Beneke-Kaliko's Benova PUR upholstery makes for a refreshing interior of the Cadillac CTS

The 2008 Cadillac CTS combines power and performance in a luxury sedan. Substantially revised, the CTS offers a far more inviting cabin, far from the cold, plastic-ridden treatment found in the current edition of the car. A new telescopic steering wheel improves the impression of spaciousness for the driver, while thinner front seatbacks improve legroom for rear-seat passengers. The optional navigation system has a screen that retracts into the dash, but the top inch of the screen always remains visible as the primary display for audio and climate control, a real breakthrough in function for nav systems. Infotainment options abound, and the navigation system's 40-gigabyte hard drive heads the list. 

 Acknowledged as a car that is more capable, has a well sorted chassis and a vastly improved interior, the CTS employs Benova PUR upholstery material from Benecke-Kaliko. Worth noting are the higher quality materials being used. Benova adorns the instrument panel, including the center console and windowsill trim - hand sewn, handcrafted and hand laid. "Where vehicle developers advanced most was in the area of interior design," notes range manager Dirk Matthijs from the Benecke-Kaliko sales team in Auburn Hills, pointing at the new CTS. "Doing it this way gives the material a better fit and allows for use of a cross-stitch", he adds. Matthijs is not the only one impressed by the upgraded interior, there are many others. "While respecting what people are accustomed to, it is actually possible to redesign a car's interior in such a refreshingly different way as to a convey a whole new impression. Cadillac CTS has successfully demonstrated this", conclude sources at Spiegel Online, an online media portal. Worth noting is the surface of the instrument panel and large parts of the door, which are covered with a material that could easily be taken for genuine leather. That it is skillfully top-stitched only reinforces the illusion. Matthijs states: "In general, we observe a growing penchant for craftsmanship - both in the car and truck areas." In the passenger compartment, considerably more importance is being attached to subtle details. 

Interestingly, the Cadillac SRX luxury crossover and the Ford Mustang were the first vehicles on the North American market to employ Benova PUR upholstery material. Further projects with General Motors and Ford have already been launched. Benova ages and wears much better than genuine leather. The material can easily be combined with genuine leather without triggering any undesirable interactions. 

Price wise Benova enjoys a very convincing edge. Leather is three to four times more expensive. Another advantage is its processability. The material lends itself well to foam-backing, back-injection molding, press molding or sewing. What's more, Benova allows for automated laser-cutting operations without generating enormous amounts of scrap - a problem with genuine leather. The high grain stability comes in handy if the decorative material is going to be exposed to elevated temperatures and excessive pressure during processing.