The Cadillac CT6 is a full-size luxury car manufactured by Cadillac. The CT6 was introduced at the 2015 New York International Auto Show and went on sale in the U.S. in March 2016. It is the first car to adopt the brand's revised naming strategy, as well as the first rear-wheel drive full-size Cadillac sedan since the Fleetwood was discontinued in 1996. It is built on a different platform than the smaller CTS and is engineered as a rear-wheel drive vehicle with optional all-wheel drive. In addition to its primary markets of North America and China, the CT6 is also offered in Europe, Korea, Japan, and the Middle East. General Motors discontinued the assembly of the Cadillac CT6 for non-Chinese markets in February 2020 due to retooling of the Detroit/Hamtramck facility for electric vehicle production, beginning with the new GMC Hummer EV. A new flagship, called the Celestiq, is in development and will be a battery-powered liftback sedan.
Overview
The CT6 is longer and wider than the XTS and offers more interior volume. It uses a mix of steel and aluminum making it lighter than other cars in its size class. It was brought to market as an addition to, not a replacement for, the now-discontinued XTS. Cadillac projected the CT6 would be the temporary flagship until it would bring a larger, more luxurious CT8 sedan to market. However, the CT8 did not come to fruition, and the CT6 remained the brand's flagship sedan. For the American market, the CT6 was manufactured at GM's Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly plant. On March 11, 2016, the first CT6 delivery took place, having been delivered to the winner of a 2015 auction for the first CT6 sold. The vehicle sold for $200,000 at the auction. The car was "Platinum" trim level and painted Stellar Black Metallic. Installed within the CT6 is the second generationCUE system, 4G LTE connectivity, and an 8 speaker Bose audio system, a Bose Centerpoint 10 speaker system included with the "Luxury" and "Premium Luxury" package, with a 34-speaker Bose Panaray audio system included with the top level "Platinum" package. Cadillac once again offers the Enhanced Night Vision which was discontinued as of 2004 on the DeVille. Available equipment includes Adaptive Cruise Control, as well as Magnetic Ride Control coupled with accident avoidance technologies. New with the CT6 is the Rear Camera Mirror, which uses streaming video from a camera that displays within the rear view mirror, which provides an enhanced view without obstructions from the "C-pillar" and passengers sitting in the rear area. The front seats can be adjusted 14 different ways, with an optional 16- or 20-way adjustment package that includes heated and cooled seat with a massage feature for both front and rear passengers. Rear seat passengers are also offered, retractable 10" LCD screens that extract up from the back of the front seat seatbacks, behind the front seat headrests that can play Blu-ray content for brought-in devices, that were introduced on the Cadillac Escala concept car.
Powertrain
The CT6 was initially available with a choice of three engines, a 4-cylinder 2.0-liter turbo and two V6 engines, a 3.6-liter and a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged offering and together with cylinder deactivation. The CT6 will be available in both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. A 4.2-liter twin-turboV8 engine is available for the 2019 models making in the CT6-V and in the V-Sport version. Torque for both engines is respectively.
CT6 PHEV
A plug-in hybrid variant, the CT6 PHEV, debuted at the 2015 Shanghai Auto Show. The plug-in hybrid uses a similar powertrain as the current Chevrolet Volt. The powertrain combines a 266 hp, 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder direct injected gasoline engine with a two motor, hybrid transmission and a liquid cooled 18.4 kWhlithium-ion battery pack, which is integrated into the car floor as well as an e-CVT. Total combined power is. The powertrain is manufactured in the United States and the vehicle's final assembled point is in Jinqiao, China. The CT6 plug-in hybrid was released in the Chinese market in December 2016. Pricing in China started at , with a higher trim at before any applicable government incentives. The CT6 PHEV went on sale in the U.S. in March 2017 in Premium Luxury trim level with a base price of US$75,095, also before applicable government incentives. The CT6 PHEV has an EPA fuel economy rating of 62 MPGe combined while running on full electric power, or 25 MPG combined in hybrid mode. The EPA-certified electric range is 31 miles, while the total range of both the gasoline engine and hybrid electric motor combined is over 440 miles. It is the first Cadillac product to be manufactured in China.
Technological innovations
The all-new CT6 is the first vehicle to feature the new Bose Panaray Surround-Sound System, using DolbyDTSSurround Sound Technology. The system consists of 34 speakers, including ones mounted in the front seat headrests, as well as a motorized center-channel speaker that retracts from the center of the instrument panel. The system uses Bose's automotive sound system technologies, as well as technologies from its Panaray line of professional speakers. The entire CT6 line comes standard with one of three Bose premium audio systems: an 8-speaker Bose Premium Sound System, a 10-speaker Bose Centerpoint Surround-Sound System, or the top-of-the-line 34-speaker Bose Panaray Surround-Sound System. Another innovation on the CT6 is a rear view mirror camera, which allows the driver to easily see what is behind them via a digital image projected onto the rearview mirror. This is the first vehicle to offer a rearview camera mounted in the rearview mirror. Starting in 2017, Cadillac Super Cruise became available for semi-autonomous highway driving. It is part of a $5,000 option package on CT6's Premium Luxury model and is standard on the top-of-the-line Platinum.
CT6-V
Introduced as a high-performance version of the CT6, the CT6-V was first revealed at the 2018 New York Auto Show. Apart from the regular CT6 is the addition of newly developed DOHC twin-turbo V8 which produces at 5,700 rpm and of torque at 3,200-4,000 rpm. The engine, known as the GF18, has an 86.0 mm bore and 90.2 mm stroke with a compression ratio of 9.8:1. In order to withstand stress and reduce friction, Cadillac has used forged steel connecting rods and special coating for piston pins. For efficiency, Cadillac has employed cylinder deactivation for number 2, 3, 5, and 8 cylinders with variable timing on all four cams that can adjust 55 degrees on the exhaust and 70 degrees on the intake side. When the engine is off, the intake cams are parked in the middle of their traveling preventing exhaust/intake valve overlap allow for easier starting and smoother initial idle. Fuel is injected directly into the cylinder with over 5,000 psi pressure. Cast stainless steel exhaust manifolds incorporates housing for the twin-scroll Mitsubishi Heavy Industries turbochargers located inside the V bank for better response. Titanium aluminide turbine wheels spin up to 190,000 rpm producing peak boost of 20 psi that is relieved by electric wastegates. The intercooler is mounted just above each cylinder heads which reduces the charge air temperature by 130 degrees Fahrenheit immediately before reaching the intake valves. Two versions of the GF18 will be offered in the CT6-V. The top trim makes while the alternative choice will make and of torque. The two engines are tuned with slight differences such as the active valve system and ECU mapping. The engines are hand-assembled and personally signed on the Performance Build Centerline at the Bowling Green Kentucky Corvette plant. Both engines are mated with 10-speed automatic transmission shifted by Performance Algorithm Shift programming to achieve the ideal shifting patterns. The CT6-V also features AWD system with optimized Transfer case, rear steering and mechanical Limited Slip Differential. The AWD system will adjust according to the 3 different driving modes that are available. The standard torque bias remains 40:60 front to rear yet, in track mode, the torque split is changed to provide 10:90 for optimized track performance with minimum understeer. Furthermore, the front end and rear end are redesigned. The front features a new hood, headlamps, and grill with rear featuring new deck lid and tail lamps. The chassis is recalibrated with specific tuning for stabilizer bar, springs, and Magnetic Ride dampers.
