| New Model Variant | Cadillac BLS Wagon |

After a slow couple of years for sales in the UK, Cadillac is hoping to boost the brand's appeal with the launch of Cadillac's first ever estate car: the BLS Wagon. At the same time, the entire BLS range has been revised, reducing the number of trim levels to just one, yet offering a good deal of engine choice.

Further range simplification comes in the pricing structure. The estate models will be priced identically to their four-door saloon alternatives, leading Cadillac to predict that 50% of BLS sales will be made up of the new Wagon model. Customers can also choose from either petrol or diesel models at the entry-level price of £21, 495. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard across the range, with either five- or six-speed auto options depending on the engine for a premium of £1,350.

That's likely to be the only option necessary to shell out for on the revised BLS range, as standard equipment is notably generous. Leather trim, powered and heated seats, satnav, Bluetooth integration, dual-zone climate control, cruise control, parking sensors and a Bose 11-speaker stereo system all feature as standard across the whole range, the new trim level title 'Elegance'.

Cadillac is targeting business users too, with a new 178bhp turbodiesel option and even a bio-fuel enabled model ('Flexpower' according to Cadillac) that produces 197bhp. Both models offer decent performance along with relatively low CO₂ figures.

An added incentive for buyers will be the predicted increase in residual values thanks to all of that extra equipment as standard. Time will tell if the BLS Wagon can give the Cadillac range the much needed shot in the arm in the UK.

Shane O' Donoghue - 28 Jan 2008