The Cadillac Catera was a compact executive car sold from 1997 to 2001. It was a rebadged Opel Omega B on General Motors’ V-body platform, built by Opel in Russelsheim, Germany, and it was the entry-level Cadillac of its day.
Cadillac Catera at a glance
| Maker | Cadillac, General Motors |
|---|---|
| Production | 1997-2001 |
| Based on | Opel Omega B (V-body platform) |
| Assembly | Russelsheim, Germany |
| Bodies | four-door sedan |
| Engine | 3.0 L L81 DOHC V6, 200 hp |
| Transmission | GM 4L30-E automatic, built in Strasbourg |
| Base price, 1997 | $29,995 |
| Built | about 95,000 |
| Sport model | from 1999 |
| Facelift | 2000 |
| Replaced by | Cadillac CTS |
Based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Catera. No free photographs were found.
History of the Cadillac Catera
The Catera was previewed at the Detroit auto show in 1994 as the Cadillac LSE concept, proposed as an entry-level model to compete with imported sedans. An early production car was shown at Detroit, Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto in 1996, and sales in the United States began in the autumn of 1996 for the 1997 model year at $29,995.
Standard and optional equipment
Standard equipment included a cloth interior, front bucket seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, an AM/FM radio with cassette player and eight speakers, airbags, anti-lock brakes, traction control, keyless entry, a security system, alloy wheels and full instrumentation. Leather, heated seats, a CD player, a Bose sound system, a power sunroof, Homelink, OnStar and chrome wheels were on the option list. In 1999 came a Sport model with eight-way power seats, heated front seats, 17-inch wheels, driver’s seat memory, high-intensity discharge headlamps and a rear spoiler. A 2000 facelift brought a revised nose, tail, wheels, interior trim, mirrors, optional HID headlamps, stiffer suspension and side airbags.
The Caddy that zigs
The launch campaign used the line “the Caddy that zigs”, with the model Cindy Crawford and a small animated bird called Ziggy, a reference to the beakless, footless heraldic merlettes of the Cadillac crest. Ziggy appeared in Catera advertising through the 1998 model year. The campaign also inspired the television producer John Tinker to name a character in Chicago Hope Dr. Lisa Catera, after hearing “Lease a Catera” as a name; Cadillac became a main advertiser on the show and gave the actress a three-year lease on a Catera.
Design and features
- European platform: the Opel Omega B, also sold as the Vauxhall Omega in Britain.
- Rear-wheel drive: an FR layout, with an engine built at Ellesmere Port in England.
- Generous kit: dual-zone climate control, traction control, keyless entry and eight-speaker sound as standard.
- Related machinery: the same Opel platform family later underpinned the Pontiac GTO and the Holden Commodore derivatives.
Cadillac Catera versions
- Catera (1997-1999): the original car with the 200 hp V6.
- Sport (from 1999): power seats, HID headlamps, 17-inch wheels and a rear spoiler.
- 2000 facelift: revised nose and tail, stiffer suspension and side airbags.
- LSE concept (1994): the show car that previewed the model.
The Catera was replaced by the rear-wheel-drive CTS and sat below the Seville in the range. More Cadillacs are in the Cadillac collection.
Video: 1998 Cadillac Catera Start Up, Exhaust, and In Depth Review
Video by Saabkyle04 on YouTube.
Sources
- Cadillac Catera, English Wikipedia: history, equipment, engine, marketing
