Hip-Hop Meets Pop-Pop
By 55-Alive! Featured Contributor, Cathy Droz
2008 Cadillac CTS Sports Sedan
The Cadillac names that have spanned our generation include: The El Dorado, Seville, Coupe de Ville, De Ville DTS, Allante, and Cimarron, to name a few. I remember my family’s first Cadillac, a Sedan de Ville. Our neighbors clamored to look inside and wondered out loud as to what my dad did for a living to be able to afford such a status automobile. There was elegance associated with the brand, there was heritage, and eventually, its own subculture, with over 1,000 songs written about the Cadillac car to date.
The Cadillac brand suffered a dry spell for awhile until the Escalade, a large and ostentatious luxury SUV, came along for a hip-hop generation and re-established the Cadillac name. Its name became synonymous with luxury for the masses, like it was in the beginning. However, as far as I was concerned, it was still missing the perfect sports sedan in its lineup. The time off the ‘A’ list allowed other manufacturers to take the boomer retirement dollars out from under the Cadillac brand in the luxury market.
Well hello General Motors! Cadillac is back on the map and they’ve started with the 2008 Cadillac 4-door sedan CTS. It’s new and different and quite an improvement over the ’07 that had lackluster reviews. This is a hip all new CTS that will take you back to Cadillac’s roots, but not to their boat-sized car past. The 2008 CTS let the ’07 faux rear spoiler go and made a more athletic, muscular looking vehicle with fender flares that give it a lower, more assertive stance. It looks like GM President Lutz got his wish and gave the designers back some of their power. This ’08 has the style and interior elegance of the luxury import brands that have been creating their own legacy.
Here’s a car for all ages and priced the same way. You get a sporty sedan with the chic luxury look of the Cadillac lineage starting at $32,000. Tethering my grandchild’s car seat was a piece of cake due to the generous rear leg room and soft oversized back seats. Performance includes 0-60 in less than 6 seconds due to a 3.6 liter direct injection V6 with variable valve timing engine.
The trunk fits more than luggage; I was able to put a port-a-crib and a few skateboards in there along with my yoga mat and golf clubs. For those teens that drive with you now and then, trust me, they’ll love telling their friends that grandma and grandpa drive a Cadillac, which is the same brand as Jay-Z and other trendy celebrities. The leather seats, high quality wood grain finishes and easy to read icons on the instrument panel add to the other exceptional features. The Bose surround sound audio system will have your 20-something DNA carrier wanting to borrow your car. Not to mention it comes complete with 40 GB hard drive hookup for iPod and interfacing with other technology toys. You can actually set your AM/FM and satellite radio to be rewound, paused and resumed in a TiVo-like manner. With state-of-the-art airbags, new telescoping steering column, and a navigation system that you don’t need a Ph.D. to use, I think the CTS might actually be the reason in 2008 you’ll find hip-hop and pop-pop driving a Cadillac.
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“GREEN” Grandparents Are Cool
Did Ozzie and Harriet have a garage? I think so, but how many cars did they have? You might find most of today’s grandparents with two cars in the garage, one a sporty ride and the other luxury, with perhaps a classic car in a third garage as well.
Was that a Hot Flash or a Hot Car?
Grandparents are not only young at heart, but in a lot of instances, we are chronologically young as well. Though we may be thinking about the coolest vehicle we can own and travel in, we may also be thinking about what vehicle is the safest to transport our grandchildren.
Read about Cathy Droz featured on GrowingBolder.com
Cathy Droz's articles are included in 55+ Alive!
About Love Inspired Photography - Weddings, Portraits, Family and Sports Photography
Grandma, Cathy Droz has 20 years of automotive marketing experience. She writes a weekly column with her daughter called Boomer and X and has a successful radio show in Phoenix, Arizona. She is the proud grandmother of Jayden Droz, who will accompany her on her test drives for fun and research. For more reviews go to www.twofortheroadusa.com or contact Cathy at drozadgal@aol.com
