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Akerson Confirms Cadillac’s Worst Kept Secret: An Upcoming Large RWD Flagship Sedan

And out of nowhere, GM CEO Dan Akerson confirmed to USA Today that Cadillac will be launching a full-sized rear-wheel-drive flagship in two years time. Most of the mainstream media is abuzz with the news… we’ll pretend to act surprised. Though Akerson didn’t utter what the upcoming S-Class-fighter will be called, we have strong reason to believe the car will be called LTS, based on official trademark filings.

As for what sort of looks will grace the flagship, it “won’t resemble the brand’s recent concept cars, but will use some styling highlights from them,” most likely carrying a more polished look of Cadillac’s Art and Science design language, vertical headlamps and all.

Meanwhile, it’s anticipated that Cadillac will showcase something special during next month’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California. Except unlike the Ciel and Sixteen concepts, this one may actually be the predecessor to a Cadillac flagship we see in showrooms come 2015.

Former staff.

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Comments

  1. While it’s natural to be skeptical at this point, I feel somewhat secure with the announcement coming from the CEO of GM himself. Therefore this claim holds water and I am officially stoked for Cadillac right now! Let’s just hope this car lives up to its expectations. It doesn’t even have to beat the Germans; just compete! Be presented as a worthy alternative to the dominant German engineering! This is the car that can make or break Cadillac! Actually, GM in general!

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  2. “it won’t resemble the brand’s recent concept cars, but will use some styling highlights from them,”

    BAD MOVE GM! The modern interpetation of traditional American high style and luxury are why those design cncepts were so well received (the world over I might add). Moving away from what you wet the public’s appetite for is fool hardy. Especially when the concepts were so critically acclaimed.

    A scaled up slightly euo-centric CTS isn’t gonna cut it in the 100,000 dollar plus realm.

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    1. Who said $100,000 plus????

      Look more like $70,000 plus and maybe even down to $65k..

      ATS $34,000
      CTS $46,000
      XTS $44,000 (my bet it will be gone a couple years after the LS is out.

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      1. I’ll admit, maybe 100grand is wishful thinking on my part. But if Cadillac wishes to recapture the status it once had; an ultra luxury name plate is a MUST. Yes Cadillac needs to fill the sub 100 grand price range (although the CTS-V and Escalades live and thrive there already) But you are just a two bit wanna be if you have nothing that goes head to head or surpasses the top Luxury marks.

        Truth be told, short of spending 100 grand or more you really aren’t getting anything more than a higher grade of leather, and percieved snob appeal. I’ve driven big Benzes, 7series BMWs and even a few Range Rovers. They were nice, but if I was blind folded they could have just as easily been a Lexus. Although that could be a slight to the excellent build quality and impeccable smoothness of a car like the Lexus LS series. Jaguars have an air of Old World, snooty luxury about them as well, from the glacier smooth ride to the feel of the interior.

        Unfortunately nothing from Cadillac is in this realm. Don’t get me wrong, I’d buy a CTS V, Escalade Platinum or maybe even a XTS (haven’t yet experienced the interior or ride quality of those yet). But lets be real, Cadillacs current line up is more “entry Luxury” [read poser] than old school, big money, real luxury.

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  3. Can’t wait to see what comes at pebble beach

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  4. will it be elmiraj?

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  5. Wow!!! Can you spell “Batmobile”.? Will you have to pay royalties to the movie franchise?

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  6. looks like a batmobile!

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  7. This is going to be interesting to see what shows up at Pebble Beach

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  8. Like losing the crest lets wait to see what we get before we get critical.

    We know this will not just be a bigger CTS and we also know it will be priced with the S class.

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    1. How do we know it is priced with s class?? I think if it was close to the 7 series that would be more than high enough.

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      1. Because that is the main target of this segment as it is the biggest seller globally. The 7 series is in there price wise too.

        Keep in mind the S covers a lot of ground from the base model to the AMG version price wise. Cadillac will be in there.

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        1. BMW 7 is $73,000. I really doubt GM will price the LTS higher than their competition with their first iteration.

          5 series is $47,800 and CTS is $46,000.
          3 series is $33,000 and ATS is $33,000.

          So $70,000 plus for the LTS is right in line. I would bet $100 it does not start at $100,000 plus. Do you live in Detroit area?

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  9. Reply
    1. That’s not a prototype photo, that’s a still from the film ‘Live and Let Die’

      Also, that’s car is so trashy and awful, Cadillac would be laughed out of the marketplace if they made it today. Only Lincoln is that stupid, and they only got rid of the unlovable and chronically uncompetitive Town Car in 2011. It, like the car in the link you posted, were never any threat to the S-class.

      Let me guess, you want the next full-size Cadillac to cost no more than $60K and have nothing in the way of technology or selling features? I don’t think the S-class will have anything to worry about with that recipe for disaster.

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  10. Whatever platform it is on, it will be the same one the next Commodore is on.

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  11. Seeing what Cadillac designers do, they will just enlarge XTS and call the day. Hopefully the build quality and choice of materials will match the physical enlargement.

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  12. Why don’t they just reintroduce it as The New STS?

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  13. This is gonna be cool.

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