Cadillac redesigned Catera's styling for 2000. The original Catera appeared bland in the homogenized blend of bumpers, fenders and smooth quarter-panel sides. The revamped Catera for 2000 looks stronger. It's a concise package set with muscular flanks, crisp tailored curves uniting taut surfaces, a nose fixed with new lamps, and revised grille and fascia. The rear sports new taillights and a new center brake light, all composed of light-emitting diodes (LED) that flash brighter than incandescent bulbs and light up twice as quickly.Catera hunkers in a low posture underscored by the aerodynamic fascia and shapely moldings set below door panels. The Sport package attaches more aggressively styled rocker moldings and a spoiler on the rear decklid, plus 17-inch aluminum wheels, high-intensity Xenon headlamps and a front grille in matte black and chrome. Overall length of the car was pared by 1.8 inches in the new treatment, with different quarter panels aboard, larger side mirrors, a higher hood cowl that conceals new wet-arm windshield wipers, and altered corner lamps and fog lights. The concise new form moves Catera more closely in style to other German touring sedans. Core ingredients of Catera come from Opel, a European brand of General Motors that produces the respected Omega MV6. Catera uses a reinforced version of the Omega's chassis, which is assembled at a GM plant in Germany, and it contains a twin-cam V6 engine built by GM in England and a four-speed electronic automatic transmission out of another GM plant in France. To this international slate of components, Cadillac contributed unique styling, noise-reduction measures to tune the vehicle for quietness, some Cadillac-designed safety equipment, and a more luxurious interior.
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