2018 Cadillac CT6 Platinum AWD |
3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 (404 hp @ 5700 rpm, 400 lb/ft @ 2500 rpm) Eight-speed automatic transmission, all-wheel drive 18 city / 26 highway / 21 combined (EPA Rating, MPG) 13.0 city / 9.1 highway / 11.2 combined (NRCan Rating, L/100km) 22.4 (observed mileage, MPG) Base Price: $89,290 USD, $102,895 CAD As Tested: $89,290 USD, $102,895 CAD Prices include $995 destination charge in the United States and $2,100 for freight, PDI, and A/C tax in Canada and, because of cross-border equipment differences, can’t be directly compared. |
Think back to your youth — no matter your age — and picture a proper luxury car from that era. Unless you’re a precocious teen stumbling upon this site, I’m certain you imagined some sort of plush sedan. Whether a powerful yet reserved Mercedes-Benz, a Broughamtastic Cadillac Sedan DeVille, or a stately Lincoln Town Car, the traditional three-box sedan has defined the ultimate in automotive opulence since the Second World War.
No longer, it seems. Today’s titans of industry are wholly given over to unfamiliar affections, finding happiness in another kind of conveyance: the big SUV. Whether Escalade, Navigator, or G-Class, rising above the poors means being seen above the poors. If design govern in a thing so large, whither tradition?
Since the default for extravagant luxury seems to be a full-size SUV, the traditional big floaty sedan’s days seem to be numbered. Does the 2018 Cadillac CT6 rage, rage against the dying of the breed? Or does it go gentle — with Super Cruise — into the good night?
Super Cruise is indeed the killer app here. Cadillac is careful to not use the term “autonomous” when describing the system — it’s called a “hands-free driver assistance feature” here — but it will maintain speed and lane on the interstate, even in curves.
For those of you unfortunate enough to have experienced my beloved hometown of Columbus, Ohio, perhaps the “Hospital Curve” on State Route 315 will be familiar. The six-lane divided highway was built in the 1960s to ease traffic flow from the northern suburbs into downtown Columbus, but the road makes a sharp S-turn near two hospitals to (mostly) avoid a century-old cemetery. It’s the site of a good deal of congestion, as well as frequent accidents caused by inattentive motorists.
[Get new and used Cadillac CT6 pricing here!]
So, it was with this highway in mind that I began my Super Cruise testing — yes, mom, with my hands inches from the wheel, and fully alert with sugar-free Monster.
Super Cruise can only be engaged on limited-access divided freeways — think interstates, with a defined median or Jersey barrier dividing traffic. It seems that Super Cruise isn’t happy at night. I drove the CT6 south from Detroit in the wee hours, and the system kept flashing red lights from the steering wheel and buzzing my seat telling me to take over after a few seconds of hands-free driving. The next day, however, Super Cruise let me cruise in daylight comfort.
The all-seeing eye is a funky camera that sticks up from the top of the steering column. It watches the driver for signs of alertness, and will issue a warning before handing control back over.
Long story short, Super Cruise handled the Hospital Curve perfectly. The cruising speed dropped slightly simply from the scrub of the tires, from roughly 68 mph to about 65 mph, and resumed once the curves faded in the rear-view.
Good news for those who don’t need the size of the CT6 — Super Cruise will be available across the entire Cadillac lineup by 2020.
I rather loved the night-vision camera fitted to the CT6. While Super Cruise didn’t help me much as I drove home late that night, the infrared display in the 12-inch gauge cluster showed a heat signature of a sneaky Ohio State Highway Patrol vehicle lurking behind tall grass in a median. I spotted the cruiser, dropping my speed to something a bit less conspicuous.
That said, the CT6 doesn’t exactly elicit a ton of attention from passers-by. It’s yet another in a long line of familiar, Art-and-Science-y folded paper designs from Cadillac. It’s handsome, certainly, and looks right in line with the rest of the Cadillac lineup, but it doesn’t really stand out. I do rather like the LED bars vertically flanking the headlamps, defining the fascia of the CT6. In a way, the bright vertical daytime running lights remind me a bit of iconic tailfins of the ‘50s, but obviously on the wrong end of the car.
The interior is where the CT6 shines. The seats are incredibly comfortable for long days behind the wheel. The massage feature was especially welcome after a too-long window-seat flight from the west coast, easing my back into something resembling normalcy. That the heated, cooling, massaging, adjustable chairs are available at all four places reminds me that a big luxury sedan isn’t just for the driver — it’s for those being driven.
In this case, as usual, the chauffeured were preteens. And they were pleased. Legroom in the rear is cavernous — the eldest was able to change into softball cleats without removing her seatbelt or kicking the seat in front of her.
The wireless charging pad is ingeniously located aft of the shifter, integrated just below the lid for the center console. My Samsung Galaxy S7 fit perfectly in this spot — it’s mostly hidden, but easily grabbed when time to leave the car. If your phone doesn’t support wireless charging, the slot is still perfectly situated to allow a USB or Lightning cord to connect the phone to the included Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.
Also superb was the Bose Panaray sound system. Of course, with 34 speakers, it should be. I’m baffled, however, by the squat center-channel speaker that rises from the dash upon engine startup, lowering again on shutdown. It doesn’t affect visibility one iota when raised, so why not leave it up permanently? I suppose, raised as I was on (British) cars that always had some electrical fault or another, I’m just expecting an eventual failure. I have to believe that speaker lift is just a bit of theater.
The powertrain is what one would expect from a sedate luxury sedan: powerful, but not overwhelming. It’s not the massive 500cid V8 found in a 1976 Eldorado, certainly, but the stout, twin-turbocharged V6 powers all four wheels with plenty of thrust and little drama. A pedal mash allows a bit of engine note to filter through to the cabin, but otherwise the drive is silent and serene. It’s a much more relaxed drive than in a big SUV, as the low center of gravity keeps the passengers from being tossed about without resorting to heavy springing. While the magnetic ride control handles most road imperfections brilliantly, an errant pothole did cause a bit of shudder through the cowl and into the cockpit.
Trunk space is quite good — Cadillac lists 15.3 cubic feet in the way back. Obviously, it’s not what one would find in a luxury SUV, but covered, locked trunk storage is an asset for many buyers. Back when I still played golf, I hated leaving my clubs in the open cargo area of an SUV while at the office. I much preferred a secure trunk to hide those valuables.
That’s what will keep some buyers in luxury sedans, I believe. The driving dynamics are better — even though the 2018 Cadillac CT6 is definitely no sports sedan — and secure trunk space is important. I prefer driving the CT6 over an Escalade, certainly, and this remains a bulwark against the crossover tide.
[Images and GIF: © 2018 Chris Tonn, GIF created by GIPHY]
Seems like a fine car, but would anyone spend $100,000 on it?
No they would spend that on a Lincoln Navigator Black Label.
Bingo
lease heavy
and if it does as well as A8, Merc S and BMW 7, it will be worth less than a Camry in 5 or so years
Cadillac’s problem is that they’re not charging ENOUGH money for this thing.
Cadillac will never get the prestige it wants until it realizes the Iron Law of Luxury:
“If you want to sell poorly-designed, unreliable junk, you’ve gotta demand big bucks for it.”
Cadillac doesn’t sell junk, but as long as they charge reasonable prices for their cars, the world’s upper echelons of opinion and taste will never take them seriously.
After all, look at all the German luxury brands.
Look at Audi, Mercedes and BMW. They all make cars that routinely suffer faults and malfunctions that – after over a century of building cars and considering their prices – should be unforgivable.
And they’ve been doing it long enough that no one should take them seriously anymore.
But the automotive press hails them as superior, world-class cars. Same thing with Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin and especially Bugatti.
So if Cadillac wants to get some respect, they need to do two things.
1 – Charge outrageously unjustifiable prices for their cars.
2 – Find a way to appeal to the world’s worst people, the absolute barrel-scrapings of mankind – the pro athletes, the rappers, the crime lords and the Third World dictators.
Didn’t they try that already with the ELR?
I agree with you, OneAlpha. One of the biggest problems with Cadillacs is that they’re not junky enough. There are way too many 10-, 15-, 20-year old Cadillacs on the road. And I’m not talking about well cared for classics. These are cars on their 4th or 5th owner, with wheels that are probably worth more than the car itself. Who with money wants to be associated with that?
German cars never last that long, so they’re a bit more exclusive. And exclusive means you look like money.
+1, TMA1 – I’ve long thought Detroit suffered from 3rd/4th/5th owner syndrome. US car resale values seem to be based on some sort of stereotype of a worst-case scenario of a mid-’70s domestic car. As a result, the cars sell very cheaply to owners with little wherewithal (be it financial or mental) to maintain them. The cars get abused, fall into disrepair (often cosmetic), and then function as rolling advertisements that Detroit produces junk.
Commencing with a ’78 GM B-body, all of my family’s cars save one (a German car, bought new in ’82) have been some variation of very reliable. The Japanese cars have been almost preternaturally so, but the Detroit cars haven’t been too far behind – just a handful of issues that were easily and inexpensively solved. (I think the worst one was a power-steering pump on a GM car that conked out, an inexpensive repair.)
If you’re a nut for low cost of ownership, one of the best things you can do, IMO, is be the 2nd owner of a well-maintained Detroit vehicle from a trusted friend, relative, or acquaintance. My parents have a 14-year-old pickup, bought used from a neighbor when it was about five years old. It runs beautifully.
The pricing is fine (and in fact, in future years, likely will go DOWN a bit) as the CT6 will be Cadillac’s mid-segment sedan (the flagship role taken by the production version of the Escala).
That’s just it, everyone knows that no one is going to pay a $100K for a Cadillac sedan (DeVille?) It’s almost insulting
I can’t get over how dowdy the interior looks, in that GM nondescript shade of dullness. It looks like my dad’s old Park Avenue, if not for the modern electronics.
The interior looks nothing at all like any ever installed in a Park Avenue. Better get your eyes checked lest people here start to think of you as one of those annoying people who posts nonsensical trollish comments.
@RedRocket agree 100%. This doesn’t have the tacked on giant smartphone on top of the dash like many luxury cars, so therefore it’s “dowdy” like a 1997 Buick? No. Just, no.
Seems like its another example of someone finding something, ANYTHING, to hate because it’s an American brand car. Worse, its an American luxury brand car. “Can’t put my finger on it, but its terrible for some reason.” *eye roll*
You need your eyes checked:
https://goo.gl/images/qev5vw
He is just trolling. And not in funny way either.
The side profile on this car looks excellent.
– Perfect all-glass DLO, no cheap plastic
– Great RWD proportions with a long dash to axle ratio
– A proper 3-box sedan design (the deck lid could be a tiny bit longer)
I think its beautiful inside and out. Sounds like it does almost everything right with very little compromise. Job well done, IMO.
“…handsome, certainly…but it doesn’t really stand out.”
Just like an A8, and at this level, a car should be conservatively styled.
“…Art-and-Science-y folded paper designs from Cadillac.”
The way you say that makes me wonder why angular cars are generally considered less attractive than organically sculpted ones.
Is it because straightish lines remind people of technology, and rounded curves look organic, and people are more subconsciously comfortable with biology?
In person it looks good. It just hard to tell if it is CTS or CT6 if you look at it from front or from back. We had one parked near our office. Every time walking by I thought it was CTS because it is difficult at distance to tell difference between CTS and CT6. 6 looks too similar to S if you look from distance. Cadillac used to have dramatic design.
The CT6 gets a styling refresh for 2019. Small tweaks but I think it improves upon the design of the ’18 pictured in this review.
From the review regarding the center speaker:
“I suppose, raised as I was on (British) cars that always had some electrical fault or another, I’m just expecting an eventual failure. I have to believe that speaker lift is just a bit of theater.”
I have a rising nav screen in my gen-2 CTS, and while you can choose to have it retracted at all times, I prefer the theater of having the screen rise as the Cadillac emblem animates on start-up, and slowly retract on shut-down. One of those little things I just like. That said, after 7 years of rising and retracting, no issues or failures related to the screen mechanism.
My C7 has an infotainment screen that can be lowered to revile a small storage compartment behind it. I share the authors fear of having it fail due to some wacky electrical gremlin. A few ‘Vette owners have reported it getting jammed over the years, but none have broken or failed completely. It seems like the perfect place to store sunglasses but I wouldn’t trust my phone in there. Honestly power windows work perfectly 99% of the time (unless its a VW) so I doubt my screen or in this case a small speaker would be a challenge to move every day.
Yeah, the Gen 2 CTS nav screens have been very trouble-free going by buzz on the forums. I know Audi had some issues with the nav screens on a quasi-recent version of the A6, but…it’s Audi.
Would say more than “small tweaks” – the refreshed CT6 gets Escala design cues where the headlight and taillight treatments are significantly different.
Even tho just a facelift (and not the full-on Escala-treatment), the new-look CT6 is more striking and elegant at the same time.
Hopefully, there will be some changes to the interior design/materials as well, but don’t think Cadillac will go too overboard in an upgrade as the CT6 will become Cadillac’s E Class, 5 Series, etc. competitor.
Nice article!! this is totally cool. now let the idiots come with their dumb ass remarks about the interior and pricing.
Seriously, what would you be willing to pay for this?
70,000 tops i dont think any car is worth more(unless we are talking classics). Would i cross shop with BMW or Mercedes? I would pick the Caddy over either of those. To be fair i’ve had my fill of both BMW and MB and am tired of the rough ride and high maintenance on both.
Here I am as requested. I think the interior is ok, though not very exciting.
I don’t really care much for the touchscreen, and it looks like it might show lots of fingerprints, but at least it is a bit lower than usual so it should be less distracting than usual. I wonder if it dims adequately at night?
Actually, I will praise the interior for one thing. I don’t see any tacky-looking piano black accents, which seem to be unavoidable on GM stuff lately. Addition by subtraction.
I actually like this car pretty well (from afar). I haven’t tried driving one.
The styling is the best I have seen on any Cadillac in … about 30 years. I hate the way most Cadillacs look, and I like this. So I guess that is a positive. Does it come in any colors, though?
I doubt the car will feel that sporty in any case, so I might suggest eliminating the turbochargers and just offering a regular V6. Or even (showing my ignorance here) a V8.
I am not really sold on Cadillac being a reliable car per se. I don’t have a great opinion of the quality of any of “the General’s” brands. (Having owned some examples.) And the Cadillac having more complicated tech actually makes me trust it less, because I just don’t believe GM has shaken all the bugs out.
From afar, this car looks like it might induce me to pay … $48k? So all GM has to do is put $40k cash on the hood and we are right there in the ballpark.
Nice review, Chris Tonn. The only omission would be a comment on the poorly-designed beer tap shifter which is unnecessarily complicated and confusing. Otherwise this is a superb car. Better watch it though because posting positive reviews of GM products is generally frowned upon here.
So Cadillac finally found the back seat.
CT6 is definitely one of those American cars I *want* to like, but if I were to place my dollars on the table, I’d probably go A6 / A8 / S-Class.
The interior, in particular, is somehow odd to me: it looks nice, but kind of frumpy and dull for a luxobarge. It’s not bad, just doesn’t look anything special. For that kind of money, I’d like something with a bit more ‘wow’ to it. The new A6/A7/A8 interior looks techno-fabulous, the current S-Class is very luxurious looking, and even the new S90 has a unique, clean, beautiful look to it. I cannot similarly ascribe any words to the CT6 other than, “it’s fine.”
Totally non offensive, but not special, either.
Like most big Caddies lately, I can imagine some killer deals once they come off-lease in a few years. When it is $20k less than the off-lease A8 sitting next to it, probably an easier sell.
Probably more in the TTAC price range at that point, too…
While the market niche is somewhat narrow, this is a great car for the reasonably well-off who don’t mind hanging on to a car for five years or so. Dynamically and feature-wise it’s as good as the German iron but is less likely to suffer expensive problems once the warranty expires.
One point from the review that needs addressing: the number of speakers is, most definitely, not the measure of the quality of a sound system. In fact, it can be argued, quite strongly, that the quality of the speakers suffers as a result. Give me four SEAS, Scan-Speak, Focal or Morel drivers in place of 34 Bose speakers any day. I guarantee you that they will sound markedly better.
Indeed, I second that. I always wondered how VW charged so relatively little for their Dynaudio systems (prior to this Fender garbage).
On a different note, I *really* wish Cadillac would change the rear deck font. That font design is so cheap-looking (and I think it’s mimicked in the ATS dash). It just seems so late ’80’s Grand Am…
Oh man, you wrote a positive Cadillac review and posted it on TTAC?
Better check your mail for Novichok and Anthrax before opening it – the TTACillati is going to be angered.
I would watch what you say about reliability, German luxury does have their frequent service issues but Cadillac does too. We had an SRX for several years and it was by far the least reliable car I have owned. Come to think of it all the GM cars my wife and I have driven had more reliability issues compared to other brands we have owned. I have finally learned my lesson and the SRX was our last GM purchase. I have had much better luck with Japanese and Korean brand cars/SUVs. Everyone has their experiences with brands but being burned more than once will turn people off of a brand real quick!
I am on my second Cadillac. My 2009 had 0 issues, but I did turn it in rather early at only 80,000 miles. All I ever put on it was tires, wiper blades and oil. My second Cadillac is a 2013 that currently has 65,000 miles on it. It did have an issue, covered by warranty right after purchasing and that was a failed seal in the rear differential that the car detected and shut down the rear drive and made the car all FWD. Other than that, just fresh rubber and oil. The 2013 up until recently wasn’t even costing me $$ for oil changes, so out of guilt, I bought air filters at my last service. I even asked the dealer if my brakes were nearing replacement, since they are Brembo brakes after all. He told me that they were 8 out of 10 on wear…. srsly!
I am on my second Cadillac. My 2009 had 0 issues, but I did turn it in rather early at only 80,000 miles. All I ever put on it was tires, wiper blades and oil. My second Cadillac is a 2013 that currently has 65,000 miles on it. It did have an issue, covered by warranty right after purchasing and that was a failed seal in the rear differential that the car detected and shut down the rear drive and made the car all FWD. Other than that, just fresh rubber and oil. The 2013 up until recently wasn’t even costing me $$ for oil changes, so out of guilt, I bought air filters at my last service. I even asked the dealer if my brakes were nearing replacement, since they are Brembo brakes after all. He told me that they were 8 out of 10 on wear…. srsly!
*dons flame suit*
I really like this car. But I would like it more if it had a Northstar under the hood…
Amen! The last of the Northstars were everything a Cadillac engine should be, smooth, powerful and great-sounding (in a restrained way) upon application of full throttle. I loved mine.
But have faith, a new Cadillac-only V8 is coming.
I have a Aurora and sometime next year, I’m looking at picking up a DTS as a daily driver. The 2003 and forward Northstars were really good, it’s sad by that point their reputation was pretty much ruined. I’ll admit it, I love Northstars.
But why wait? GM already has one of the best V8 engine designs ever with the LS family. The GenV 6.2 would be just fine.
It’s hard to explain, but the LS is just a different beast then the Northstar. It’s just not the same
You’re right. My ’07 has the LS2. It’s not the same as a Northstar – it’s better.
Is the LS2 better than the Northstar? Yes and No. The LS2 is less expensive to build and is more compact than an LS2. As for power, later variants of the pushrod V8 have far exceeded the 320HP rating of the last Northstar, whose development really ended around 2003 or so. As a result, it’s hard to say if the Northstar ever reached its potential. Where the Northstar is better is in its refinement. It is smoother than any of the LS motors and has a much stronger bottom end due to the split block design that does a better job of locating crank and preventing axial wear on the main bearings. Does that matter? To some, it does.
The LS is, truly, a marvel of what can be done with a pushrod design and there is no getting away from the lower manufacturing costs, compact size and relatively low weight compared to an DOHC design. These are powerful advantages for a mass-produced product.
DOHC V8s are really premium products. That, in my opinion, is a key ingredient in a car that aspires to be a cut above the more common models. Is it justifiable to build a bespoke V8 for Cadillac? Who can really say. But a Cadillac with a Northstar was, definitely, a better car than one with a V6. I seriously miss my ’08 STS. It was a real Cadillac in many ways and one of them was the butter-smooth Northstar. My subsequent CTS with a V6 was not, by any measure, in the same league.
I don’t really understand the “If it only had a V8” argument. Is it power? How much hp do you need above 404 for a car like this? I believe the 6.2 LS in the Escalade rates right around that.
Is it smoothness? Chris stated in his review…
“It’s not the massive 500cid V8 found in a 1976 Eldorado, certainly, but the stout, twin-turbocharged V6 powers all four wheels with plenty of thrust and little drama. A pedal mash allows a bit of engine note to filter through to the cabin, but otherwise the drive is silent and serene.”
Yes, there are two less cylinders but does it really matter?
Partly heritage. Cadillac flew the V8 banner for nearly 100 years. It’s hard to just turn that switch off.
Partly because the 3.0T lags pretty bad for a modern turbo engine (check out its rolling acceleration times).
Partly for overall acceleration. The CT6 3.0T has Charger RT speed. For $90K I think it should be more S560.
To bunkie,
Just to add on to a couple of your points:
1)”its hard to say whether the Northstar ever reached it’s potential ”
From what I’ve read, in THEORY, the block could have been bored out to 5.4 liters. Now, I know of no one who has actually done that, but I believe the capability was there, just never utilized. Now imagine the power it would have put out at 5.4 liters. It’s also a shame the Ultra V8 and V12 were canceled.
“Development of the Northstar stopped pretty much around 2003”
Pretty much. In 2003, the head bolts were changed to a coarser thread to prevent the all too common issue of the head studs pulling out of the block, thus causing head gasket failure. I believe that was the last known revision of the Northstar.
I think Bunkie and you are basically right. Wasn’t the ’04 model year when longitudinal, VVT version appeared?
I share Bunkie’s sentiments. I’m a little biased because my parents had a good experience with the Northstar (in a 5th-gen Seville bought from a relative’s estate and owned from about 30,000 miles until about 110,000 miles). Even in FWD form, I found it really nice.
The pre-MagneRide continuously variable road-sensing suspension (CVRSS) also performed flawlessly, so my parents must have been living right. ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Any V6 will be less smooth than a 90 degree V8 which has an inherent balance. Many manufacturers have done an excellent job of isolating their V6 engines, but that is a complication that is not as critical as it is with a V8. In the end, as with all engineering decisions, it’s a tradeoff. In my opinion, a luxusry car *must* prioritize smoothness. Having driven both the last of the I6 BMW 328s and the newer I4 turbo versions, something very important was lost along with the two cylinders. The I6 smacked of refinement while the I4 felt lumpy and crude by comparison.
Which is better? It depends upon what you want. If compactness and EPA numbers are what you are after then a V6 is the way to go. Add a turbo or two to get V8 power numbers. If instant throttle response is the goal, it’s hard to beat a V8. I’ve never owned a turbocharged car. I like instant throttle response. It comes from a lifetime of riding motorcycles whe the ability to move *right now* can save your butt.
Rank, livery mid-western appeal from a garbage company. No thanks, I’ll stick with Lexus.
Rank, elitist garbage comment from a badge whore. No thanks, I’ll stick with whatever you won’t drive.
That last shot of the infotainment screen is confusing and hard for me to read. In fact I couldn’t be sure I was puhing the right “button” without putting on my reading glasses. Which is not safe for me to do while driving.
I suppose $90k makes sense considering it looks like a 40k car with a 50k interior. Which is fine as the only people this will appeal to are old people with money for whom the name Cadillac means something.
What a boring looking car, inside and out. Nothing exciting about it and in addition to that its a GM lowest bidder junkfest. Next!
Question re: Super Cruise:
if Super Cruise doesn’t work for some reason (like in the dark), do you still have regular cruise control?
And by “regular” I mean “no automation at all”.
I ask because VW, in their infinite wisdom, does not allow for normal cruise control if the adaptive cruise control is not available. And that’s the stupidest thing. The damn sensor is right up front, and is all too easily dinged and moved and whatnot–and when that happens you have NO cruise control at all.
Stupid VW.
That’s the nicest Malibu I’ve ever seen.
Stylistically, this is more in line with what I’d prefer. The all angles and rulers language has never done anything for me. Then again, coming from a working class family “luxury” vehicles, no matter the definition have never been anything anybody in my family could hope to aspire to. Consequently, my perceptions might be skewed.
Examples of what I like as far as looks go are the Audi-esque tastefully understated, or Mazda-esque organic. They’re completely different takes on what attractive means, but I feel they’ll age well.
15 cu. ft trunk? Wife’s Camry has 15.1 cu ft. Let’s put this into perspective- the ’73 Coupe de Ville she learned to drive on had a 25 cu ft trunk. That four sets of clubs… with carts… for you golfers. There’s a reason the Escalade still sells.
Another review that barely mentions the handling (other than Hospital Curve). The handling was what I noticed first when I had one for about a week when they first came out. The CT6 felt relatively light and I assume it IS light, what with the aluminum underpinnings.
One of its toughest competitors, I think, is the Genesis G80 and G90. Which are very impressive cars and, from what I hear, dead reliable. But they don’t feel light on their feet.
And the CT6 is leagues better than the new Lincoln Continental, which by comparison is like driving a Greyhound Bus. I guess the Lincoln looks impressive.
Is there big market for people who just don’t want to buy German (or are wary of buying German)?
When you get up to the 90 grand price of this Platinum model CT6, I should think your customer would just pony up the difference for, say, an Audi A8.
The big savings are when you opt for the smaller engines and fewer options. You can score a CT6 for way lower. Maybe it wouldn’t have the magnetic-ride control (which I think is terrific) but you’d still have a hell of a car.
Isn’t there a Chinese-made plug-in hybrid version of this car?
There’s also a 2.0 version. So premium!
WHY is there a strip of carbon fiber across the dash of every CST65
Understated, clean design. Looks better in person than photos.
As to naming, FLEETWOOD would have had more impact than CT6.
Isn’t this engine going to be supplanted (or more likely replaced) in Cadillacs by the soon-to-be-released Cadillac-designed 4.2 Liter Twin Turbocharged V8?
Personally, I think that the V8 from the Corvette would have been fine, but there’s a Northstar successor waiting in the wings.
American luxury, I like it. I looked at one of these for about 5 minutes, walked past it and purchased a CTS-V to replace my recently totaled 6mt SS. I’m only 51 so I’m not ready for that “level” of luxury just yet.
The CTS is being delivered from out of state on Monday, I can’t wait. Killer deals happening now, I would’nt expect to pay 100k for this either.
AWD, really, you did not even discuss this. As I remember, the rear gets only a limited amount of torque when the front wheels spin. This from the 2016 model, has that changed and is that really AWD?
We may never know. I don’t see too many of these in the green leafy burbs (Bergen, Nassau, Westchester and Fairfield counties, the $$$ bedroom suburbs of NYC) Cadillac penetration is very low-occasional ATS, super rare CTS, and every now and again, an SRX – XT5…
Compared to the flood of big 3 Germans, not even a drop in the bucket. You’d not notice them unless a geek who hangs out on car blogs.
Speaking of which, I have temporary custody of an XTS. It too has issues, and I am tasked to isolate two clunks from the rear of this 55k miles car (got one, transmission reprogram needed, second is an end link ? not sure yet), and sadly, can’t say it’s much, if at all, better quality than my second gen CTS. Likewise, a rental of a CTS-V showed the car to be awesome performance with equally meh interior…so no, I’d not pony 100k for a CT6.