Of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't post about the latest upcoming Cadillac models. If you've been following the brand lately, you likely have seen how determined Cadillac is now about competing with the world's biggest luxury brands, such as Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW. This means that a new take on the brand's now signature "Art and Science" design language was in order, and quickly ushered in to elevate products to a new level of luxury. And this is where the CT6 and XT5 come in. Both models follow closely in the footsteps laid out by the ATS and CTS that came before them, and also debut Cadillac's new naming system they will be using on future models. Sedans will now start with the letters "CT" followed by a number, where SUVs will be called "XT" followed by a number. The only vehicle to break this rule will be the Escalade, which will keep its name indefinitely, likely due to how iconic it is now (Lincoln also recently said the Navigator, the Escalade's biggest competitor, will never change its name either). Personally, I prefered it when all of the luxury brands out there used actual names for their cars instead of the letter/number combination names we have now because it made the models more memorable I feel. But hey, that's just me. It's a strategy that seems to have worked better for some brands than others, Cadillac being one of those brands fortunately.
As these are all new models, you can expect that these vehicles will use some of the latest high-quality, high-strength, weight-saving components such as aluminum body pieces. And additionally, you can expect some very savvy and innovative things to be taking place on the interior of these cars as well, such as alcantara/leather seating and dashboard pieces, a 32-speaker Bose premium sound system in the CT6, a revised Cadillac CUE infotainment system, and an array of new engine and transmission choices developed specifically for Cadillac applications. Auto-stop/start, where the vehicle will shut the engine off at a stop after a period of time has passed in order to save fuel, a plug-in hybrid model planned for the CT6, and twin-turbo power are just a couple of the features you can expect from General Motor's forthcoming lineup of engines, which build off of the award-winning, innovative designs of past powertrains GM has regularly used.
While pricing for the XT5 hasn't been announced yet, I would expect it to not be objectionably higher than the starting price of the current SRX crossover, which is what the XT5 is replacing (the 2016 Cadillac SRX starts at $37,605). And besides, the SRX is but one of many vehicles participating in a very competitive, growing market: the luxury crossover segment. Plus, it is one of Cadillac's most popular models as well, and you definitely do not want to alienate buyers in a segment that is as competitive as that one is these days. This is seen clearly in the XT5's design, which retains the overall shape and greenhouse of the SRX, but at the same time, is lighter, sleeker, and a tad bit longer than the model it is replacing. This should translate to a more stylish and roomy interior as a result, and better ride quality as well with its new suspension setup.
The new CT6 will start at $56,490, and will compete with the likes of the BMW 7-Series, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, and Audi A8. From what I've heard, drives like a much smaller car than it actually is. This would certainly be an awesome feat, as the CT6 makes use of 13 different kinds of unique materials in its design, and that sort of compliment was not one that was given too often to big Cadillac sedans of the past, no matter how opulent they were.
So overall, Cadillac has been on a roll lately with their designs, capturing attention from all around the world. The XT5 even debuted in Dubai before the L.A. Auto Show even got underway! If that doesn't clearly demonstrate where Cadillac's mindset is these days, I'm not sure what else will. I'm looking forward to seeing and driving these vehicles in person myself in the near future.
Copyright © 2015 Adam's Autos, All Rights Reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment