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Cadillac Builds Its First Wagon with Euro-Only BLS

Believe it or not, in the past 104 years there are some things left thatCadillac has yet to do, namely, build a station wagon. Most luxury carmakers have; Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz have all offered five-door variants at one time or another, even newcomers like Lexus have as well. The epitome of family transportation, next only to the minivan, America's best known luxury brand avoided wagons because they clashed with the company's image. Sedans, sport utilities, coupes, convertibles and pickup trucks are things the brand currently builds, but not wagons. But that's changed today, with the arrival of the new European-only BLS Wagon.

Cadillac might be one of the oldest brands in North America, but it's relatively new in Europe. Although some

Isn't it just a little odd to see that grille and edgy styling on a wagon? Also the current SRX is more wagon than SUV. (Photo: Cadillac)

models were offered unofficially, sales were a sliver of a fraction of what they have been in North America. Then, GM decided to offer Cadillac officially in Europe. At first, only the CTS and STS were offered, but GM followed with a car more suited to Europeans, the BLS, what is essentially a restyled Saab 9-3. In fact, thetwo vehicles are built alongside each other in Sweden. Compact luxury vehicles are hugely popular in class-conscious Europe, and the BLS is exactly what Cadillac needed. The next logical step for the

Inside, it's just like a Saab except the key isn't on the floor, and there's a crested wreath on the steering wheel. (Photo: Cadillac)

BLS was to expand the product range, and so they've done it by borrowing the bones from the 9-3 SportCombi for the new BLS Wagon.

The “Art and Science” design theme established by Cadillac with the CTS translates surprisingly well into wagon form. The roofline is unchanged from the Saab that it spawned from, which peaks in front of the B-pillar, and trails downwards, but the beltline is different. Where the Saab's bottom end kicks up, which it proudly describes as looking like a hockey stick, the Caddy's is a straight edge outlined in chrome. The BLS' shoulder line is also easy to pick out, and it fits in with the angular body panels.The taillights of the Cadillac also reflect those of the current product range; they are

The Art and Science theme doesn't look bad at all in five-door guise. (Photo: Cadillac)

square in shape and do not stretch up the rear pillars like in the 9-3. And while we're looking at its backside, the BLS Wagon's rear liftgate has a larger five-sided window than the 9-3, and different bumpers to boot.

The BLS will be offered with four different powertrain configurations derived from three different engines. The first is a Fiat-sourced 1.9-liter turbodiesel that makes 150 horsepower. As for the gasoline engines, they're identical to the ones featured on the Saab 9-3; a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four that makes 175 or 210 horsepower depending on trim level, and the new Holden-designed, 2.8-liter twin-scroll turbocharged V6 that makes 255 horsepower. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard with all engines, but depending on engine, the optional automatic has either five or six speeds. Manual shift mode is standard for all automatic-equipped BLS Wagons. The BLS Wagon will arrive in European dealerships during the fourth quarter this year.

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