Cadillac's BLS is a useful marriage of Cadillac cachet and European style and design, says Michael McAleer, Motoring Editor.
When Americans come under pressure, attack seems their preferred form of defence. With even the most ardently loyal US motorists waking up to the better quality of ride, handling and interior finish that's on offer from European models, the response of several US manufacturers has been to unfurl the flag and run crying for help from the US government.
That's never going to solve their competitive problems. Some brands have at least realised the futility of such tactics and opted to learn from their foreign rivals.
For those within the General Motors stable, it's easier than for others.
Cadillac already has an established name on both sides of the Atlantic. In the US, they've long been regarded as a premium brand, now under stiff competition from the likes of Lexus and several European marques.
In Europe the brand is better associated with big fins and starring roles in soap operas like Dallas. To succeed it needs to raise its game at home and change perceptions over here.
The first move to rekindle support has been to create an entry-level model that takes its cue from its Swedish sister brand Saab.
The BLS is in reality a dressed up Saab 9-3. Take away the distinctive styling cues and the branded interior features and you are left with the European underpinnings of the well-respected Swede.
If ever you needed confirmation of this, it's turning the key in the most popular version of the car over here and hearing the oil-burning gurgle as the 1.9-litre diesel engine kicks into life. Yes folks, a diesel Cadillac.
The last time Caddy attempted a diesel version was during the fuel crises of the late 1970s. At the time it introduced a 5.7-litre V8 diesel powerplant to its range.
Unsurprisingly its sales were less than stellar and motor historians look back on it as yet another low point in the brand's history. And there are plenty of them to choose from.
This time it has at least sought advice from the more experienced diesel experts in the GM family and opted for the critically acclaimed 1.9-litre diesel block that already features in both the Saab and Opel range. Regardless of the outer shell in which it's housed, this oil burner packs an impressive amount of low-end torque, managing 320Nm from 2,000rpm.
The end result is a strong and confident power surge as you move forward, best managed through an automatic gearbox to quicken the frequent gear changes.
Good as it is, there's little new about the engine and absolutely nothing distinctly American about it. Yet it serves as another example of a more realistic attitude being taken towards market conditions, over this side of the water at least.
Not only is this new model built on the underpinnings of a European car and powered by a European diesel engine, it's also built at Saab's Trollhatten plant. In summary, take away the American badge and it's about as American as Abba.
Yet that's only going to benefit the brand as it tries to resurrect its luxury image against stiff European competition. In fact, while it's the junior member of the Cadillac fleet, it only goes to show up the more expensive models within the range in terms of build quality and ability.
There may be many male motorists who secretly dream of pulling up outside the office in the Escalade SUV and looking down from on high as the boss tries to scramble from his Audi or Mercedes before you run him over, but put any of the other models to a quality test and they'll trail far behind their European counterparts.
Not with the BLS. What's more, in one area the Cadillac actually excels over its Swedish twin.
While the designers were greatly limited in what they could do given the constraints of the 9-3 links, the styling is in parts better than on the Saab.
In particular the sloping front nose and larger grille are more fetching - if less sporting - than the more discrete Swede.
Admittedly the sharp lines of the rear are bordering on overkill, but the overall effect is a car that seems slightly larger and more of a premium saloon than the Saab, at least from the outside.
Sadly, the same cannot be said of the interior and while there are some admirable touches such as the analogue clock at the top of the central console, the Kenwood sat-nav system which featured on our test car is both too expensive - at over €3,190 - and too fiddly to warrant consideration.
Potential buyers should save the money and opt for the optional Bose sound system on its own.
On the road, the car takes its cues from Saab. It's certainly the first US brand we've driven on Irish roads that coped with corners, something American drivers seemingly don't encounter more than once or twice in their motoring life.
The good news for Europeans is that like the engine, handling and ride are European-focussed. In short, this Cadillac is not immune to corners.
Like many Europeans, Irish buyers will have been influenced by the constant stream of American programmes and through them will have developed a soft spot in their youth for American car brands.
The roar of the 8-litre V12s were the stuff of dreams when the average car over here was powered by a three-cylinder 1-litre engine. Enormous tail fins and plaid suits were symbols of the success of our American brethren in comparison to our meagre motoring range.
Yet times have changed and as we have become more worldly and travelled, Europeans have visited the US to find these great big engines offered nothing more than thundering noise and a seemingly unquenchable thirst, with little in the way of outright performance and nothing in the way of solid build quality or features to warrant such respect.
The BLS is perhaps a symbol that as foreign competitors encroach into heartland USA, even the most patriotic buyers are realising they are being done a disservice by their home brands. With this new model, the Americans seem to be learning the lessons from their European counterparts.
For all that, Cadillac can latch onto a great stream of goodwill towards the brand and its roots.
That will certainly help sales.
It will also benefit from the popularity of fellow Americans like the Chrysler 300C, a real challenger to the BMW 5-Series in terms of image and price.
Sadly the BLS is not as distinctive as the 300C and nor is it as competitively priced. While it comes in at less than equivalent 3-Series and C-Class models, it's more expensive than a similarly specced Saab 9-3 and doesn't offer the same driving pleasure as its German rivals.
The engine range offers two petrol engines (a 2-litre 175bhp and a 2.8-litre V6 255bhp) but it's the diesel that's the only model really going to win favour over here.
The BLS is never really going to threaten the established brands like BMW's 3-Series or the Mercedes C-Class, but it may well win sales amongst those who are tired of the seemingly regular fare within this market segment.
What you get with BLS is the cachet of the Cadillac brand, but the build quality, power performance and ultimate reassurance of Swedish engineering. In the end it's an image statement.
Factfile:
ENGINE: A 1910cc four cylinder turbocharged common-rail diesel engine producing 150bhp @ 4,000rpm and 320Nm of torque @ 2,000rpm
SPECIFICATION: Dual front and side airbags and head curtain bags for rear passengers; climate control; cruise control; steering controls for stereo and cruise control; 60/40 rear folding seats; 16" or 17" alloys. Three specs on offer: business, elegance or Sport Luxury (the latter only offered on the 2.8 V6 petrol version).
L/100KM (MPG):
URBAN: 8.1 (3.4)
EXTRA URBAN: 4.9
(57.7)
COMBINED: 6.1 (46.3)
CO2EMISSIONS:
164 g/km
ANNUAL ROAD TAX: €539
PRICE: €47,590 (€39,990 to €60,090)