The Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant – currently tasked with producing the Chevrolet Volt and Cadillac ELR, among other things – has seen the addition of a 138,000 square-foot body shop in order to build the all-new, first-ever 2016 Cadillac CT6 sedan.
It just so happens that this body shop is among the most advanced in the world.
The shop features 205 robots in total, and makes use of some very technically advanced techniques in order to form the sedan’s light body, utilizing the new Omega architecture. Those include aluminum arc welding and laser welding, a patented aluminum spot-welding process, self-piercing rivets, and flow drill screws, which can join different types of materials in conjunction with adhesives.
As we pointed out, some of the aluminum structure the Omega platform will use was teased with the Buick Avenir concept during the 2015 Detroit Auto Show.
In a release, CT6 Chief Executive Engineer Travis Hester said: “Never before has an automaker brought this combination of joining techniques together for a single vehicle… The result is a top-level large luxury sedan, with class-leading body stiffness that generates excellent driving characteristics and impressive fuel economy without compromises to safety, comfort or quality.”
The investment to the Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Plant which made this possible totaled $300 million. The new body shop enables the use of lightweight materials – like aluminum – while ensuring that all high craftsmanship targets are hit.
The 2016 Cadillac CT6 is expected to debut during the 2015 New York International Auto Show.
Comments
Will be presented on 31th March?
Regards from Spain
GM is definitely using the latest manufacturing process to bring to market a vehicle that will be the best in their history .
This may not be the car that will go head to head with the S-class or an Audi 8 but , they will learn alot with the CT6 and when its time to build that car Mercedes should take notice . It sure looks as if they are committed to play in that market . As long as the bean counters don’t get ahold of the project the future of Cadillac gaining atleast some of their mojo back looks to be on tract .
Will it still sound like a cheap tin can when you close the door as all other Cadillac’s do?
When you close a German car it sounds like a fault door closes, and reminds you every time of the German build quality.
I own a Caddy, no tin sounding door closing here. Nice solid sound. I think you over rate the Germans vehicles.
Despite this, the car still came in 250lbs overweight compared to the old gunboat platform.