The heyday of the full-size luxury SUV may well have passed, but no vehicle born of that era has become more ingrained in the popular culture than the Cadillac Escalade. (A quick aside: Do we think this would have been the case if the Escalade had been named the ULX or some other nonsense amalgam of letters and numbers? No.) Even though the Escalade's biggest-volume sales years may be behind it, this vehicle still looms large in the public consciousness, and the general perception of Cadillac.

If you've ever driven a Cadillac CTS-V, you know that the main problem is that it's not fast enough. The 98-pound weakling under the hood makes only 556 hp, barely enough to pull Bambi across the proverbial frozen pond. Fortunately, longtime speed merchant John Hennessey recognized the Caddy's noodle-armed feebleness and resolved to do something about it, creating the V700 package at his Texas skunk works. With a little old-fashioned hot-rodding, perhaps the CTS-V could be transformed into something that's not a plodding embarrassment to all America.

The Cadillac SRX has been a sales hit for Cadillac ever since the front-drive based midsize crossover replaced the rear-drive SRX in 2009. While it has undergone some minor changes in the intervening model years, the 2013 Cadillac SRX marks the first significant updates for the present-gen SRX. And like its Traverse, Enclave, and Terrain cousins, which have all also just been updated, it’s showing off for the first time at the 2012 New York auto show.

One of my favorite things about the Cadillac Escalade is that it is incredibly relaxing and easy to drive. The leather seats are as wide and cushioned as a couch, very little sound permeates the cabin, and the steering has enough power assistance to make changing course a breeze. The soft suspension and lazy engine create a serious sense of disconnection from the road. You don't drive an Escalade, per se, you just sort of sit around and occasionally offer suggestions as to the SUV's direction.

The CTS is getting a bit long in the tooth in terms of interior design. Although it represented a breakthrough for General Motors back in 2007, the cabin is now a step behind what's in less expensive Buicks, never mind its toughest luxury competitors. Large swathes of silver-painted plastic trim don't quite live up to the car's German-fighting potential, and the tough, hard-grained leather lacks the subtlety of that found in similarly priced BMWs and Jaguars. Oh yes, Jaguars -- did you note the $55,060 price tag on this "Premium Collection" test car? The in-car technology has the features you'd expect - Bluetooth, iPod integration, and a clear touch screen - but lacks a cohesive system to make it all user-friendly. Cadillac has introduced just such as system on the new XTS sedan, but it will not migrate to the CTS until its next redesign.

I'm not one to COMPLAIN, but being an observant Jew at a car magazine has its challenges. For one, there's one day every week, from sundown on Friday until one hour after sunset on Saturday, during which I do not drive, in honor of the Jewish Sabbath. Even if it's a really, really cool car. I'm also limited in where I go to eat: Michigan may still be the epicenter of the U.S. auto industry, but it's hardly a destination for kosher food.

Patience and persistence count for a lot when you're shaping brands. BMW is probably the best example, having evolved, model by model, from a German also-ran that built a weird minicar to the undisputed crafters of Ultimate Driving Machines. General Motors is probably the worst example, its recent history being littered with tales of expensive impatience. It remodeled the entire Oldsmobile lineup and then shut down the brand, it remodeled the entire Saturn lineup then shut that down, it engineered an all-new Saab 9-4 and 9-5 and...you get the picture. Such was the expectation for Cadillac when it decided a little more than a decade ago to build German-style sport sedans. Surely, Cadillac would get the whole European thing out of its system and then go back to building ponderous sedans. Or disappear altogether.

I'm torn about the Cadillac SRX. On one hand, there are the Cadillac's strengths: it finally has a capable and entertaining engine, which provides adequate low-end grunt and sings arias when you stamp on the loud pedal. When you get to a corner, it has plenty of grip, and doesn't roll like one would expect from such a big vehicle. The seats are comfortable, and the on-board tech is pretty good.

The Cadillac Ciel (heaven) concept car is a long-awaited return to a BIG Cadillac, this time in the form of a four-door open model. We can't say "convertible" because there is no top. Go on a long drive, get caught in a rain shower, and you'd get wet. A fabric top would be the right answer, but they haven't tried to execute one. Fair enough, it's a concept. And a nice one.

Fifteen years ago, we'd have been hard-pressed to believe that Cadillac could build SUVs that appear in rap songs or performance cars that can keep up with BMWs. We probably wouldn't have predicted a station wagon, either. On the other hand, we'd have been aghast to learn that Cadillac could neglect the traditional full-size sedan, as it has for most of the last decade. That will change starting this spring, when Cadillac launches the XTS, which debuts in production form this week at the Los Angeles auto show.

It looks like Cadillac may have been a little too over-eager to get to the early bird special: it accidentally put up an official image of the all-new 2013 XTS on its consumer site a week before its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

It's hard to believe that the second-generation CTS is already five years old, but like a fine wine it seems to be getting better with age. Three body styles are available -- sedan, coupe, and wagon -- and all can be had in regular CTS form or in ludicrous but intoxicating CTS-V trim. There are two V-6 engines available: a 3.0-liter unit in the sedan and wagon and a highly praised 3.6-liter V-6 available with all three body styles. The 3.6-liter can be found throughout GM's vehicle lineup, and rightfully so -- its power delivery is smooth and linear and it returns good fuel economy. For those who have a need for speed, look to the CTS-V. Using a modified version of the 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 in the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, Brembo brakes, nineteen-inch forged aluminum wheels, and adjustable magnetic dampers, it is one of the best cars to come out of Detroit. The tailpipes of the CTS-V -- large, chrome, and center-mounted on the V coupe -- emit a guttural, growling exhaust note that will let passersby know that this is not your father's Cadillac. In any form, the CTS is a credible player in the sport luxury market, thanks to its crisp, distinct design and a level of quality, fit, and finish rarely seen from a domestic automaker. Supple french-stitched leather, soft LED lighting, and intuitive controls live in harmony in the well-crafted cabin. The CTS may not be quite as sharp as its German competition, but the charismatic offering from Cadillac is well worth considering.

Even though sales of traditional SUVs have tanked, the Escalade isn't about to go anywhere. Since its debut, the Escalade has been a visible social marker that signifies success and affluence and is characterized by its all-American opulence, from an oversize chrome grille and large chrome portholes and wheels to vertical LED taillights. The buyer's first decision is which version to choose: the standard Escalade or the twenty-inch-longer ESV (think of the ESV as a Chevrolet Suburban in Cadillac clothes). Although the ESV is larger and weighs a bit more, opting for it doesn't result in a fuel-economy penalty, at least according to the EPA scale. Both the short- and long-wheelbase models use GM's 6.2-liter V-8, whose 403 hp is more than enough to motivate the Escalade, which can be configured to hold six, seven, or eight passengers. There is an extensive list of infotainment options for all those passengers, and they won't lack for comfort, as heated and cooled seats and cupholders are also available. For those who want to keep their eco credentials intact, Cadillac offers the Escalade in a Hybrid version. (But really, what could be more incongruous than a giant SUV with a hybrid badge?) Using GM's patented two-mode hybrid system paired with a 6.0-liter V-8, the Escalade achieves a respectable 21 mpg in the EPA combined cycle. No matter which version you pick, the Escalade's ride is plush and somewhat bouncy -- shades of Cadillac land yachts of yore -- thanks to the Escalade's pickup platform and body-on-frame design.

A Cadillac pickup may seem like heresy to many of the Caddy faithful, but the wreath-and-crest brand was one of the first luxury marques to expand into the profitable SUV and truck segments. The EXT, which is essentially a high-end Chevrolet Avalanche, is available with the same luxury amenities as the Escalade and Escalade ESV sport-utilities. Those amenities include a high-grade interior, state-of-the-art Bose 5.1 digital surround sound, and a touch-screen navigation system. The Escalade EXT uses the same six-speed automatic transmission and rumbling 403-hp, 6.2-liter V-8 that's found in its SUV siblings. But the EXT borrows from its Chevrolet sibling. Look behind the seats, and you'll find a pickup bed and the same Midgate system used in the Avalanche. When the rear seats are folded, the Midgate panel can be extended into the cabin, converting the EXT from a five-passenger vehicle to a two-seater and expanding the pickup bed from five feet to eight feet. A tonneau cover protects the external bed from the elements; alternatively, it can be removed for extra storage space. A power-operated soft cover is a dealer-installed option.

The first-generation SRX was a very capable crossover vehicle, but it languished on the sales floor, so Cadillac switched things up with the second-generation SRX in 2010. Gunning directly for the Lexus RX350, Cadillac abandoned rear-wheel drive and launched a new SRX that could be ordered with either front- or four-wheel drive. Its tidier dimensions meant that there was no longer a seven-passenger option, making the new SRX strictly a five-seater. Two years on, the second-generation SRX still trails its Lexus competition but has managed to close the gap considerably. For 2012, Cadillac did away with the previous V-6s -- a 3.0-liter and a turbo 2.8-liter -- and replaced them with an E85-capable, 3.6-liter, direct-injected V-6. The new engine and a new six-speed automatic transmission propel the crossover with ease, although the SRX's hefty 4277-pound curb weight is felt under braking and cornering. The chassis and suspension have also been tweaked, and with either the standard eighteen-inch or optional twenty-inch wheels, the SRX is composed over almost any road surface. The SRX is much sportier than the Lexus, but it won't ever be mistaken for a track-day toy. The SRX is a handsome vehicle, with creased character lines, angular fascia treatments, and tail-fin-reminiscent LED taillights. The cabin mixes supple leather with high-quality plastics and aluminum trim, and its controls are logical and easy to use. Front-wheel drive is standard, and four-wheel drive is available on all but the base model.

Cadillac's Ciel ("sky" or "heaven" in French, pronounced C-L) concept car is meant to establish a flexible template for future models. Cadillac has slogged along a twisted, costly, and often muddy path since the nameplate's nadir with the Cimarron, trying to get back to its self-proclaimed status as "The Standard of the World." The turning point for Cadillac's renaissance was Wayne Cherry's presentation of the Evoq concept roadster at the 1999 Detroit show, which established the sharp-edged, chain-saw sculpture aesthetic that Cadillac has subsequently followed for both passenger cars and trucks, the latter of which also began with the 1999 model year.

It's a challenge for anyone to keep up with the constantly changing roster of cars on dealership lots. For car lovers it's an even tougher task, because beyond knowing that a certain model exists, you need to know where it fits in the automotive firmament. That's why we've gathered every new model due by the first half of 2012 and categorized them, not alphabetically or by some government-defined size class, but by their relevance to buyers, enthusiasts, and the companies that build them. Some cars thrust automakers into new segments, while others drive just like last year's model. Some cars protect the sanctity of the manual transmission, while others advance performance with the latest technology. Some cars address rising fuel-economy standards, while others disguise obscene speed in stealthy sheetmetal. Here are the 85 new arrivals shaping the automotive world for 2012.

I've been enamored with the CTS-V for quite some time, but as a long-time wagon guy, the new V Sport Wagon absolutely ticks all the right boxes for me. Power? This car's got it in spades. Handling? It grips, especially in sport mode, unless you turn off Stabilitrak and give the throttle a hard kick with your right foot. Practicality? Well, it seats four adults and offers almost 26 cubic feet of cargo space aft of the second row.

Here are two ways of looking at the 2012 Cadillac SRX: 1) The sleekly designed second-generation model was underdeveloped when introduced in 2010, or 2) the dogged and hard-working people involved with this crossover are pursuing Japanese-style continuous improvement, which explains the significant upgrades after only two years.

At board meetings, on test tracks, and in design studios, decisions are being made today that will influence what you drive tomorrow. Automakers are hard at work creating the next generation of automobiles -- cars that are faster, sexier, more efficient -- while trying to keep their development secret. Like you, we are nosy as hell. Unlike you, we have a vast network of snoops, gossips, and disgruntled former employees who have helped us uncover the information we present here. Our annual Sneak Preview feature contains the industry's future products -- as far out as 2019 -- that are worth saving your milk money for.

Platinum, titanium, unobtainium, they've all been used up for special editions and high-end trims, prompting Cadillac to go into the realm of precious stones to come up with a name for the special-edition CTS-Vs it showed at Chicago, dubbing them "Black Diamond," which is also the name for the trick, high-tech paint these get doused in.

Cadillac may not be the first name many think of when the topic comes to racing, but the luxury brand is making a return to the Sports Car Club of America’s World Challenge series in 2011. Its weapon of choice? A race-prepared version of the new CTS-V Coupe.

The Cadillac CTS comes in a sedan and wagon body style. This smaller addition to the Cadillac family offers a much more pronounced body style that is very impressive. The CTS is one of those vehicles that keeps getting better and better each and every year. This year brings some minor changes to the body. This really sharp looking sports sedan has the classic styling of a Cadillac, but it also has some very slim and sleek overtones that make it look very recent and stylish.

The Cadillac DTS is the model that many people think of when talking about Cadillac's. This is the best selling and the most commonly seen Cadillac on the roads. These feature heavy Cadillac's offers about every luxury option possible, but it will cost a pretty penny. The base model DTS starts off at $46,000 so adding on options will add up rather quickly. All the different DTS trims come with the same motor and all are front wheel drive. This full sized luxury sedan comes stock with a 4.6 liter V-8 that puts out 275 horsepower at 6,000 RPMs. The on Star service and 8 speaker surround system also come on the standard DTS. If you are interested in heated seats, Bluetooth capability or any other high end features you had better consult your checkbook.

There are many more expensive vehicles out there. However the Cadillac Escalade is one of the most popular and well known status symbol vehicles on the market today. This huge SUV has a very bold presence that cannot be missed. The Escalade is not only a status symbol to those who are more fortunate, but it is also a very luxurious and capable SUV. The Cadillac Escalade is not just a good looking vehicle, but it is equipped for serious driving and some major comfort on the interior.