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Manufacturer Brochure - 1998 Cadillac DeVille Concours
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| DEVILLE CONCOURS: THE FOUR-WHEELED ALTERNATIVE TO A CORPORATE JET |
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| Updated |
Jun 3, 2004 17:15:06 |
| Rating |
 48 ( -9 -18.75% ) |
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Description:
Imagine flying on a corporate jet, with luxurious leather seats for coast-to-coast comforts powerful acceleration and handling, and a sense of security and peace of mind.
Add four wheels and tires, and you have the 1998 DeVille Concours.
"The DeVille Concours has been called the four-wheeled alternative to the corporate jet, and we believe there's no better way to travel first class on the road," says Janet Eckhoff, DeVille brand manager.
The DeVille Concours is powered by the world-class 300-hp Northstar V8 engine, while Northstar's continuously variable road-sensing suspension,Magnasteer, traction control and anti-lock brakes provide drivers with superb handling. In addition, StabiliTrak, Cadillac7s exclusive yaw control system, helps drivers maintain control of their vehicle on all roads, in all types of 'weather, especially during abrupt or emergency maneuvers.
Inside, occupants will be both comfortable, and comforted. Comfort comes in the form of carefully designed, supportive seats and easy-to-reach controls, and more passenger and trunk space than in the Lexus LS 400, Mercedes-Benz S-Class or Infiniti Q45. The peace of mind comes through Concours myriad safety and security features such as side air bags, memory and personalization features and optional OnStar.
New for 1998, DeVille Concours receives an enhanced version of Magnasteer, which adjusts steering effort not only according to speed but to lateral acceleration. In addition, the standard DeVille Concours radio receives a single-slot CD player and THEFTLOCK, an automatic them-deterrent system. In addition, the optional radio has a radio data system (RDS) feature, which provides a new level of convenience and safety by allowing broadcasters to transmit text-and emergency messages along with the audio signal.
Target DeVille Concours buyers are 45+, many of whom are employed in professional or entrepreneurial careers and have household incomes of $100,000.
EXTERIOR
Enhancing an already strong 'color palette, the .1998 DeVille Concours offers four new exterior colors for 1998. Baltic Blue, a medium metallic blue with increased sparkle; Gold Firemist, a classic gold metallic; Moonstone, a gold and gray metallic; end 'Crimson Pearl, a premium process hot red that replaces Cadillac's traditional Pearl lied. At the same time, Dark Cherry, Sea Mist Green and Pearl Red have been dropped.
INTENOR
Inside, DeVille Concours offers exceptional comfort--both physical and emotional.
"We know Concours owners love to travel," Eckhoff says. "They put high value on physical comfort, in the form of well-designed seats, dual zone climate control, and driver and passenger memory features. They also are looking for emotional comfort--peace of mind--which the Concours offers in the form of front side air bags, anti-lock-out features and OnStar.
Concours is a five-passenger sport sedan, with front bucket seats and full- floor console. With 116.8 cubic feet of interior room and 20 cubic feet of trunk space, the DeVille Concours provides more passenger and storage space than the Lexus LS 400 and Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
New for 1998 are two interior leather color choices: Camel and Pewter.
Radio
Cadillac is the first domestic automaker to offer radio data system (RDS) Technology, which is available on the optional uplevel radio in the Concours. RDS is a European based technology that allows broadcasters to silently deliver a 1,200-bits-per-second data stream along with the audio content, opening up a wide variety of features to Listeners, including:
Seeing the call letters of the station
Tuning by program type, e.g., top 40, jazz, country, etc.
Viewing song titles and artists' names
Hearing emergency broadcasts in situations in which the radio interrupts the CD or cassette player for traffic or emergency alerts
Checking pager messages
Viewing stock quotes, sports scores, directions, or other information
Synchronizing clocks with official radio time
Switching to alternate frequencies for continuous reception of network programming on long trips
RDS offers listeners many convenience and safety features. It gives additional information about the station using text displayed on the radio. For example, it will show the call letters station name, or the type of station it is, such as classical news, or country.
In addition, those who commute frequently will appreciate the traffic announcement function of RDS. When a traffic announcement is broadcast on the radio, passengers will hear it even if a CD or a cassette tape is playing.
A key safety feature of RDS is its alert system to let listeners know of impending local or national emergencies. While those currently are available via the emergency broadcasting system on regular radio, RDS goes one step further and will interrupt a CD or tape and broadcast the message.
Another important optional radio feature in 199~ is the weather band, which allows Contours customers to get National Weather Service reports 24 hours a day.
In additions the DeVille Concours in 1998 will offer a single-slot CD player on the standard radio. A 12-disc trunk-mounted CD changer is optional. Another new feature is the mute button, which silences the system when the button is pressed: When the butt-on is pressed again, the sound returns.
DeVille Concours also offers home/away presets In the past; the DeVille Concours radio allowed both driver 1 and driver 2 to select their own 18 (12 FM and six AM) radio station presets.
In 1998, both drivers can select their preferred radio stations outside their home area, such as in frequently traveled business or vacation areas.
For i998, the DeVille Concours radio is equipped with THEFTLOCK, which provides automatic theft deterrence for the radio. The DeVille Concours radio is automatically tied to the vehicle identification number (VIN) of the vehicle, and will only work in the original vehicle. If the radio is removed from the, vehicle, it won't work in any other car unless the VIN is cleared. This can only be done by a dealership using a special tool. In addition, once the VIN is scribed into a radio, the radio can be traced.
NORTHSTAR SYSTEM
The DeVille Concours is powered by the -300-hp Northstar 4.6-liter, 32-valve dual-overhead cam V8 engine. With 295 ft.-lbs. of torture at 4400 rpm, this V8 provides strong acceleration off the line, achieving zero to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds. It also provides plenty of power for passing maneuvers, accelerating from 30 mph to 70 mph in7.5 seconds. This engine is packaged with a 3.71:1 final drive ratio, which provides responsive performance for all driving conditions.
Safety and personal security are important to DeVille Concours owners, who will appreciate Northstar's limp-home mode in case of total coolant loss. In this made, the engine can operate on four cylinders at speeds of 50 mph for about 50 miles, giving the driver an opportunity to reach a safe location. The engine does this by alternately delivering fuel to four of the eight cylinders. The remaining four cylinders do not fire but continue to pump air, which cools the engine.
Another significant benefit of the Northstar engine' is its maintenance-free design. Other than changing the oil, oil filter and air filter, the engine requires no tune-ups until the Concours logs 100,000 miles.
DeVilIe Concours' 4T80-E transaxle is linked to the engine via a viscous converter clutch; which assures smooth operation by reducing torque variation when the torque converter clutch is applied. The 4T80-1Z also features equal-length drive axles, which limit torque steer by minimizing angle differences from side to side as the car accelerates.
StabiliTrak
The 1998 DeVille Concours continues to feature the Cadillac's exclusive StabiliTrak as standard equipment. StabiliTrak, a unique yaw control system, improves the stability of the Concours on all surfaces at all speeds.
At the heart of' StabiliTrak are two sensors--a yaw rate sensor and lateral acceleration sensor--that work with the car's suspension, steering, ABS and traction control systems. StabiliTrak's sensors compare the steering angle (where the driver wants the car to go) with feedback from wheel and directional sensors (where the car is actually going).
When the StabiliTrak system determines that the car is not going where the driver is steering it, the StabiliTrak computer (which also controls ABS and traction control functions) sends a complex but extremely rapid series of directions to the vehicle's traction control and ABS brakes to help straighten the vehicle. For example, if the car is starting to fishtail, StabiliTrak gently applies the outside front brake, which slows the vehicle and nudges the car's tail back into line.
Road-texture detection
Another standard feature on DeVille Concours is road-texture detection, which makes the anti-lock brakes more effective by measuring the roughness of the road and adjusting brake operation accordingly. The result of road-texture detection is more effective ABS brakes, with shorter, more consistent stopping distances on rough roads. It also reduces unnecessary ABS engagement and improves steering.
Continuously variable road-sensing suspension
The 1998 DeVille Concours is equipped with continuously variable road-sensing suspension (CVRSS), which produces optimum body and wheel damping under virtually all living conditions by independently adjusting the damper setting at each corner of the vehicle end' responding in real time. CVRSS can precisely match damping required to the severity of the input, enabling a refinement level not previously achieved. The benefits to the customer are markedly improved rolling smoothness, road isolation and impact feel, with exceptional control during aggressive emergency maneuvers.
MagnaSteer
Another integral part of the Northstar System, Magnasteer is a continuously variable, speed-sensitive steering system that is standard on the DeVille Concours. Magnasteer varies the amount of steering effort in proportion to vehicle speed. Steering is easier at lower speed for maneuvering and parking ease. As vehicle speed increases, the steering effort also increases. At highway speeds, the amount of steering effort is increased to provide maximum stability and control.
In 1998, the DeVille Concours receives the next generation of Magnasteer, which reacts to lateral acceleration as well-as speed. When the cornering rate is ups, as sensed by an onboard lateral accelerometer, steering effort is automatically increased to enhance the driver's feel of the road. In addition, if StabiliTrak is active, steering effort also is increased significantly to help the driver maintain command of the situation.
SAFETY
The 1998 Concours, which comes standard with StabiliTrak, front side air bags and OnStar, offers perhaps the most comprehensive safety package in the entire world.
Accident avoidance
StabiliTrak, which improves vehicle handling on all roads at all speeds, is particularly- important in situations where the driver hits a patch of ice or is forced to do a quick- maneuver to avoid a hazard in the roadway.
Other important accident avoidance features that are standard on Concours include ABS, four-wheel disc brakes, a brake system with a dual master cylinder and warning light, electronic level control, all-speed traction control, daytime running lamps, Magnasteer, Rainsense windshield wiper system, all-season tires, Twilight Sentinel and windshield wiper-activated headlamps.
Occupant protection
There are times, of course, when it s not possible to avoid an accident, such as when you are hit by another car. That is when Concours' many occupant protection features come into play.
In the area of occupant protection, DeVille Concours offers standard front: side air bags. The air bags are door-mounted and designed to provide good protection with a relatively small volume air bag, which helps control inflation force. The bag is tall in the rear, where it helps protect the chest from contacting the B-pillar, and shorter in the front, where controlled deflection of the door panel can supplement the air bag. In addition, the unique shape of the bag helps protect the occupant, no matter where the occupant's seat is positioned.
Concours also comes with standard driver and front passenger front air bags, front and rear crush zones, an energy-absorbing instrument panel and steering column, laminated windshield glass with urethane boning, side-guard door beams, a steel safety cage and tempered safety glass on the side and rear windows.
Personal security
OnStar, an advanced cellular-based communications system, is on option on Concours. When customers order the OnStar services package they receive a fixed cellular phone with two specific buttons for OnStar.
Using Cadillac's sophisticated on-board electronics, OnStar brings a remarkable range of safety, security and convenience features to the driver, including automatic notification of front air bag deployment; remote door unlock; theft detection notification and stolen vehicle tracking; emergency services; and concierge services.
Concours' personalization feature provides even more personal security. In past model years, drivers have been able to program their doors with three locking modes. For 1998, there are two pew modes: all doors lock when shifting out of park and only the driver's door unlocks when the key is turned off; and all doors lock when shifting out of park and unlock when the key is turned off.
The remote keyless entry (RKE) fob also adds an additional feature for 1998: when the lock button is pressed, the horn will sound to verify that the doors have locked. Additionally, when the vehicle) is in reverse, the passenger-side mirror can be programmed-to tilt downward, giving the driver a better view of the curb during parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse returns the mirror to its original position. |
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