At 184.3 in (4,681 mm) in overall length, the BLS was almost six inches shorter than the CTS, the smallest Cadillac that was available in the United States or Canada.

[11] Lutz, a supporter of badge engineering, wanted to leverage the Saab 9-3 to fill holes in Cadillac's product range.

While the BLS was a market failure, many of the techniques of badge engineering employed in the BLS resulted in other GM product successes, most notably a significant improvement in overall passenger car product quality and performance output.

According to GM, BLS stands for "B-segment Luxury Sedan", being in a smaller class than the CTS mid-size saloon.

This is consistent with the Seville Luxury Sedan, later known as the Cadillac SLS in China.