The upcoming Cadillac CT5 is coming as an indirect replacement for the Cadillac ATS and Cadillac CTS. GM has big hopes for the model as it aims to make a splash and make some money in the world’s largest luxury vehicle segment – the compact sport-luxury car space that’s officially known as the D segment. But the going won’t be easy, as the usual suspects from Germany – the BMW 3/4 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4/A5 – are so well-established, that they account for the overwhelming majority (over 50 percent) of the segment’s sales volume. The segment is so lucrative, that it has attracted various newcomers over the past decade, including the Lexus IS/RC, Infiniti Q50/Q60, and the Volvo S60/V60. The newest entrants include the Jaguar XE and Alfa Romeo Giulia. If that wasn’t enough competition already, a new fighter is about to enter the ring – the Genesis G70. And it’s come out swinging.
Hyundai’s luxury arm realizes full well that it it must go above and beyond to earn its place. “The world is fine without Genesis,” brand chief Manfred Fitzgerald was quoted as saying by Car and Driver during a recent media drive at Hyundai’s Namyang proving ground. As such, the firm must be bold in delivering special and desirable products.
Genesis G70 Overview
Like the Cadillac CT5, the G70 seeks to get a bite out of the D segment, which – despite the crossover frenzy – continues to print money. It offers a well-sorted interior comprised of high-quality materials, and an attention-grabbing exterior design, without being too gaudy. As Car and Driver pointed out while driving a recent prototype of the model, the G70’s design and performance has been influence by some of the most respected names in the industry, including former Lamborghini executive Manfred Fitzgerald, former Bentley and Lamborghini design chief Luc Donckerwolke, fifth-gen Chevrolet Camaro designer Sangyup Lee, and former BMW M lead Albert Biermann.
Powertrain options are comprised of a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder producing 252 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque as well as a 3.3-liter twin-turbocharged six-cylinder good for 375 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque. Both engines will be available with either a rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive configuration, and there’s word that a manual transmission will be available for U.S.-bound 2.0T models, at least for the first year.
What The Genesis G70 Does Right
At first glance, the Genesis G70 seems to get a lot of things right, including:
- The exterior design and associated trim levels
- The cabin, including the layout and materials, and color combinations
- The engine lineup, including the base and up-level motors (an ultra-high-performance version might be in the cards, but has not yet been announced)
- The platform, which is born of a rear-wheel-drive layout and longitudinally-mounted powertrain orientation
- According to Car and Driver, the driving experience is on par with the competition
- A standard limited-slip rear differential on all models
- Launch control and torque vectoring, which is standard on all models
- A potential manual option for the U.S. (yet to be confirmed)
- A “Custom” chassis setting
- A lively all-wheel-drive system
To elaborate on the final two points. The G70 will offer five chassis settings: Eco, Smart (auto), Normal, Sport, and the aforementioned Custom setting. We think giving the driver the ability to tailor settings to their exact preferences is a smart move, and can only hope that the CT5 will offer this functionality.
As for the lively all-wheel-drive system, we were rather pleased to discover that the G70’s programming enables the system to maintain a rear bias for the sake of fun driving thanks to the influence of Biermann. It’s worth noting that this characteristic is exclusive to models with the up-level 3.3T engine.
What This Means For The Cadillac CT5
Cadillac certainly has its work cutout if it’s looking to make a splash in the D-segment with the CT5, and lure customers from the established players while defending against newcomers like Genesis, Alfa Romeo and Jaguar.
Time will determine whether Genesis will have any success in this highly-competitive space or against Cadillac’s upcoming entry, which is still in development as of this writing. For now, all we can do is wait for the arrival of the highly-anticipated Cadillac CT5.
About Cadillac CT5
The CT5 will replace both the ATS and CTS in the future Cadillac product portfolio. The vehicle will be larger than the ATS and smaller than the CTS, thereby fitting rather nicely into the D segment. The traditional four-door sedan body styles is a shoe-in, while a two-door coupe is expected. A convertible is a possibility, but we hear that a wagon is out of the question thanks to consumers’ ongoing love affair with crossovers that essentially render wagons useless.
The model will ride on an updated version of the GM Alpha platform dubbed internally as Alpha 2. We expect it to be powered by the new turbo-charged 2.0L LSY I-4 “Tripower” engine while offering the twin-turbocharged 3.0L LGW V-6 and potentially the new twin-turbo 4.2L LTA V8 as the up-level powerplant. An ultra-high-performance CT5-V model is expected. All engines will likely be mated to the new GM 10-speed automatic transmission.
Look for the CT5 to launch in North America in the first half of the 2019 calendar year as a 2020 model year. A China launch might come before that. The vehicle will be built at the GM Lansing Grand River plant in Michigan for American markets and at the Jinqiao Cadillac plant in China for the Chinese market. Other international markets such as South Korea and the Middle East will receive shipments from one of these two plants.
Comments
Not everyone will spring for the Sega Genesis but Cadillac wouldn’t be wise to dismiss them. The CT4/5 is in the right place at the right time assuming the price, engines and interior/ interior room is addressed this time.
It will suffer the same fate as Cadillac by not being a BMW. It can be a better car but many in this segment buy image and name.
It needs to build image too.
The Cadillac offerings don’t need to be BMWs to succeed. They need to be unique and solid products all around.
The ATS and CTS were definitely unique, but outside of subjective appearance or driving dynamics, they still lagged the competition in the majority of tangible areas from a product standpoint. They lag behind this Genesis too.
Cadillac needs to address those areas. Do that, and the image will come. And it won’t have anything to do with bmw.
Hyundai’s luxury arm realizes full well that it must go above and beyond to earn its place. “The world is fine without Genesis,” brand chief Manfred Fitzgerald was quoted as saying by Car and Driver during a recent media drive at Hyundai’s Namyang proving ground. As such, the firm must be bold in delivering special and desirable products.
I hope Cadillac has that same attitude and commitment. you can’t succeed in being better in a few areas and almost as good in other areas. They have to be better across the board.
Even if they are better across the board they can’t expect to compete price-wise. They have a reputation to overcome and have to prove themselves worthy.
Read more: http://gmauthority.com/blog/2018/08/genesis-g70-aims-to-outdo-cadillac-ct5-in-compact-sport-luxury-space-competition-watch/#ixzz5Ov2ZLfGs
Alex I never said they needed to be BMW. But they need the same name equity the BMW name holds.
Let’s face it many people buy the name just for the name and the image it projects on the owner. This is an ego image segment and many of the cars are sold just because of the name.
Right now Cadillac has built better handling and faster cars than BMW but have yet reclaimed the name image or equity they one held.
Same for Hyundai. They can build a better car but yet not hold a drop of name image or equity.
To do this it takes time, multiple great vehicles that garner acclaim and good marketing.
BMW carried a great slogan from their Lutz era, marketed the hell out of at a time Americans discovered great handling sports sedans it still took them 10 years and multiple models to accomplish that.
Right now we can nit Judge the Cadillac cars because we have been sitting on lame ducks while Johann was working up the new models. I can not say they will be home rounds but I do expect based on Johanns comments they will address many of the weak areas.
Now since he is gone has GM kept to the original vision or will they fall back to the parts bin save money thinking again.
Even once everything is fixed the image will not rise to the top in one year or just one model. The media and public will have a show me attitude for proof they have staying power.
They styling already looks compelling with an al, Cadillac style. We are RWD and AWD. We now have our own V8. Now can we get the interior and feel of a true premium car. Will we get the quality of a true premium car.
The top cars are not what they used to be do the time is now to do it right.
At least Cadilkac has a heritage name equity going for it Hyundai had little heritage in the eyes of Americans. To many they see the Hyunadai as the car you buy if you can’t afford the Benz.
It was like the 944 as the old joke was you couldn’t afford the 911 huh? A real image nut buster to many.
My real question is now Johann is gone will Mark have the balls to do what is right and not cave to the board. This struggle has gone on too long and compromised Cadillac from being what the should be.
Too often the GM board has seen Cadillac as the quick easy buck for added profits and shown no intentions to go all in. Mark and Johann as well as many on the engineering staff have tried to do what is right only to get watered down.
You build it right you will not only see the added profits but they will be maximized. It takes time and investment that short sighted board members tend to forget about when the yearly numbers come out.
The Genesis G70 is very attractive*, got an Italian design flare to it, the interior is well executed despite the fake aluminum trim, but its expensive & very tight, tighter than the ATS & Maybe even worse than the XE.
It’ll be a strong contender like the Giulia & the XE, but they all still have ways to go. Of course there’s the new S60 as well. What the Volvo lacks in driving dynamics makes up for in a knock out interior design & hybrid Propulsion options.
The one to worry about is the 3-series. BMW will show the new generation in October & it’ll go on sale in January.
Cadillac can’t afford to mess this one up, competition is stronger than ever & they may not have the driving dynamics advantage this time around.
omg dude really, “…bight out of the D segment”??!!! it’s BITE. 😀
Twas not I who put that in there, good sir! But thank you for pointing it 🙂
This is one of those cases, dear spellchecker, where you see an oversight, head on over to the contact page, and let us know about it like a normal human being rather then a… well… you know.
But hey, thanks for pointing it out no less.
Cadillac will outclass it. Genesis is not the aim. Big three from Germany is.
That may be true but you can bet people will cross shop. Especially with the fact that Genesis load their vehicles up with lots of standard equipment and has a longer warranty and most likely a lower price.
Of course the Genesis is not the aim. They’re just getting started here, as Cadillac was with the ATS in 2012/2013. But we should be aware of them, because their first swing at this space seems to be better then Cadillac’s first.
Agree.
Btw, its intresting that the upcoming 3-series and the CT5 will debut at the same time +-.
Its time to shine for Cadillac. Have no doubt about it.
The Genesis has a very nice looking cabin.
That is just an Elantra with different bits. Plus the front end is ugly IMO.
If you go by that logic a Ats is just a cruze with a few tweeks . The g70 is on a genesis devoloped platform not a Hyundai one
When did the Elantra get rwd? Also I’m pretty sure the looks of this car is fairly subjective. So your opinion probably doesn’t really matter to Genesis.
I wish my ATS had such a nice gauge cluster. I’ll bet the center touchscreen works better, too, and the physical controls below it are a tremendous step up from the silly haptic touch doodads on my ATS.
Genesis has proven itself to be a formidale competitor and no doubt this G70 is one of the top soft luxury models on the road. My ATS is undoubtedly a better driver’s car but I’d take the G70’s interior in a heartbeat (but keep my Cadillac seats, they’re phenomenal!)
The Genesis is a brand new product. Your ATS was engineered roughly a decade ago. Fair comparison? Of course not.
From time with the new third-gen Cadillac infotainment system, I can conclude that it addresses all of the downfalls of the previous two generations. The new tactile controls solve the problem of having a touchscreen in a car. Cadillac has addressed this stuff through and through… so when the the CT# are released in a matter of a year, you can be sure they’ll take on the Genesis and all the other segment rivals quite favorably.
You make it sound as if no automakers had good gauges or controls a decade ago. That’s ridiculous. Look at any BMW from the noughts and you’ll find great gauges and physical buttons in a logical layout.
I’ll grant them a pass on CUE since they did improve it, and the gauges are at least functional (more than can be said for many of GM’s instrument clusters over the decades), but there is no excuse whatsoever for the absurd haptic touch controls. They’re the sort of buttons that are designed to impress fools.
What folks miss about the CUE system is that the chrome bars on the interface are simply finger rests/guides. You place your finger on them, and where the pad of your finger touches the surface above the guide is what does the work. The guides help while actually driving, by giving an anchor point for your finger, much the same way a knob/button does. Regarding the volume slider, it’s not necessary to slide your finger! simply place your finger on either end of the bar, like holding the volume button on your phone, and the volume will change as long as you hold the (virtual) ‘button’. I’ve had a used 2014 ATS Premium (6 spd. manual FTW!) for a year and the system works great. Sure, mine’s a 2014 and the navi and voice response is very slow… but the haptic/feedback part? Makes sense to me. My wife has a 2018 XT5 and the CUE system in it doesn’t have the haptic. Her’s is definitely quicker to respond… but I thought the haptic was a good idea. YMMV.
I’ve been doing this in my 2015 ATS for a while now. Unfortunately, this still is not as good as a solid rotary knob mechanism as on the 2019 XT4 and 2019 CT6. Using CUE involves too much user education/training/behavior changing (like you illustrated above) that is rather needless or pointless when a better human machine interface (knobs) should have been used.
That said, I do agree that the new CUE systems are much faster and more responsive.