C/D: 2016 Cadillac CT6 revealed

[kevm14]

http://www.caranddriver.com/news/2016-c ... -info-news

They were serious about weight reduction. Very serious.

The engineering focus for the CT6 was a fanatical avoidance of unnecessary heft. Its exterior dimensions and interior spaciousness put the CT6 roughly even with BMW’s short-wheelbase 7-series, yet the company claims the naked body-in-white is both lighter and stiffer than those of the smaller BMW 5-series and Audi A6. In fact, Cadillac says this big sedan will have a curb weight under 3700 pounds, roughly the same as the current CTS, despite stretching 8.5 inches longer than that model. Needless to say, we’re looking forward to getting one on our scales to verify the claim.

2016-Cadillac-CT6-101-876x535.jpg

2016-Cadillac-CT6-108-876x535.jpg

Huh...no V8 at debut.

In fact, the base engine has half as many cylinders. GM’s 2.0-liter turbo inline-four is the starter engine, making about 265 horsepower, and it’s followed by two all-new V-6s. The first is a naturally aspirated, direct-injected 3.6-liter pumping out 335 horses, and the second is a twin-turbo 3.0-liter unit spinning up 400 ponies and an equal helping of torque. All three engines will work through an eight-speed automatic, and the four-cylinder will be the only rear-wheel-drive model. It’s true—V-6 cars will come standard with a new, active all-wheel-drive system, which routes 40 percent of torque to the front in normal conditions, features a 50/50 winter mode, and boasts a sport setting that sends 70 percent of the engine’s output rearward. It’s important to point out that Cadillac boss Johan de Nysschen has promised that a high-performance twin-turbo V-8 will find its way under the CT6’s hood eventually, but no details on this engine were available at the car’s debut.

Options wood:

Quad-zone HVAC means every occupant save the sap relegated to the rear-middle can have his or her atmospheric desires met, and a truly outlandish optional Bose Panaray stereo featuring 34 speakers will pummel passengers with sound.

[kevm14]

Did anyone catch the mention of 4 wheel steering? Sweet.

[kevm14]

Exterior cameras permit a 360-degree view around the CT6, and they feed an updated (and hopefully vastly improved) CUE infotainment system that features a high-definition, 10.2-inch touch screen. Functions are controllable via a new touchpad located just forward of the driver’s armrest that can recognize handwritten letters. The camera system is the first that allows recording of the front or rear views while driving—perfect for CT6 track days!—and it saves 360-degree video when the car’s security system is triggered

Another video screen, this one a 1280-by-240-pixel LCD, is hidden behind the conventional shiny glass of the rearview mirror and displays a virtual full-field rear view unobstructed by the car’s roof pillars and rear-seat occupants. Should you prefer the old-fashioned glass reflection, a flip of the day/night lever at the bottom of the mirror makes the LCD wink off

I didn't realize the rearview screen could be disabled. Perhaps that's a regulated requirement. Still, the lack of obstruction of the C pillars is a nice benefit.

I am a little bit concerned that this is Cadillac's Equus. But that vehicle is really just a poor man's LS460. This is something better, I think.

[kevm14]

But perhaps even more important, the CT6’s proportions, emphasis on efficient low-displacement performance, and allotment of rear legroom has it poised to sell big in a growth market beyond our shores: China. Like Lincoln with the upcoming Continental, Cadillac wants a larger slice of China’s booming luxury-car market, and the CT6 production plans follow that line. While U.S. output begins at the end of this year at GM’s Detroit-Hamtramck plant, in early 2016 the company also will start building the big sedan at a new facility in China. Cadillac plans to export the CT6 to Europe, Korea, Japan, Israel, and the Middle East, too.

It’s a necessary move for the 113-year-old brand, as success in the luxury-car market can no longer be defined by U.S.-centric achievements. Cadillac once said it was the Standard of the World, and the CT6 provides a good glimpse of how GM and Mr. de Nysschen envision the brand will once again embody that boast. At this point, at least, the glimpse looks promising.

That quote was for Bill.

[kevm14]

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sed ... 0216382330

The CT6 is a full-size RWD luxury sedan. How full-size? Wheelbase is a pretty good indicator of overall carriage. The CT6's wheelbase measures 122.4 inches. How does that compare to other cars? Well, Caddy's own CTS has a 114.6-inch wheelbase, and our 2014 Car of the Year is pretty big to begin with. Cadillac's XTS has a 111.7-inch wheelbase. Going outside the brand and looking at the competition, the Mercedes-Benz S550 has a 124.6-inch wheelbase. But before you go screaming at Cadillac for not being big enough, please note that the S550 we get in the States is actually the long-wheelbase S-Class, the V222. In most of the rest of the world you can purchase the regular W222, which rides on a 119.5-inch wheelbase. The wheelbase is the only exact measurement Cadillac will cop to (who knows why), but we have "preliminary estimates" for the other dimensions: 204-inch length, 74-inch width, and a very specific 57.9 inches tall. The S-Class that we Yanks can buy? 206.5 x 74.8 x 58.9.

122.4 is fairly long for a car.

The sub-3,700 lb car will probably be the RWD model with the 2.0 w/ 265hp.

[kevm14]

But the CT6 isn't simply RWD, as there's an "Active-On-Demand" all-wheel-drive system composed of a continuously variable clutch that can route up to 959 lb-ft of torque to the front wheels. Why on earth you would ever want to do that, I don't know, but I think it's just Cadillac engineering's way of bragging how stout the transfer case is. Sorta like when AMG says its engine can make 10 billion torques (or whatever), but it has to limit it to 738 lb-ft to preserve the transmission

I like the part where Jonny Lieberman doesn't understand engineering. That clutch would reside at the output of the transmission. But let's walk through something for a moment. Torque at the wheels = torque at the engine * trans gear reduction * axle ratio. So 400 lb-ft @ engine in a 1st gear with a ratio of 4.56:1 through an axle of 2.93 gives a wheel torque of 5,344 lb-ft.

Perhaps they meant 959 lb-ft to the axle, meaning the clutch has to handle 959 lb-ft of torque (as output from the transmission). 100% of engine torque would be a theoretical 400 lb-ft * 4.56 = 1,824. If it can route up to 50% to the front, that's 912 lb-ft to the front axle.

So, I dunno what the 959 lb-ft spec is but I can't see it being flywheel output.

[kevm14]

Perhaps the proper way to think of this car is a proper XTS replacement. They are still going upmarket from here.

Hmm.

The CT6 was in development in concert with the CTS. Both the Alpha and Omega platforms were designed around the same time.

Originally, this car was to compete with the Big 3 Germans, but Johan came on and immediately knew this car couldn't dance with the S550(in overall luxury), so decided against making it the flagship.

I can see your confusion. If this is not the true flagship, then what will become of the CTS when the flagship arrives? And what will be the pricing of said flagship?

I think this car will be priced at about $65-85k, leaving headroom for true flagship in the $85-105k price class...

[kevm14]

Agreed on the 3 sizes. All the german makes have their M, L and XL sizes why can't Caddy? And I actually like the way the CTS looks so this doesn't bother me all that much. Its clean, modern and has much presence - I'm good. I think a lot of people are still upset that it doesn't look more like the Elmiraj concept.

The Elmiraj most certainly would've "broken the internet". But I find the CTS the most attractive midsize luxury available. So when I saw this, I thought the larger proportions were well tailored around the CTS' profile.

We are in the minority then because I don't get the furor. Lincoln reveals a concept featuring CLEAR derivation from at least 6 marques on a FWD platform, yet it gets rave reviews. Cadillac has it's own styling on a production RWD car, and people lose their sh....

This.

[bill25]

I think that Lincoln did a great job of modernizing the exterior. Their new concept looks really good, and fitting for what their brand should be in my eyes.
(The bad, is that it should have been RWD, and the interior is hideous)

If Lincoln really wants to make a splash, they should do a modern exterior concept of their iconic suicide door body style. That would sell. (if RWD and has power)


Cadillac struggles with fitting.

They have the ATS, CTS, CT6, and a flagship according to this. Maybe that is fine now that the CT6 isn't the "flagship". I just think it wasn't good enough to command +100K, which I decided, a Cadillac Flagship competing with a 7 Series should get.

[kevm14]

I heard the V8 offered later will be a 4.5L twin turbo affair.

4.5L? If I had to guess I'd say either updated Northstar or a new DOHC design. The rest of the world apparently wants everything to be the same. Actually, shouldn't it be a 4.0L to match this new magic number of 500cc per cylinder? Maybe it will be. But that's the problem. Something pushrod would be interesting because that's GM's unique thing (other than the smaller range of Hemi engines at Chrysler). With a DOHC 4.5L twin turbo V8, GM will have the same thing everyone else has. Interesting is bred out as we all head toward the same thing. And to say nothing of EV cars where powertrain character will be a matter of a motor controller calibration. Makes me sad.

The past 40 years have been amazing as more and more exciting things were happening with the internal combustion engine. I bring this up all the time, but remember the achievement of the 3.8 SFI turbo? That cannot be replicated. The state of technology is so high that there is no more interesting innovation to be had. As a GM guy, of course I would say the most interesting thing of the last 40 years was the LS engine, when you take into account mass production, cost, reliability and all those metrics. Nothing really compares. So to hear the next fancy V8 to go in the CT6 is not a small block causes me to react this way.