Cadillac might, if it were in a different car company, take a little rest now that it's introduced so many new models.

But that isn't how Cadillac operates.

It is about to upend the luxury market again within the next year and a half, I believe, by introducing the Cadillac CTS Coupe, an astonishingly good looking car that, with its creases, folds and plain surfaces, looks like Japanese origami on wheels.

The new high performance CTS-V arrives this fall, and I promise one heck of a ruckus in the luxury car market when this one hits the road. It's gorgeous, fast and yet luxurious and manageable in everyday driving.

And there are at least two or three other surprises I've heard about which I cannot share right now. But they, too, will reflect Cadillac's energy, styling innovation and technological know how.

If you want to see an example of what's coming, check out the 2008 Cadillac CTS luxury/sports four-door sedan.

First, it's fabulous looking. It's fast, even in the base version. It's meticulously built and designed, and every bit the competitor for the European and Japanese brands in its class.

In sum, the new CTS has been redone from top to bottom, and it now has a more mature, contemporary, muscled presence. The previous model had edgier styling, but it also did not have the substance of the new model.

The base price for the new model is $32,990, and from that point, CTS has three major option packages called "collections" that include one for luxury, one for performance and one premium group.

Power comes from a standard 3.6-liter, 263-horsepower V-6, and a 3.6-liter, direct-injection, 304-horsepower V-6 option.

Both engines are engaging and robust, but the most thrills come when you put the transmission into "sport" mode and let it work through the gears more vigorously. It makes all the right aggressive, rich sounds from the polished aluminum exhaust tips, and the car snakes through curves and around corners like a bobsled, sticking resolutely to the road.

Cadillac tested and polished off this car on the famed Nurburgring racetrack in Germany. Teams and consumers from Europe, China and elsewhere have previewed the CTS, a testament to Cadillac's intention to become a respected international brand.

The first level of the suspension system, FE1, was too soft for my tastes and, at times, there was some strongly noticeable bounding and rebounding up and down as we went along the more challenging roads.

If you're an enthusiast, you'll want the FE2 system, which is a nice compromise between the base suspension and the FE3 package, a tougher, hell-bent-for-leather performance suspension.

Overall, I was surprised at how eagerly the CTS chewed the asphalt and how quickly even the base engine moved the car along.

The new CTS also has some interesting features such as a 40-gigabyte hard disc drive system that can store audio tracks ripped from CDs or flash drives, along with a "time shift" feature that can pause and replay live radio content.

The new navigation system features 3D mapping of major U.S. markets and real-time weather and traffic reports.

The CTS also has the high-intensity discharge headlamps with adaptive forward lighting that turn as you drive around curves and corners. Keyless access, handcrafted materials inside, and standard Stabilitrak traction and stability control complete the picture.

I was pleased by the extremely tight fit and finish inside. And the complexity of the shapes, lines and angles to the dash and accompanying door panels made for a nicely integrated finish. The Sapele wood is rich and nicely varnished and fits in precisely where it is used for a more fluid look to the interior.

And if you like mood lighting, you're in luck. The CTS has nice soft tones that illuminate some interior features as well as provide a halo of light in other spots. Quite romantic.

Not to be left out of the fun, the STS, a premium luxury sports sedan, has been given some pretty dramatic changes, too.

First, the car bears striking resemblance to the popular Cadillac Sixteen coupe concept of a few years ago, with a large egg crate style grille and tall taillights. There are fender air extractors on the flanks of the car that also were seen on the STS.

There's a new 3.6-liter, 302-horsepower V-6 that is standard equipment, a six-speed automatic transmission, and new lower front fascia and rocker moldings. Expect to pay around $43,500 to about $80,000 for the STS.

As for fuel mileage, expect ratings around 12 to 15 city and 19 to 25 highway, depending on whether you pick the standard V-6 or spring for the 4.6-liter, 320-horsepower V-8.