Earlier this month, General Motors product chief Mark Reuss revealed Cadillac’s upcoming CT6 full-size sedan will be available as a plug-in hybrid and will be the “most advanced vehicle technologically in the world.” More information in regards to the car is slowly starting to surface, with the latest word from Motor Trend being that the PHEV CT6 will achieve more than 70 MPGe.
The 70 MPGe estimate is achieved thanks to the unique lightweight construction of the CT6. GM will use their patented mixed material body structure manufacturing process to produce the car, which combines high-strength steel, aluminium and steel stampings and castings to make a platform that uses 20 percent fewer parts, in turn reducing weight. The CT6 will be eight-inches longer than the current mid-size CTS, however it will be 53 lbs lighter.
In addition to its lightweight construction, the CT6’s all-new 3.0-liter twin turbocharged V6 engine and eight-speed automatic transmission will also aid in boosted fuel economy ratings. Little is known about the more efficient engine, however it’s expected to be the most powerful in the segment and will be coupled with a fuel saving start/stop system.
Even though Cadillac CEO Johan de Nysschen said the CT6 isn’t necessarily meant to do battle with the German full-size sedans, the drivetrain for the hybrid CT6 is beginning to sound a lot like that in the Mercedes-Benz S500 Plug-In-Hybrid. That car is offered with a 329 horsepower twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 with a 107 horsepower and 257 lb-ft electric motor. The powertrain results in a 0-60 mph time of 5.5 seconds and limited top speed of 155 mph, but more importantly, it delivers roughly 78 mpg on the US cycle. Considering the CT6 will be much lighter than the S-Class, these figures should be easy for Cadillac to top or at least match.
Comments
If this car is to be the most technologically advanced car in the world, than it first needs to do a little catching up to some of the German features and technologies. Night Vision camera system, around view camera system, even the simple things never offered on other Cadillac sedans like a power trunk and soft close doors. I think Cadillac will pull this off though. I’m glad to see a more practical PHEV system for Cadillac. This will be more refined and powerful than the doomed ELR and its weak Voltec system.
Shame to see a genuinely good comment get downvoted by all the ELR apologists who are unwilling to admit that their precious dolled up Volt is doomed.
@David you do realize that Cadillac was one of the first manufactures to place night vision on their vehicles? Back in the early 2000’s on the DTS .
Where is it now? I don’t see it on the reconfigurable gauge clusters of the CTS or Escalade like Mercedes
They are developing their digital windshield, that’s where they are now.
Quinn beat me to it but yeah my old dts had night vision… anyways I’m confused this car is or isant supposed to compete with s class sounds like they r flip flopping
This is what CUE needs to Incorporate Now starting with the New Flagship or Whatever the CT6 suppose to be!!! 😉
http://www.cnet.com/news/elliptic-labs-ultrasonic-gestures-could-revolutionize-smartphone-interaction-next-year/
Gothzilla: Can you even afford an ELR? I would guess…NO!
They are actually really affordable now (in contrast to the commonly known sticker price of $75k), you can buy one brand new for under $50k if you play your cards right.
This 3.0tt sounds like an amazing engine. Stop/Start should be standard on all GM models (excluding HD’s and Diesel’s). Hopefully the 3.0tt uses IVVL which boosts lower-end torque and increases efficiency whilst cruising (also reducing excess turbo-lag).
I do not think they are flip flopping here as more as they have a new plan now that they have a new leader that has gotten them a path they did not have just a year ago.
The CT6 was the S fighter but I suspect that now with the greater investment from GM Johann has gotten bigger and better plans than just the CT6. While it will be a good car it to me strikes me as not being what they may really want or need for that segment.
So they are turning to technology and making it a show case till they get the CT7-8 to what ever it is called out. There has been a massive shift in GM and at Cadillac in the last year.
GM and Cadillac has always been a big technology leader but it was seldom brought to market in a way that make it work. They either rushed it to market before the technology supported it well, They sometimes cheapped out and did not do things right at first or they did not always market it well that anyone knew much about it.
GM’s never lacked for technology and was and still is one of the leaders. It is just they always came up short in spending, marketing and execution of these products. Today I see that finally changing.
The CT6 I believe will be a very good car but not the Benz and BMW slayer that we expected. I know Mark had been fighting a battle on this car for a good while as there were forces inside GM trying to cut back on it. I think Johann is just going to do what he can with it to buy time and get what he feels Cadillac really needs.
I hope I am wrong but I for a good while was getting a bigger CTS vibe about this car. While not a bad thing it is not enough in this segment.
GM needs a wow car and no compromise car and that Is what I believe they will get at some point. The CT6 will show case much of the coming technology but I see them doing something much better than this in the next few years.
I hate delays but this one I expect will be for the better. We have just seen a major shift in GM and Cadillac and we need to let them take advantage of it. I suspect many do not realize how significant the changes have been yet and you will need to be ready to be shocked. Thing will exceed your expectations in about 4-5 years.