For the 2006 model year, Cadillac's DeVille has morphed into the DTS. The 2006 Cadillac DTS represents more than just a change to the current Cadillac three-letter naming convention. Revisions to exterior and interior styling and a firmer, better-controlled suspension give the DTS a very different flavor than the old DeVille, even though it retains the front-wheel-drive DeVille platform.
Cadillac has made a name for itself in its use of technology for its power train, suspension, safety, and entertainment systems, and the DTS is no exception. While there is one DTS body style and basic interior design, there are four trim levels: Luxury I through III and Performance. All use Cadillac's Northstar V-8 engine matched to a four-speed automatic transmission, with 275 horsepower for the Luxury models and 292 horsepower for the Performance version. Each has at least all-speed traction control, six air bags, the OnStar telematics system, advanced multizone climate-control systems, audio systems with inputs for an MP3 player, and a useful driver information center as standard equipment.
The Performance model would be of more interest to the technophile, and we had the opportunity to test it for a short time at a recent press event in the Southern California desert. With the more powerful version of the Northstar V-8 and firmer suspension tuning with Magnetic Ride Control, it has power and handling response much more in line with that of current Japanese and European luxury sedans.
Enter the 2006 Cadillac DTS sedan, which is not so much an overhaul of the DeVille line as a face-lifted version. Still, it is big and swanky and commands respect. It is exactly the type of Cadillac that Siegel sings about missing in his song — the Cadillac that is "sharp and shiny" and "so aristocratic," with "seats so long, wide and plush" and "plenty of legroom for me and my friends."
Cadillac, like other luxury automakers, has dived into the trend of building sportier, more energetic rear-wheel-drive sedans. But as a large front-wheel-drive luxury sedan, the DTS is a remnant of another era. It's built more for comfort than speed and redesigned for 2006 to make you feel like you are living large. President George W. Bush rides around in a DTS limousine; he was, in fact, the first customer for the new DTS. It's easy to feel powerful when you drive this car.