Press Release
Exterior and interior offer Cadillac style and safety
- Styling: Bold Cadillac design in a new body style
- Safety: Body structure and restraint systems offer protection
- Interior: Luxurious, spacious and versatile ambience
Expressive design has always been a Cadillac hallmark. Elements such as vertical headlights and taillights and a unique wedge shape that tapers to the front have characterized Cadillac’s CTS, STS, XLR and SRX models. The new BLS Wagon continues this distinctive style.
The design: contemporary lines, elegant details
The BLS Wagon features striking vertical lines in the front and rear, enhanced with a V-shaped chrome-framed grille and similar V-shaped styling of the center high-mounted brake light and license-plate surround. Clear, crisp and sharply defined contours, characteristic Cadillac design features and a striking wedge shape that is emphasized by the tapered lines of the side windows all make the Cadillac BLS Wagon an appealing new entry in the midsize station wagon segment.
In front, vertically oriented headlights featuring bi-xenon technology (optional) reside directly above integrated fog lamps and on both sides of the prominent, chrome-framed grille. Body-colored door handles and chrome rails along the windows add a luxury touch.
The BLS Wagon features the latest LED technology in the center high-mounted brake light, which is prominently positioned on the trunk lid and extends across almost the entire width of the vehicle. The advantage of this technology is that the brake lights illuminate faster, which improves the avoidance response times of surrounding drivers. The LED brake light bulbs also last significantly longer than conventional bulbs.
The vehicle’s distinctive wedge shape is very aerodynamic, with a drag coefficient of 0.33. The dual-purpose center high-mounted stop light also functions as a spoiler to improve the airflow over the body, reducing fuel consumption and increasing driving stability.
The body: compact, torsionally rigid and safe
The BLS Wagon, tailored to European automobile drivers’ tastes and needs for both performance and versatility, is one of the most compact models ever built by Cadillac.
Following are several key dimensions:
| Cadillac BLS Wagon | |
| Length (mm) | 4,716 mm |
| Width (mm), without side mirrors |
1,802 |
| Height (mm) incl. antenna | 1,543 mm |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 2,675 |
| Track width front/rear (mm) | 1,524/1,506 |
|
Cargo space (according to VDA) |
Rear seats in use: 419 liters Rear seats folded: 1,285 liters, including 12 liters beneath floor |
A safety cage protects the interior. The passenger compartment is made predominantly of high-strength steel and features posts for extra strength. In the event of a frontal collision, the energy is distributed to three main load paths and defined deformation zones. Deformable crash boxes behind the front fenders prevent damage to the body in impacts up to 15 km/h.
To protect occupants during side impacts, the door pillars function much like a pendulum, ‘hinging’ at the top and swinging in at the base in a controlled movement. This deflects the energy of the impact from the occupants’ head and chest regions.
The body structure uses a combination of lightweight aluminum, higher-strength and super high-strength steels. The Cadillac BLS Wagon has a torsional resistance of 21 kNm per degree, benefiting driving comfort and passive safety.
The interior: luxurious ambience and generous space
The interior of the BLS Wagon is highlighted by a three-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel and an analog clock in the center stack. The circular instruments have white numerals and red needles on a black background. Optional refinements include leather seating surfaces and heated seats.
The spacious BLS Wagon seats five people comfortably. The headroom in front (988 mm) and legroom at the back (892 mm) are among the best in its class. The trunk capacity of 419 liters, not including 12 liters of additional hidden storage space beneath the cargo floor, can be increased by folding the rear seat for an additional 866 liters of space or a total of 1,285 liters of flexible and versatile cargo space.
The protective devices: assistance in emergency situations
The BLS Wagon has the following safety features:
- Front air bags with a volume of 60 / 101 liters (driver/passenger)
- Side and curtain air bags, which protect the driver and passenger as well as the outer two rear-seat passengers in the event of side-impact collisions
- Active headrests in the front seats, which reduce the risk of whiplash injuries by limiting the movement of the head in a rear-end collision are standard on all models
- Headrests and three-point seatbelts for all five seating positions
- Seatbelt tensioners and force limiters on the front seats and exterior rear seats
