American automakers are being criticized lately because their vehicles are deemed to be inferior to Japanese and European vehicles. But recently, the Cadillac CTS was named as the 2008 Car of the Year by Motor Trend. This accomplishment for General Motors' luxury brand signals the new era for Detroit automakers in terms of competing with European and Japanese rivals.

"The Cadillac CTS marks the first time in decades an American automobile has been designed and engineered with an eye on the global marketplace,” said Angus MacKenzie, the editor-in-chief of Motor Trend according to The Auto Channel. "Among its many excellent qualities, perhaps the most valuable one is that it shows Detroit can build a world class car to compete with the best Munich, Stuttgart and Toyota City have to offer. With the CTS, Detroit is officially back in the car business, not just the truck or SUV business," he added.

"The CTS’ winning attributes go far beyond a well-designed façade. It’s the star of a new GM revival, and with a base car price of just $32,990, the car is truly accessible to a wide spectrum of car buyers."

We all know that Cadillac has a long history of producing vehicles with high aesthetic value. The CTS is no exception to that with its clean lines and short overhangs. It is also not about how it looks from the outside but also what is inside and under the hood. The base model of the CTS is a VVT V6 engine which produces 263 horsepower. A 304-hp engine is optional.

To get the award, the CTS had to do battle with other truly competitive cars like the Audi TT, the Volvo XC70, and the Mercedes-Benz C–Class. "This year’s 18-car field was laden with truly significant vehicles," said Mackenzie. "We had all-new interpretations of high-volume benchmark cars that virtually define their respective categories, such as the Honda Accord and Chrysler-Dodge minivan. We had reworked icons such as the Mini Cooper, Subaru Impreza WRX and Scion xB. We had new cars with old nameplates that carried the collective hopes of an entire company, along with all-new vehicles from Mercedes-Benz and Audi."

Labels: Cadillac, Cadillac CTS