Road Test: 2008 Cadillac DTS

Cadillac's mainstream sedan segues into 2008 with all its traditional virtues in tact. Abundant space, slashes of chrome, and undeniable stage presence. While the brand's sportier sedans go after BMW and Lexus, the Cadillac DTS remains the standard bearer of American comfort and prestige. This is the car that coddles presidents and to which cosmetics pitchwomen aspire.

Those who employ phrases like "leather guts" and "glides down the road" to describe their dream car (and you know who you are) will think Cadillac made this cruiser just for them. And they would be right.

There's no way to mistake the DTS for anything other than a Cadillac. After all, what's the fun of owning one if your neighbor mistakes it for some less iconic brand? The impact is lost if you have to explain, and you won't have to thanks to enormous full-color emblems front and back

There's nothing new to report this year inside or out, except the usual color shuffling. Green Silk has been mercifully put out to pasture, and White Diamond-a signature Cadillac hue-is back from hiatus. Check the blogs and you'll see that even these micro changes are carefully considered by Cadillac aficionados.

As before, the DTS comes in four varieties: base, Luxury I and II, and Performance. Our tester came in Luxury II guise at just under $47K, which we suspect is how most of these cars are sold. The few options available at this level-such as DVD navigation and power sunroof-boil down to personal taste, and our car got by just fine without them.

The DTS manages to look competent and roadworthy, which is no small accomplishment for a two-ton American. The massive, blinding grille would be ostentatious on any other car this side of a Rolls Royce. But the DTS has the gravitas pull it off.

The best view of the DTS is from the back. The trunk lid is subtly creased down the middle, flanked by LED interpretations of Cadillac's blade taillights, and finished off with a thick chrome molding. The effect is taut and tailored, and likely to intimidate would-be tailgaters.

Cadillac has worked hard to upgrade its interiors in recent years, and the effort is evident. The dash is rock-solid and pleasingly textured-think BMW, but not so serious. Beautiful dark walnut adorns the dash, console, door panels, shift knob, and steering wheel. The standard leather buckets work well with this environment, although the bottom cushions could be firmer. A split bench with column shift remains available for those who really crave nostalgia. Our only interior disappoint is the analog clock that looks nice but feels like what it is, cheap plastic.

The DTS continues to impress us with its vast interior space, with 5 feet of shoulder room front and back. One wonders if anyone really needs a back seat this big. In fact, the DTS serves up nearly everything in a quantity that 90% its drivers will probably never need. That's part of the appeal here and across the luxury class.

The DTS is powered by a 275-horsepower version of the brand's Northstar V8, which propelled it from 0 to 60 in 7 seconds flat, as expected in this class of automobile. But the numbers are purely academic in this case. The effortless feel of an American V8 is what you're paying for, and the DTS delivers it well.

On paper, the four-speed automatic transmission seems to be missing a gear or two. Six speeds are the rule in this class now and have even found their way into comparatively lowly cars. Yet, the gears that are available distribute the power quite well, and it's hard to find fault with any phase of acceleration. The DTS doesn't win any points for innovation here, but its launching prowess covers up this quirk.

Would this front-driver work better with all that oomph going to the back wheels instead? Dynamically, yes. There's no substitute for a balanced, rear-wheel-drive layout when it comes to handling and ride characteristics. That said, the ability to go in the snow trumps all-out performance in the minds of most American buyers. Since the rest of the Cadillac lineup has returned to its rear-drive roots, it makes sense that the volume model gives the majority what it wants.

The standard StabiliTrak electronic stability control will keep you out of trouble if you push this posh ride to its limits. And the DTS has its limits. The suspension is controlled but soft, and feels overwhelmed at highway speeds when not hurtling down a straight line. Opting for the performance package with its magnetic ride control should firm up the whole experience.

The DTS carries on a long tradition of Yankee luxury, and it's gratifying to see just how far this fabled genre has come in terms of quality, performance, and sheer goodness for the money. If you've always been enamored with this type of car, be prepared for nirvana. If not, take a look anyway. You just might join the club.