Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen promised an extensive refresh for the Cadillac XTS, reversing a prior decision to kill off the model, and here it is.
Chinese website Autohome has leaked the 2018 Cadillac XTS refresh, which is much more extensive than we would have originally imagined. The front end receives a new fascia and headlights with horizontal elements akin to the 2017 Cadillac CT6. Changes to the rear are more substantial and include new pair of taillights, a revised trunk lid, and a few styling cues from the Cadillac Escala, helping modernize the XTS’ aged design, which has gone relatively unchanged since the model’s introduction in 2013.
Image via Autohome
The XTS still rides on Epsilon II platform, which predates E2 platform, meaning that front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive will remain, though we may see the introduction of the GM 9-speed automatic and second-generation 3.6-liter LGX V6 engine. We also imagine updates to the interior.
The rear end of the Cadillac Escala Concept
The refreshed XTS will likely join Cadillac’s sedan-heavy lineup later this year ahead of Cadillac’s first all-new product, the Cadillac XT4, early next year.
Comments
Love the rear end, not so sure of the headlights looks more XT5 the led strip is a little thick in my opinion
Like it
Nice rear end. Modern front.
A lot of Escala in the rear end, particularly the trunk creases.
The Escala concept had the (L Bar shaped rear lights) towards the top of the Trunk not the bottom like these.
Looks very weird!!!
The front is nice though and modern looking.
Also, cars with the license plates on the bumper look cheap. Luxury makers always place the license plate above the rear bumper on the trunk.
Yet the Escala has it below the trunk lid…
The Escala is simply a concept vehicle which hints at future Cadillac design cues.
The GS, XF, A6, 5 Series, and E Class all have the plate on the trunk.
There’s been articles written about license plate placement. It is all about the perceived quality and luxury.
The Escala has the horizontal rear light pipes on top part of trunk lid not down low by the bumper. Just looks weird in my opinion.
I’ll wait to see high res pictures or one in person but not a fan as of right now.
I am well aware that the Escala is a concept, and that’s the point: they can do anything with a one-off unit, since it will never see production in that form. So it seems like the license plate placement is an afterthought.
But I think we should take a step back and realize what we are really discussing here: to wit, the location of the rear plate is considered a luxury feature (supposedly).
Really? Is this what we have come to now?
How and why is it a luxury feature? Is it in any way better or worse than placing it on the trunk lid?
I’m asking for the sake of discussion… not necessarily disagreeing 🙂
I completely understand what you’re saying. But luxury is perception. There’s a reason why car manufacturers spend millions on research even for small things like license plate placement. I just think this updated rear of the XTS is way and I do mean way too busy. I hope this isn’t what’s to come in the near future with all models. The L shaped rear lights look extremely off and really look like they were an afterthought to simply make them look different than before. The trunk lid is new so I’m not sure why GM didn’t make them like the Escala rear lights (obviously without the cutout between the lights and trunk)
Not a smooth look but like I said, I’ll withhold final judgement until I see it in High Res photos or in person.
It has amazed me that we are this far along….i.e. self-drive, V2V, self park,etc., and have not yet gone to electronic license pates. The vehicle is assigned a plate number/letter combo,whatever, whether chosen by the driver or given by the state.It is programmed into the computer, and displayed on a screen, front, and rear if necessary, built into every vehicle.
The bugs,location, lighting, intensity, and other features can be worked out…..i.e. the Police could carry a device that illuminates it for ,say, 5 seconds, when checking plates at night when the car is parked.
C’mon folks , it’s the 21st century, if we can produce headlights the size of buttons, that illuminate the road. this should have been a no brainer. I guess we need to get the DMV up to speed.
Then those convicts could do something more productive than stamping license plates, like learn a skill other than crime……
Yes we need even more complication in today’s horribly complex cars. And more price increases too. No thanks
Joe, we need more cheap plastic too.
Momolps – You’re speaking out of a place that’s located in the posterior, starts with an “a” and ends with an “s”.
Automakers do not spend “millions” researching license plate placement. They spend resources (time, human capital, money) on creating designs. License plate placement is never a priority.
I have worked at 3 automakers in my life. How many have you worked for?
First off, I never said millions specifically for license plate placement. I said car makers spend millions upon millions on the smallest things to make sure they get everything correctly, including the placement of the license plate.
Hence when Johan took over, he made them place the name badge at the top part of the trunk lid instead of at the bottom that Caddy was utilizing. It’s more premium looking. So I do know what I am talking about!!!
Placement of the license plate is more important than the “right driveways” 🙂
The right driveways are those owned by people young enough to buy a minimum of three future Cadillacs.
In addition, these driveways belong to people who have owned German luxury, and maintain the social status to act as human adverts/PR tools: Professionals as opposed to blue collar folks looking for a treat… that is the purpose of Buick.
JdN’s use of the word driveway is very telling. Luxury buyers garage their cars. Luxury cars are not left out in the elements for obvious reasons.
Your youth obsession is also curious. I doubt I am “young enough” by your standards. If I wanted more Cadillacs I could buy three more tomorrow. I pay cash. Luxury buyers don’t pay in dribs and drabs over multiple years. Lease and rent is the same thing. No lease/rentals.
This garage has garaged Cadillacs, Mercedes-Benz, Rolls-Royce and Alfa Romeo. Presently there is a Cadillac and an Alfa in the garage. The Alfa is the keeper.
Social status to promote a product? You’re kidding, right? That status does not include evangelicals. The onus is on the car maker to produce a desirable product. Cadillac has been falling short in that area.
When I bring a new car home the first thing I do is remove the dealer’s license frame from the car. I’m not in the advertising business.
This is a professional household. We have no issue with blue collar workers. That is the mark of a snob (wannabe). I got mine. No need to put others down.
Without blue collar workers there would be no cars.
You may want to take your list back to the drawing board.
Moving the license plate down is one of the best changes they made, imho. In fact, the rear looks much better than the front now–much more expressive–despite being a bit overstyled in comparison to the rest of the car, and the taillights looking a bit… unfinished.
Just because another automaker does something one way doesn’t mean another should follow. That’s not how TRUE luxury works in my eyes.
The XTS in my opinion had by far the best rear lights on any Cadillac. They stuck out and were very old school but modern looking at the same time.
If this is the best rear Johan and everyone is going to come up with, not good in my opinion.
It looks Hyundaified.
This is just a direction. It does not mean that the upcoming caddys will get the same tail lights. They just show us where they are going.. And I really like the direction. Looks promising.
Not too bad….The new tail lights are certainly more striking than the current design on Cadillac’s sedans. I like the front end overall, but it sort of resembles a slightly squished XT5 front fascia. Very curious to see the updated interior and powertrain! I’m not expecting to be blown away by what’s in store for it, but I also hope it doesn’t disappoint.
The rear of this car looks much better then the CT6. The front looks kinda pasted on but all in all not bad.
Personally IMO, you shouldn’t spend the amount of money that a Cadillac costs, on a GM product. If you’re willing to spend 40K+, go for an Audi, BMW, Lexus, Infiniti, Mercedes-Benz. Because in the end, regardless of how much pride you feel by the amount you spent, you’re still driving a GM product, and luxury is not their specialty. Also, Cadillacs are not easy to look at. Same Platforms, different badges. Not much to work with and tweak that can make a meaningful impact, if the platforms do not change. The Chevy Traverse, and the XT5 share the same platform! Come on. Might as well buy an audi Q3, or Mercedes-Benz GLC. Who cares about American made, when almost all parts are imported? Jobs? People will eventually be replaced. All arguments are invalid.
“The Chevy Traverse, and the XT5 share the same platform!”
Every Acura is basically an Accord.
All Audis are based on some VW.
What is your point? Same principal. Keeps costs down.
He’s having a bad day at work.
The Audi R8 it’s not based on a Volkswagen. In fact there’s even a Lamborghini based on the R8.
Yet you suggest an Audi, Lexus or an Infiniti. All of them share parts with their lesser counterparts. -__-
I got news for you Zacko. The two foreign luxury vehicles that I previously owned from this list, a MB S500, and and Infiniti Q45, were complete pieces of junk. Both bought new, the MB was in the shop so many times I lost count, from new water pump, and head gaskets, to numerous other reason, like replacing all door soft closure motors.
The Infiniti was worse, , replacing speakers 4 times, nav screen twice, and a stuck, non functioning sun roof that had to be replaced requiring the removal of the entire headliner.
You can keep your Euro trash. I’ve had 27 Cadillacs, including the 3 I currently own (2016 Escalade Platinum, 2016 CTS-V, and 2017 CT6 Platinum) and the only problem I have ever had was a warped brake rotor on the 2000 DTS….
BMW, Lexus, Infiniti, Audi, and MB are bought by people, mostly people who can’t afford them, to show that “they have arrived”. I saw a guy in sweat pants and shirt taking a new RR through a $2.00 car wash the other day. Now, I have seen everything!
Roller is strictly hand wash preferably at home.
He must be from TTAC
If this is China spec then I suspect that the US version might be less dramatic.
Don’t count on it. All global Cadillacs are identical, except for larger side mirrors for overseas export, exported to European and Asian markets.
Great ! Any changes coming for 2018 Cadillac ATS ?
The ATS will supposedly get an all new successor in the next 2½ years with the ATS nameplate replaced with a CTx name.
Ugh…..well so be it. I now have an ATS, had a CTS, have a C7 (and had 6 other Corvetttes)…..am looking to acquire an ’18 ATS-V Coupe which I think is a dandy. Just curious about proposed changes.
If the ATS and the V receive an update I think it’d be more mechanical & power tweaks than aesthetic ones.
The front headlights seem too short, almost like they’re squished. The LED blade should extend a little further like the CT6 does. But this is the only front pic we have and the American version could be different. Hopefully the ATS gets something a little new to hold it over until it’s CT# replacement
Hopefully the ATS finally will get a vsport model. I doubt it but it long overdue
Hopefully the ATS-V gets bumped down to become the Vsport and the V gets an v8 from the SS
I’m screenshotting your comment and sending it to JDN lol
I like the rear end, but it have too many badges. The front is cool, but the plate holder sticks out like a sore thumb.
Overall I like it, but it needs better wheels.
The lower right badge on the rear won’t be on the US spec. Chinese vehicles always have extra badges for some reason.
Full sized front drive Based Luxury vehicles are easy to live with in areas where it rains a lot.
The styling updates look significant and very current.
“Full sized front drive Based Luxury vehicles are easy to live with in areas where it rains a lot.”
That doesn’t make any sense.
love the front……it looks much bolder and elegant than the old one…..it doesn’t look like it was punched in the nose like the old one was.
Looking pretty darn classy. 10/10 classic Cadillac for 2018.
CT6, get out of the way.
What? The long-hooded CT6 wears this look much better.
The new XTS front end has a slightly different look than the CT6. CT6 has an elongated run of LED lights that make the car look like it’s weeping. The new XTS avoids the “weeping” look in a much nicer way, IMO.
It looks good to me.
Oh, uhm, Johann is here and really…..shakin’ things up! Expect great things!
If this is the bold new future of Cadillac, it looks just like the recent past….the recent unsuccessful past. This is the same frumpy, horribly proportioned car we’ve been looking at for too long now.
I’m officially giving up on Cadillac for about the 10th time. All the FWD economy car loving people can go ahead and vote me down but Cadillac is never going to be taken seriously among affluent buyers until they quit building these low-cost cheapo Cadillac derivatives of commodity cars.
Johann….you had it right to start with. This car should be phased out but obviously the GM bean counters won again and you lost. So too did Cadillac.
unfortunately this car hasn’t been phased out yet because people just keep buying them. it is a terrible problem.
Why is it a terrible problem if people continue to buy the car that is printing money for GM? This is a refresh model way past overdue. If no one likes Cadillac’s current line-up, he or she has a problem.
The question would be whether the RIGHT people are buying them. Rental car companies, funeral homes, and octogenarians may well buy them but are they what Cadillac needs to rebuild its tarnished image?
Pray tell who are the *right* people?
You’re not a ‘right’ person if…
– You think that a luxury product is simply just something made bigger.
– You think national identities can be distilled into cars by virtue of those who design and engineer the car.
– You’re distrustful of any foreign national that may contribute to the operation of a multi-national automotive corporation despite them being fully qualified to do so.
– You’re intensely frightened by the prospect of someone younger than you being wealthy.
– You’re still climbing the Sloan Ladder.
– You think a luxury can be value proposition.
– You’re obsessed with past you can hardly remember and expect others younger than you to automatically respect your past.
– You’re content with not being on the cutting edge of anything.
– You use your jingoistic ideals to explain how a car should be and expect it to be the standard.
– You complain about the price of ANY luxury product.
– If you think that everyone else is deluded, and that by only following your understanding of how a luxury product should be, that your nation and its people will be free of those ‘darn Europeans and Japanese’ influence.
If you’ve disagreed with any of the above, you not a ‘right’ person, and not someone who should be looking at any luxury car.
Interesting list.
A person with the purchase price is the right person.
I repeat the question. The endless list of people who do not deserve Cadillac deflects.
Pray tell who are the *right* people?
I just told you.
I guess you’re not the right person.
One more time.
Pray tell who are the *right* people?
You already know you’re not the right person. Change your negative and outdated attitudes, and become the right person.
You’re not a “right” person if:
– You lie about others in an attempt to reduce their views to a caricature, often stating the opposite of what they’ve actually said.
– You habitually crack raw eggs over your head, in public.
– You build mouse dioramas.
You ARE a “right” customer if:
– You have the money to buy a truly well-built car that meets all of Cadillac’s traditional first-class standards. Rather than one that has been cheapened, downsized, decontented, and built specifically to juvenile tastes, in order to provide “entry level” cars in a misguided attempt to capture “brand loyalty for life” in models that bear little or no resemblance to real Cadillacs.
Pretty much outing yourself as someone who else isn’t ‘right’ for Cadillac, or any luxury car for that matter. Good job. Enjoy your lowered standards as you shop for used Chryslers.
First class standards = luxury. I’d say “good job outing yourself as a jackass”, but we’ve long known that about you Grawbuddy.
And you still have a “cold war America” worldview stuck in your head, where everything from outside the US is wrong and a threat to your life somehow provided you can distort it.
More importantly, it doesn’t change the fact that you’re just a minority consumer that has no chance in changing corporate product planning or marketing tactics for a luxury product.
Also, nobody cares about the CFL, and hockey is Canada’s greatest national disgrace.
Grawbuddy, you sound both bitter and irrational. I thought you were so happy that you were living “Big Time” (like the Peter Gabriel song), and able to show off your status symbols o’ success, unlike your family.
Sorry but lying about what I have written does not cut it here. Cold War mentality, really? I said it makes no sense to have ALL the top positions at Cadillac held by foreigners (with the one exception a 35 year old woman of immigrant parents), because you want SOMEBODY in a top position to understand what Cadillac means to Americans.
I never said Cadillac’s top jobs should be 100% held by Americans. And I said they’d be better off bringing in someone from Japan from Toyota/Lexus to show them how to get reliability right, or someone from China since that’s Cadillac’s 2nd biggest market now. I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned the Russians here, so I don’t get the “Cold War mentality”, and that’s over anyway.
The Germans are now our allies, and I’m of German ancestry myself. But I don’t think cars built for short trips on the autobahn are right for American roads and trips. The German/Sport thing is a fad which I believe will soon fade. Cadillac does not want to throw away its history when the tide turns. That doesn’t mean that the US can’t learn something from Germany, Japan, or elsewhere – but outright copying with no understanding of the home market doesn’t make sense. Get it now?
By the way, Lexus is number two now in US luxury, it got there by essentially copying Cadillac’s American luxury, but doing it with greater reliability than had recently been the case for Cadillac. And Lexus had been number one in the US for the first decade of this century, until the German sport-fad came along. Cadillac should be looking at Lexus, not BMW. Copying BMW is just not working, and it’s too far from Cadillac’s history. If GM wants to make a sport-riding division, they should bring back Pontiac. Just kidding there, but they could turn Corvette into a brand instead of just one car.
I’ve know other Canadians who enjoy CFL, and I don’t know what your problem is with hockey. National disgrace? I love hockey. What has Canada given the world that is anywhere close to hockey? Ok, basketball if you want to count Naismith as Canadian, but he invented it in the USA. But without hockey, Canada would just be the too-cold land of fishing and forestry, mining and bad healthcare, doughnuts and ale, and generally nice people (save for the occasional bitter grawbuddy). Graw, if you are going to act like a hoser, then just take off, eh?
“– You’re content with not being on the cutting edge of anything.”
Luxury and cutting edge do not go hand and hand. Having the means to own something cutting edge is often times a luxury, but there are many luxury goods that are about heritage or craftsmanship. Owning a Rolex watch, Armani suit or Stickley furniture is not about cutting edge. In the automotive world, I would say Rolls Royce is about craftsmanship and plush luxuriousness, but they are a rarity where cutting edge (particularly with electronics) is generally equated to luxury. Personally, I could do with a lot more plush, and a lot less CUE, but I guess I’ve already outed myself as the “wrong” kind of person for not only Cadillac, but any luxury good.
I don’t know who the F*#k you think you are Grawdaddy, but you`re wrong. There is no “right” demographic for Cadillac, but even if there was, it certainly would not be the whiny, obnoxious, young-money millennial generation. Trying to cater to the “new” generation was Cadillac’s biggest screw-up, if they had stayed focused on comfort, reliability, and overall quality, instead of RWD sports cars, they would not be in their current predicament.
And no, lack of respect for the past is exactly what is wrong with today’s generation. The millennial generation has absolutely no respect for anyone older than them, let alone the people who built this country. God forbid anyone older reprimands them, it’ll be all over the GD news.
Finally, since when is a South-American qualified to lead an American car company, with a long standing American heritage who’s cars are not even sold in his native country. Or a woman who wouldn’t have even bought a car from the company she works for before working there, by that logic, you could say someone who put Americas national security at risk is qualified to be president, or Bill Cosby is qualified to babysit a little girl. I have no problems with foreign nationals, but I do have a problem with said foreign nationals being in charge of a company of which they know nothing about!
Henry, yes – you’ve nailed it. There’s the truth right there, in your write-up. If only GM would wake up and realize what they are lacking, the massive opportunity they are missing. Instead they are throwing away their history/market advantage on nothing.
Pretending Cadillac is a startup and trying to be a cheap BMW clone is not working. And there simply aren’t enough rich millennials to justify re-working the brand in their image. Maybe when enough of them move out of their parents’ basements, say in 30 years or so, they’ll be ready for real Cadillacs. Right now Melody Lee is trying to sell to essentially a market of one, herself. And even she wouldn’t have the money to buy a Cadillac if she hadn’t sold GM a bill of goods on her alleged marketing magic with millennials.
By the way, JDN is South African, not South American (probably a typo on your part). Nothing wrong with getting a little outside input, but replacing ALL the top jobs with foreigners makes no sense at an iconic American brand. I don’t think Cadillac even sells cars in South Africa (where they have right-hand drive cars, left-side of the road driving). It would be as if a Japanese company that sells rice-cookers primarily in Japan decided to fill ALL top management jobs with non-Japanese. You HAVE to have SOMEONE who understands the home market, and has it culturally ingrained in them. That’s not jingoism, that’s simply obvious logic.
“And no, lack of respect for the past is exactly what is wrong with today’s generation. The millennial generation has absolutely no respect for anyone older than them, let alone the people who built this country. God forbid anyone older reprimands them, it’ll be all over the GD news.”
Like your generation, or any generation, ever was respectful of their elders. Besides, respect is always earned and never handed out.
https://ci.memecdn.com/8836058.jpg
Futhermore…
Why would you agree with me, but then tell me to STFU? Bipolar much?
I don’t know about you, but I think the people who raised you deserve automatic respect, same goes for anyone else who works everyday to keep you safe (law enforcement).
Sorry if this is offending you, I forgot that you fellow millennials need your “safe space”.
You didn’t raise me. You don’t protect me. I don’t pay for your salary. You, personally, are underserving of my respect as you have no earned.
First off, I never said that I raised you, and secondly how do you know what I do for a living? Are you 100% positive that I don’t put my a$$ on the line everyday for a bunch of un-appreciative, smart-ass kids?
My age, my job….. God, you millennials make so many assumptions, yet you get so offended when other people assume your gender.
Maybe the people that don’t like the XTS are just anti-Canadian.
i was being sarcastic.
cadillac should build as many of these xts as the market will take. i’d prefer the cts but so what.
the fact that cadillac produces a front wheel drive sedan that is getting a little long in the tooth wouldn’t stop me from getting a cts.
Yeah let’s keep making what people want. Sounds like a terrible problem to me. The terrible problem is the hordes of ATS/CTS and CT6’s that are piling up on dealer lots unsold
agreed.
Cadillac need to fade out xts and move forward.
Move forward with what exactly? 3 RWD sedans that don’t sell. Why is a larger sized comfortable sedan that is selling such a hard thing for your generation to comprehend?
Joe Yoman, so true! Good to have you posting here.
+1
I like it at first look. I also like mine. Agree about the classic old school look of the former’s taillights. I like the third brake light more integrated. Rear license is better on the bumper, not sticking in your face, no two ways about it. The wide mouth lower CT6 like grill, take some getting used to. Give it more color options, like the old days.
Joe B, I tend to agree on all counts. The refreshed look is nice, though I’d have liked it even more with the old XTS taillights instead of the new ones. The front end looks more modern and attractive than the old one (not that it was bad, mainly dated).
The old taillights were meant to evoke the tailfins of old; it’s hard to tell from one back-end photo, but the new taillights might be intended to evoke tailfins even more. Which might not be quite right for a modern car, but it’s good to see Cadillac appreciating their own past. We’ll have to see more photos and in-person to get a better opinion. I always thought the XTS looked better in person than in photos; I hate to play into stereotypes but I have seen a few of these picking people up at airports, and was much more impressed than I thought I would be.
WOW!! This car looks a lot better than I would have thought, although I have to agree with other commentators that said the rear bumper looks a bit too tall. I like the fact that it didn’t get infected with the same ugly exhaust ports as the new CTS.
Looks is a matter of opinion but I like the looks of the vertical exhaust of the ’17 CTS and I don’t think it would look out of place on the ’18 XTS also.
The 2018 Cadillac XTS has the new design language as it shares a lot of similarities with the CT6 as you’ve got to imagine that any refreshing of the CTS and ATS or redesign will share in similar headlights and grill with a bold and aggressive stance.
Like the look of the rear clip , looks more upscale . The front looks like an add-on from XT5 , not much to differenciate it from the other Cadillacs . Hope the interior gets more upscale in materials .
GM and Cadillac especially needs to adapt and make more meaningful mechanical changes and updates to all of their products, For one, that 3.0V-6TT in the CT-6 should have found its way in the ATS and the ailing CTS for the 2018 model year for starters. Also, GM’s 8-speed seems to be inferior to the ultra performance ZF 8-speed.
Example, The 2017 BMW 7-series with the 3.0T V-6 with 335 BHP and 332 lb-ft that weighs over 4600 lbs performs better in acceleration and fuel economy than the Cadillac CT-6 with the 3.0TT with 404 BHP and 400 lb-ft that weighs only 4150 lbs. Note the CT-6 also has and 8-speed as well.
Solution: GM needs to update powertrains when product cycle refresh time comes around in all of their products so that that 3.0TT V-6 with an updated 8-speed or the 10-speed should have found its way into all 2018 Cadillac cars and crossover models for 2018. So to GM and Cadillac, don’t just add new colors and apps in a refresh, but lets update what motivates your Vehicles first and foremost.
Now tell me, doesn’t GM engineers acknowledge these irregularities of performance in their products as compared to other manufacturers? But wait their solution is to make adjustments and improvements to the newer model. Gentlemen, this type of response in a very competitive market place is pathetic.
Don’t forget folks that the 3.0TT could be dial down according to which Cadillac model it goes into. Now tell me if this doesn’t make sense folk.
The much more expensive and pricey 7-series (even if it’s only the one with the forced-induction I6 like you described) should be expected to perform as well or better than the CT6 3.0TT V6. But to be fair, everything with BMW written all over it will always be more expensive than some of the competition.
I love the new XTS. Does anyone know is the CT6 is going to adopt it’s rear?
I’m 23 and I own multiple businesses. I bought an ELR with 5500 miles on it when I was 21. Cadillac is unique to me because every other young person with money drives BMW or Mercedes.
I’m thinking of trading I your ELR for an XTS or CT6, and getting a sports car like an R8. I will always have a Cadillac in my garage.
I bought a new Buick at 18 and I love it. Just sold it to a family member. I think my next car will be a Caddy.
Rear lights shaped after the letter “L” for Loser.
Spot on!
The most hideous frumpy looking ill proportioned car on the market.
A good thing we don’t have this pos on the roads in Europe!
I’ve seen the XTS in person…its just a tall, narrow, bloated gussied up Chevy….the XTS is a POS.
Call me crazy but that shot of the black one from the rear reminds me of an El Camino!!!
I think the XTS currently has the most flashy rear of all the current lineup. If its shiny and clean, there is something about it seeing it parked in the distance or behind in traffic. It has a very prominent look and stance to it. Something akin to what Cadillac should be all about – bold, in your face; American capitalism on wheels. I do like the new faceted trunk design for the refresh, I think it accomplishes the look and the fact that XTS will be the first to usher in some Escala design touches; it deserves to be the vehicle to do so. Although, I wish the front end had more of the Escala design cues as well.
Anyhow, the backend has always been nice, it was the front that needed work. Moving to the V-Sport grill with new Cadillac emblem from 2016 forward as standard helped, and looked better 10x fold, in my opinion. Since its building upon this, I like the look of this revision, basically it’s brings a more masculine, in your face, touch to the car – and this was one area where the CT6 had an advantage and I believe a reason it’s been fawned over by the automotive press – basically, it photographed well. Anyhow, now that the XTS and CT6 have equal styling cues on the front end, I feel the XTS is now the dominant looking Cadillac.
Even currently it looks slick. Last Saturday driving into Burbank, coming off the 5 freeway, I stopped at a traffic light and watched as a rather slick entourage led by one black Escalade ESV followed by two shiny XTS, one black and one a different shade of black, all late models (2016-17) and pretty much new (including the Escalade) and all three were shiny, waxed, and the chrome popped as they paraded by. I’m sure this was an executive car service, probably hauling around people in the movie industry. Either-way, these were head turners and dominating rolling down the street with class. (at this moment Sade’s No Ordinary Love started playing from the sky)
So, stance is already dominant on the road, and this will add to it. To me the revision solidifies it’s looks as the “big one” or “the big, bad, flashy, Cadillac sedan” and has a de-facto flagship “look” until the CT8 is released. Like I said, CT6, get out of the way, you look anorexic, son.
I think they should flush out all of the RWD sedans because they are not selling and its more important to just be Cadillac again and STOP CHASING THE GERMANS…..they should make more bespoke FWD platforms like the Volvo S-90 and Audi A8…. bring back the old names like Deville, Fleetwood.
I totally agree that Cadillac should stop chasing the Germans. Cadillac should just stick to being Cadillac and make some pretty unique cars that scream Cadillac and nothing else. Whether they ride on RWD or sophisticated FWD-based platforms is another thing. When I think of a luxury brand, I think of a brand that tries to be unique and exclusive in every way possible rather than following other brands. This new XTS is a start; now it just needs All-Wheel Steer technology and a V8.
What you speak to is Avenir/Buick’s task. It is interesting to note that Volvo benchmarked the latest sedan on Buick–everything is about China!
Buick is supposed to chase exactly what you describe: old, soft Lexus as it existed before they started chasing German brands.
There is space in the market for both soft (Buick) & and athletic (Cadillac) luxury. I’m not a huge LaCrosse fan–bland style; this, however, is the exactly what we would get if Cadillac were to change. Enclave is an even finer example.
Cadillac is doing well in China and, with Alpha and Omega already paid for, Cadillac isn’t going retro.
Most car buyers are too young to remember the era of iconic Cadillac. These same buyers don’t remember grandpa’s 1980-99 fondly. This segment isn’t buying XTS and the don’t want a Fleetwood.
Ultimately, in NA, Cadillac will probably drop down to three sedans and four SUVs until the sedan market picks up.
Also, sales will improve once both design and marketing improve. Escala is repulsive but demonstrates that change is coming. Cadillac should look towards Jaguar for inspiration on how to rebuild a damaged brand.
Cadillac needs a real flagship sedan and the CT6 isn’t it…..not everyone wants a bloated SUV and the big iconic Caddy flagship is what is currently missing from the lineup….Cadillac can’t throw away its history for the sake of Germen hard riding cars and I know a CT8 flagship won’t come overnight and I think the real names should came back.
CTS and CT6= Seville.
CT8= Deville/Fleetwood.
I think they should replace the CTS and CT6 with one single car.
CTS/CT6. Leghnth 200 inches long.
CT8/Fleetwood 208 inches long.
OR
CT6= S-Class 550 fighter…..leghnth 206 inches long.
CT8= Maybach 600 fighter….leghnth 214 inches long.
You’re mistaking young people being the demographic who purchase luxury vehicles. Pro-tip, they’re not. If they do purchase one, it’s certainly not a Cadillac, its more like an Hyundai Elantra.
Additionally, the average new car purchaser is in their mid 50s, and the luxury car demographic is probably the same age or a bit older. Also, today’s 20s, 30s and early 40 year olds will not have the same taste now as they do when they’re in the purchasing new luxury car demographic. The German luxury “fad” is not going to continue forever, in fact, I’d think waning. Unfortunately for Cadillac, they’re chasing a trend that is on it’s tail end. Up until the past month or so, the XTS continued to dominate at Cadillac, outselling the CTS, ATS, and CT6, all while being older and had little updates, with no advertisement. People still want a soft riding, flashy, boulevard cruiser; this is what Cadillac should be focusing on. One more thing, Escala is repulsive? You need a new prescription for your eyeglasses, sir.
indeed….Im pretty sure that the Germen-Sport fad will be gone in 5 years and Cadillac have to flush out the ATS, CTS and CT6 and replace them with soft riding and comfortable bespoke FWD cars like the Audi and volvo cars….thare is nothing wrong with FWD…..the Audi A8 is FWD and it still compeats competes with BMW and MB.
You pulled that forecast out of GMs 2009 bankruptcy court proceedings?. No one wants a bloated fwd pos except Avis, morgues and mid-western retirees, lol.
a FWD car doesn’t have to be a bloated POS….look at the Audi A8 and Volvo S-90….they are great cars and the best looking and elegant cars on earth…..the XTS ?……no…..its a bloated FWD POS….and the Audi A8 and volvo S-90 are far better cars than the XTS.
If judging by sales, yes people want a smooth riding, luxury, cruiser. Name a car more smooth riding and comfortable besides the XTS, for the price; you can’t. Unless you spend S-Class money. I tested the Conti, it’s nice, but it is not the same.
Basically if someone goes into Cadillac for a brand new car, they’re coming out with an Escalade, XTS or XT5, period. All this CTS/ATS (particularly) garbage need to go away. Keep the CT6 around, but position a new flashy V8 XTS above it, and things will work out.
Also, people in this demographic could care less if a car is FWD/RWD, they don’t care and if you tell the majority of these owners what their vehicle happens to be, most likely a response of “it is?” is the answer you get.
I already stated my opinion in past threads on Avis/Enterprise, Cadillac needs to eliminate that segment, immediately.
the ATS, CTS and CT6 all need to go way….Cadillac needs to position the XTS to the $55k level and not make it so fat and stubby in its exterior design …and have a larger and more luxurious FWD car above that that is worth the $95K sticker price as well….just think of the Audi A8.
Lol, you think Cadillac don’t sell now, following that plan will guarantee Caddys market to the Koreans.
A8, lol what about it when the CT6 already out-sells it nearly 3-1? (Not to mention the S-Class butchers it )and That tells ya fwd have it’s limitations.
Face facts real luxury require REAL-wheel drive (rwd), not a failed-wheel-drive (fwd) snooze cruise for Uber drivers and mid-management blue-collar workers to feel good they saved a buck or 2 on “luxury”.
the next generation CT6 should be as good as S-Class 550 and a CT8 would be Maybach fighter….the current generation CT6 falls short of the S-Class in size, ride and quality….the next CT6 should fix those things.
A8 is long in the tooth, a refresh is coming next year I believe. The CT6 absolutely should be outselling the A8, 7 Series and S-Class on price alone. Those vehicles are a market segment above the CT6 in pricing. CT8 would be a better fit, if it ever happens.
So, although, people love to say it’s in the same class, in reality, it isn’t. It’s more E-Class, 5 Series, let’s compare those numbers and see how it stacks up.
Yoshiaki, great comments – I strongly agree with all you’ve said on this topic, other than about the rentals. I don’t see rentals as being a problem, as long as Cadillac/GM doesn’t give massive discounts to the rental fleet buyers, making them seem “cheap”. Also the rentals should be the top-line trim levels, so that those who rent are seeing the model at their best, not their worst.
As to the part about most buyers in the luxury demographic not knowing or caring if their car is RWD or FWD, that’s spot on, IMO. This may sound like a harsh judgment, but I think most people don’t know much about what want, on much of anything. They tend to be followers who expect to be told what is “best”, rather than figuring it out for themselves. So what’s happened is that the professional auto press, whose members are in that small segment that love “fast n furious” type driving, are telling the clueless public that sharp “handling” matters, that RWD is “best”, and that “feel the road” steering wheel vibration is “exciting” and “fun”. They’ll mark down any car with FWD simply because it can’t “drift” like a NASCAR machine, they’ll call any car with a non-vibrating steering wheel “numb” and “boring”, etc.
The general public doesn’t then actually understand the details of the reviews, they just want the car that “won” the competition by getting the most reviewer points, the one that is not listed as “boring”, etc. Again, not to be too harsh, but it’s generally boring people who are bored with their own lives, who listen to the reviewers conclusions (but not their reasoning) and buy cars that they think will make them look less boring, or will somehow enhance their “status” among their neighbors by being the “top rated” car from a “prestige” brand. But it doesn’t mean that these people actually want RWD, hard-riding “sport” suspensions, jarring low-profile tires, and other “toys for boys” that get promoted by the professional auto press. They just want to be “cool” and this is what they are told to buy. At least at the moment.
If the average person really cared about sharp handling and RWD, then SUVs would not be as popular as they are now. SUVs handle very poorly, worse than any sedan that the pro critics might call “boring”. People want them anyway. Why? Probably because people like the high seating position and the ability to carry a lot of cargo. What do they not care about? The ability to go off-road. Yet I bet if some publication called “SUV World” (if there is such a thing) rated SUVs, they’d rate them strongly for their off-road capabilities, and the usual easily-influenced people would go for those and show them off to neighbors “Mine is the highest rated!” without knowing that’s simply due to a feature that they are never going to use.
The way around this for Cadillac is not to drop the XTS and go all-RWD, as some have suggested. The XTS is probably the smoothest riding luxury car under $70k (perhaps challenged by the Lexus LS460 above that price). Eventually people are going to wake up from the “sports luxury” fad, as the majority of people realize they don’t need the “sports” part of luxury any more than they need off-road or massive weight capacity in their SUVs.
What Cadillac needs to do is to position itself AWAY form the German sports-sedans, and SELL the benefits of the smooth ride etc. that they have over the Germans (other than the $100k and up S-Class). They need to SELL their angular styling rather than trying to be more rounded, as JDN wants as a way to be more European. The reality is that if someone wants a German car for “status”, then that’s what they will buy. Cadillac could completely copy BMW in every way and still lose out because it doesn’t have a German nameplate, and we are currently in a fad for German cars.
But if Cadillac not only goes back to being Cadillac but embraces and advertises its own values, rather than being embarrassed that they aren’t German, that’s when the greater sales will be possible. And not just to millennials, but to the real luxury market. First class rides will not ever go out of style, but Cadillac needs to break away from listening to the professional auto press and SELL their own cars, rather than expecting the auto press to do it for them.
What you just said is exactly what Caddy did in the 80’s-90’s except the only thing they won back then was “fleet car of the year” and ” Mary Kay region seller of the year” car (with hot pink paint and white wall tires) .
Caddy wouldn’t lost all the market to the imports if they saw the future sooner. I don’t get why someone will want this loser, unprofitable fwd strategy and buyers will flood showrooms. The upcoming CUVs is and will be the “cruisers” and thankfully that gives Caddy room to make real cars and we see Caddy on the upswing in German markets overseas. Now about that DOHC 6.2 Escalade and CTS….
“Guest” (the non-artist formerly known as Scott3?), car rentals do not hurt car sales. UNLESS – they are sold so cheaply that they come to market quickly as used cars, or they are sold cheaply and decontented as “base” models which do not reflect Cadillac’s core values. Such that someone riding in one will think “This is a Cadillac?” and never want to own one.
Any car company can buy and rent any car they want. You can rent a Ferrari some places if you want to – does that hurt the brand? Mercedes-Benz makes the backbone of the taxi fleet in Germany and Switzerland, does that mean MB is a “taxi” brand? MB also makes and sells rather cheap vans, does that hurt the brand? A hotel in the Bahamas has a fleet of Rolls Royces, another hotel in Macau has 30 of them. Does that kill RR as a luxury brand?
Too many people who want Cadillac to keep following the losing “imitate Germany” strategy are pointing fingers in the wrong direction. Cadillac was the number one luxury brand in the USA for many decades, ending in 1998 when the German designed and build Catera was the final nail in the brand reputation. Before that it was the Cimarron (meant to compete with the BME 3 series) and the V8-6-4 engine (meant to yield the high gas milage of the German cars, but still have Cadillac power). It was greatly when Cadillac lost track of reliability and was surpassed by Lexus that they dropped the ball. Imitating the Germans has just further held them back.
The Mary Kay pink Cadillac thing was silly and awkward, but frankly I have never seen one on the road. I’ve never heard of anyone saying that they wouldn’t buy a Cadillac because there are some Mary Kay pink Cadillacs. Mary Kay now doles out BMWs, to the “performers” who have not quite reached Cadillac levels. Does that hurt BMW sales?
This all goes to the snobbish “I don’t want THAT GUY driving MY CAR!”. Sorry but if someone else has the money that you have, they can buy the same car that you bought.
I wish more people would have the self-confidence to buy what they want, rather than just buying what other people tell them to buy. I wish more people would have the self-confidence to NOT CARE if the car they prefer also sells rentals, taxis, vans, bicycles, etc. under that brand.
Even so, the bottom line – even with all of the mindless sheep who need to be told what to buy, or the no-confidence wimps who are afraid that the “wrong” people might also own his car – is that you have to make cars that people want, you need to hold a position different than mere imitation of a competitor, and you need to sell the benefit of your car’s difference, rather than trying to sell how similar your car is to someone else’s.
Cadillac was once, and for a long time, both confident and successful being Cadillac. They didn’t look at other companies and say “we need to imitate that car in all respects, dimensions, ride, styling, etc.”. Should they learn from other companies, and embrace new types of vehicles (such as SUVs)? Of course, but with Cadillac values. Cadillac needs to realize that the lost value that killed them most was lack of reliability and losing focus of their core values, not that they weren’t German enough.
When Cadillac came out with the breakthrough (and still important) 1967 Eldorado, they sold the FWD as a benefit in snow and slippery conditions (which it was), not as an embarrassment. So ok, professional car writers will never embrace FWD, so what? For the 85% of drivers who have zero interest in RWD style “drifting”, FWD makes more sense. Just as it makes no sense for most SUV owners to have an SUV that is great off-road, but otherwise not so good. But the public needs to be educated, and Cadillac has dropped the ball on that. You can’t leave It to the professional car writers to sell your cars; they have quirky tastes that do not represent the values of the vast majority of the public.
Again Cadillac market share erosion happened during the ” drivers don’t care about drive wheels” years.
You contradicted yourself when you mention you want people to be confident and unique in their Cadillac purchases but you want Caddy to make the crap they made years ago. Then sound like a broken record of they need CUVs while they already working on it.
As for the Eldorado, c’mon 1967, you could buy a plain base compact Chevy with rwd, fwd was a novelty then. The rwd competition (also Cadillac have ) awd, traction control you name it, fwd “flagship” luxury is just not needed anymore.
“Guest” wrote: “You contradicted yourself when you mention you want people to be confident and unique in their Cadillac purchases but you want Caddy to make the crap they made years ago.”
Not true, and no contradiction. I don’t want Cadillac to build the same cars they built in the 20th century. I want them to build modern cars with the Cadillac values that made them the #1 luxury car in the USA. Those values, as I’ve stated many times, include: roomy, comfortable-riding cars, powerful yet refined (quiet, not harsh) sounding engines, luxury interior, modern electronic entertainment, easy to drive, generally with bold angular (straight line) American styling. And on top of all that, the original Cadillac value which was lost in the 80’s and 90’s (as they sought to imitate the Germans) RELIABILITY.
I believe that it was the lack of RELIABILITY that took Cadillac off the top pedestal, not the absence of stiff suspensions for NASCAR like handling. The evidence of this is that when Cadillac was finally knocked out of the #1 US luxury spot in 1998, it was replaced for one year by Lincoln, and then for 11 straight years by Lexus. Lexus, like Toyota, is known for reliability, not for razor-sharp handling. Only in the past 5-6 years has Mercedes-Benz surpassed Lexus, and even that is only by a slight amount (16.4% for MB vs. 16.0% for Lexus, and now only 8.2% for Cadillac).
So no, I don’t want Cadillac to return to the “crap” they made in the 80’s and 90’s, such as the Cimarron, the faulty V8-6-4 engine, and the Catera. Realize though that all 3 of those disasters occurred when they tried to be more like the Germans, and unlike Cadillac. And when they lost sight of reliability as one of their core values.
As to FWD, I wouldn’t say that’s essential for Cadillac to be Cadillac, but RWD is not essential either. FWD has the advantages of yielding more legroom (which plays into Cadillac’s traditional value of roominess), and better traction on snow and other slippery conditions (which plays into Cadillac’s traditional value of being easy to drive, not to mention safe and reliable). Further, FWD is more cost-effective; yes people may not care about costs so much in a luxury car, but smart people do not pay for technology that they don’t need.
Bottom line is that there is nothing wrong with FWD and nothing superior about RWD for at least 90% of the luxury market. Audi sedans are all FWD, including their top of the line A8. Volvo’s top of the line S90 is FWD. The idea that Cadillac has to drop EVERY FWD model from their line-up to improve their image is absurd.
Here we go again with a dissertation on why Cadillac will become #1 with fwd garbage. Even the defacto flagship Escalade is (omg) rwd/4wd.
The facts are the large luxury segment is dominated by rwd sedans the command high MSRPs with Cadillac competing albeit less sedan sales but increasing marketshare, CUVs is the new and profitable cruiser with Caddy will have many of them by ’19 and remember when GM went BK the DTS was the best seller for Caddy? (mostly to the fleets and penneysaver crowd, didn’t help at all, a luxury brand don’t want those buyers).
My final comment is Cadillac is going full steam ahead, all the fwd cheapies can go to Buick.
“Guest” (Scott3?) – you obviously have very low reading comprehension. I never said that FWD was the path back to #1, I said that Cadillac needs to get back to their core values, and I said that FWD was NOT inherently part of that.
I did say that there’s no need to go to all RWD, as many here have been saying, including you apparently. There’s a big difference between saying there’s no need to go all-RWD, and you must go all-FWD, but apparently your brain can’t reconcile the difference.
That being said, Audi did go all-FWD (for sedans) under JDN, and they did greatly increase their US market share while doing so. Funny how the “Cadillac must go all-RWD” crowd never mentions this. Audi now outsells Cadillac in the USA by about 20%.
As far as the DTS being for the “pennysaver” crowd, it was Cadillac’s most expensive sedan, ahead of the STS and CTS. The “cheapie” was the CTS, although that has now been surpassed by the ATS in cheapness. Cadillac tries to justify this by claiming that today’s ATS buyers will be the flagship buyers of tomorrow. But the reality is that the ATS is the heir to the Cimarron, and the CTS is the heir to the Catera, the two brand-killing flops for Cadillac. The DTS is arguably the last of the true Cadillac sedans, in terms of roominess, smoothness, and power – with no base model decontenting (all DTS models have real leather seats, all have V8 engines, all have xenon headlights, etc). The fact that the DTS was both Cadillac’s best seller and most profitable sedan, tells us that it was a big success that should be appreciated, not derided.
What the DTS was not was a “toy for boys” sports-sedan. So what? It was a car for adults who want to go first class, not for kids whose lives are boring unless they live imaginary lives as NASCAR wannabes. Cadillac should leave the “cars as toys” crowd to Pontiac, or maybe Hot Wheels/Mattel. Cadillac needs to stop listening to the juvenile-minded auto press, and start respecting – and SELLING – their own great history and values.
You Steven King with all these novels you keep writing for a response?.
“Core values” was left in the 80s. (started in the 60s) by going cheap and aiming for sales instead of being “standard of the world” , the DTS was and uncompetitive machine when it left the market with a 25 yr old platform with a matching 4-speed auto, the CTS in the same span went from the “base” Caddy to the sports model with a premium that was higher then DTS.
Anywho im glad you not anywhere near GMs engineering lab or board room. Get you an 91’Eldorado to make ya feel good, lol.
It’s sad to see that the people in charge of Cadillac today have no understanding of what made the brand #1 in US luxury. And clueless “fast n furious” fans are cheering on the move from true American luxury to dressed up Pontiac values. Sorry but if people want German status symbols, they buy German cars. Cadillac is missing the opportunity to become number 1 again.
First class luxury rides will never go out of style. Too bad all the foreigners and clueless millennials are throwing out Cadillac’s nearly 100 years of dominance, to pretend the brand is starting from scratch, chasing a market that doesn’t exist in enough size to justify exclusivity (rich millennials who want to drive their cars like “fast n furious” maniacs). At least JDN saved the XTS, so there’s hope that Cadillac won’t simply become a declining market “toys for boys” brand; we’ll see.
The I really wanted a German car folks are very threatened by FWD.
“The I really wanted a German car folks are very threatened by FWD.”
Yea I know they are threatened, that’s why they buy rwd and rwd rules the luxury segment, lol.
XTS hmm, since many airports have an FFA code “X” dose the name XTS means “Airport Transit Sedan”?.
All you mid-American, rust-belts need to get it though your heads that 90’s ways of doing Cadillac won’t work. You wonder why the imports are eating your lunch because of chasing quantities instead of quality and Caddy suffered being a discount luxury brand.
Big woop if they sell less cars, make the best cars and the buyers will come.
While the “defacto Escalade” is RWD, the best seller, the XT5 is FWD… And hell hasn’t frozen over yet!
I also want to say that neither of you (Guest, Drew) are 100% right. Even though the CTS was/is Cadillac’s attempt to be German, the first and second gen. CTS sold like hotcakes… Why? Because they were built for the “German” buyers, but they had many of the Cadillac values. The current gen. CTS sells like sh!t, and when it was redesigned in 2014, Caddy went full German and added uncomfortable (sporty) seats, run-flat tires, and $6000, not to mention that the build quality was not even close to the 2 previous generations.
I don’t care if Cadillac starts building military tanks, as long as they stay true to their core values.
“While the “defacto Escalade” is RWD, the best seller, the XT5 is FWD… And hell hasn’t frozen over yet!”
You need to re-read my post before replying , unless you one of Cadillac’s unwanted “legacy” customers..lol. Im all for fwd CUVs it’s what’s selling and what’s replacing older DTS/DeVille buyers. Would I like to see a rwd CUV Caddy?, yep but they need the CUVS now and buyers in that class care less about drive wheels.
Wow, I never seen a thread that reach over 100 comments in GM Authority like this one here.
But anyway, some of the comments I don’t agree with.
Cadillac is not copying off of any German luxury automaker anymore than the rest of the competition from Asian, Korean and British luxury brands. Cadillac is uniquely Cadillac and will continue to be uniquely Cadillac in years to come.
(News flash)! The CTS-V is the best selling V at the moment that Cadillac can not keep on the lots at a cap on low volume. So therefore, although a small market, anyone who says Cadillac needs to get rid of RWD and replace them with a complete FWD line-up is a complete idiot who does not understand the mechanicals and dynamics of the strengths and weaknesses of both FWD and RWD cars when taken at the limit. It all comes down to personal choice.
And I am not convince that FWD will give you more interior space over RWD. I am more convince that engineering the car the right way give that car the advantage regardless of what wheels the car is driving on. However, by the end of the day, RWD is the deciding factor when you want to add more horsepower and torque along with AWD on hyper performance super sedans like the next M5 and next gen. CTS-V will get.
I like both the XTS and CTS equally but for different reasons. If given the opportunity, I would not have a problem buying the one over the other. I think the XTS looks fantastic and I don’t understand the stubby and bloated comments about this car. IMO, I think the design works better on the XTS than it does on the DTS. The XTS is not as dialed in like the CTS, ATS and CT6 but it easily out handles the DTS and far more powerful too, in V-Sport trim. The DTS, while nice, is not the direction Cadillac should go with that car in the first place. I’m glad that car is discontinued, personally. Too me, that car did not look that luxurious in the first place compared to the XTS.
And I’m not sure where the German sport fad talk will end came all of a sudden but the last time I checked, the Germans rewrote the book on luxury while Cadillac was escaping luxury starting in the 60s. There is no fad in German luxury. In a matter of fact, some of the BMWs are going mostly comfort luxury while Mercedes in AMGing everything but people continue to buy them. So what it is worth, regardless of relax or hyper luxury, the consumer is the winner because they voted with there cash. Anyone who thinks, German luxury is going away regardless of some sportiness to them, needs to wake up.
I predict that Cadillac’s next generation models will grow bigger in interior volume but at the same time will be more efficient in weight, handle the same or become better handlers with better performance with more luxury and lavish interiors. In my opinion, I think the current Cadillacs have a good balance of sport and luxury in their current line-up.
Time and time again, people on here are forgetting that Cadillac’s current line-up is aging and them being after and competing with Germany had nothing to do with lack of sales volume. Cadillac still has a perception image problem that they have to overcome with several generations ahead of them. It could take as long as 20 years for Cadillac to have equal positive image compared to BMW and Mercedes. If not longer than 20 years.
Lets take a look at Lexus GS for example. That car has been on the market since ’93 and that car struggles to outsell the current CTS which is now a full fledged mid-sizer since ’14 while the GS was originally a full-time mid-size model since its debut. If it takes Lexus this long without any positive results that it can’t reach the volume of that of the 5 Series and E Class, it is not a guarantee that Cadillac will sell better if they become less engaging in performance as some of you would like for Cadillac to represent. There is nothing wrong with Cadillac’s current line-up and they are selling O.K. and they are not weak sellers like some of you guys have them out to be.
Last time I check the CT6 easily outsells the premium flagships costing $10K-$40K more save for the S-Class and 7 Series.
And Rye Shelton, the XTS is the best selling big luxury sedan at its price where the Volvo S90 and Audi A8 can’t touch this car on sales volume alone. If you don’t like the XTS, that is your problem. At least Cadillac and GM was bright enough to keep the car around for a while, but of course the union in Canada had their final say to keep from losing their jobs. So, there are several factors why the XTS is around for few more years. I am glad that you don’t run GM and Cadillac because they would be out of business if you did.
Good comment and analysis, man. +1 for you.
Anyhow the XTS dominates at Cadillac, period whether car bloggers and so called “enthusiasts” like it or not.
But furthermore in relation to your initial sentence:
If a thread reaches over 100 posts, it’s usually an XTS thread I’ve come to notice. The last thread to reach over 100 post was also on the XTS a week or two ago. This alone should be taken as an interesting indicator of the car’s popularity, in my opinion. It certainly has it’s fans and detractors, but I’d say it’s the main guy in the Cadillac show. Like I said, it’s the true Dark Horse contender in the large luxury sedan segment.
No other car sparks as much interest on this website, period.
I’m sorry but the XTS is too fat and stubby and cheap for my taste…I want a big, powerfull and smooth riding car that has the low, sleek American styling that the 1960s Cadillacs have…..the S-Class is RWD and it’s smooth riding and sadly the CT6 isn’t worthy of the S-Class.
Cadillac can make a large RWD flagship that isn’t a harsh riding German wannabee but still have fairly good handling…..plus Cadillac needs to bring back the elegant strait line American styling of its past….not a German wannabee CTS knock off or a watered down 2007 Cadillac design.