The New Cadillac CT6 Provides Mixed Emotions
As the luxury brand evolves for the modern era, it can be hard to shake preconceived notions.
Sometimes that’s good and sometimes it’s not so good.
For example, when I think of Cadillac, I’m reminded of the excitement I felt as a child when my dad pulled into the driveway in his brand new (to us) Cadillac. It was the longest car I’d ever seen but I knew it was all about luxury. From the two-toned exterior to the white leather interior, a Cadillac in our driveway was definitely a status symbol.
Cadillac continues the luxury tradition
Cadillac continues to be a standard of American luxury and now they are attempting to redefine what that really means. The introduction of the Cadillac CT6 is the first major step in that direction.
Cadillac debuted its all new addition to their line-up at a high brow event at the Duggel Greenhouse in Brooklyn, NY on Tuesday night. With cocktails to welcome the many guests as they arrived via water taxi, the crowd excitement began to build until entry was opened to the presentation area.
Providing a visually stunning display, the anticipation was great as Johan de Nysschen, President of Cadillac, took to the stage. He detailed most of the key differentiators in this brand new model that he expects to take Cadillac to a next generation standard. With the music and visuals in a crescendo while attendees read quotes about greatness, the presentation ended with their tagline “Dare greatly” followed by the presentation of the vehicle.
Journalists crowd around the new CT6
If you’ve never been to an unveiling or a car reveal, it’s a marketing show full of emotion. When the car is finally presented, most in attendance will clap and you immediately see the press clamor to their feet to capture the best shot.
It’s at this point that I stand back and watch what’s going on. I don’t want the first exciting glimpse. I want to take my time and approach the car when I have time to fully appreciate it. So I bided my time sipping champagne and dining on Chilean sea bass and lobster tail. While I was making small talk with one of the chief engineers of the CT6 and became surprisingly interested (for once) in what was under the covers.
Under the hood (and body) proved to be surprisingly interesting
If you’re anything like me, you see a big mess like this and simply catalog it as “engine” and move along. But this is actually what is pretty intriguing about the CT6. The all new 3.6L V6 engine is providing what Cadillac claims is “segment-leading power, efficiency in world’s most advanced six-cylinder.” Put quite simply, it has the power of a 6-cylinder engine but can provide the efficiency of a 4-cylinder engine by simply not using two of the six cylinders when not needed or necessary.
But it was the chassis that actually held my attention. To reduce overall body weight (providing greater efficiency) while maintaining the safety and stability of the car, the Cadillac team incorporated a blend of steel, aluminum, and cast aluminum (yes, there is a difference). To hear one of the engineers talking about the thought processes involved in this dual-metal chassis and the challenges they had to overcome, it was clear that this was a project of passion.
The design fell a little flat
So what’s not to love? After hearing all of the technological advances and the drive to dare greatly, I was ready to see this brand-changing vehicle in its full glory. What I found was a vehicle that looked an awful lot like, well, a Cadillac.
The luxury elements were still well-intact but the design just didn’t wow me. Understanding that a strong brand like Cadillac doesn’t want to alienate its loyal fans but still want to move forward in innovation, they settled for what looks like a nice compromise.
The exterior lighting was gorgeous and the squared off nose gave it a more modern feel (and seemed vaguely reminiscent of the Chrysler 300).
The interior was spacious and well-appointed but fairly classic in its design.
Cadillac will heat up the large luxury sedan space
Overall, the CT6 shows as a modernized version of Cadillac luxury. Its technological innovation and fresher design positions it to take on other large sedans in the luxury space. It’s possible that it can compete with vehicles like the Mercedes S-Class or the Lexus LS but we won’t know for sure until it rolls out of production later this year.
And if the CT6 shows up on our doorstep, we’ll still be more than happy to take it for a test drive.
The author was provided travel and transportation accommodations by General Motors as part of a sponsored program at the New York International Auto show.
Categorized:Car Buying Car Reviews