The New Cadillac BLS Wagon

30 December 2008

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Why is it that as soon as anyone mentions the name ‘Cadillac’ a huge pink car springs to mind complete with plush leather seats. That’s the power of music for you from the hit single by the B52’s.

Yet the memory sticks so it was with great excitement that I booked the new Cadillac BLS Wagon for this weeks test drive. Whenever anyone asked what car was coming I very proudly announced ‘a Cadillac’. Wow! They were all impressed.

Sadly when the BLS did turn up any ounce of impression went out of the window quickly replaced by disappointment.

Now we all know we should never judge a book by its cover yet equally first impressions are well, so important. This BLS simply lacked any exterior wow factors and just blended into the background. I wanted to scream and shout at it. “You are supposed to be a Cadillac with more wow factors than Simon Cowell. Not some insignificant last minute C celebrity replacement”.

Feeling more let down than a deflated balloon, I pulled myself together and being of positive nature looked indeed for the positive attributes this car surly must have.

This is the first wagon Cadillac has ever made in its incredible 104 years of manufacturing cars. Built in Europe especially for the European market the BLS is longer and higher than its siblings boasting a whooping 1273 litres of boot space that will appease all those Brits who travel with thier car.

Only one trim is available that of Elegance, giving customers quite an unprecedented level of luxury that should be music to the ears of the stringent British mother holding the purse strings. There are only two diesel engines too choose from as opposed to four petrel engines but then prices start from a competitive £21,495 for the entry level 175 ps petrol rising to £24, 495 for the flags ship V6 engine 255 ps models.

Being one of those stringent purse string holders or rather trying to be, I opted for the 1.9 diesel engines with the lower ps of 150 that cost £21,495.00.

I do not want to harp on about the exterior too much. I think the problem here is false expectations where you believe something is going to be so brilliant, inevitably you feel let down. Despite this the BLS comes with 17- inch alloy wheels, practical roof rails, privacy glass, front and rear fog lights plus heated, powered folding auto dimming door mirrors.

Inside the story gets better. A host of equipment as standard includes dual zone automatic climate control air conditioning, electronic cruise control with set and resume facility, front plus rear electric windows for starters. Then comes rain sensing automatic wipers and light sensitive auto dimming rear view mirrors

Making the cabin a pleasurable experience for the driver is leather upholstery, an eight way electrically adjustable heated with memory drivers seat complete with extra lumber support, a leather wrapped rake and reach steering wheel with remote controls for audio, phone interface, voice recognition and driver information centre.

To enhance the Mama Mia soundtrack and indeed my singing voice is a BOSH surround sound CD radio with 11 speakers guaranteed to win me next years X factor competition.

The passenger seat is also powered and heated with their main job to sort out the DVD player for the children.

The BLS is certainly a very practical wagon with loads of storage solutions such as the cooled glove box, bottle holders galore, an adjustable front centre armrest with binnacles underneath and door pockets.

For the children’s endless stream of toys is more door pockets, cup holders and a centre rear armrest with further storage trays underneath.

The BLS I do declare is winning back some valuable brownie points thankfully.