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Cadillac’s Future Comes Into Clarity: Four New Vehicles In 2019 And 2020

Cadillac has rallied around the fact that 2017 was not its year to shine. Instead, 2018 will kick off the party with 2019 and 2020 as big years, too.

Automotive News recently spoke with the brand’s president Johan de Nysschen at the 2017 LA Auto Show, and he confirmed the XT4 crossover is coming early next year. The crossover, likely riding on General Motors’ E2 platform, will debut in early 2018 and go on sale during the fourth quarter of next year. Following the XT4, the CTS’ replacement, likely called the CT5, will show face.

Then there’s the large seven-seat Cadillac crossover, which will also potentially show face sometime in 2019. However, we have reason to believe we should take this product’s debut with a grain of salt.

Moving into 2020, the all-new Escalade should show face and count the refreshed CT6 and ATS replacement in for 2019 or 2020 as well.

Cadillac sales in the United States have been anything but stellar as the market shifts to crossovers and away from sedans—which Cadillac’s current lineup favors. The XT4 will mark the first product developed and launched wholly under de Nysschen and will likely chart the executive’s future in the brand.

Former GM Authority staff writer.

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Comments

  1. XT4,XT6,CT5,CT4 this will be these models, New escalade will follow.

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  2. Wish I knew what the length of the CTS replacement will be–have small garage–my 2004 and my 2008 CTS I have now fit fine–anything over 193 inches and I’m out–no room to squeeze in front of the car to use washer and dryer–ATS too small–hope some stats are leaked in the next few months.

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  3. One has to remember that Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen does NOT want Cadillac to have stellar sales as he said of not wanting Cadillac’s CTS to sell like Chevrolet’s Cruze and fill the streets so that you see a Cadillac CTS almost everywhere; Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen just doesn’t appear to understand US marketing where being the top seller in a category is a good thing.

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  4. ATS replacement? I thought ATS, CTS, and XTS were all being replaced by CT5 to serve this price range. This is what earlier reports indicated. Maybe this is referring to the rumored sub-ATS model to compete with the 1 Series and CLA.

    The CT6 refresh is probably sooner than, I’m thinking 2018, since we have already seen the test mules out over the last few months.

    Should be an exciting few years to come.

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  5. ATS replacement? I thought ATS, CTS, and XTS were all being replaced by CT5 to serve this price range. This is what earlier reports indicated. Maybe this is referring to the rumored sub-ATS model to compete with the 1 Series and CLA.

    The CT6 refresh is probably sooner than expected, I’m thinking 2018, since we have already seen the test mules out over the last few months.

    Should be an exciting few years to come.

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  6. CT6,CT5,CT4 that’s it. Large, Mid-size, compact size, sedan’s. XT4,XT5,XT6 compact-size/mid-size/large-size,crossover’s.

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  7. You guys seem sceptical on the large 7 seat crossover debut. I thought from what everyone was saying was going to be the flagship. Do you think the Board killed that project since Cadillac is in such a mess right now? In my opinion it would be absurd to make a crossover a flagship anyway. Even with hearing these 4 products coming and with the CT6 getting nothing more then a refresh, its kinda a depressing time to be a Cadillac fan.

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    1. The XT6 is still on, probably coming before CT5. People have seen it and described it as looking Volvo-esq with an interior that looks like the CT6.

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      1. Patrick, any more info on the XT6? where did this info come from ?

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  8. No, it will be a two door’s / supercar, but that’s far off and won’t happen for some time. Why is it depressing? Those model’s/ crossover’s are what Cadillac need’s. Future Cadillac model’s will be Plug in all electric model’s, first one in 2019.

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    1. I guess to me it just seems there is no imagination or excitement left at Cadillac at least for the next 4 to 5 years. You have Lincoln starting to make a huge comeback with new cars and SUVs and actually starting to go back to names unlike Cadillacs alphabet soup strategy that mimics the Germans which I doubt they will ever fully compete with.

      Next you have brands like Audi and Lexus that have both introduced beautiful and cutting edge flagship sedans, especially the 19 A8 which has more tech then any GM car. Infiniti is also planning a flagship sedan. What will Cadillac do? Bring a few needed crossovers and refresh a nice but not an ultra flagship quality CT6. Of course GMA or any other media outlet will not get the full scoop as I am sure there hopefully is still some secrets that JDN is keeping to himself

      I wish Cadillac to succeed I always have but it just looks bleak right now. I am sure they will start getting things rolling as new models come out but until then it will be depressing.

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  9. Please Cadillac give us more colors exterior and interior. Even Lincoln did it

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    1. GM’s exterior and interior color choices are pathetic, especially on the lower trim level models where some only have one interior color and two exterior color choices.

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  10. ATS should shrink and become a 2 seater, CTS should return to 2nd gen. size, XTS and CT6 should continue as the same class to serve both ends of the demographic….IMO.

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    1. I agree–ridiculous to have no Cadillac sedan between 183 and 195 inches–but have three between 195 and 206 inches I believe. Return the CTS to 2nd generation size.

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      1. Their lineup will be ~186″, ~192″, and 206″ followed by something ~2022 ~210″.

        The crossovers will be a few inches shorter each by about 3-6″.

        They’ll have three normal coupes, at least one cab, and one supercar.

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  11. I just hope the time spent was well used and they get them right. At least these were all done by one person with one vision vs. the past revolving door we have had.

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  12. I’m sorry, cars with names have a soul, vehicles identified by letters & numbers don’t.

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    1. Like the Cadillac Series 60, Series 62, Series 65.

      Those names make sense whereas an ‘Eldorado’ doesn’t make any sense at all because you don’t know where it is relative other Cadillacs.

      Reply
  13. The new XT4 should also be the first model to have the Escala styled, front end with horizontal headlights.

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  14. The large crossover needs to be Omega/Alpha-based, not share the Traverse/Enclave platform. Cadillac should it’s own rwd/awd crossover platforms that all it’s crossovers are built off of.

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  15. The meaningless alphanumeric identifiers will make anyone who’s not an astute GMA reader’s head spin. Hard to get excited about a CT5 or an XT4 – these passionless identifiers are often not so ironically affixed to cars not worth remembering in the first place. It’s a lazy way to name a car and only helps to suck more of the life out of an entire lineup already struggling to make a name for itself. Pun intended.

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    1. Have you checked out the latest ‘alphabet soup’ nomenclature from BMW? If BMW does this, it is fine: if Cacillac does it, it is not…. Talk about hypocrisy….

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      1. I couldn’t give a damn about BMW, Susan. This isn’t BMW Authotity and emulating BMW brings us nothing but Cadillacs with a major identity problem. Anybody with a little red, white and blue mixed in with the gasoline in their veins knows exactly where an Eldorado fits. Right there in the sweet spot, Cleophus. Exactly where it’s supposed to, stodgy old half blind Mr. Perfesser.

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      2. well, BMW nailed the best numeric sequencing first. Audi makes sense too.

        But I also agree that names, like Escalade, have an emotional connection. Lincoln retained Navigator and resurrected the Continental name (a brilliant move). It makes sense for American brands. Luxury in America should remain distinctive.

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    2. The names are not meaningless. They’re orderly, and they establish a clear hierarchy of the entire range, just like the first Cadillac originally had. It was when Cadillac stopped using the Series hierarchy that things became confusing and disorderly.

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      1. Reply
      2. Whackawhackawhacka

        Reply
  16. Still waiting for a mid size RWD SUV from GM-don’t care which division it comes from. Still waiting………..and waiting……….

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    1. Why do you want a mid-size RWD SUV? You enjoy getting stuck in the snow?

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      1. What???? Why would I get stuck in snow? I live in Arizona!
        BTW never had trouble getting stuck in snow where I grew up in Wisconsin-drove a big block Chevelle with bias ply tires to High School in the early 70’s. Of course not everyone has the same abilities-a man’s got to know his limitations………………..

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        1. Yes, being able to drive in the snow doesn’t require fwd, add, or 4×4! It requires talent!

          Reply
  17. Recently a family member shared their thoughts about purchasing a Cadillac, ” I just might purchase a Cadillac if I were familiar with the model designation “. The trend toward designating models by numbers instead of names, like the vehicles in Europe, has a downside, old-timers have no idea what they mean. I fondly remember the Eldorado, Fleetwood, Coupe Deville, etc, not so much the ATS, CTS, XTS, CT5, CT4, XT4, XT6, I do remember the GTO or the 442 but not as much as the Riviera, Catalina, Nova or the Monte Carlo, maybe us old-timers are just too nostalgic !

    Reply
    1. CT means sedans.
      XT means crossovers.

      The larger the number, the larger the vehicle. It’s that simple.

      Reply
      1. I’m not a robot

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        1. CT6 means mid-size sedan. You know that simply by looking at the name.

          Eldorado isn’t a name because when I ask you to tell me what the name means, you’ll only come up with metaphors and deliberately vague imagery of the past without telling me anything concrete. It tells you nothing about what kind of car it is or how it relates to the rest of the Cadillac range.

          You’re not only a robot, you’re an idiot grasping at straws.

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          1. “CT6 means mid-size sedan. You know that simply by looking at the name.”

            But the CT6 is supposed to be a full-sized sedan. Grawbuddy, you’ve accidently highlighted one of the problems of the new Cadillac names.

            By using the name CT6 instead of CT7 or CT8, the CT6 sounds inferior to the BMW Series 7, the Audi A7 and A8, the Genesis G80 and G90, etc. Yet it’s at least as big as most of those, and supposed to be Cadillac’s flagship sedan.

            Had Cadillac used a real name instead of the pseudo-German approach, it would be up to the consumer to research the dimensions instead of making mistaken assumptions – AS YOU DID.

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            1. What I think happen here Drew is that Cadillac had planned the flagship to sit above which would of been the CT8 making the CT6 a A7 competitor and the CT8 would be ultra luxo sedan. Now that GM/Cadillac feel a sedan flagship(CT8) is no longer importent and cancelled it you have this ridiculous and confusing mess of names Cadillac has.

              You are 100 percent right that the CT6 sounds like it is a mid level sedan. What they really need to do is rename the CT6 the CT8 with this new re-fresh and call it a day. At this point it no longer matters since from what we know GM has axed the CT8 and the best we get from Cadillac is the CT6.

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            2. “Had Cadillac used a real name instead of the pseudo-German approach, it would be up to the consumer to research the dimensions instead of making mistaken assumptions – AS YOU DID.”

              Actually, no, I didn’t make any mistake, Drew. The CT6 IS a mid-size car by the number. If Cadillac needs a larger car (although not presently), then they can easily allow for a CT7, 8, 9, or 10. Even you knew that.

              If it helps, I don’t think the CT# nomenclature is beyond you.

              But if you think the CT6 isn’t a mid-size car, then I would equally find as difficult to believe the CT6 is a flagship.

              I don’t think the CT6 was ever touted, ever, by anyone, even GM, as being Cadillac’s mythical flagship sedan. That’s someone projecting, or perhaps something of your own doing, and since I’m more inclined to believe that’s something of your own doing, then that would undermine your entire argument.

              Besides, the consumer (the luxury consumer especially) isn’t supposed to be worrying themselves sick over wheelbase lengths and dimensions of the car as some on GMA do. That kind of super anal-retentive junk for people on automotive forums; not luxury consumers.

              The ‘real’ names are deliberately ambiguous and would still tell you nothing about the car, the range, and most importantly the marque.

              This is the really risible part though.

              “it would be up to the consumer to research the dimensions”

              You actually think a luxury consumers is going to agonize over a car being a few inches longer than another, and then putting it up against a metric of price/inch? You actually think a luxury consumer is going to the labour of googling the dimensions?

              Apparently, I can’t tell you enough times that luxury consumers luxury consumers don’t buy cars like they buy cuts of meat at the deli. Luxury cars aren’t sold by the inch. Luxury consumers simply buy the best.

              You are not a luxury consumer, so you can only latch onto the hard technical details while ignoring them important experience of owning and using a luxury product. You are, after all, comparing the CT6 on it’s size relative to other cars such as the G90, the 7-Seires, and the A8, so if you’re going to continue to think like that, then I know you’ll never understand.

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              1. “Actually, no, I didn’t make any mistake, Drew. The CT6 IS a mid-size car by the number.”

                CT6 overall length: 204″, wheelbase: 122.4″.

                You call that a mid-size sedan? Please. You made a mistake, but you can’t even admit it. The fact that you think “mid sized sedan” when you think of CT6, shows the flaw of Johan’s naming “system”. But again, you’ll never admit that JDN is anything less than the perfect choice to run Cadillac, as you seem to embrace all your fellow non-Americans as perfect for running this American icon.

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                1. So it was you who thought the CT6 was a flagship sedan. It still is a mid-sizer.

                  And you’re still harping on about the numbers like they matter to anyone outside of GMA! You really aren’t a luxury consumer.

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                  1. Grawbuddy, I can’t believe that you are arguing that the CT6 is a mid-size sedan. Check out the auto reviews and they all call it full-size. And like it or not, it’s currently Cadillac’s flagship sedan, unless they build something like the Escala concept.

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      2. ATS means coupe or sedan, CTS means sedan, XTS is a sedan, CT6 is a sedan, XT5 is a crossover and the Escalade is a Escalade plus you have plug-ins and you have the V designation which means you are going to spend 30K to 40K more. I seem to remember that coupes were the cats meow and 4 door vehicles were for families, now a good amount of car manufacturers are calling it quits for the coupe. Toyota quit making the regular cab truck for 2018 and finding a regular cab is much more difficult than a 4 door crew, double or extended cab. I guess what ever we purchase we can still give our ride a name, my friends called my first car the “songbird”, it was a 69 mailbu that I had ordered from the factory with a special color, baby blue, hence the name “songbird”, my one truck was called “Big Red”, it was big and it was candy apple red. What are we going to name the autonomous cars ?

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        1. Why people give names to their cars and trucks just makes me shake my head? What’s the point?

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    2. sounds like an idiot…. if it was a new model with a name how would he know what it was?

      Reply
  18. I hope Cadillac speeds up the intro for the XT6 .
    Lexus just unveiled their 3 row RX350 , which they are calling the Lexus RX350L for long wheelbase , this may hurt XT5 sales or atleast give that segment a different choice now .
    According to AutoBlog they say the 3 row crossover is selling better than before .

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  19. The truth is be it numbers, letters or names none of them mean a thing. None of them define a car.

    On the other and the car if compelling and well done defines the number, letter or name.

    If you buy the vehicle just because of the emblem then you are a fool.

    Cadillac can call their new products what ever but until it makes an impression the name or number means nothing.

    You can slap Eldorado on the CT6 and it would not change a thing. If the name was on the CTS coupe it would changed nothing.

    If anything memories of the Northstar Eldorado may have hurt it.

    Reply
  20. The names of cars don’t matter as long as they run circles around the competition! And having 1 inch more leg room in the back seat doesn’t make it a better car

    Reply
  21. XT4,XT3,XT5,XT6: Four crossover’s CT6,CT5,CT4 Three Sedan’s Next gen escalade SUV. That’s it. V model’s will still be there.

    Reply
  22. One problem with Cadillac imitating the German letter/number schemes, is that it’s again surrendering leadership to the Germans. It’s a not-so-subtle way of throwing in the towel to the Germans, instead of Cadillac proudly being Cadillac. It’s saying “the Germans clearly have the best cars, so all we can do is imitate them”.

    Personally I don’t agree that the Germans have the best cars for every type of American driver, but instead of saying “we have something different”, Cadillac is saying “we are wannabes”. And for those who care about a car as a status symbol, you don’t go for the wannabe. Cadillac might as well be advertising “buy German cars”. And that’s the wrong way to go.

    Reply
  23. Well Ford might disagree that names or numbers don’t mean a thing as they are getting rid of their MK___ , for real names . Their 2019 suv will be called the Nautilus instead of the 3-letter tag , the new Continental skipped being called anything but what Ford wanted their customer to know about the car . That name means something to Ford luxury car owners . For them that name means luxury .
    Cadillac on the other hand has decided to go a different route but as we see they left the Escalade name alone . Names and numbers mean different things to different people , we know the difference but I am afraid the buying public is going to be a bit confused at the beginning of their roll-out .
    This last summer I had a CT6 Platinum to drive as a rental and my neighbor ask me what it was and I found myself having to explain what the CT6 stood for ( he is in his 60’s ) , but i bet if I said it was for ex. a Sedan deVille he would have understood as that name ment something to him .
    These alpha-numeric names are for a younger audience and more to the point for the Chinese market as that is wjere sales are greater than here in the States ,

    Reply
  24. Some of the comments about having numerical versus names as model designations show a preference toward letters and numbers instead of names. Personally I find it a little confusing, for example, a CT6, the base engine is a 2.0L turbo 4 cylinder, the 3.0L twin turbo 6 cylinder is an upgraade. The ATS can be a coupe or a sedan, you can get a ATS-V as a coupe or a sedan. Lets call the vehicle a number and a name, omg, it’s already happening, CT6 Platinum and maybe Platinum is really the color of the paint, omg, we are going to have names and numbers like CT6 Crimson, CT6 Raven, CT6 Ocher, oh well. By the way, is anyone else pissed off that GM has started charging more for paint colors other than black and white. I can see charging more for pearl and I do realize that highly pigmented paints especially the reds have higher costs but C’Mon Man !

    Reply

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