The Science of Art; In '02 the Cadillac CTS rocked the world. This new-generation car is as bold with more style.

Byline: DUTCH MANDEL

Leave it to folks at Cadillac-they seem to know where they're going and what they've got to do to get there. General Motors' flagship division, reborn shortly after the turn of this century with a striking, angular family look, must keep its momentum going. The debut of a redesigned 2008 CTS at this week's North American International Auto Show points up that they are not likely to suffer a sophomore jinx.

Scheduled for a late-summer U.S. launch, the anything-but-conservative CTS will be exported worldwide in the fall. Eyeing beyond North America's horizons, out across the oceans, Caddy is spoiling for a fight; if it is to succeed it will be thanks to its all-American character and polarizing style.

"The core value for this vehicle has been style. It allows for the separation and the differentiation from others in the luxury group,'' says Cadillac's Jim Taylor, an engineer by training, a marketing man by design and the one who leads the division spiritually and aesthetically. "CTS has built a strong record of success on many levels,'' Taylor says. "It has exceeded our goals for sales volume, set new design trends, won championships in racing and earned awards for quality and customer satisfaction.'' This new CTS appears to take the next step.

Cadillac sold more than 61,000 CTS models in the U.S. in 2005, compared to roughly 38,000 in 2002, an increase of 60 percent. For 2006 through the first 11 months in which data are available, Caddy is just slightly off its 2005 pace, which in this day is almost a win. Roughly 275,000 CTS owners exist worldwide, and Cadillac research says those owners are among the most satisfied in the market.

Visually, the five-passenger sedan has the stuff to please them all. The CTS carries a two-inch wider track (to fit its optional all-wheel-drive system); the increased stance gives it a better tire-to-wheel-well relationship. Its profile is more rakish, thanks in part to a grille virtually lifted from the Cadillac Sixteen concept. The large chrome grille is upright and gives CTS a more in-your-face attitude than before. A large Caddy wreath-and-crest badge finishes a face balanced with stacked headlights fitted with jewel-like bezels. Fog lamps flank a low air opening and brake duct intakes. If this second-generation CTS evokes anything, it is that designers are eager to integrate Cadillac's legacy design cues.

Side air extractors forward of the front doors are another visual cue that something different lurks beneath. Brightwork details include chrome around side windows and chromed exhaust outlets.