General Motors Corp., on a mission to expand its lineup to include more fuel-efficient offerings, will introduce a new Cadillac crossover at the Detroit auto show next week. It replaces the SRX model, first launched in 2004.

To help compete with better-selling rivals like Toyota Motor Corp.’s Lexus RX, Honda Motor Co.’s Acura MDX and BMW AG’s X3 and X5, the SRX’s designers incorporated elements from other Cadillac models. The new SRX looks faster than its boxy predecessor, with a curving roofline and a more rounded nose that still retains an aggressive look.
The crossover, which melds the characteristics of a car and an SUV, will be powered by a six-cylinder engine new to the brand.

The redesigned vehicle was unveiled Sunday and is set to go on display at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, which begins Jan. 11.

GM’s survival strategy calls for protecting its luxury Cadillac lineup, which has a strong following among luxury car buyers, as it slashes costs, cuts spending on new products and works to unload less profitable brands and models.

The auto maker, racing to revamp its vehicle lineup amid a sharp sales decline, has said it will shift away from large pickup trucks and sport-utility vehicles to cars and crossovers.

Cadillac sales fell 24% in the first 11 months of 2008, in line with U.S. light-truck and SUV sales overall. The auto maker sold nearly 148,000 Cadillacs in January through November, including about 14,800 SRXs. But Toyota’s Lexus division sold five times as many RXs.

The new SRX will get around 25 miles per gallon on the highway, GM said. Fuel-economy testing isn’t complete.

The SRX is expected to go on sale by this summer. Pricing hasn’t yet been announced.

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