CADILLAC SEVILLE SETS THE STANDARD

• Modified Northstar V8 powertrain
• Second generation StabiliTrak and CVRSS
• Adaptive seating system for excellent comfort
• Advanced navigation system available

Cadillac has significantly upgraded the Seville STS for 2000. The Northstar V8 engine has been put through the most thorough modification since its introduction in 1992 and is now even quieter and more economic. Many changes, including a new cylinder head, help reduce emissions. The Seville 2000 now meets the US standards for LEVs (low emissions vehicles) and the similarly strict D3 standard.

The Northstar is tuned to produce 305hp and 6000rpm with maximum torque of 400Nm at 4400rpm, making it the most powerful front-wheel-drive production car in the world.

The cylinder head has undergone 2000 changes - the new inlet channels are almost equal in length, the combustion chambers have larger inlet and smaller outlet valves and especially low-friction roller followers actuate the valves.

Each spark plug now has its own high-voltage ignition coil raising the ignition energy by 130 per cent. The spark plugs need inspection every 100,000 miles and coolant and transmission oil need changing only at 150,000 miles.

The Seville STS features performance algorithm shifting (PAS), which detects and reacts to changes in driving style, reprogramming the transmission to change the gear shift point to allow for either sporty or more sedate driving.

Acceleration slip regulation (ASR) cuts power when a loss of traction is detected, eliminating wheel-spin, thereby conveying power to the road cleanly.

The multilink suspension on the Seville has been designed for the European market. StabiliTrak and CVRSS (continuously variable road-sensing suspension) work in tandem.

StabiliTrak monitors the steering wheel and if the vehicle fails to react as commanded the system selectively applies the brake to either front wheel to maintain the desired course. The second generation StabiliTrak includes two new functions, side slip rate control and active steering effort compensation which detects insufficient traction or sudden manoeuvres and momentarily raises the steering effort to give the driver more feedback from the steering wheel.

CVRSS makes use of the fast reacting dampers employed in the STS. The computer registers any change in road texture or damping load within milliseconds and corrects the damping rate accordingly.

Working in tandem with StabiliTrak the dampers are individually adjustable, when StabiliTrak applies the brake to a given front wheel, stability control interaction calibrates the damping rate of that wheel to the diagonally opposite rear wheel. This maximises the rear wheel�s traction and lateral support to maintain stability.

With the optional adaptive seating system, the Seville offers unprecedented comfort. Its 10 variable air cushions adjust automatically to the position of the driver and front passenger. The eight sensors in each front seat compare the occupant's current position against a preprogrammed ideal, imperceptibly adjusting 10 variable air cushions to fit contour. It takes no more than 60 seconds for a seated occupant to programme the system, which offers a number of additional adjustment options:

• stiffer or softer cushions
• increased lower-back support
• higher or lower side support on seat and seat-back bolster.

Fourteen interior lights are positioned to illuminate every part of the passenger compartment while avoiding glare. The glove box (its cover is designed as a writing surface) is one of 19 practical storage spaces.

A stiff shell and intelligent design elements make the Cadillac Seville one of the quietest cars in the world. In the current Seville generation torsion stiffness was increased by 58 percent and beaming stiffness by 53 percent.

The passenger cell is especially rigid, with strategic reinforcements on the floor. Relatively �soft� front and rear crumple zones direct the main loads of a collision over predefined paths. Seville comes with two standard full size airbags and side airbags in the front seat bolsters. All five of the seats feature lap and shoulder belts; the seat-integrated front belts are equipped with pyrotechnic pretensioners.

An advanced navigation system is an available option for the STS for 2000. The five-inch colour display, centrally located in the instrument panel, is integrated into the Bose 4.0 music system with touch screen controls. For bright, clear graphics, the touch sensitive screen uses active-matrix technology, common in laptops.

The 2000 Seville is one of the quietest and safest cars on the road today, with a very high specification list that includes leading edge technology making driving the Cadillac a relaxing and refreshing experience.

The Cadillac Seville STS comes as standard with a comprehensive three years/60,000 mile warranty and six years anti-perforation warranty.