How to make a large luxury sedan standout in the ever more crowded marketplace? The 2016 Cadillac CT6 formula is to give the sedan loads of street presence, interior space, nimble driving dynamics, useful features, and a relatively low entry price.
This is an all-new car for Cadillac and it is the range-topping sedan. It is also the first car to bear Cadillac’s new naming scheme. It is the CT6. Why the odd alphanumeric designation? Cadillac lists many reasons for this. It has to do with a need to easily classify the vehicle among other offerings. This is also a global car. It will be sold in many markets around the world with North America and China being among the first. Cadillac wanted a name that can be understood universally.
Enough about the name. Cadillac spent a lot of time and resources to come up with a new way of constructing the car. The main goal was to decrease the weight and create a great handling sedan. However, the styling was another key aspect that Cadillac wanted to get right. It’s not every day that you hear a chief engineer for any car talk about a chassis component that improves the overall style. However, this is a exactly what Travis Hester, chief engineer for the CT6, brought up during the walk-around. The CT6 uses aluminum suspension mounting components that are also designed to bring the hood line down over the front wheel arches.
The CT6 will start at $53,495 before destination for a RWD version with the 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder. Engine downsizing and improved economy is a common theme here. This engine puts out 265 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. Cadillac estimates the fuel economy rating at 22 MPG city and 31 MPG on the highway.
The next step up is the naturally aspirated 3.6L V6 that is good for 335 horsepower and 284 lb-ft of torque. It also produces a healthy V6 exhaust note that is neither too loud or too quiet. It is estimated at 19 MPG city and 28 MPG on the highway.
The top dog engine is the twin-turbocharged 3.0L V6 that is good for 404 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. Maximum torque comes in at 2,500 rpm and it propels the large sedan with authority. An 8-speed automatic transmission is available with all three engine options. There is also word of a hybrid version of the CT6 that will come out about a year from now.
In case you are wondering, there is no V8 option in the CT6. The company did not comment on whether this will be a possibility in the future.
At the end of the day, the CT6 has the street presence worthy of a Cadillac flagship. It also has the interior comfort and the driving dynamics to be competitive among some of the best in the world. I cannot wait to spend more time in the CT6 soon.
The CT6 will arrive in showrooms in March of 2016, so the wait is nearly over.
