Yesterday, during the hoopla that is the 2015 SEMA Show, General Motors’ Cadillac division dished out official pricing details on the 2016 CT6, slated to hit dealers in March of 2016.
Frankly, we were shocked to see Cadillac undercut its German rivals, and the 2016 CT6 may end up being the deal of the century. The 2016 Cadillac CT6 was announced to start at $54,490, including a $995 destination fee. Ticking each option box for a 2016 CT6 Platinum was revealed ring in at $84,460.
Comparing that to the likes of its German rivals, which begin to start where the CT6 tops out, the car looks to be a real bargain. Though, it remains to be seen how well-equipped a base 2016 Cadillac CT6 is at the $54,490 price point. We do know, however, it will be front-wheel drive and arrive with the 2.0-liter turbocharged LTG four-cylinder engine.
In the middle are the V6 options. The 3.6-liter LGX V6 with all-wheel drive tallies in at $56,490, while stepping into the 3.0-liter twin-turbo LGW V6 with all-wheel drive commands $65,390.
Again, we won’t have a clearer picture of the value proposition until we see where features will be allocated for each respective price point, but Cadillac may have made quite the strategic price move here.
So, we turn it to you. Has Cadillac priced the 2016 CT6 right? Or, has it undersold what this car is meant to be? After all, Cadillac CMO, Uwe Ellinghaus, has said the brand needs to begin selling aspirations and dreams.
Vote in our poll below, and sound off in the comment section should you feel so compelled.
Comments
NO. to cheap. pricing must something 70000 and +.
cadillac and vettes must not cheap cars today enymore or so cheap. cadillac and vettes must not everybody cars who wants they can by but who have not money
too cheap??? i refuse to pay $54,000 for a 4banger (4 cylinder) turbocharged or not, and its front wheel drive im a rwd kinda guy. i like the handling of a rwd car, i guess its all about preference . im old school and this new strategy Cadillac is trying, im not a fan. on top of that it seems like the pricing of their cars are goin up by the thousands every year. i used to love Cadillac but with these prices and trim options I’ll pass. GM is gonna scare away all the true Cadillac enthusiasts, this new generation aint buying Cadillacs especially at those prices. Why u think the chevy SS was a flop, priced to high, something with a nice package and affordable like a Dodge is what im goin for now. Then again like i said it’s about preference. Gotta roll with the brand that satisfy’s you, brand loyalty is hard to commit to nowadays
The CT6 2.0T is rear wheel drive.
okay its rwd, i still wouldn’t pay $54,000 for a 4 banger. its not all about speed because i know Cadillac is tryna build the brand back up as a premium luxury vehicle, but foreal tho $54,000. at least have the base model be a 3.6l v6 and the CT6 platinum with some sorta v8
Not to cheap for the XTS replacement it is meant for.
From what I’ve read it isn’t a replacement for the XTS. The XTS and the CT6 are pretty different.
You are right they are much different in appearance, direction and execution but the CT6 fills the same role as the XTS in the lineup as the large,spacious and and the most luxurious Cadillac.
More boulevard cruising than canyon carving.
The CT6 will do it better. It will not be as compromised by having to use a FWD chassis.
Much like the original CTS was a replacement for the STS in the lineup even though much different in it’s execution.
Cadillac is willing to cut profit in order to gain market share. They are also admitting that the CT6 is more of a luxury car than a performance car. The price is right.
Its marketing 101. Establish market share then raise prices slowly until market share begins to drop off.
At that point you balance market share against profits and pick your ideal point.
I know I’ve heard it a million times that it’s a marathon not a sprint but you do have to admit Cadillacs pricing has pushed customers away from the brand in the last few years other then the escalade. Hopefully this sets up a new pricing strategy where the cts replacement will be priced 4-5K cheaper. I’m not saying price these cars at buick prices but at least you build your market with gettin people into your cars rather then scaring them away with a msrp.
It would be interesting to take one for a test drive. It could be a great car for that money!
It IS a great automobile. The CT6 has the most advanced chassis in the auto industry. Cadillac is build world class chassis with Alpha, Omega, and the upcoming “modulars”……
You sound like you know something. How many modulars are supposed to launch?
I thought the omega platform was supposed to be rear drive base.
that’s what I thought
It is with an AWD option
It is a RWD / AWD platform!
Echo Echo Echo!
GM Authority made a mistake. It is rear-wheel drive platform; not front-wheel drive.
It is a RWD platform . GM Authority is wrong!
Will be interesting to see how plays out. My opinion is CT6 is priced too low or the CTS too high. There is so much overlap on price that why would anyone even bother to look at the CTS? CTS sales continue to tank–this month another putrid month and this pricing issue will only exacerbate sales efforts for the CTS. I have always felt new CTS is overpriced and guessing the market as a whole agrees.
They target slightly different audiences so the overlap shouldn’t be a problem. I’d rather have the CTS myself. If the CT6’s base options are comparable to the CTS’s base options it will still leave the CTS almost $10k cheaper.
CTS is priced right for the equipment you get but not right for what the market will tolerate.
Cadillac’s cache is not there enough to command pricing parity with the leaders in the segment, yet.
I do not think the CT6 will cannibalize to many CTS sales since their size diferences do not put them on he same shopping lists.
CTS more a driver’s car while CT6 more of a driven in car.
The price is perfect.
Two Cadillacs in one, with that money you can buy a well-equipped CTS or CT6 base, it’s good strategy
Like the Japs did, first you need market share and then you can make money. Cadillac isn’t even considered in the luxury segment. The CT6 is a 5 series competitor, not even close to an S class like some pretend. The CTS needs to come down 25% is they want to move it and where in the hell does it stand in the line and who does it compete with? When it isn’t clear to consumers, they look elsewhere.
You do not know what you are talking about. The CT6 IS NOT a 5 Series competitor. Just because Cadillac under-cut the competition by a huge dollar amount does not mean it is not competition to the standard wheelbase competitors from Equus, LS 460, K900 and XJ.
The CTS is the actual 5 series E class competitor when you look at size, pricing, engine outputs and even driving dynamics.
Although the CT6 is priced in the 5 series range it’s size is SWB 7 Series.
Maybe Cadillac is taking a different approach to pricing to create exceptional value.
Maybe the pricing on the CTS was a little to ambitious.
That’s what I said. I just said it differently.
I think the pricing for the CTS is O.K. at $46K. But make me wonder if they slash $3K from the standard to Premium Collections, will the CTS have a better chance in sales with better marketing.
I don’t know but we have to wait and see what the marketing will look like for the CT6 in several months. But I do believe that the CT6 could bring potential sales to the CTS regardless of how the CTS is priced.
johnls_39,
Well, it certainly isn’t a 7 series or S class. So WTF is it then?
Just take a look at the interior in the German brands and then look at the CT6. Not even close. Wheelbase alone doesn’t make the car.
I’ve commented on this in another post.
The price itself is not a problem, but it dictates what kind of people will be able to afford it.
If a car becomes too common or bought by what are perceived to be the “wrong” people, it will lose cachet amongst those Cadillac is trying to court. I don’t think this is the most level-headed or morally-enriched way of thinking, but it’s the fact of this market.
Commonality itself is not a problem, just look at the S-Class, but the price keeps out someone like Grandpa who walks in to the Cadillac dealership and says “Gimme the nicest DeVille ya got!”, to say nothing of who will be picking these up in two or three years when the depreciation hits hard. Again, past a certain point it’s inevitable, just look at the 2007 S-Classes driving around now being had for crazy low prices; but, to have that happen so quickly with a current-model car, is hardly a prestige move.
This car is still on my short list, along with a 1 or 2-year used S-Class, or lower trim new 7 series, all in the $75 – $85 K ballpark. However, that price and all that comes along with it is now weighing in to my decision, along with many many other factors.
Yes, I’m sure they’ll sell more, but to whom and at what cost to the brand image?
Then again, maybe Johann really really has a long game we’re not seeing and this pricing and market positioning will make perfect sense in their lineup in 10 years.
I have to respectfully disagree with you. And I do understand where you are coming from but this car starts off at $54K where the mid-size cars are priced the same from E350, 5 Series and A6. If the buyer perceived to be educated from the German makes, I see no reason why the CT6 should be any different from import luxury buyers across the pond.
Now the Chrysler 300 buyer is another different story. It is currently where the Deville left off in value pricing which I don’t see myself associate myself with. I do not see this with the CT6 since those prices are base prices which will account less than 10% sales. The more plush looking CT6 models is where the buyer is tempted to spend more money.
There’s usually a larger jump in price from Medium to Large, compared to Small to Large; speaking generally across the German brands.
The CT6 is priced closer to “Medium” as opposed to what I expected a “Large” price to be; as a result, it imbues the model with an aura of that class of car. It remains to be seen whether or not the appropriate clientele will see this as a whole new segment, a “Medium plus half” size, or a bargain bin “Large” competitor, regardless of how Cadillac is trying to position it.
I certainly hope most sales go towards the $70 – $80K end. However, just as potential buyers of high-dollar models of mainstream cars (Corvette, Viper, Equus, etc.) could be turned off by pulling their $80K+ machine in to a service bay next to a Cruze, Dart, or Elantra, respectively, I would be turned off if the bulk of the sales are stripped-down models sold to people just barely able to make the minimum payments so they can say they have “the big Cadillac”. It’s snobbery, but it’s par for the course in this market. I don’t want to be driving the same car as “them”. Maybe not quite the “Walmart crowd” or “Grandpa”, as we have exaggerated for effect, but not the kind of buyer you usually associate with a flagship.
The fact that it’s a flagship is partially what raises these pricing questions in the first place; it has an extra burden to uphold in so many different areas, including quality, perception, prestige, and standard-bearing. Much more so than any other model, simply by virtue of being at the top.
It could be that Cadillac is forcing themselves in to the larger “Medium” > “Large” price gap, or it could be that they are using the CT6 to start a new model hierarchy and sequence, similar to how Mercedes now has the C-Class as “Small plus one half” (in terms of pricing and quality), and the S-Class has been “Large plus one half” for a while now, and the new E-Class will likely continue that trend.
But this could leave the Cadillac lineup looking awkward in terms of pricing, sizing, and tiers for a little while, until it gets fully played out.
Undercutting what? There’s no V8, so can’t undercut a 7 series, though it’s priced there. If you compare 4 cylinder, of course a 4 cylinder large car (LOL), it’s not really less that a5 Series.
That said, until there is quality to go with the cost and brand, (check recent ratings) price doesn’t man as much in this class. Yes, I got my wife an ATS two years ago, she gets to drive it when it’s not at dealer for recalls. My marriage is somewhat intact. I have 2 V8 cars, so until Cadillac gets a V-8, like Cheverolet offers, I’ll watch from the sidelines.
I too was really suprised when I read about the CT6’s prices . I’m all for Cadillac to start to regain some market share . But I have to wonder if at this price point the car loses some of its prestige ( image ) . What was once touted as the S-class fighter is now a car for the Walmart crowd . Its awful close to the XTS pricing . Sometimes the price you pay for something means its the best . Its like a watch , they basically all work the same , but when you pay 10g’s for a Rolex you know its a better time piece than a $20.00 Timex .
It will be interesting to see what the model mix will be ,like the SRX they sell more Luxury versions than anything else . And all SRX’s have the same engine , its the trim package that raises the price and AWD vs. FWD .
Well now where is the XT5 going to come out in its price range .
All things aside , Cadillac has always been the Division you looked to too build the big luxury car that everyone wanted , thats what they did the best .
Early in the next decade is when we will see the S-class fighter , and just maybe GM is quietly sending a message to that market segment showing what they can build at a much cheaper price than the Europeans .
Sorry Cadillac, but you lost me at 4 cylinder and FWD. Unacceptable for this class of vehicle and is clearly not up to your rivals standards. The 2.0 is a great little motor, but time and again has been shown to not be as refined as the 4 pots from the Germans and a 4 is not even offered in the 7 series, S class, or A8, which I thought were supposed to be the CT6’s main competitors.
Besides, wasn’t Omega supposed to be a large RWD platform with an AWD option to actually try and compete with MB and BMW?
From your own site GM Authority: http://gmauthority.com/blog/gm/gm-platforms/omega/
GM Omega Vehicle Platform
Omega is the name of a General Motors vehicle architecture engineered to underpin full-size, rear-wheel-drive luxury vehicles.
Omega is expected to first be utilized on the first-ever Cadillac CT6 — the upcoming flagship of the Cadillac model range — that will compete with full-size luxury flagship sedans such as the BMW 7 Series, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Audi AS/S8, and Lexus LS. The 2016 Cadillac CT6 was originally going to be call the LTS.
Overall for me at least, what a bummer. So much for Cadillac siphoning off some of the Germans sales.
It’s RWD-AWD
“It’s RWD-AWD” – I know that and most everyone here knows that. Just trying to get GM Authority to fix the error. However, I stand firm on the fact that the 2.0t is not enough for this platform. It is the little engine that could in the huge list of GM vehicles that use it, but not for the the supposedly most refined and large flagship sedan Cadillac offers. It is too heavy for it. None of the above competitors I listed offer a 4 banger in their most premium of offerings.
I want Cadillac to be successful, sell well, and take back a lot of market share from its rivals, because where Cadillac succeeds all the rest of GM’s portfolio succeeds. Most people here who have read my past postings know I am a GM fan. However, it seems more like the CT6 will be competing with Hyundai (which by the way doesn’t offer a 4 cylinder in the either the Genesis or Equus) more so than BMW, MB, and Audi. Cadillac should never be thought of in the same class or cross shopped with Hyundai and that is immediately what I thought of when I saw the specs and price. The CT6 needed to be more than just the XTS replacement.
I thought the CT6 was suppose to weight in at around 3700lbs (about the weight of the CTS) which is plenty light enough for a 4-cyclinder in my opinion (not that I’d want the 4-cylinder anyway). It’s not going to be anywhere near the weight of its competition, so offering a 4 cylinder with similar performance stats as its competitors base models but with better fuel economy may be a good idea.
I forgot where I seen this but the weight will be less than 3700bls and weigh less than the CTS with the 2.0T up to 50 bls. for the basic CT6.
This is mis information from GM Authority, which is an INDEPENDENT sight. It does NOT belong to GM. The Omega is a RWD/AWD chassis.
With regard to 4 cylinder / FWD luxury cars, MB, BMW, AUDI, and Lexus all have them. Nothing new here. The Feds upcoming CAFE requirements are killing V8’s and it will get much worse in the future. What you are witness to is the beginning of the end of V8’s.8
Cadillac has a TT V8 upcoming in the CT6 V Sport, CT7, CT8, CT9, XT6, XT7, XT8, and the CS 10. The current CTS-V is world class and there will be at least 3 other “V” editions with 600+ hp….and one coming in 2029 with 850+hp….
ahhhaa next decade is s klass fighter. this not so easy or possible but i hope and we will see ahhaaa. i think also at BMW 7 seria leading now but when comes new audi a8 ou now ahaaaa.
figting this segment is so so difficult or impossible. bmw 7- audi 8 and s – klass fighting togeather to. eweryone wants leading. audi 8-bmw-7- mb s klass is different level.even bentley- jaguar not this level . jaguar-bentley or rolls is nothing to compeare tehnology and …. bmw-audi- s klass
Huh???
There will be overlap for 1 or 2 years tops. The XTS will be strictly fleet by 2018 and dead altogether by 2019. The CTS will probley go away by 2018 turning into a CT4 or 5 and be priced at the low 40 range. And so many seem to ignore the fact as Scott and I said plenty times on here, that this was to be the flagship, but the decision was made to have a car much higher on the lineup than this car. It will only sit at the top till the CT8 comes out. Then you will have your $85 to 120K flagship to show off to everyone. Of course all of this is just my personal speculation on what will happen to the current lineup. However the CT8 is not my spspeculation lol
Folks…bear in mind that when there was mention in the media of a larger than CTS chassis on the way there was no official confirmation by Cadillac that it would be their ‘flagship ‘ or what the price point would be. It was our wild speculation and conjecture that assumed it would be priced near 7 Series territory.
So there in lies the disapointment or relief based on your own expectations but none of us on here are truly in the know.
Let’s not forget why this car exists in the first place……..China. Wealthy chinese like to be driven around in these luxury sleds. Here in the US, the lower than expected pricing indicates JdN wants to actually see a few of these go over the curb, rather than sit nailed to the showroom floor. The CTS, which was the breadwinner among Cadillac “cars”, is now moving even slower than the soon to be gone XTS. Ultimately, Cadillac needs more CUV’s and less sedans.
As others have said, I don’t agree with the 2.0T as the base engine in this size car, but times are changing and there is a “clueless masses” audience out there who really don’t care about how many cylinders a car has.
Agreed.
Actually, China is not the main reason the CT6 exists, even though, eventually, it will be built in China. The CT6 has been under development in the US since 2010. GM / Cadillac current has 7 other vehicles under various stages of development.
GM automobiles sell very well in China. But it is not the only market. MB, BMW, Audi, and Lexus outsell Cadillac currently in the U.S. because they have, over the years, built a reputation for quality, luxury, automobiles. Cadillac is now playing catch up. With many new vehicles planned, and under development, with technologies like the Alpha, and Omega chassis, the upcoming modular chassis, autonomous driving advancements, advancements in engine technologies, as well as other technologies not yet announced, but under consideration, Cadillac will be very competitive in the segment with a wide range of vehicles.
Cadillac will continue to have an uphill fight dealing with “badge snobbery” and “conquest” sales. Cadillac’s weakest link is marketing. It has a long way to go in putting it’s best foot forward, the corect advertising, and getting the competition’s owners into Cadillac showrooms, and, ultimately, Cadillacs.
Regardless of the development location and timeline, the CT6 would not have been approved for production without the Chinese market. Cadillac execs admitted this being the case long ago, and that market is one of the main reasons JdN was hired in the first place. The bad news for those same execs is that Cadillac sales in China have not progressed as hoped, at least not yet. The ATS-L is starting to take hold, but still a long way to 100K units in a year there.
I think GM is on-target. The CTS is a wonderful vehicle. I’ve test-driven it; I can’t afford one, but that’s not Cadillac’s fault. There’s also the Chinese market where US luxury and glamour count for something; so Cadillac and Lincoln are upping their game for that. Yes, I think the long game is Johann’s plan. Maybe the CT8 will be a V-16? BMW and M-B don’t have that in their history. A four-door convertible like the Ciel or Cadillac phaetons of the past might also be the play… or do I just sound like Homer Simpson? As for the CT6, it does grow on me, as does the XT5. Peace & Blessings.
The CT8 will not offer a V16, or V12. The largest engine planned for at this time is a TT V8. It will, however, have many new groundbreaking technologies like the 1st application of the Omega modular chassis, Cadillac Sense, new lighting, suspension, tire, and engine technologies…..
I am not sure what “Cadillac Sense” is, but it sure does sound cool. The CT8 will be GMs most advanced car ever made and it has to be in order to compete with the other flagship. I would see this car having every option as a Platinum CT6 and plenty new unique ones as well.
Risky move. I hope it pays off for them. This could be seen by potential customers as a lack of confidence in the quality of their cars. It could be more damaging in the long run if the car is seen not to have the quality or reliability of it’s German rivals.
hopefully the CT8 will show up sooner rather than later and start at $95.000 and have a more new ground breaking design than the CT6……CT7 should Start at $75.000……………..CT6…$55k-…………….CT7…$75k-……………….CT8…$95k-…………I think it right for the CT6…..nobody is going to spend more than $54k for A FOUR-BANGER.
Some of you folks need to look around and just see how much cars cost in this day and age of $40K Fusions, Regals and the next Malibu may be close in Hybrid config.
I just don’t know what you guys expect.
Cadillac can no longer survive on volume it kills the image and it kills the brand as they may sell a lot of cars but there is little money in it as they have a hard time making it to the volume needed to make much money.
They are in the works to make the cars even better and will make much more profit on one unit vs 5 units at the Walmart price.
It is time to sit back and let it happen and just watch where this goes as you will be surprised how little risk it is to do what they are doing vs repeating past sins.
Keep in mind most V8 cars in the near future will all be well over $50K if you get much in the way of options. The Trucks and Camaro are getting close to that now. The average car today is $35K and 85% plus sold are 4 cylinder. Cars are not cheap and if you want a better car you are going to have to have higher prices. It sucks but that is the way it is as nothing is cheap anymore even the cheap cars are obscenely expensive.
This car is priced right but this is not the top end car priced here too. We still have a TT V8 to come in this model in a year or so that will add much to the price. Also some other options in suspensions etc. It at one point will exceed the price of a CTSV.
ItcadillacsUndercutting what? There’s no V8, so can’t undercut a 7 series, though it’s priced there. If you compare 4 cylinder, of course a 4 cylinder large car (LOL), it’s not really less that a5 Series.
That said, until there is quality to go with the cost and brand, (check recent ratings) price doesn’t man as much in this class. Yes, I got my wife an ATS two years ago, she gets to drive it when it’s not at dealer for recalls. My marriage is somewhat intact. I have 2 V8 cars, so until Cadillac gets a V-8, like Cheverolet offers, I’ll watch from the sidelines.
Cadillac’s CT6 will most likely replace their XTS and while $54.4K isn’t significantly more expensive than the XTS’ base price of $47K; it may have been nice if Cadillac had kept the base entry price below $50K (even at $49.4K). Doing the math, Cadillac’s base CT6 with it’s 265hp turbo 2.0L 4-cyl engine should have very similar performance characteristics to the Lexus LS 460; but may need the 464hp LF4 to outperform the 2016 BMW 750i.
I honestly hope Sean doesn’t get paid from this website for his contributions. That was an elementary error if I’ve ever seen one to suggest that this vehicle is FWD. The folks that aren’t true car enthusiasts will take that and run with it.
#FixItJesus
There are many reactions here regarding the 4-cylinder base engine. However, Cadillac aims to sell the car internationally, with local specifics which are different than in the US. In Europe for example, a lot of countries tax cars based on the C02 levels in the exhaust.
As an example, I live in Belgium and drive a 2014 CTS. I’m being taxed around 340 EUR (or 370 USD) per month (!) because of the CO2 level the car emits. My previous car was an STS with V-8 engine and taxation was more than double that amount. The more cylinders a car has, the more the CO2 levels climb. So the car companies move to ever smaller engines. BMW even offers 3-cylinder twin-turbo engines these days in most of the fleet cars they sell here.
As a result, Cadillac only imports the 4-cylinder turbo versions; we have no V-6 or CTS-V in the catalogue. The base engines in the big 7-series or S-class cars are also 4-cylinder petrol and diesel engines here. The 6-cylinders can be seen from time to time but are not common. The German V-8 and V-12 cars are very rare and were primarily conceived for sales in the US, as taxation makes them unpopular in most European countries like Belgium, France, Italy etc.
So from this international perspective, I think it’s logical that Cadillac also offers a 4-cylinder base engine in the CT6, as it will directly compete with the 4-cylinders in the S and the 7-series in some markets. In addition, to sell well in China they need to be able to state they have a world-wide presence. Europe especially has been a very weak market for Cadillac due to its unfitting engine offerings. JdN has consistently admitted this in a number of interviews.
In the US, people can easily chose the V-6 or the TT V-6, which are not that more expensive than the 4-cylinder. But as others have written here, a similar evolution will be seen in the US, albeit slower, with ever-stringent CAFE rules, which will equally force companies to move to fewer cylinders, smaller displacement engines, eventually assisted by en electromotor, or by multiple turbos… One may not like it, but this seems to be the evolution.
Thanks for posting this Mike, can you give us an idea of how much a SWB Mercedes S Class and SWB BMW 7 Series cost over there, if you know? Maybe it will give us an idea of how much those cars with 4 cylinders cost. Here in the US, we only have LWB Mercedes S550 V8 as default same as for the 7 Series in LWB with a 6 cylinder. I just want to see how competitive they are in price with 4 cylinders.
While it would be nice to see the CT6 a 300 horsepower 3.0L V6 being the base engine with displacement deactivation so it’ll function as a inline 3 or possibly a V4 since the CT6 is supposed to be Cadillac’s flagship model for now; but it’s understandable why Cadillac will not commit to a naturally aspirated 3.0L V6 because they’re planning on introducing a CT6 hybrid which will have the turbo 4-cyl plus an electric motor module that may give another 40-50hp for a combine 310-325hp and increase mileage to over 40mpg.
This would be a great time for De Nysschen to join us so we can hear his pricing rationale.
Autoline TV After Hours said it best in that Cadillac’s pricing approach is killing sales from what it was a couple of years ago because Cadillac should want market share and not trying to make huge profits per car; Cadillac can increase prices after it has established itself as being an alternative to the best of Germany, Cadillac CTS sales are off 41-percent for 2015 with just 1,319 cars in September while BMW sold 4,059 5-series. This means if Cadillac prices their CT6 too high, they may have difficulty selling high volume numbers just like the CTS.