When Cadillac redesigned its bold SRX crossover for 2010, it quickly became one of the best-selling vehicles in its segment. Sales last year jumped up a stunning 152.5 percent, and the momentum continued throughout the first quarter of 2011, when the SRX attracted a robust 28.5 percent more customers than during the same period in 2010. Cadillac’s next step? Expect the fast-moving SRX to move even faster, because the 2012 model will be packing a bigger, more powerful turbocharged V6 engine.
The new engine, an advanced 3.6-liter mill that pours out 300 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, delivers a significant power boost to the SRX, with 35 more horses and 37 more lb-ft of twist across a notably wider rpm range for more usability. And more importantly, that output now tops the power available in the Lexus RX350, the only vehicle now ahead of the SRX in its segment’s sales standings.
Yet Cadillac engineers still anticipate that the SRX will offer the same real-world fuel efficiency of 18 mpg city/25 mpg highway found in the 2010 model.
“SRX is resonating with luxury buyers by offering the function of a crossover and the distinctive style of a Cadillac,” said Don Butler, vice president of Cadillac marketing. “Now, we’re raising the standards even higher by providing the SRX with enhanced performance. The new engine will make the SRX more responsive for passing on the highway, entering freeways from on-ramps and climbing hills.”
Cadillac also fine-tuned the 2012 SRX—set to launch later this summer—by adding standard Bluetooth phone connectivity on all models; introducing a heated steering wheel on luxury, performance and premium trim levels; and offering a new, machined-face finish to the SRX’s 20-inch wheels, which are standard on the performance and premium trim levels.
“Every detail counts,” Butler added. “The SRX has been a phenomenal success, but at Cadillac, we’re always looking for ways to make our automobiles better.”
You must log in to post a comment.