2010 L.A. Show: Cadillac gets (really) small

[svgallery name="2010_LA_Cadillac"] By John LeBlanc LOS ANGELES – Even smaller than the just signed-off BMW 3 Series-fighting ATS sedan, Cadillac unveiled its new Urban Luxury Concept, a car with about the same footprint as a Honda Fit. As you may very well know, this is not the first time Caddy has gotten small recently (and no Cimarron jokes—please!) Its Chevy Volt-based Converj concept from this year’s Detroit show, showed the General’s luxury division is ready to take on the Teutonic trio of Mercedes, Audi and BMW in the race for rich, small car owners. Although its packed with a “concept hybrid propulsion system” that includes a turbocharged 1.0L three-cylinder engine, start-stop function, brake energy regeneration and a dry dual-clutch transmission, the four-passenger ULC also employs GM’s mild-hybrid “electric assist technology” that is also debuting on a new Buick LaCrosse model later on this afternoon here in La-La Land. And while the ULC’s scissor doors may not make production, the car may. It will help offset all those gas-guzzling V Series Caddys with the brand's CAFE ratings. And what may end up as the smallest Cadilllac ever, is also similar in size to the GMC Granite, another small, GM crossover concept said to be built on the same corporate platform that will suspend next year’s Aveo.

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