The Cadillac Catera buyer’s question in this catalogue is not “which engine pack.” There is 1 generation and 1 version: 3.0 AT. The choice is whether those measured numbers match the job.
If you are comparing Catera years (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001) as if they were different cars, this dataset does not split them. Production of the only generation runs 1996-01-01 to 2001-12-31. Body is Sedan.
The Cadillac Catera buyer’s question in this catalogue is not “which engine pack.” There is 1 generation and 1 version: 3.0 AT. The choice is whether those measured numbers match the job.
Cadillac Catera: which version to buy
If you are comparing Catera years (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001) as if they were different cars, this dataset does not split them. Production of the only generation runs 1996-01-01 to 2001-12-31. Body is Sedan. The only named version is 3.0 AT: 203 hp (149 kW) at 6000 rpm, 260 Nm at 3600 rpm, 2962 cm³ Gasoline, 6 cylinders V-shaped, 4 valves per cylinder, boost No, gearbox Automatic with 4 gears, drive RWD.
There is no second Catera line here to “step up” into. Searches for a Catera V8, extra engine options, or a later generation with more power do not have a matching row. Arithmetic on the one row is the whole comparison.
Generations: what actually changed between years
1 generation (1996-01-01–2001-12-31), Sedan, 1 version. Restyling is not listed as a separate generation. A 1998 Catera, 1999 Catera, 2000 Catera, and 2001 Catera in this catalogue are the same 3.0 AT numbers: same hp, same Nm, same displacement, same 0–100, same top speed, same kerb weight, same tank.
What did not change generation-to-generation: there is no generation 2 in the data, so there is no later Catera with a different hp, a different gearbox, or a different drive layout to buy instead.
Cadillac Catera specs for the only buy: 3.0 AT
| Version | hp | Nm | cm³ | Fuel | Cylinders | Layout | Boost | Gearbox | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0 AT | 203 | 260 | 2962 | Gasoline | 6 | V-shaped | No | Automatic | RWD |
Engine placement on 3.0 AT is Front, longitudinal. Fuel system is Distributed injection (multi-point). Compression ratio is 10. Bore × stroke is 86 × 85. Front suspension is Independent, spring. Rear suspension is not measured. Front brakes Disc, rear brakes Disc.
Cadillac Catera horsepower and engine math
Power per litre on 3.0 AT: 203 ÷ (2962 / 1000) = 68.5 hp/L.
Torque per litre: 260 ÷ 2.962 = 87.8 Nm/L.
Kerb weight per horsepower: 1710 ÷ 203 = 8.42 kg/hp.
Peak power is at 6000 rpm; peak torque is at 3600 rpm. The gap is 2400 rpm. That is the only rpm spread in the catalogue — there is no second Catera engine with a lower peak to compare.
3.0 AT is Gasoline, 6 cylinders, V-shaped, boost No. A catalogue row for a Catera V8 is not present. Engine swap talk is outside these numbers; the measured engine bay content here is the 2962 cm³ Gasoline unit in 3.0 AT.
Performance, mpg, and what is not measured
3.0 AT reaches 100 km/h in 8.5 s and a top speed of 204 km/h.
City mpg: not measured. Highway mpg: not measured. Combined mpg: not measured. CO₂: not measured. Eco class: not measured. Fuel grade: not measured.
A 2001 Cadillac Catera mpg search and a 2000 Cadillac Catera mpg search hit the same blank: this catalogue does not give consumption for 3.0 AT. Do not treat a missing mpg as “the Catera has no fuel use”; it is unlisted.
If you need a consumption figure to choose a used Sedan, 3.0 AT cannot be ranked on economy against itself or against another Catera version, because there is no second version and no mpg row.
Speed per litre: 204 ÷ 2.962 = 68.9 (km/h) per litre of displacement — a ratio, not a second top-speed rating.
Cadillac Catera dimensions, curb weight, tank
Kerb (curb) weight of 3.0 AT: 1710 kg. Gross vehicle weight: not measured. Ground clearance: not measured. Wheel sizes: not measured. Fuel tank: 68 L.
A 1998 Cadillac Catera curb weight search is the same 1710 kg as every other year of this generation in the data.
Tank-to-weight: 68 L on 1710 kg is 25.1 kg per litre of tank (1710 ÷ 68). Without mpg, range is not measured.
Without wheels, clearance, and gross mass, you cannot size tyres, calculate payload, or check ride height from this catalogue. Those fields are not measured, not “zero.”
Drive is RWD, not a second Catera with FWD in another row. Gearbox is Automatic, 4 gears — there is no manual Catera version listed to buy instead.
Which version to choose
There is one named buy: 3.0 AT.
Buy 3.0 AT if you want the measured set: 203 hp, 260 Nm, 2962 cm³ Gasoline, 6 V-shaped, boost No, Automatic 4, RWD, 8.5 s to 100, 204 km/h, 1710 kg, 68 L tank, Sedan, years 1996-01-01–2001-12-31.
Do not expect a second Catera version in this catalogue with more hp, a different displacement, a V8 row, AWD, or a later generation. Year badges 1997–2001 do not change 3.0 AT’s 203 hp, 260 Nm, 8.5 s, 204 km/h, or 1710 kg here.
What extra money cannot buy inside this model list: another engine option, another gearbox, another drive, or a restyle generation with its own spec table. The “step” between cheapest and dearest Catera on these facts is 0 hp, 0 Nm, 0 kg.
Problems / reliability: this dataset does not list fault rates, door-handle failures, or engine problems by year. 1998 Cadillac Catera problems and 2000 Cadillac Catera problems are not measured here. What is measured is the 3.0 AT hardware: Front, longitudinal Gasoline 6 V-shaped, Distributed injection (multi-point), compression 10, Independent, spring front, rear suspension not measured, brakes Disc / Disc.
Who made the Cadillac Catera: the make in the data is Cadillac. Cross-make comparisons (other brands’ related sedans) are not in this table and are not used as facts.
Bottom line: the Catera to specify is 3.0 AT. Check that RWD, Automatic 4, 203 hp / 1710 kg (8.42 kg/hp), and 8.5 s / 204 km/h fit the use. Treat mpg, clearance, wheels, gross weight, CO₂, and eco class as not measured. Do not shop a Catera V8 or a second generation from this catalogue — they are not listed.