2013 Cadillac XTS gets 300HP V6 and Available AWD

The newest addition to Cadillac's sedan lineup, the 2013 XTS was fully revealed on Wednesday in advance of its first public appearance at the Los Angeles Auto Show later in the day.

The XTS takes its place as Cadillac's largest model replacing both the DTS and the STS. And large it is at 202-in. (5,131mm) long, 72.9-in. (1,851mm) wide and 59.1-in. (1,501mm) tall.

The XTS rides on a hefty 111.7-in. (2,837mm) wheelbase with Cadillac laying claims to 40 inches (1,016 mm) of rear legroom, which is about four more inches than the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class and about two more inches than the Audi A6. It also gets a capacious boot with 18 cubic feet (509 liters) of space.

The new Cadillac's exterior styling is more adventurous than the DTS/STS models and almost identical to last year's XTS Platinum concept study.

The interior design is also a step towards the right direction while Cadillac has fitted the car with an array of electronic gizmos highlighted by the automaker's new CUE infotainment system that comes with an 8-inch screen in the center stack, and an available 12.3-inch reconfigurable cluster that offers four driver-selectable themes, ranging from minimal to extensive information.

There's more technology to be found under the skin as the XTS comes with GM's Magnetic Ride Control, rear air suspension, HiPer Strut front suspension and Brembo brakes fitted as standard. In addition, the big Caddy is also offered with an optional Haldex all-wheel-drive system with electronically controlled limited-slip differential.

The XTS is powered by GM's 3.6-liter V6 engine with direct-injection technology that produces 300-horsepower at 6,800rpm and 264 lb-ft (358Nm) of peak torque at a rather high 5,300rpm. The LFX V6 is linked to a Hydra-Matic 6T70 six-speed automatic transmission with tap-shift control.

Cadillac says that the front-wheel drive model returns an estimated fuel economy of 17mpg city and 28mpg highway, while the AWD version makes do with 17mpg and 27mpg respectively.

The 2013 Cadillac XTS will be manufactured in GM's plant in Ontario, Canada, with North American sales to start in spring 2012.