From the time that Elvis was handing Sevilles out to showgirls, Cadillac has been promising to deliver sedans with the performance to match certain well-bought European brands. It did this in the belief that those Americans so Euro-besotted they’d drink a Mad Cow milkshake if it came from Provence would also buy an American car if it had the superior traits of a Mercedes or BMW.

Thus, the Seville engaged in an ongoing effort to halve the qualitative distance between itself and these cars – a theoretically endless project akin to trying to cross the Atlantic in successively thinner-hulled Titanics. But this year, Cadillac replaced its Seville with the nicely refined STS so that not only Americans, but also Europeans (including Russians) can buy one in the comfort of their own countries. Not only that, but rich Arabs, Israelis, Japanese, Taiwanese, and South Koreans are now able shop their own exotic Miracle Miles for an STS instead of the usual Acura RL or Mercedes E-Class.

With its Seville nameplate now gone the way of all things massively chrome plated, Cadillac also abandoned the front-wheel drive platform upon which it sat. The Caddie STS that replaces it is also a midsize sedan, but one that instead uses an extended version of the same “Sigma” architecture that underpins the Cadillac CTS. The new STS (as a mnemonic, think “Seville Touring Sedan”) is available with either a 3.6-liter, 255-horsepower V6 or a version of its 4.6-liter Northstar V8 that Cadillac’s tuned to 320. Each aluminum-alloy engine has dual overhead cams equipped with variable valve timing and is paired with a five-speed automatic transmission featuring a manual-shift gate. The V6s are exclusively rear-drivers, while the purchase of a V8 STS brings with it the option for all-wheel drive.

A larger version of the midsized CTS, the STS is also more refined looking. This comes as result of General Motors having subdued the sharp angles and planes that characterize the former car’s highly faceted “Art and Science” design theme. By gracing it with a more rounded-off styling, the STS’s designers maintained an aesthetic continuity with the last two generations of Sevilles, which, like it, are handsome cars appearing smaller than they actually are.

Aft of its classic egg-crate grille, the test STS had as little chrome as a stripped-down Chevy Biscayne. It seems all that chromeless cars now reflect is the irony that the sere sides that once marked a cheap car now indicate elegance and distinction. But to whichever end of the market its plain flanks took it, the test STS wasn’t a top of the line V8, but rather a rear-driven V6. In keeping with a laudable GM policy to provide cars of differing trim levels for review, here was one that – unlike the costlier STS V8 – could claim no trees were injured in the making of its dashboard. Not that the midnight blue STS was entirely a stripper, as its standard all-speed traction control, 16-inch disc brakes, and 17-inch aluminum wheels had joined with an optional sunroof and luxury package (including heated front seats and an eight-speaker Bose audio system with an in-dash CD changer) to brings its price up to more than $44,000.

Continuing with its theme of having nothing outre to prove, the STS’s interior design was also tasteful and contemporary – even if it seemed to have less refined workmanship than the competition. The front buckets were supportive and comfortable (although at least one winter-clad front passenger complained of feeling cramped), while the contoured rear bench offered excellent outboard seating for two adults and – as is typical in to day’s autos – had a center position best reserved for children making short hops. That said, the car’s excellent soundproofing helped the STS realize its goal of standing out as a quiet and relaxing touring sedan.

Not that driving one will put you to sleep. We drove ours to, along and beyond the succession of all-too-prosaic Miracle Miles that pass for countryside hereabouts. On all the roads through which it coursed, the solid-feeling STS built on an impressive baseline of stability with acceleration that was fast even without the V8 and steering that was communicative even in the absence of the $800 performance and handling package. As for its brakes, the STS’s antilock discs preformed well in the recent Northeast snowstorm, although we sometimes wished we’d drawn an AWD model.

Elvis’s showgirls are now septuagenarians who have left the building of Cadillac’s target demographics. That aside, we hope they can buy their own luxury cars now, and urge them to consider the STS while doing so. Best make it the rear-drive six though – that seems to be the best value outside the Snowbelt.