Wanted: Mid-sized luxury executive car as a serious alternative to take on the might of BMW 3-Series, Audi A4, Lexus IS and Saab 9-3.

Roll on the drums, strike up The Star-Spangled Banner, cue shot of George Bush blinking away tears and David Beckham bending one into the corner in his new LA Galaxy strip.

Yes! It's the Cadillac BLS riding to the rescue to save us all from the curse of modern day motoring...the safety zone.

BLS goes where most other manufacturers fear to tread. It's an extrovert. Something slightly off-the-wall. A car that people will look twice at. A travelling companion you won't lose in the car park.



Just one look at it will tell you why. That dramatic front grille and historic Caddy badge; the amazing skyscraper rear lamps that reach for the clouds; the chiselled good looks that shout Kirk Douglas rather than Boy George.

So what's wrong with a saloon that travels with a swagger? Well, some people simply don't have the courage to go that far and actually drive one. But there are plenty of motorists out there, including me, who find cars like the BLS a welcome change.

And although I've rather laboured the American connection, scratch the surface a little deeper and it's easy to see that BLS is really more of a global car.

It is the first Cadillac to be designed specifically for Europe and is based on the same platform as the Vauxhall Vectra and the Saab 9-3, using tried and tested GM engines, gearbox and mechanicals. And it's built alongside Saab in Trollhattan.



But the styling is unashamedly Uncle Sam. And there are some surprising features to catch out those with misconceptions about trashy, badly-built American cars.

BLS is mostly solid, well-crafted and overall fit and finish inside is quality, with high quality cabin materials and fixings not a million miles away from the BLS's stablemate, the excellent 9-3.

There are also plenty of features that please. Visibility is good all round and there is a vast amount of rear legroom, so all passengers travel comfortably.

The interior, although a little austere and mechanical, has a real air of quality, with black dashboard and doors and matt chrome detail surrounds to offset the starkness.

The dashboard has been totally simplified to stack and dials and there's even a silver-handed analogue clock that will delight traditionalists.

Caddy designers have wisely marked all speeds on the silver-rimmed, smart main display and provided fingertip audio controls on the wheel and the CD-tuner is happily user-friendly.

I like the seats which have large, wide, long cushions that can cope with even the biggest of American bottoms and adjust finely for rake.



Oddments space is well catered for, with double cup-holders and a small centre box between the front seats and the boot is simply huge – deep and wide with extra well space each side and a generous cutaway area to aid entry of large objects.

The 2.0-litre petrol version I drove is smooth, quiet and responsive. The 175bhp turbo unit speeds the handsome saloon to 62mph in a pretty quick 8.5 seconds and the BLS pulls effortlessly from low down, as well as returning close on 40mpg.

A five-speed gearbox has a positive, quick action and brakes are smooth with plenty of feel.

Not so good is the slightly vague steering, so you need to adopt a more laid-back approach to driving if you aspire to be a BLS driver.

With plenty of standard kit on board, this Caddy is a quirky choice for drivers who want to go the extra mile and stand out in a crowd – while undercutting some rivals on price.

Now all it needs is David Beckham to be seen in one and we'll all be driving a Caddy around soon...



At a glance:
Cadillac BLS saloon extends the American luxury brand's model line-up with a premium saloon designed for Europe.
Prices from £20,728-£32,398.
Front-wheel drive BLS offers expressive design, an outstanding ride and unrivalled acoustic comfort.
Vertical headlights and tail-lights and unique wedge shape set car apart from rest of the field.
High quality fabrics and materials with option of red walnut wood veneer available in combination with leather seats.
BLS cabin seats five adults in comfort.
Outside noise kept as far away as possible for passengers, with specially developed sound insulation.

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