Caddy will drop a new, 300-hp 3.6-liter V6 into the SRX crossover for 2012.
The hot topic may be fuel economy, these days, but performance still matters, especially to luxury car buyers, it seems.
So, Cadillac is planning to put the focus on “red-blooded luxury” with a 3.6-liter direct-injection V6 that it plans to drop into the popular SRX crossover later this year.
The 2012 SRX will see horsepower jump from 265 – with the current, 3.0-liter V6 – to 300, while torque will climb from 223 lb-ft to 260. Fuel economy is expected to be comparable to the current model’s 18 mpg City and 25 Highway, the maker says.
The SRX was completely redesigned for the 2010 model-year and quickly saw a more than 150% increase in sales.
But it has lagged behind other models in the Cadillac line-up when it comes to performance. General Motors’ flagship brand has added a number of new V-Series offerings, including the 2011 CTS-V Coupe, which churns 556 horsepower out of its 6.2-liter supercharged V8.
The CTS Coupe – with or without the V – is part of a push to expand the overall Caddy brand, which has struggled to catch up to its import rivals.
Next up for Cadillac will be an all-new flagship, currently codenamed the XTS, as well as a compact “world car,” dubbed ATS. The maker is also working on a plug-in hybrid, and other battery-electric models are reportedly also in the works.