Wheelwobble wallflowers 2 - Cadillac BLS

The Swedish theme continues with Cadillac's slow-selling baby model. A couple of days ago, when I was discussing the Ursaab, I issued the usual cheap shot about Saabs being reskinned Opels or Vauxhalls. The BLS is, if anything, a re-reskin because despite its all-American looks, it's based on Saab's 9-3 and is, in fact, built at Trollhattan on the same production line.


I've always found the BLS's styling and soft, understated character fairly appealing, but like a lot of stuff that's OK rather than startlingly good this car has struggled for attention in the UK. I think only a few dozen have been sold since it was launched last year. Not having a German badge is a real handicap these days, although I suspect that the BLS's pricing was probably a bit too ambitious as well. A pity, as the BLS is nothing like as ropey an effort as the 1981 J-Car based Cimarron, Cadillac's previous go at producing a posh small (by its standards) car via platform sharing.

Anyway, it looks as though Cadillac has not been put off because an estate version appears to be in the offing, although I don't know whether that will make it to the UK.