Here we have a Cadillac CTS, seen at the parking lot of a second-hand car market in the great city of Tai’an in Shandong Province in eastern China. The big American sedan was in fine shape, painted beige with darkened windows and still with the original alloy wheels.
The second-generation CTS was the first Cadillac that was manufactured in China by the Shanghai-GM joint venture, known today as SAIC-GM. Production in China started in 2005 and ended in 2007.
This generation had the same wheelbase as the US-made version. The first long-wheelbase Chinese Cadillac was the SLS, which was the successor of the CLS in China.
The interior is okay for its age. The owner notably doesn’t use seat covers, exposing the leather to dust and dirt, but it seems all right. The owner added some extra stuff, like a higher armrest, a steering wheel cover, and various storage bins.
The rear seats seem unused! Only a pack of Kleenex there, with one tissue fallen on the floor. The wood trim in the door panel seems very nice, and even the seat belts look as new.
The license plate is really special: 鲁 J·555P, four times five! 鲁 = Lǔ, which is the ancient official abbreviation for Shandong Province.
Nice after-market V-badge. The China-made Cadillac CTS was available with two engines: a 2.8-liter V6 with 209 hp and 263 Nm and a 3.6-liter V6 with 258 hp and 342 Nm. Both motors were mated to a five-speed automatic gearbox.
The CTS arrived at a time when the market for relatively expensive sedans was still rather small in China, so sales were slow and these days the CTS is a rare sight on the road. But it seems that this Shandong car will be able to hold out for quite some more time.