Cadillac Diesels To Arrive In 2019, de Nysschen Says

Many publications who have gotten the chance to speak with Cadillac president Johan de Nysschen have focused their questions on the automotive exec’s business strategies for Cadillac. The brand’s move to Manhattan, its new naming convention and its planned marketing overhaul have all been discussed at length, so Car & Driver focused on digging up some intel on its future products.

Cadillac is looking to become more of a global brand (hence the CT/XT naming scheme), which means it must expand its product portfolio accordingly. It would be next to impossible to expand in Europe without diesel engine offerings, and de Nysschen knows this. He told C&D diesel is “the fastest, most cost-effective way to reduce CO2 and emissions,” and “has to be a part of our (Cadillac’s) portfolio.”

de Nysschen even provided a timeline for the introduction of its diesel engine offerings. He said they “will introduce an all-new diesel engine developed specifically for Cadillac by around 2019,” which is the same year de Nysschen said the brand will begin its entry into the European market.

Those of you with a good memory may remember when Cadillac said it would employ the 2.8-liter Duramax four-cylinder in the ATS. It appears those plans are now off the shelf, as 2019 is well beyond the expected lifecycle of the current ATS. If the market ever sees a diesel in a compact Cadillac four-door, it will likely be called CT3 or CT4, not ATS.

Finally, de Nysschen alluded to the fact that Cadillac diesels may become available in the U.S. market, too. He wouldn’t confirm this bit of information, but stressed the diesel launch is a global plan which includes all major markets, not just Europe. Both both four- and six-cylinder versions of the engine will be on offer and should find their way under the hood of both passenger cars and SUVs.