Cadillac XTS

Cadillac has released a lot of new photos of its latest flagship model XTS, which in the next few days will go on sale in North America. In terms of design specified by the manufacturer of its most advanced car in the 110-year history of Cadillac.

The manufacturer shall ensure that its flagship sedan offers more space for passengers than the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class, and the boot has a larger capacity (509 liters) than even limousines like Mercedes S-class standard front wheels are driven, but in option is four-wheel drive with Haldex clutch.

Cadillac XTS will be heart-liter V6 with direct injection 3.6 liter developing 305 hp, which works with standard automatic transmission with six gears. The front suspension uses a fairly advanced system of hyper Strut, and behind - air suspension. Normally there is also the Magnetic Ride system and Brembo brand brakes.

Cadillac ATS

I must admit that, despite many setbacks, the Cadillac is still trying to achieve something in Europe. To this end, present a model Cadillac ATS, which is built on a completely new platform, and the power is transmitted to the rear axle only.

Cadillac ATS to compete with the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class will be under the hood 2.0-liter turbo unit with a capacity of 272 hp. In American counterparts will also be available engines 2.5 liters at 202 hp and 3.6 liter V6 with 322 hp.

What about diesels? Probably will be introduced for several years. GM reportedly leading the negotiations on this issue with BMW.

Cadillac ATS should be available in Europe at the end of 2012.

713 Motoring shows off their first Cadillac CTS-V Coupe

Houston's favorite customizers, 713 Motoring, released a video of a Cadillac CTS-V Coupe. It's hard to believe, seeing how they've worked of everything- from Fords to Ferraris, that this was their first CTS-V Coupe that received the 713 royal treatment. Check out the video below...



You know they do great work, don't deny it cause they'll find a way to prove you wrong.

P.S. I'm sure the second location of 713 Motoring will have a big enough lobby for them to park cars in.

Bernie's Test Drives from the 2012 AJC Car Show

Last week the annual Atlanta Journal Constitution Car Show rolled into town. When I moved to Atlanta back in '07, I remember how big their auto show use to be. In '08, they held the show in two rooms at the Georgia World Congress Center and it was a week long. Now.... it's five days long and confined into one room without all of the auto makers there (Mercedes Benz/Smart Car didn't show up).

I'm not gonna lie, I had fun this year. I spent more time outside of the show than I did inside, because the AJC made the show more family friendly. Six automakers- Cadillac, Dodge, GMC, Toyota, Kia, and VW offered test drives for those who wanted to feel the experience. And my crazy self decided to take advantage of the offers.

I test drove 10 vehicles. And it took me a little over 4 hours to do so. I tested in the exact order of driving: the Jeep Wrangler, Fiat Cabriolet, Dodge Charger R/T, Cadillac Escalade ESV, Cadillac CTS-V Coupe, Toyota Camry, Toyota Prius-V, VW Bettle, VW Tiguan, and Kia Optima Turbo. Originally, I was going to rank the cars from which one I like from the lowest to the highest. But instead, I'll go by the order that I listed the vehicles above.

To kick off the test driving experience, I went with the Jeep Wrangler first. It was the blue, two door one pictured above with my test driving friend. I chose this particular vehicle first because the Jeep Wrangler will be one of my next vehicles (the Ford Mustang 5.0 GT is the other. I didn't forget about that one). I've previously mentioned how I fell in love with the Jeep Wrangler in Boston when I had the pleasure of driving a four door one. The blue one was fun, I liked how it goes into Eco mode to allow for the best gas milage, the removeable hood, plus that shade of blue pops *makes popping noise*. But with my vehicles, I like room. The two door was cute, but the four door is more ideal for me.

(Photo from thearticlewriter.com)

The Fiat Cabriolet was sooooooo fun to drive. The difference between the Fiat Convertible and most other convertibles is that you can put the top down while the car is in motion, up to 65 mph. I drove the Fiat Lounge Cabriolet, which is the second most expensive one, behind the Gucci Edition. Of course, Dodge was super excited, referring to the car as the J-Lo car. I'm still bitter with Jennifer Lopez because the commercial appeared to be in the Bronx, but in reality, she shot the commercial in Los Angeles and in the commercial she talked about what she loved about New York. I love Los Angeles and all, but it's not New York.

The Dodge Charger R/T was the type of vehicle that my lead foot needed. I like my vehicles to have power, and the Charger had pick up. The guy who was in charge of the Charger was happy, yet surprised that I tested the 370 horses. If I presented with a vehicle with a decent amount of horsepower, a dry road, and no cops around, of course I'm gonna drive fast. But the car will be returned exactly how I got it, just with a few more miles on it. But I could have continued living my life without knowing that there are 164 lights involved with the Dodge Chargers tail lights.

Then I shimmied over to the Cadillac area. My first vehicle was the biggest one they had to offer, yet no one was driving it, so that's why I asked to drive the Cadillac Escalade ESV. The size wasn't intimidating at all and I'm all of 5'2 and a half. What I liked the most about it, besides the fact that it's a full size SUV that offers 400 horsepower, but there's sensors on it that tells you when a vehicle is in your blind spot area- a feature that should be available on all vehicles.

Next, I hopped behind the wheel of the Cadillac CTS-V. Yes dears, the same one that Justin Beiber purchased. But there was a huge conspiracy involving this car. So we pull out of the lot, and it starts to rain. Not drizzle, but RAIN. I was pissed!!!! Because of the rain, I wasn't about to try out the 500+ horsepower. I love to speed, but I have great judgment. I didn't tell you the best part. When it was time for me to give the car back, it stops raining. Just my luck....

I ran back inside to register with Toyota and VW, then headed over to the Toyota area to select the "redesigned" 2012 Camry. Toyota failed to realize that minor changes doesn't warrant them to call it a redesign. The redesigning of the Camry was back in 2007. It was fun to drive, but I honestly didn't see any major difference between the 2012 one and the one my dad has- which is an '07. The 2012 one offers a lot more options, and who doesn't love options? As far as the standard equipment, there's no difference. The best part about the test drive was when the test drive guy started playing Young Jeezy since I mentioned I liked rap music.

I got out of the Camry, and ran into a guy I met before at one of the previous auto show. He was in charge of the Prius V and that's why I tested it. I asked the famous question- how much horsepower does it have? His answer- 138. I died laughing. Here's the thing- I've been followed before in my car, and the one thing I need is horsepower to get away from stalkers. 138 horsepower isn't gonna help you get away from anyone except if they're driving a Smart Car, which only offers 71 horsepower. The highlight to this test drive- Cam'ron came on the radio.

Then I ran to the VW area, when I jumped into the candy apple red Beetle. Oh my goodness, this car surprised me the most. When I turned onto the main road and the test driving guy encouraged me to test the tubo engine, I was in lust. It was cute,and it packed enough punch to leave folks in the dust. This was fun, and the redesigning of the Beetle is very roomy in the interior.

From there, I had to try VW's SUV- the Tiguan. The crazy name intrigued me, but I learned that a child entered a contest and came up with the name since they liked tigers and iguanas. It was fun to drive, and it was equipped with the same Turbo engine with a panaramic moon roof. It was cool, but I felt bad for the woman who was riding with me.

Finally, to round out the test drive, I ran over to the Kia section and jumped into the Optima Turbo. I tested the Optima Turbo last year, but the one I drove this year seemed a little different. But before I get into that, I want to get into something else. The test drive guy- forgot his name, but he was beyond knowledgable about auto shows, and all things automotive related. It was weird, he was like Rain Man of the automotive world. He did have an aspect of my dream job and I respected him for it. So while I was driving, Rain Man told me that Kia brought on someone from Audi to join Kia's design team, and the interior looked so much better. I forgot I was driving a Kia for awhile.

I hope the AJC Auto Show allows the test driving program next year. That way, it gave consumers a more intimate feel with a car. Auto Shows are good because they allow consumers to get in the car and feel the comfort level. But it's one thing to sit in a car, it's another to drive it for a few minutes. I didn't go to the GMC area, they provided a bunch of compact and midsize cars, plus the GMC Arcadia that I test drived before, and the Chevy Camaro which I test drove before. I know one thing, I wish Ford would partake in the test driving program.

How We Roll (Video): 713 Motoring

I've been talking about them a lot lately on this site, but as long as they keep customizing cars and send me the photos and videos, then they'll keep appearing on this site. It is free advertising, but some companies don't believe me when I say that.

Out of the goodness of their hearts, Houston's own 713 Motoring sent me a video entitled How We Roll. How We Roll would be a great commercial for the shop- Four fully customized cars parked outside with the Vice President of 713, Brandon, walking around and talking about the cars.

Brandon decided to show off a Blacked Out Mercedes Benz S550 with the smoked out tail lights, a White Chevy Camaro with a body kit, white wheels, and smoked tail lights, A Red Cadillac XLR with red wheels (rumor has it, the interior is red as well), and a White Rolls Royce Phantom that I featured on here before. Watch the video...



I haven't been to Texas yet, and I know that 713 Motoring is somewhere in the Houston area, but I can assume that this isn't the first time they've worked on a S550, a Phantom, the XLR, and a Camaro and it certainly woon't be their last. Well, maybe the Cadillac XLR- let's be real- how many of them have you seen on the road within the last 30 days? Go ahead, I'll wait while you count. Within the five years Cadillac produced them, they haven't been popular. I bet if you add up the total sales from 2004-2009 of the Cadillac XLR, Cadillac probably sold just as many Escalades within a year. I know the XLR was close to $100,000, but they were ugly. A CTS-V looks so much better and the difference in money you save- you can take the car to a reputable company like 713 Motoring to give it a fully customized look. Like how I came full circle with that one?

Also, no matter what day or what time of the day you drive past 713 Motoring, I can easily say that they will always have a stable of cars around. But I honestly don't think that they'll have a Phantom parked in the doorway..

Tragic Customization: Snooki’s Cadillac Escalade EXT

I admit, I watch the Jersey Shore. It reminds me of half of Long Island- which happens to be one of the Guido Capitals, right behind certain parts of Jersey and Staten Island.

Without a doubt, the break-out star of the show happens to be a 4’9” girl from update New York (Fact: anything north of Westchester County is considered Upstate New York.) named Nicole Polizzi, better known as Snooki. On the Jersey Shore Show, the cast gets a house, a job, and two Escalades to drive around in. I guess Snooki was used to the Escalades, so she decides to unload her BMW and purchase an Escalade EXT, and gets it customized.

And this is where the story goes downhill….

Now, there’s a stereotype about New Jersey women, and a few women from New York (not me), and the Wendy Williams Show, Jersey Shore, Jerseylicious, and the Real Housewives of New Jersey basically confirm the stereotype. They like a lot of pink and animal print. When you customize a car, it’s an extension of one’s personality- and sadly, you can't deny that this Escalade belongs to Snooki. Here’s the photos…

These photos were shot in Jersey City, New Jersey where Snooki and her castmate- J-Woww (who's from Long Island) are filming their spinoff show. You were looking at a newest modeled Cadillac Escalade EXT- painted a matte black with hot pink accents. Hot pink grille, hot pink side vents, hot pink trim. You heard me- matte black with hot pink accents, and the photos are perfectly color corrected. When I saw this, I wanted to cry. And the sad this is, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if the interior was leopard or cheetah print.

And this, my friend, is a classic example of when customizing a car goes wrong. Wait, I can find two things that I like: The Hello Kitty Baseball Decal on the back window and the fact that the Escalade came from Long Island.

Give Snooki credit, at least she didn't piss away her millions like the Situation did.

General Motors' Celebrity Program with Ben Baller

One of the few people I follow on twitter happens to be Ben Baller. Now I know you may not know who Ben Baller is, so the next paragraph will be very helpful.

Ben Baller, LA Native, who started out as an executive in the music industry and DJ, was smart enough to get out of the industry when digital took over and records wasn't selling like they use to. His family made jewelry for decades and decades, so he made the switch- launching a family owned business called IF&Co (Internally Flawless & Co.) with clientele who are wealthy (Not rich. Major difference). In his spare time, he launched a blog (same name of his jewelry company) where he writes about what he knows best- himself, his lifestyle, and the jewelry he creates. I like IF&Co (the blog) because what he writes about is legitmate and personable. (If you're not sure about unlegit false riches- book a flight to Atlanta during the BET Hip Hop Awards or if you would rather save your money- watch one episode of the Real Housewives of Atlanta). If you're too lazy to read about Ben Baller, I'll sum it up in one statement- Ben Baller has credibility and is well connected. Useless fact- his birthday is one day after mine, which would make him a fellow Aquarius.

A few days before Christmas, Ben was honored to be a part of the Celebrity Program for General Motors- where you get a new car to drive around for a certain amount of months- you only pay for gas and tickets you may receive (Not everyone can get out of speeding tickets like Bernie). He had a choice between a 2012 Cadillac CTS-V (What Justin Bieber has) or a 2012 Corvette Z06 (which screams Midlife Crisis). Thankfully he went with the Cadillac... for now.

(Photo: IF&Co)

"I chose the CTS-V (word to Justin Bieber) 
and for a week now, this shit is amazing! it’s faster than most anything on the streets and it’s really tight, doesn’t feel all soft like the normal cadillacs…. I’m really surprised, it has a tighter feel than a lexus even! really nice recaro suede and leather seats with like 16 point options! this is fully loaded…. like a $80k car. the nav is sick! the stereo slaps and this shit moves! the back seats are actually back seats, not like a 3 series or a C class…" Ben Baller

Once GM handed over the keys, Ben took it out on the open road... all the way to the Bay Area. On the way back, he realized that a Cadillac CTS-V is not a great choice for a road trip companion. Comfortable- yes. Fast- yes. Bang for your buck- yes. Great on gas- no. Anything that has 550+ horsepower would not be great on gas, especially if you have a heavy foot.

(Photo: IF&Co)

The Cadillac CTS-V didn't stay long, and Ben received a new toy from GM- a 2011 Cadillac Escalade. Although he hasn't updated his latest adventures with this truck, I'll leave you with this...

"This thing is much smoother than before. it’s really a competitor against the Range Rover now for real. I think I might wait until the new body style drops next year though if I cop a SUV…"

If Ben knows what I know, after seeing the sketches of the newer modeled Cadillac Escalade, he might want to rethink that thought. I'm pretty good at matching people with cars, and he doesn't strike me as one who would drive a Cadillac SRX that can hold seven people.

But you know what, I'm happy that General Motors picked someone with some personality- and one who writes about the live that he actually lives. I'm not mad nor jealous, but it left me inspired. That will be me one day, but with my luck, by the time I make it there, GM will stop the program.

P.S. Ben knows a thing or two about cars. What he's had in his possession is what most people won't have the opportunity to touch.

Bernie's Top and Bottom Picks from the NAIAS

NAIAS or the most important auto show- the North American International Auto Show is currently taking place in Detroit, Michigan. Despite Detroit being the home of the "Big Three", almost all automakers use this show to show off what they've been working on in hopes to have the next great automobile.

I wasn't fortunate enough to attend the NAIAS this year (I'm currently back in school), however, in true Bernie fashion, I bring to you my top picks from the North American International Auto Show.

Number 5... The Dodge Dart. This particular car, I'm not looking at it from whether or not I would buy one, but I'm looking at it from Dodge's standpoint. Dodge hasn't had a strong compact car/economy car/clown car/funsize car since the Neon, and that was awhile ago. During that era, Dodge dominated it so maybe the Dart would be a solid move on Dodge's part. Let's be real, if you combine the Avenger and the Caliber together, it still didn't make the noise that the Neon made.

Number 4... The Chevy Tru 140S. This looks better than the Chevy Cruze, but sadly, according to Autoblog, it would perform just like the Cruze. *sad face* That means the Tru 140S will have the same 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and it'll put out 150 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels via either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. Which means it'll look better than it performs.

Number 3... Acura NSX. I've never described a vehicle as being sexy and I'm not a fan of vehicles that barely clear the ground, nor have I been a fan of exotic cars. However, if Acura gives the thumbs up and I had the money to purchase this, believe me, I would snatch this up in a heart beat. But if it suffers from the "Chevy Tru" disease (I look fast, but my performance sucks), then I would leave it on the lot.

Apparently because of NAIAS, Acura gave the green light to the NSX which will be produced in 2015. Acura, call me to test drive, I'm available. But if it has less than 300 horsepower, then lose my number.

Number 2... The Bentley Continental GT V8. I Love Bentley. They took their best selling vehicle and figured out how to make it better. They reduced the engine power from the W12 to a V8, lowered the horsepower, thus increasing the MPG. I'm huge on horsepower but Bentley hasn't been stingy with it. Bentley kept the design but made the Continental a stronger vehicle. The difference is- it's roughly $10,000+ less than the W12, you lose about 60 horsepower, but the 0-60 is still the same, plus it gets better gas milage to over 20 mpg. Let me stop, because I'm starting to sound like a car salesman.

Number 1... Of course it's the Ford Shelby 50th Anniversary Edition. But I hear that Carroll Shelby wants to back away from creating the Shelby Mustangs as a whole vehicle, and focus on making the parts to convert a Mustang into a Shelby Mustang. That means he wants to make more money. Either way, I love the car and I'm still working on getting one... or being perfectly content with a Mustang 5.0 GT.

I do have one honorable mention, and it goes to Mercedes Benz. Mercedes Benz has been paying attention to "what's hot in the streets" so to speak and everyone knows that all trends start in the streets. One trend is matte painting a vehicle, and Mercedes picked up on it. Offering high end vehicles in white, flat silver, dark grey, and black and possibly expanding the color palette down the line. It's a great idea, and I commend them being ahead of the curve, but... As a person who has been in the streets (a.k.a. car shows around the country), I've seen many matte vehicles. BMWs have been the most popular, followed by other imports, and I've seen a matte black Lamborghini, plus Jim Jones does have a matte black Audi. I don't think a matte Mercedes Benz will go over well. If they sell more than 9, I will be surprised. I'll give Mercedes an A for effort, but BMW should have came up with that idea since they would have profited more.


Now for my bottom picks...

The Cadillac ATS that everyone was wetting their pants over. Why? It looks just like the Cadillac CTS and usually Cadillac can crank out different designs in their models. I hope Cadillac isn't turning into Nissan. Which brings me to my next bottom pick...

The "Newly Modeled" Nissan Pathfinder. It's newly modeled all right. It looks just like the Murano and Rogue. What's the difference? I won't find out for myself until I can corner Nissan at an auto show in March and April.

Chevy Node 130R. Remember when the present design of the Chevy Camaro was just a concept? Again, that's what this looks like to me, but it probably won't perform like the Camaro.

Lexus LF-LC. That grille... That grille... That grille...

And finally, the Buick Encave. Normally I'm sympathetic towards the Encave because Buick's clientele are folks over 50 and the Encave was the shred of hope for a younger audience. However, the length seems squished and the bumper looks off.


I hope that the vehicles I listed above will strut their stuff at the 2012 New York Auto Show, because I'm going this year...

Photos: AB and NAIAS

West Coast Customs Presents a Cadillac Escalade

Normally I'm intrigued by the projects that West Coast Customs complete, but this one isn't my cup of tea.

A client came to West Coast Customs asking for wheels and tires to their Escalade and Ryan and his crew gave them what they wanted: "A Donked Out Escalade". And yes, this is West Coast Customs in Southern California, not West Coast Customs in Jacksonville, Florida.

(Of course they had to do perform cosmetic surgery for the wheels to fit)

I'm at a loss for words. However, seeing this Cadillac Escalade EXT made me appreciate Young Dro's Escalade much more...