Compact Cadillac Crossover Rumored To Be Built At Orion Assembly Plant
13
Sponsored Links
Earlier this week, General Motors announced $245 million was being invested into the Orion Assembly for an “all-new vehicle program unlike any in the plant’s 32-year history.” We hadn’t a clue what this vehicle could be, but Motor Trend believes it will be a small Cadillac crossover.
Cadillac has already made it clear more crossovers are coming, and announced three new crossovers and SUVs by the year 2020. Cadillac has major product gaps in this field, as the Germans fill up every niche imaginable with a crossover of sorts. Seeing the Orion Assembly specializes in small cars, it does make sense this “new vehicle program” would sit on the compact side of things. Expect an XT3, or XT1 name to follow suit with the Cadillac XT5, the replacement for the SRX.
For those of you thinking the program is the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt, it isn’t. GM already committed $160 million to the Orion plant for the Bolt EV previously, which means this program is still lurking in the shadows.
Speaking of electrification, Cadillac has also noted it will produce a handful of new plug-in vehicles to boost its tech credibility. Seeing as the 2017 Bolt EV will be built alongside this new Cadillac crossover, might it offer a plug-in option as well? Possibly.
We don’t have a pinpointed timeline on when we expect to see this new Cadillac crossover, but expect it before 2020, as Cadillac makes good use of the $12 billion earmarked for its turn around.
- Sweepstakes Of The Month: Win a 2023 Corvette Z06 Convertible. Details here.
Sponsored Links
If the rumour proves to be true then this new addition to the lineup can not get to the showrooms fast enough.
Cadillac is in desperate need of more crossovers, the hottest segment in the luxury market and the whole industry.
With the XT5 (short and long wheelbase versions ), this compact crossover and maybe a subcompact one Cadillac will get a huge sales volume and profit lift.
I think Cadillac is planning it’s re-emergence in the luxury market properly and within 10 years will be the jewel of GM.
Hopefully it’s not GM-FCA .
For one dedicated Cadillac driver any decision on a crossover has already come too late. They had a great one that did not succeed. In my opinion due to a total lack of marketing support by Cadillac management. And, that was the two wheel or AWD CTS Sports Wagon. As many know in the small SUV/Crossover line the only thing that exists into next year is the SRX, and unfortunately (if you read independent evaluations) the SRX lacks. I was hoping the XT5 would be out in 2016 not the lame duck last run of the SRX. But, that “AIN’T happening. Can anyone spell GLA?
As a recent Buick buyer (Encore) and my first ever GM or American car purchase since 1984, I must admit that Cadillac is interesting to me. Not that I can afford a Caddy. It’s that my parents and their generation were driving around in them. And I kind of miss it somehow. I dream that maybe Caddy could offer an affordable entry level somehow.
But how?
What first occurs to me is that — perhaps — there are too many choices between Chevy, Buick, and Cadillac. That if all of these lines were cleaned up a little, perhaps someone like me could slip into a Cadillac.
For instance, the Trax/Encore. Okay. The Trax comes in three trim levels. The LTZ is crazy close to being an Encore. And then the Encore comes in three trim levels. So that six trim levels. But no Encore exists in the Cadillac line. To get something like it you buy the bigger SRX crossover at almost 9K more.
Why not reduce the Trax trims levels to one ‘nice’ trim level. THE Chevy Trax. As affordable as possible while not undermining spec. Cloth seats, plastic interior, what have you. You want more? Get a base Encore. Need more than that? Get a fancy Encore… that has lots of bells and whistles but not all of them. Want even more? The Encore Cadillac. Only one model, which is basically the Buick with every last amazing option plus a kitchen sink.
That’s four models. Instead of six. And you’ve squeezed some buyers into Cadillac. If they want EVEN more they buy the base SRX. Or maybe the base SRX is offered as a Buick.
Do you see what I mean? Less models, more bleeding into each other. When Scion introduced the xA and xB, it came as one model. Period. I believe that’s what Chevy should be. One model, maybe one price. If you want more, you’re a Buick buyer. And maybe a Cadillac buyer. A lot more colors could offered under this regime, by the by.
Just sayin’.
No need to ‘squeeze ‘ buyers below a CT1 for instance. Trimming models would reduce sales and therefore profits.
Choice is good. There is a flavour for each taste.
I don’t know what a CT1 is, but it doesn’t matter to my point. I’m not squeezing buyers below anything in my idea. I’m actually nudging them up. As explained: why have three models of Trax when you could have one and say, if you need more, graduate to a semi-luxury Buick.
Right now the LTS Trax is the same money as a Buick Encore. Why do that? Makes no sense to me. Choice can be good, but choice can also be confusing. Steve Jobs once told a Nike CEO, “You have too much product and it’s hard to find the quality from the crap.”
This compact crossover better not be based on anything other than the Alpha platform.
How about a scaled down Escalade. It is entirely too big for most people’s needs. Right now the crossovers look like worked over chevys and that is what they are.
I believe that a full sized crossover (think Mercedes ML series ) is on the way based on the Omega platform.
They have to spread out the development costs with other variants so I think a large coupe, crossover and he Avinir are planned.
A future XT7 crossover based on the CTS platform would finally be a true, worthy successor to the first SRX.
Folks this is one of several CUV and SUV models that are expected. Pay close attention as there is a lot more going on they you know.
There are enough SuV’s on the market. We need more luxury cars. i wish the Cadillac XLRV would be redone. That is the most beautiful care I have seen in a long time. not many cars you look at now and say, Wow i have to have one. They don’t exist. Please reconsider while i am still young enough to drive and enjoy a lot of years out of my car. Thank you.
It would be interesting if Cadillac introduces a production version of their ULC (Urban Luxury Concept) gas-electric hybrid vehicle which Clay Dean said would get mileage in the low 70 mpg range.
What year do you think Cadillac will have a complete line up? 2020?