• Competes with: Audi A5, Mercedes Benz E-Class coupe, BMW 3 Series coupe
• Looks like: The new GM isn’t going to shelve sexy sports cars
• Drivetrain: 304-hp, 3.6-liter V-6 with six-speed manual or automatic transmission, rear or all-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: Spring 2010

If you were hoping that the CTS coupe would go on sale earlier than next spring, you had good reason. GM showed the concept at the 2008 Detroit auto show and promised a production model would quickly arrive on dealer lots. However, a little thing called government-run bankruptcy got in the way of its development, and the very future of the model was in limbo for a short time.
 
Now that GM is up and running again, it’s showing the 2011 CTS coupe in full-production trim at the 2009 L.A. Auto Show starting next week.
 
The final car looks nearly identical to the concept car and features the same 304-horsepower, direct-injected V-6 from the CTS sedan. The coupe looks a bit stubby in profile, but it’s just 3 inches shorter than the sedan. While the exterior design may be a dramatic take on its sedan sibling, the coupe’s interior is virtually identical to the sedan because the two sport the same gauges and center console. Those are winning attributes to be sure.
 
We’re surprised to see that the coupe will also come with all-wheel drive as an option, which should help sales in the north. The coupe also comes in either a standard Performance Package with 18-inch wheels and all-season tires or a Summer Tire Performance Package, which adds 19-inch wheels and optional summer tires — obviously. We’re not sure why they don’t just call the Performance Package the base model.
 
A CTS-V ultra-performance version of the coupe is sure to be on its way in the future; for now, buyers can order the Recaro seats from the CTS-V sedan as a stand-alone option.
 
What we’re also unsure of is the price but the coupe shouldn’t vary too much from a similarly equipped sedan, which starts at $43,825. More images below.