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It was a time when associating Cadillac with all-wheel drive was considered to be a heresy. But mentalities have changed and more American customers are specifying their cars with the AWD option. GM’s luxury brand has registered a combined sales increase of 38% for its 4x4 SRX, CTS and Escalade models in the past two years. Specifically, one-third of the SRX crossovers, almost half of the CTS and three-quarters of the Escalade vehicles sold in the U.S. have been equipped with all-wheel drive.

Not surprisingly, the highest demand comes from cold weather and mountainous areas. Besides offering better traction on snow, the Cadillac AWD systems also promises to enhance handling and performance in normal weather conditions.

According to the Detroit automaker, AWD improves the SRX’s passing acceleration compared to the front-wheel drive version by transferring more torque to the rear wheels, while also reduces the over-steer tendencies manifested by the rear-wheel drive CTS during aggressive cornering.

“Cadillac’s investment in advanced AWD systems across the line-up is enhancing the brand’s reputation for performance,” said Don Butler, vice president of Cadillac marketing. “We’re able to offer luxury buyers exceptional ride, handling and control on a wide range of road conditions.”

By Csaba Daradics

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General Motors said on Thursday it is issuing a voluntary safety recall of 3,996 Cadillac SRX crossovers from the 2010 model year due to a possible damage to the power steering line. According to the company, if the line is damaged, power steering fluid could leak and make its way onto hot engine parts resulting in a fire. GM said it is aware of one such fire in an unattended SRX related to this condition.

"Based on GM analysis, the issue is believed to exist in only two or three of the recalled vehicles," the company said in a statement.

The affected vehicles were built in December 2009, with 3,460 of those sold in the United States, while 341 were exported to China.

The Detroit automaker said it will notify owners of the recalled SRX models and schedule an appointment for inspection with any necessary repairs to be performed free of charge.

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