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==Future==
==Future==
Production of the BLS ended in summer 2009, following low sales.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=155287 |title=Edmunds InsideLine: It's the End of the Line for the Cadillac BLS in Europe |publisher=Edmunds.com |date= |accessdate=2011-02-03}}</ref> In August 2009, at its extended product review, GM confirmed a new entry-level sedan to succeed the BLS.<ref>[http://media.gm.com/servlet/GatewayServlet?target=http://image.emerald.gm.com/gmnews/viewpressreldetail.do?domain=2&docid=56133 GM Media Online: A New GM Kicks Into High Gear at Product and Technology Event]{{dead link|date=February 2011}}</ref> The name "[[Cadillac ATS|ATS]]" has been used on many news/blog sites to refer to the new vehicle, but the name has not been confirmed by GM. It has also neither announced an availability date nor specified if it would be sold in Europe. In his speech at the event, GM CEO Fritz Henderson suggested the car would offer both all-wheel and rear-wheel drive, a departure from the BLS.
Production of the BLS ended in summer 2009, following low sales.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=155287 |title=Edmunds InsideLine: It's the End of the Line for the Cadillac BLS in Europe |publisher=Edmunds.com |date= |accessdate=2011-02-03}}</ref> In 2013 Cadillac will produce the [[Cadillac ATS|ATS]]. Initially, it will be sold in the United States, and then will go to China and Europe.


==Television==
==Television==

Revision as of 21:43, 2 March 2012

Cadillac BLS
Cadillac BLS
Overview
ManufacturerSaab Automobile and Avtotor
Production2005–2009 Sweden
2009–2010 in Russia
AssemblyTrollhättan, Sweden
Kaliningrad, Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia[1]/[2]
Body and chassis
ClassCompact executive car
Body style4-door sedan
4-door station wagon
LayoutFF layout
PlatformGM Epsilon platform
RelatedFiat Croma
Chevrolet Malibu
Opel Insignia
Opel Signum
Opel Vectra
Saab 9-3
Saturn Aura
Powertrain
Engine1.9 L Fiat turbodiesel I4
2.0 L turbocharged Ecotec I4
2.8 L HFV6 V6
Transmission5-speed automatic
6-speed automatic
5-speed manual
6-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase2,680 mm
Length4,680 mm (184.3 in)
4,716 mm (185.7 in) (Wagon)
Width1,750 mm (68.9 in)
1,752 mm (69.0 in) (Wagon)
Height1,470 mm (57.9 in)
1,543 mm (60.7 in) (Wagon)
Chronology
SuccessorCadillac ATS

The Cadillac BLS is a compact executive car marketed in Europe by Cadillac, a division of General Motors. Based on GM's Epsilon architecture, the BLS is a heavily restyled version of the Saab 9-3. The development was done by Saab and cost more than one billion kronor (approximately $140 million) to design. GM never directly paid Saab for these development costs, despite the facts that it was GM who would benefit from the sales of the vehicle and Saab had produced it. However, General Motors did provide Saab Automobile with many other resources, both financially and materially: Because of GM, Saab now owns "highly modern and profoundly effective manufacturing and development facilities," that were created under General Motors' ownership of the company.[3] It was manufactured in Trollhättan, Sweden, alongside the Saab 9-3 and the Saab 9-5. Sales of the sedan began in March 2006, with a station wagon joining the line for 2007. The BLS was introduced to the Arabian, Mexican, South African, and South Korean markets for the 2007 model year.

Frequently lambasted by critics, with some sarcastically claiming that "BLS" stood for "Bob Lutz Special",[citation needed], the BLS sold extremely poorly; In 2007, Cadillac produced 2,772[4] cars at the Trollhättan factory, with 282 sold in Germany, a market with total annual sales of 3.15 million.[5] Production figures for 2007 are down from 3,257 in 2006.[4]

BLS Sedan
BLS station wagon

Features

The BLS is available with a diesel engine (a 1.9 L turbocharged four-cylinder) and two petrol engines (a 2.8 L turbocharged V6 and a 2.0 L available with two power levels).

At 184.3 in (4,681 mm) in overall length, the BLS is almost six inches shorter than the CTS, the smallest Cadillac available in North America.

Engines:

Future

Production of the BLS ended in summer 2009, following low sales.[6] In 2013 Cadillac will produce the ATS. Initially, it will be sold in the United States, and then will go to China and Europe.

Television

The BLS was featured in an episode of Top Gear in which Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond drove one on the way to present a local radio show. Richard insisted that it was a good car while James bashed it saying that it was useless and couldn't replace German executive cars like the Audi A4 or BMW 3 Series, in his opinion. He most frequently brought up the fact that it was a "badge engineered" Saab 9-3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRhdU94lXas [citation needed]

References

  1. ^ "Группа компаний Автотор :: Автомобили GM". Avtotor.ru. Retrieved 2010-05-22.
  2. ^ http://www.avtotor.ru/upload/pictures/gm2009.jpg
  3. ^ "Ny Teknik: Saab betalade Cadillacs springnota" (in Template:Sv icon). Nyteknik.se. 2010-04-15. Retrieved 2011-02-03.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  4. ^ a b Automobil Revue, catalog 2008, p. 47
  5. ^ auto motor und sport, #3/2008, p.13
  6. ^ "Edmunds InsideLine: It's the End of the Line for the Cadillac BLS in Europe". Edmunds.com. Retrieved 2011-02-03.