All-new 2014 Cadillac CTS sedan treads lightly, brings a 420-hp stick

If there's one car that's shown what General Motors could accomplish throughout its downfall and comeback, it's the Cadillac CTS. A favorite of enthusiasts and Consumer Reports alike — which dubbed it the best domestic-built car — the CTS made Cadillac a player among buyers who had previously only considered German or Japanese cars. Late this year, GM will launch this, the third generation of the CTS, with a goal of building a car that ranks among the world's best — a target that's closer that you may think.

Based on a lengthened version of the ATS chassis, the CTS manages to grow in dimensions while shedding weight, a unique trick among portly 21st-century cars. And as with the CTS, Cadillac makes no excuses for comparing itself to the competition, noting that the CTS comes in about 200 lbs. lighter in base trim than a BMW 528i, the sales leader among luxury midsize sedans in the United States.

The original CTS launched the "art and science" design of Cadillacs, evoking the skin of a stealth fighter. The new CTS plays more conservative in most dimensions — especially in a side view — but has enough details to avoid confusion with the ATS from a distance. The front has grown more agressive, with a wider grille and multiple hood strakes launching toward the windshield, which has been lowered for an angrier stance.