2009 Cadillac STS
Substantially enhanced and restyled for 2008, the 2009 Cadillac STS luxury performance sedan continues to offer premium levels of technology, craftsmanship and performance.
The advanced features include a standard, 302-horsepower 3.6L V-6 engine with direct injection technology that produces excellent power while reducing emissions and maintaining fuel economy.
“The STS is a showcase of Cadillac’s design, technology and performance,” said Jim Taylor, Cadillac general manager.
The 2009 Cadillac STS is available in V-6 and V-8 rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive models. The ultra-luxury STS Platinum Edtion returns for 2009, along with the STS-V. Part of Cadillac’s acclaimed V-Series, the STS-V represents the full extent of the car’s luxury and performance including a supercharged, 469-horsepower (349 kW) Northstar V-8 engine.
The STS Platinum delivers distinctive luxury nuances, such as 18-inch wheels, leather-wrapped interior, an Alcantara ™ headliner and exclusive Platinum badging.
Bold styling
Enhanced last year, the STS expresses the bold design flair that has become a Cadillac signature. Up front, the dual-textured, multi-faceted grille reflects the styling seen on the Escalade and CTS. High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps and the Intellibeam automatic high-beam system are available.
The lower front fascia features a distinctive intake and grille pattern evoking Cadillac’s V-Series high-performance models. Similarly, side air extractors, again inspired by the Sixteen concept and Escalade, are now incorporated into the front fenders of STS. New chrome-plated door handles and lower rocker moldings are added for more presence and refinement.
At the rear, the new fascia is now body color and is highlighted with polished aluminum three-inch exhaust tips. New, polished 18-inch x 8-inch aluminum 14-spoke wheels are available.
Interior appointments
Inside, STS’ luxurious interior includes a steering wheel with available genuine Sapele wood trim. Sapele is an exotic wood more commonly used in fine furniture and musical instruments. A heated steering wheel also is available. The center stack of the instrument panel is revised with the addition of wood trim that has new metallic surroundings.
Additional available features for the V-6-equipped STS include a reconfigurable head-up display. The head-up display projects key driving information (such as speedometer ratings) onto the windshield, enabling drivers to keep their eyes on the road.
Other technological appointments are plentiful, purposeful and driver oriented, including a Keyless Access system; Adaptive Remote Start system (not available in Europe or Russia); Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC); heated and ventilated seats and heated steering wheel.
An available infotainment system includes one of the industry’s first OEM-installed surround-sound audio systems. The cabin is immersed with 15 Bose speakers. The 5.1 Bose system also has an integrated six-disc CD/DVD changer and plays formats including DVD-A, CD and MP3. It includes an eight-inch full VGA-quality touch screen and advanced navigation. In addition, the system has Bluetooth phone capability, advanced voice recognition and OnStar.
STS models feature OnStar Turn-by-Turn Navigation. It allows consumers to talk to a live advisor, who in turn sends complete step-by-step directions to customers’ vehicles through their OnStar system. These audio directions automatically play through the vehicle’s stereo as needed, triggered by the OnStar system’s GPS capabilities. This enables drivers to be led to their destination while keeping their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. New for 2009 is eNav that works with Turn-by-Turn navigation to deliver MapQuest directions directly from OnStar.
Direct injection 3.6L V-6
The STS’ standard 3.6L V-6 engine uses direct injection technology. It is an advanced system for more precise and productive fuel delivery, enabling greater power and fuel efficiency than a comparable, non-direct injected engine, while also delivering a 25-percent reduction in cold-start hydrocarbon emissions.
The direct injected 3.6L engine is rated at 302 horsepower (225 kW)* at 6,300 rpm; torque is 272 lb.-ft. (366 Nm)* at 5,200 rpm. It is GM’s third engine variant offered with direct injection technology. With direct injection technology, fuel is sprayed directly into the engine cylinder where it is mixed with air. As the fuel vaporizes in the cylinder, the air and fuel mixture is cooled. This enables the use of a higher compression ratio in the combustion chamber, 11.3:1, which improves engine performance and efficiency.
Direct injection requires higher fuel pressure than conventional fuel-injected engines, and the engine-driven high-pressure fuel pump is used to supply up to 1,740 psi (120 bar) of pressure. The system regulates lower fuel pressure at idle – approximately 508 psi (35 bar) and higher pressure at wide-open throttle. The exhaust cam-driven high-pressure pump works in conjunction with a conventional fuel tank-mounted supply pump.
Four-cam phasing
In addition to direct injection, variable valve timing also helps reduce exhaust emissions and improve performance and fuel economy by optimizing the phasing of the intake and exhaust valves relative to the crankshaft position at all operating conditions. The result is linear delivery of torque, with near-peak levels over a broad rpm range, and high specific output (maximum horsepower per liter of displacement) without sacrificing overall engine response and driveability.
Cam phasing pays big dividends in reducing exhaust emissions by optimizing exhaust valve overlap and eliminating the need for a separate exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system.
By closing the exhaust valves late at appropriate times, the cam phasers allow the engine to draw the desired amount of exhaust gas back into the combustion chamber, reducing unburned hydrocarbon emissions. The return of exhaust gases also decreases peak temperatures, which contributes to the reduction of oxides of nitrogen (NO x) emissions. In tandem with the dramatic 25-percent reduction in cold-start hydrocarbon emissions enabled by direct injection, the 3.6-liter VVT DI V-6 surpasses all emissions mandates, and does so without complex, weight-increasing emissions control systems such as EGR and air injection reaction (AIR).
4.6L Northstar V-8 and transmission details
In addition to the direct injected V-6, STS is available with the powerful 4.6L Northstar V-8, which delivers 320 horsepower (239 kW)* and 315 lb.-ft. (427 Nm)* of torque. It, too, features variable valve timing (VVT) for precise fuel management and exceptional power at all rpm levels.
Coupled to the new 3.6L V-6 engine or the 4.6L Northstar V-8 is GM Hydra-Matic’s fuel-saving 6L50 six-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission. It has a 6.04:1 overall ratio that enables a steep first-gear that helps deliver strong launch acceleration.
Active steering technology
STS’ StabiliTrak electronic stability control system includes the option of active steering technology. In addition to controlling brakes and reducing engine power, this latest iteration of StabiliTrak combines active front steering to turn the front wheels into the skid when rear wheels lose traction.
The system includes a new steering motor assembly combined with computer-driven electronic controls that measure wheel slippage at all four wheels independently during acceleration, braking and adverse road conditions. Active steering is available exclusively on all-wheel-drive 4.6L Northstar V-8 models.
Lane Departure Warning System
An advanced Lane Departure Warning System is available on the 2009 STS. Controlled by a camera located in the rearview mirror that reads the lines in the road, the system alerts drivers when they have strayed into another lane without signaling. Drivers receive both audible and visual alert cues.
When the Lane Departure Warning System is engaged, a driver traveling at 35 mph or more who crosses a detected lane marking without signaling is alerted in two ways: The system flashes an amber indicator light located in the fuel gauge of the instrument panel, and an alerting chime of three beeps is played. The system does not steer the vehicle; it is designed only to alert drivers so they can take appropriate action to move the vehicle back into the lane.
Side Blind Zone Alert System
Another optional feature is a Side Blind Zone Alert System that extends and enhances driver awareness and vision. Alternating radar beams in Side Blind Zone Alert System sweep adjacent lanes of traffic, covering a zone of about one lane over from both sides of the vehicle, or 11 feet (3.5 m). The zone starts at each side mirror and goes back about 16 feet (5 m).
When the system is engaged, a driver will know that following vehicles in the adjacent lanes are entering their side blind zone when an amber symbol, located in the outside rearview mirror, is illuminated. The system is not designed to detect vehicles outside of the side blind zone that may be rapidly approaching, or detect pedestrians, bicyclists or animals. It’s designed to ignore infrastructure such as fire hydrants or parked cars. In addition, the system displays do not come on while the vehicle is approaching or passing other vehicles.
Performance handling package
A performance handling package is available fo r V-8-equipped rear-wheel and all-wheel-drive models and V-6-equipped rear-drive models. The package includes 18-inch x 8.5-inch aluminum alloy, chrome-plated wheels fitted with P255/45R18 Bridgestone Potenza summer-only tires.
Four-piston caliper Brembo brakes, with front rotors measuring 355 mm x 32 mm and 365 mm x 28 mm rear rotors, provide enhanced stopping ability. All four rotors are vented.
STS Platinum
The STS Platinum sedan extends the luxurious look and feel of the STS with elements such as 18-inch chrome-finish wheels, a brighter chrome-finish grille and exclusive Platinum badging.
Inside, STS Platinum features a hand-cut, sewn and leather-wrapped instrument panel, door trim and center console areas. The seats are fully leather, a semi-aniline variety called Tuscany. Luxury touches include chrome accents on the instrument panel and doors, a leather-wrapped and heated steering wheel, olive ash burl wood accents with a saddle-stained shade, premium floor mats, Alcantara headliner and a Platinum badge on the door sill. STS Platinum comes in either a Cocoa over Cashmere or an Ebony interior color scheme.
STS-V
The supercharged Cadillac STS-V is a powerful expression of Cadillac power and performance. It carries all the sophistication of its STS siblings, yet elevates the performance and luxury attributes of the brand’s V-Series lineup to their fullest extent.
The 469-horsepower (349 kW)* STS-V is capable of exceptional performance for an automobile of its size. Each 4.4L Supercharged Northstar V-8 engine is hand assembled to exacting standards at GM’s Performance Build Center in Wixom, Mich., and is built from start to finish by a single expert craftsman. Production is limited to ensure exclusivity in the marketplace.
The engine is paired with the GM Hydra-Matic 6L80 six-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission with driver shift control. This powerful combination enables 0-to-60-mph acceleration in less than five seconds. The STS-V includes numerous chassis enhancements, including massive Brembo brakes with air cooling, larger wheels and tires for better grip and larger front and rear stabilizer bars for better performance.
The interior features extensive use of leather wrapped surfaces, created by craftsmen who cut, wrap and sew leather around components individually. Kinetic aluminum accents adorn the steering wheel and instrument panel. STS-V features deep-tinted Olive Ash Burl wood accenting the center stack and door trim.
All STS models are built at GM’s state-of-the-art Lansing Grand River assembly center in Lansing, Mich.
Click here to find your next Car
Top 11 Driver Distractions
Driven to Distraction
Driving a car is a complex physical and mental operation. Not only does it require coordination and reflexes, it also requires rapid assessment skills and good judgment. Automakers have spent decades making cars easier and safer to drive, installing everything from rearview mirrors to automatic transmissions to cruise control. Despite that, some drivers insist on creating distractions for themselves behind the wheel, most of which have nothing to do with driving, safe or otherwise.
Distraction Causes Crashes
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Virginia Tech Transportation Institute have studied driver behavior, and have categorized some of the causes of accidents in these reports. Their conclusion: "Driver inattention is the leading factor in most crashes and near-crashes."
Just Drive
We've compiled a list of distracting activities that we've witnessed on the road. While we may have been guilty of engaging in a few of these non-driving-related distractions ourselves over the years, we have sworn off all extraneous activities behind the wheel. Our new motto: "Just drive."
Applying Makeup
Ladies, we know that it's impossible to get ready on time in the morning. But please, don't try to put on your mascara in traffic. Not only are you diverting your attention from the road, you’re also at risk of looking like a sad clown by the time your get to the office.
Shaving
Gentlemen, just because that razor is cordless doesn't mean that you should use it everywhere. While you concentrate on getting your sideburns even, traffic has bunched up behind you and you're driving on the shoulder. Shave at home, or wait until you get to work.
Eating
We’ve all done it on a busy day. A quick trip through the drive-through, and before you know it, you're eating a double cheeseburger with one hand, French fries with the other, balancing a soda with your elbow and steering with your knees. Beyond being a recipe for indigestion, eating behind the wheel is unsafe and distracting.
Reading
'Great Expectations' is a great book. It was a great book when Charles Dickens finished it in 1861. It will still be a great book after you reach your destination. Don't read behind the wheel. If you must be literary while driving, try audio books. Many of the classics are available for loan at your public library.
Talking on the Phone
"Research shows that driving while using a cell phone can pose a serious cognitive distraction and degrade driver performance," according to NHTSA, Using a hands-free device can reduce distraction, but not eliminate it. In other words, hang up and drive.
Texting
The driver in front of you on your morning commute weaves and swerves. You pull alongside, expecting to see an inebriated partier. Instead, a starched and pressed business person pilots the vehicle – while texting with both thumbs on a PDA which rests on the steering wheel. Texting is unsafe at any speed but zero.
Lounging
One of the first things we learn in driver's ed is proper driving position. So why do so many drivers insist on slouching, reclining, leaning against the door or putting their feet out of the window? Not only is visibility compromised, reaction time is delayed and control is also compromised, so much of the crash protection engineered into the car is defeated. Straighten up and drive right, for your own good.
Singing
A little bit of singing is a good thing, even while driving. But we've seen drivers engaging in full-out air guitar rockfests worthy of amphitheater stages, all while driving down a crowded highway. Save the theatrics for Karaoke night, and keep your mind on the road.
Petting the dog, cat, rabbit, bird or lizard
In swanky Beverly Hills, it's not uncommon to see a dog's face peeking out of the driver's window as a car whizzes by on Doheny Drive. The California state legislature even debated a law outlawing pets on drivers' laps. Confine your pet to the back seat or passenger seat. Pets are not immune to crashes, and can even cause them if they are unrestrained in the cabin.
Watching a Movie
In-car entertainment can really make a road trip pass by quickly for the passengers. But we've seen vehicles with LCD screens installed in the dash, in clear view of the driver, blaring video entertainment while the vehicle moves through traffic. Drive-in movies are one thing; a driving movie is something else entirely. Be sure to keep entertainment screens out of the driver’s line of sight.
Accessing the Internet
We haven’t seen this yet, but it’s coming. Chrysler LLC recently announced that it will launch an in-vehicle wireless internet system for its vehicles. According to Chrysler, "'uconnect web' transforms the vehicle into a mobile 'hot spot,' delivering unlimited, reliable and uninterrupted Internet connectivity." The system will be available as a dealer installed accessory for Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep vehicles beginning in August, 2008. Uh-oh!
100% Russian bling: Gold plated Porsche 911 turbo
by Shrawan Raja
If you wake up day after day only to find your bank balance replenished by a few million dollars, chances are at some point, you won’t know what to do with it. Take this Porsche 911 owner for example. He couldn’t find ways to get rid of the fast-accumulating green paper and did this to himself.- A 40- pound pure gold covered Porsche 911.
We find the idea annoying but appreciate the work that has gone into it. The carvings and designs on the surface are brilliant and would have taken weeks to complete by an extremely set of talented and skilled individuals. The polished surface looks nice and should have masked the rear-view mirrors entirely, eliminating the need for a reflective glass and related electronics for adjustments, but maybe next time?!
Driving a Porsche 911 on the streets would grab enough attention leave alone a gold-covered one. Is the Sultan of Brunei reading this?
What US President retired to live on a farm in Pennsylvania?
- (a) George Washington
- (b) Dwight D. Eisenhower (IKE)
- (c) James Buchannon
- (d) James Monroe
See answer under Car Doctor.
Ask the Car Doctor
Battle High Gas Prices: Tips to Boost Your Fuel Economy
How to save on gas without getting rid of your car.
By: Steve Siler and Colin Mathews
Thanks to the recent spike in fuel prices, high-mileage vehicles are among the most researched of all new-car purchases.
When it comes down to it, the most economical vehicle choice for your family is quite possibly the one that’s already sitting in your driveway. Unless you’re leasing a car that is due to be returned in the next couple of months, you might save as much or more money by simply keeping the car you own and driving it more economically.
But how, exactly? We’re not going to recommend any “hypermiling” nonsense, but we do know a few tricks—some you also might know, and others you might not. All, however, enable you to boost your personal fuel economy, squeezing more miles per gallon from whatever you drive, be it a Focus or a Phantom. Although gains from some of the tips below might seem minute, successfully enact all of them, and you’ll be nickel-and-diming Exxon for hundreds of bucks a year.
Tune Up Your Car
Okay, cars don’t really need “tune-ups” in the traditional mechanical sense any more. But if your “check engine” light is on, it could indicate a serious problem—say, a faulty oxygen sensor or worn spark plugs and wires—that, when fixed, could garner fuel-economy gains upwards of 30 percent, according to the EPA and Department of Energy’s shared Web site: www.fueleconomy.com. Be sure to follow your recommended service schedule to keep your car running optimally.
Also, if you’re the change-your-own-oil type, the EPA says to be sure you use the right stuff. For example, using 10W-30 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-30 can lower your gas mileage by one to two percent.
Keep Your Tires Properly Inflated
The Department of Energy estimates that 5 to 15 percent of light-duty fuel consumption is spent overcoming rolling resistance, i.e., the friction between the road and a car’s tires. Lowering your vehicle’s rolling resistance starts with simply ensuring that your tires have enough air pressure. Underinflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.4 percent for every 1-psi drop in pressure of all four tires.
A typical tire loses 1 psi per month and another with every 10-degree drop in temperature, so if you haven’t checked your tires in a few months, it’s time. Of course, pumping a few extra pounds of air pressure into the tires is one of the oldest fuel-economy tricks around, but going overboard will cost you some ride comfort and lateral grip, and—if taken to the extreme—could result in highly dangerous blowouts.
Make sure that your automobile is up to date on its service schedule.
Click Here to schedule a service appointment at your nearest Mile One Service Center.
What US President retired to live on a farm in Pennsylvania? (d) Dwight D. Eisenhower
