The badge engineering was not something new for the American companies and similar, or identical, vehicles were offered with different badges.
Such was the case for the 1997 Opel Omega/Cadillac Catera.

The car was designed and produced in Germany and exported with a Cadillac badge on the reshaped grille. It was manufactured according to the specific rules and safety regulations from the IIHS. The car featured a European styling and that, thought the GM management, would steer some buyers from the regular premium-car buyers toward Cadillac. It was the first domestic luxury automaker that attacked the entry-level market.

The rounded corners, raked windshield, and a rounded roof. From the side, chromed wheels were fitted as standard. The taillights were different than those offered for the European market, with a long strip that connected the rear lighting units.

Inside, there was a roomy interior thanks to a long, 2.7-meter (107.5”) wheelbase. The compact V6 engine under the hood allowed a cab-forward construction. The interior featured amenities such as a Bose sound system with a combo-unit of CD and cassette player, power sunroof, and OnStar safety device.

Under the hood, the 3.0-liter unit offered 200 hp and it was mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission. The rear-wheel-drive vehicle was advertised as a German autobahn (highway) cruiser that would perform well under hard accelerations and constant high-cruising speeds.