Rumors have been circling that General Motors will unload a number of nameplates, possibly the Buick LaCrosse and Chevrolet Impala and Sonic, to make room for crossovers. While GM hasn’t commented on these reports, Cadillac boss Johan de Nysschen is setting the record straight on plans for his brand.
Speaking with Reuters, de Nysschen said that a single new car called the Cadillac CT5 will take the place of the current XTS, CTS, and ATS sedans. The three models, which won’t have direct replacements, end their life cycles in 2019.
“We have to rebalance our sedan portfolio,” de Nysschen said.
The new CT5 will enter production at the current ATS and CTS factory in Michigan. It will be directed toward customers looking for a sedan in the $35,000-$45,000 price range. An Audi A3-fighter will also be available and will be built in Michigan. Those looking for a higher-end model will have new versions of the CT6 sedan to choose from, with prices for the range starting at $50,000. Today’s 2018 Cadillac CT6 starts at $55,090.
A statement from Cadillac said, “As the current ATS, CTS and XTS run their natural course until the end of their planned life-cycle, we will introduce two completely new sedans, positioned in different segments and clearly differentiated by size and price while exhibiting the latest evolution of the Cadillac design language.” Cadillac also said the CT6 will expand with additional engine variants in the future.
While Cadillac is ready to cut sedans, it will introduce more SUVs. A compact XT4 is the first one on the docket, followed by a large three-row crossover by 2019.
The brand that discontinued the slow-selling ELR is also getting serious about electrified vehicles. Referencing Volvo’s plans to sell only electrified vehicles from 2019, de Nysschen said Cadillac’s plans are “not dissimilar to what Volvo has announced.” Expect new vehicles with electric motors to launch in the second half of the next decade, he said.
Although Cadillac’s sales are up 27 percent globally during the first half of the year, numbers in the U.S. dropped slightly. Overall U.S. sales for Cadillac are down just 1.6 percent in the U.S., but sedan sales for the brand tumbled 16.3 percent.
Source: Reuters