Car Trends Magazine

This is the new Cadillac CTS Coupe, a sleek two-door Caddy that will join the CTS line-up alongside the saloon and Sport Wagon estate when US sales start in spring 2010, and take on BMW's 3-series, Audi's A5 and Infiniti's G37 Coupe.

This production Cadillac CTS Coupe looks very much like the concept car…

It does indeed look like the concept, right down to the twin central exhausts and hidden touch-pad door handles. Yes, there have been some minor tweaks to the front and rear lights and bumpers since we saw the show car at Detroit in 2008, but the overall appearance is pretty similar.

The two-door sits on the same wheelbase as the CTS saloon but it’s 51mm lower and 51mm shorter, meaning the five-seat arrangement is reduced to a 2+2 configuration. Externally only the headlights, front bumper and grille are carried over from the saloon.

Cadillac has yet to release any interior shots, but inside the CTS Coupe will share its instrument panel and centre console with the saloon and estate, giving it one of the best-built and impressive American interiors ever. We also suggest speccing the 14-way adjustable Recaro seats, previously only available as an option on the CTS-V.

What’s under the bonnet?

Initially there’ll only be one powerplant, a direct-injection 3.6-litre V6 producing 304bhp and 273lb ft. A six-speed manual transmission and rear-wheel drive is standard, but both a six-speed auto and four-wheel drive are both optional - choose the lot and the CTS Coupe will weigh in at a portly 1874kg.

But towards the back end of 2010 Caddy will also release a V-Series version of the CTS Coupe, packing the same 556bhp supercharged 6.2-litre V8 that’s found in the CTS-V saloon, and putting all its power through the rear wheels.

The Cadillac CTS Coupe will be unveiled at the LA auto show at the start of December, with US sales starting in spring 2010. UK sales have yet to be confirmed.

(By Ben Pulman,First official pictures)