Cadillac ELR Makes Dynamic Handling a Priority
General Motors released new details today about how it plans to distinguish the Cadillac ELR from its peasant cousin: the Chevrolet Volt.
In the old days, GM would have glued Cadillac crests to the grille, steering wheel and trunk lid before realizing it was darn near beer-thirty at the local watering hole. Backs would be patted and the Cadillac Volt ELR would be born with little more than some cheap leather and a lot of laughing from GM’s Detroit headquarters.
Not anymore. Cadillac’s new plug-in hybrid will be more than a mildly made-over Volt, largely because of changes meant to better its ride quality. And we’re not just talking about comfort.
“ELR’s methodical use of advanced suspension and steering technologies front and rear has resulted in the quiet cabin, agile handling and superior ride that Cadillac customers have come to expect,” said Chris Thomason, ELR vehicle chief engineer.
Suspension, steering and throttle response are all re-tuned for the ELR to offer a more luxurious driving experience. That means a uniquely tuned front suspension using GM’s HiPer Struts to minimize torque steer from the ELR’s more powerful 295 lb-ft rating (up 22 lb-ft from the Volt). Around back, Cadillac uses a Watt’s link design to increase rigidity for improved cornering while maintaining the car’s ability to absorb highway bumps.
Electric power steering has also been re-tuned and Cadillac also threw in continuous damping control (aka self-adjusting shock absorbers) just like Ford does in the Lincoln MKZ hybrid over the cheaper Fusion model.
Discuss this story at Cadillac-ELR.com
Luke is an energetic automotive journalist who spends his time covering industry news and crawling the internet for the latest breaking story. When he isn't in the office, Luke can be found obsessively browsing used car listings, drinking scotch at his favorite bar and dreaming of what to drive next, though the list grows a lot faster than his bank account. He's always on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> looking for a good car conversation. Find Luke on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> and <A title="Luke on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/112531385961538774338?rel=author">Google+</A>.
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