mobile-menu-icon
GM Authority

Cadillac Still Busy Defining Its Flagship Vehicle

One of these days, we hope we’re blown away by a Cadillac concept like we were with the Buick Avenir and, to a lesser extent, the Buick Avista. Cadillac deserves it, and we haven’t been starstruck by the brand since the Elmiraj.

We know Cadillac has a proper halo vehicle forthcoming, but brand president, Johan de Nysschen, recently stated it hasn’t completely come to life. It’s still on track, but the brand hasn’t decided on the direction it will take, according to Car and Driver.

de Nysschen was specifically concerned with his brand’s flagship vehicle “moving the needle.” Whether that means in the powertrain department, or from a design standpoint, we don’t know. But, we’re glad to hear this vehicle is taking all the time it needs to bake.

It’s very likely such a vehicle will ride on General Motors’ Omega platform, supporting rear- and all-wheel drive applications, but we’ve also heard mumblings of a mid-engine Corvette-based Cadillac supercar, too.

It’s also worthy to mention de Nysschen has expressed interest in not one, but two vehicles to sit above the 2016 Cadillac CT6.

We’ll take one stunning sedan-convertible flagship, and one Audi R8 killer, please.

Former GM Authority staff writer.

Subscribe to GM Authority

For around-the-clock GM news coverage

We'll send you one email per day with the latest GM news. It's totally free.

Comments

  1. For my vote please let it be a mid-engine sports car. If Ford can put together a rear-engine car then Cadillac should be able to as well.
    Done in very low numbers it would be a proper halo vehicle.
    Sports cars like that are not as affected by inflation and various market regulations regarding engine size since the potential buyers have the disposable income to afford it.

    Not to mention that a vehicle like that would trump anything from BMW, MB, Lexus, Jaguar and others.

    Reply
  2. Having just seen Mercedes new E-class and the S-class , Cadillac has a big job ahead . If the new halo car is a sedan to go up against the S-class it’s going to have to be the best thing Cadillac has ever built . Thank goodness Johan changed his mind and knew the CT6 was not that car . If it’s the CT8 they can / and should take their time with it .
    It may be a car that doesn’t make any money for the division , they have done that in the past . It will be up to the sub ATS and XT5 that will help pay the bills . Back in the mid 1950’s Cadillac built a car called the ” Eldorado ” it was a low volumn car meant for the wealthy consumer like at that time was the Hollywood elite . And according to what I have read it didn’t make GM any money but the pay-off was the cars image . That’s what is needed now as Cadillac reinvents itself .
    So if Johan says its going to take time I see that as a good thing .

    Reply
  3. Well it is early yet for the new car as it is only a year and half into development.

    It will not be a mid engine car as Chevy will have one. GM really does not need two.

    Also Johann has said what Cadillac needs is a large car that is top quality in all areas. He hinted at the 4 door convertible as being what Cadillac used to be all about with their open touring cars.

    Johann said a Mid Engine Sports car would be fun but not before 2025 at the earliest.

    Not sure what they will have but it will be compelling and dramatic and no question a Cadillac but think of what they used to represent in the 30’s in advancements and style. Move that thinking to today’s market.

    Reply
  4. Tadge Juechter, Chief Engineer of the Chevrolet Corvette said on Autoline Afterhours if General Motors was developing a mid-engine sports car he was not involved in such a program which means all of the spy shots of a mid-engine prototype on General Motors’ Milford proving grounds is either testing platform for future technology or is a Cadillac prototype especially as such a car would have a price of $100K+ which might be too expensive for the Corvette market segment although 40-percent of all Corvette ordered are for the Corvette Z06 which has a starting price of about $80K.

    Reply
  5. I think now we just need a flagship large, a competitor of the A3, and a Roadster or the R8 Supercar from opposing

    Reply
  6. Well if they had just made the El Miraj that would have shut down the haters and boosted the bottom line.
    Oh well.
    I guess I can go watch the You Tube video of the car being driven since I’ll never be able to buy it.

    Reply
  7. No flagship should be hampered with a “CTx” name. A proper flagship – as Elmiraj certainly would’ve been – deserves a proper name. More than any other GM concept, that car should’ve been built. It was exactly what Cadillac needed. A mid engined sports car is not.

    What’s next? Ridiculous 500+ hp Cadillac 4-door SUV “coupes” in two or three sizes to go tit for tat with BMW and Mercedes? If Cadillac is to lead, they must disregard all this market saturated BS and build at least ONE groundbreaking Cadillac that’ll cause every other luxury car manufacturer need to reinvent. That car will not be a German übersedan wannabe with a codeword for a name nor will it be an R8 wannabe, sorry.

    Reply
  8. I’d rather see Cadillac build a car to compete with the Bentley Continental GT then with the Audi R8.
    I hope the CT6 ends up being positioned like a CLS, 6, A7 and the CT7/8 is significantly different, maybe even going after S-Class Maybach

    Reply
  9. Think of all the press Acura is getting with the new NSX.
    That buzz and desireability is what a halo vehicle is all about and a re-engine supercar would do the trick. It would also adorn the bedrooms of many a teenage boy. Remember the Lamborghini Countach.

    Reply
  10. What ever the call the so called flagship make it so the S class lovers are envy. It has to offer everything the S class offer and then some. Price it ever so slightly below but offer so much more. That means looks , performance, quality , driving dynamics. What ever they offer and do you offer more and do better.

    Reply

Leave a comment

Cancel