressive 3.6-litre version offers 307bhp and knocks nearly 3sec off that time.
Previous UK-bound Cadillacs have fallen short of our tastes for quality, but this one does much better. We especially like the stitched leather atop the dash and the classy ambient lighting. The details let it down, though, such as cut-price plastic inserts and equally cheap-looking switchgear, and a key that looks very ordinary for a car with designs on making a name in the luxury saloon market.
There's lots of standard kit, though, which makes the CTS's £30,000 price tag marginally more attractive. Equipment includes leather, multi-adjustable seats, sat nav, climate control, six airbags and stability control. Interior space is good up front, but rear legroom is limited, and headroom is restricted by the sloping roofline. The rear bench is best left for kids, really, and any fifth passenger will be additionally cramped by the chunky central transmission tunnel. Luggage space is good, but the boot opening is on the narrow side.
It's a bit of a let down on the go, too. Unlike its contemporaries from BMW and Mercedes, the Cadillac's engineering fails to manage the car's weight effectively. The steering is soggy, and despite good levels of grip, there is strong body roll in corners, albeit the car feels basically stable. Refinement is also poor; the car is perpetually unsettled and the ride is simply too hard, especially in the 3.6-litre model that has sports suspension. Both versions suffer from a lazy automatic transmission that is reluctant to kick down, yet does so quite violently when the time comes.
While European carmakers will barely notice the CTS, it is an improvement over previous Cadillacs in the UK, and it's still amongst the better American vehicles we've driven. One thing's for sure: with just six dealers and hoped-for sales of around 200 cars per year, (which it will not reach) the CTS will definitely be exclusive.