Details on '08 Cadillac CTS, Including Tutorial on French Stitching

DETROIT — More details have been released about the 2008 Cadillac CTS, including the reason why the entry-level luxury car is minus an electric parking brake at launch time. The details were outlined on Wednesday in a posting on the GM FastLane blog by Eric Clough, Cadillac interiors director of design.

"Not having a handbrake in the center console was a conscious decision to enable dual cupholders and air ducting to reach the rear passenger outlets," Clough explained in a follow-up to an earlier posting about the cabin of the CTS. "An electric park brake will be in the car starting in model-year 2009, located just behind the shifter. It was unfortunately not fully developed in time for this launch, but along with the obvious interior space-saving benefit, will also be lighter than the mechanical system it replaces."

Clough also noted that the CTS's radio is usable with the navigation screen retracted. "In fact, the only time the full screen is necessary is for nav use," he pointed out.

Apparently, consumers (male) are clueless when it comes to the benefits of French stitching. Clough patiently explained that "French stitching is a type of seam that has a line of stitching on both sides of the seam. The excess material from each piece being joined is folded back under and secured by the lines of stitching. This keeps the seam flat and greatly improves the quality of the surface because the excess can't wobble back and forth underneath."

© Source: edmunds
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