Cadillac’s Lansing Grand River Assembly Plant has begun production of the 2011 CTS Coupe and started shipping models to U.S. dealerships ahead of schedule. The all-new CTS Coupe has a starting price, including destination charges, of $38,990.
The CTS Coupe joins the CTS Sport Sedan and CTS Sport Wagon, an award-winning line that has been named to Car and Driver’s 10 Best list for three straight years. All three CTS models and the Cadillac STS sedan are made at Lansing Grand River Assembly.
Lansing Grand River Assembly team members spent months preparing for the launch of the CTS Coupe to ensure the highest levels of quality, said Plant Manager Scott Whybrew. Lansing Grand River Assembly topped all U.S. plants in the 2010 J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Survey. The CTS ranked among the top 10 of all vehicles in the quality survey.
While the CTS Coupe joined the existing CTS family, the Coupe’s dramatic design called for many unique parts and processes. The Coupe has a lower roofline, shorter overall length and wider track, providing a more aggressive stance and athletic profile. Lansing Grand River team members ensured the CTS Coupe had the same high standards as the other Cadillacs built at the plant, Whybrew said.
“We have very experienced assemblers at Lansing Grand River,” Whybrew said. “They work hard to make sure each vehicle meets the levels of quality and craftsmanship expected in a Cadillac. We want customers to feel as much pride in owning a Cadillac as we do in building them.”
The launch of the CTS Coupe has added excitement to Lansing Grand River Assembly, said Mike Green, president of UAW Local 652. The plant launched the first CTS almost 10 years ago. It expanded the CTS line to include the CTS Sport Wagon last year.
“It’s nice to add a product that gives consumers another choice, especially one such as the Coupe that’s been getting such rave reviews,” Green said. “The Lansing Grand River team members deserve a great deal of credit for making the Coupe a reality.”
The CTS Coupe won the Eyes on Design concept award at the 2008 North American International Auto Show. Autoblog described the production model as “audacity in motion.” Car and Driver wrote that the 2011 CTS Coupe added “more style and a higher concentration of performance to the CTS’s winning formula.”
