Back in July, we shared with you a design patent of a sleek Cadillac coupe. Shortly thereafter, in collaboration with our friends at Cadillac Society, we set out to enhance the images in the patent documents in order to get a better idea of what we were looking at. Today, we are presenting the resulting illustrations as a hypothetical Cadillac CT8 Coupe.
The more time we spent with the images, the more we realized that the model seen here is distinctly larger than a compact or a midsize coupe, which many initially believed the patent to represent. Instead, the drawings seem to depict a large two-door coupe, one that would be in the realm of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe or BMW 8 Series. And that brings us to the name: for the sake of this article and stemming conversation, let’s refer to the model seen here as the Cadillac CT8 Coupe.
As you look at these illustrations, we ask that you keep in mind that the purpose of this exercise is to get a better idea of what the two-door vehicle in the patent application could look like, rather than to convey the most real-world depiction of the model in question. Let’s dig in.
The front of our hypothetical Cadillac CT8 Coupe seems to represent an evolution of the design language introduced by the beautiful Escala Concept. It was difficult to fully comprehend the intricacies of the front end from the patent illustrations, so we took a few liberties in guessing the treatment of the headlights and lower fascia/inserts. The grille, however, seems to be straight off the Escala.
The side profile is rather intriguing, though it was also the most challenging to depict – since the treatment of the front and rear lights from this angle is anything but clear. Even so, the really long dash-to-axle ratio was instrumental in helping us reach the conclusion that we’re looking at a large Cadillac coupe, rather than a smaller two-door model.
The shape from this angle bears is reminiscent of that of the Ford Mustang due to the profile, but we don’t believe that the actual model will have that kind of semblance.
The rear features those “boomerang” taillights introduced by the Escala Concept and then implemented by the updated 2019 Cadillac CT6. The patent illustrations also hid four exhaust outlets in the middle of the car, and we gave them some “pop” in our illustrations.
The GM Authority Take
Patent applications aren’t filed for no reason, so something tells us that the design in question will show up in the future – either as a concept or a production vehicle.
Few things would delight us more than to see a hypothetical Cadillac CT8 Coupe be brought to production as a full-size luxury coupe to take on the S-Class and 8er. However, we should keep in mind that the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance will take place during the final weekend of August (from the 21st through the 23rd), and that’s the very same venue where Cadillac unveiled the Escala Concept two years ago.
Stay tuned.
Comments
Love the rendering!
But I don’t understand what is the logical in this new alphanumeric Cadillac naming.
CT4 against BMW 2 Series, CT6 against BMW 7 Series … ?
CT6’s direct competitors are BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Secondary competitors are the likes of S-Class and 7 Series due to Wheel Base and available options.
CT6 is squarely an F Segment vehicle, does not compete in E segment occupied by E Class, 5 Series, A6 and Cadillac’s own CTS save for possible price overlap.
As well its overall length is 2 inches short of the Long Wheel Base S Class and longer than the SWB version.
Yet in the overall, its WB is longer.
No.
CT means sedan.
XT means crossover/SUV
The larger the number, the larger the vehicle is.
This isn’t rocket science, and it’s not difficult to understand the logic behind it all.
The nomenclature is not to be used analogous to BMW’s nomenclature or any other brands nomenclature. It’s simply a means to organize and show the hierarchy of the range and how they relate to one another.
That’s all there is to it.
Well a coupe fits as they said the C8 was not a 4 door sedan.
Now on your drawing lower the hood and rake the windshield and I think it will look better. The glass and hood just do not work together.
Another thing a bigger roller coupe would do better as the higher price would better support a low volume coupe.
Might note Bently has a new fastback coupe with a similar rear roof based on the Panamera.
See those 4 central pipes? …
It’s the C7 under there! Here we go again Scott3. I reckon this CT8 is a rebodied C7. Cadillac on a Corvette again, just not a C8 as I thought.
Exhaust location on a us patent drawings mean little.
For one the Corvette platform is not that flexible to be longer and wider.
The central exhaust is easy to do on any independent rear car. The CTS coupe had them .
We need more info before we start placing a platform under this. For all we know this could be an Omega.
The doors have a rather unique outline… which is also similar to the Vette’s.
Whatever it is, they need to ask themselves how it’s going to look by the time they get around to thinking about building it.
I’m with you 100% Scott. Good eye and good taste!
Agree on the hood and glass. Looks like it was inspired by Mustang.
The patent drawings are pretty easy to understand…the GMA renderings don’t reflect them at all.
It for sure did not improve upon them. +1
You sure they don’t reflect them “at all”? Or do they reflect them, save for a few details here and there? My money is on the latter. But hey… it looks like hyperbole is the name of the game, let’s all play!
C8 is the new Mid-engine Corvette….
You mean CT8….
….and Bentley is spelled with two e’s…….
Patent filings look good. GMA renderings a little off, but tried.
A premiere coupe with an awesome interior like the Mercedes S65 or S63 Coupes would be wonderful. Except Cadillac could one-up Mercedes with a better exterior and maybe a unique interior as luxury buyers look for something new, but charge less than the $240K+ for a S65.
Mercedes has set a high bar in coupes, so let’s GM is really up to the challenge and doesn’t try to cut corners like they always do.
nobody like this new naming ..feels like Chinese naming
Ford began the use of letters and numbers as names. remember the Model A and Model T? Many of the foreign brand still use numbers, even Tesla has them (Models S, X, and 3). The Chinese copies the U.S and is still doing it.
And now Lincoln is going back to their classic conventional naming (Aviator, Continental, Nautilus, Zephyr) and people are praising them for it
No they are not. Look at the sales of the Continental. It is selling worse than the CT6 which costs 10K more. Funny how a competitor with an alphanumeric name is outselling the Lincoln with an actual name.
Lincoln is better off with a better alphanumeric naming system than actual names. But to each his or her own.
Name doesn’t directly dictate sales nor does it nullify praise. Lincolns brand image and turn around time is worse than Cadillacs
The support for Lincoln has been much worse for Lincoln at Ford.
The last leader wanted to cut Lincoln an$ was moving to do so. That is why Ford started to offer high end Taurus and Fusions.
But once he left those still there decided to keep Lincoln. The problem they tried to do it like GM did in the 90’s and just take Ford platforms and just juice them up a bit.
It will fail just as GM did till they dedicate some engines and platforms just for them.
The name is like I said all along does not sell the car the car sells the name.
Compelling models and designs establish names and create image. But stick a good name on a bad car and you just damage the equity.
That’s because the Continental is ugly and the wheelbase is shorter than most other luxury cars. Just go to YouTube and check out the cnet.com review on the Continental the back seat has no space.
If Lincoln is doing it, that is a sure sign it should be avoided.
if this was called XLR and based on ZR1 LT5 with underrated 800hp and 10 speed
now that a Cadillac flagship coupe
No, then it would be a Chevy with Cadillac bodywork.
Some of us don’t want a Corvette, at least not as a primary car. Too noisy inside, maybe a little too cramped, not very good for road trips, and useless in the winter. Did I mention how noisy it is inside a Corvette? It sounds great on a weekend joyride, but all that engine and tire noise every day might start to get old for some people.
That formula failed miserably the last time. No need to repeat the failed.
Who told you that this is a CT8???
It is not. This is a CT5 coupe.
In reference to the line that “it bears resemblance to the mustang” alot of cars do to be honest. The Charger, Camaro, and the BMW 8-series to name a few all look like mustangs except some are larger.
Gorgeous. It’s an entirely different design direction than the bland and frumpy CT6 so I kind of doubt Cadillac will actually produce a coupe that looks so beautiful.
CT6 frumpy!!?? If anything pictures don’t do it justice; sharp understated design with excellent presence when seen up close.
That beanstalk guy is full of it. He has been critical about the CT6 before despite the car being absolutely gorgeous. He’s just another hater. probably doesn’t have a drivers license.
Well I haven’t seen it in person so I guess I’ll withhold judgement until then. I know what you mean about some cars looking better in person – it’s actually the same impression I have of my ATS. I thought it was bland at first, but after seeing it in person a few times the understated design wiled its way into my consciousness and I was smitten.
This is a concept for Pebble Beach as I, and others, speculated weeks ago; nothing more. It will not be built. A company that Dared Greatly would build it but that’s not the kind of company or brand that Cadillac is. They haven’t been cutting-edge or daring in 40 years.
While the images are nicely done and fun to look at, I feel they only serve to disappoint consumers and those of us who are enthusiasts of the brand. They offer a glimpse into a world that will never be where Cadillac proudly reclaims their ‘Standard of the World’ title. Reality, however is far different.. Reality is the frumpy XTS fleet car, the CR-V cloned XT4, and another front-driver off the corporate Lamba platform to be known as XT6. The later surely will be available in three exciting shades of silver; light, medium, and dark tungsten. Oh, and reality is the Escalade too – a Chevrolet Tahoe with a $40,000 price boost to cover the cost of its unique grille and lights and some higher grade leather.
A modern day Eldorado would be hugely exciting. A car that looked like this and based on Omega and powered by a 4.2 liter V-8 would bring glamour back to the brand but, alas, GM has calculated that the public only buys silver boxes, not stunning coupes so this car will never be. It’s a planned concept with no plans for production. And GM, if you’re listening, I dare you to prove me wrong. I dare you greatly to prove me wrong and I won’t be mad if you do. I’ll be elated and I just might show up at Capital Cadillac offering them a lovingly cared for BMW for their pre-owned car section in exchange for a “CT8”.
Wrong at all.
Sorry,but you don’t know anything about the future products. This is a patent of the production model, which will be build.
But this is not the CT8. It is the CT5 coupe.
This is not the CT5 coupe. It’s too big. Look T the axle to dash ratio.
The CT5 will have proportions slightly larger than the ATS and 5 inches shorter than the CTS. The same applies for the coupe, which has been put on the back burner for now, with XT6 being prioritized in the program development process.
So who knows what now?
This is the CT5 coupe, my friend. And this is not a guess 🙂
Pics don’t do it justice. It looks bigger than it really is, but the reality is that it has the Avista’s dimensions, which is a D-class.
There will be a coupe bigger, but this one is a D-class car. It means CT5 coupe.
Which is really strange because….as all WE INDUSTRY EXPERTS KNOW is that usually every concept car that is shown by any car company immediately goes into production the next day……except for Cadillac right?
I’m sitting here in my Chrysler Copperhead on my way to the 711 and I just saw a a Ford Interceptor nearly hit a BMW Vision 100 Next……and then I saw a classic Ford Probe IV on the road…..haven’t seen one of those since back when I was a Blade Runner…….
Will this CT8 spark the return of the Northstar V8 engine?
Ray the Northstar rest with Pontiac and Olds in our memories.
We will have the DOHC V8 but it shares nothing and the Nstar name held a lot of damage with the many failed head gaskets.
Look for all new names and marketing.
Ray It’s not the north star, it’s better… haven’t you heard!
http://gmauthority.com/blog/gm/cadillac/cadillac-engines/cadillac-4-2-liter-twin-turbo-v-8/lta/
This is really a cool concept that will boost Cadillac’s image. The CT-8 shows solid potential. I hope that they build it but I am afraid that the beancounters at the top will find several reasons to kill it way before production.
This is totally ridiculous looking. They had a gorgeous 2 door coupe with the ELR that still looks good today. They messed that up with terrible advertising and no support. I don’t GM needs another vehicle that nobody is going to buy.
1. ELR is an unproportional fugly car. And the CT5 coupe will make the ELR look even more fuglier.
2. Secondly, only idiot can judge by a very bad render, which was made by the noob.
Some of you people are haters. All they did was color in the original patent filings and add some lights/texture. It’s as much as they could do and they did a very good job.
If you don’t like the render you probably don’t like the design to begin with.
Take it easy and get some happiness in your life.
And maybe thank this site for taking the initiative to even do this. It’s my new favorite car forum.
I TRULY HOPE THEY PUT THIS CAR ON THE STREETS. IT LOOKS GREAT. THERE STILL ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO COULD BE ATTRACTED TO A CAR LIKE THIS. LKE MYSELF. THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO ARENT FAMILY TYPES WHO WOULD NEVER BUY A TRENDY CUV OR SUV. A CAR LIKE THIS COULD BE A WINNER.
David,
Good point but cars like this aren’t exclusively for people who aren’t “family types”. Plenty of family guys own sporty coupes or a sports car. It just isn’t their only vehicle. In my neck of the woods, the garages often have an S-Class, a Range Rover, and a 911, 6-Series, F-Type or something similar. Just like all of us don’t wear the same shoes for every occasion, the buyers Cadillac should be courting don’t drive the same car for every occasion. Done right, I could totally envision a Cadillac CT8 Eldorado occupying garage space with a Land Rover Range Rover and a BMW 750i. That should be Cadillac’s goal. Selling $32,000 CR-V lookalike XT4s to tract home dwellers (no offense to the THDs; I lived there once too) is not what a company once know as The Standard of the World should be doing to regain their lost prestige.
Oh dear, please don’t call it an “Eldorado.” I get horror flashbacks to under powered road barges with vinyl roofs and fake spoke wheel covers.
There is nothing “trendy” about crossovers, except that the sheeple masses are all about them without considering the side effects.
It seems like the lighting elements don’t align in profile and front and rear views. Specifically, there is a vertical line just ahead of the tail lights in profile view that doesn’t match up with the design when seen from directly behind. This detail should be behind the taillamp, in profile view, rather than ahead of it. Likewise on the front, there is a grille element that should be visible from the side but it is missing in these renderings. Overall a nice job and I’d offer my compliments to the graphic artist who prepared the drawings but a bit of modification might be in order.
What a stunning car this could be. It has the potential to be the type car that made Cadillac famous. Think of a sleeker and more sporty Rolls Royce Wraith or Bentley Continental. Or perhaps a more luxurious and elegant BMW 850i. As long as I live I’ll never understand why Cadillac so steadfastly refuses to build cars like this and instead cedes the true luxury market to the Europeans and remains happy duking it out with Infiniti, Genesis, and Lincoln for the Tier 2 crown. Just astounding.
The answer is simple, GM is the reason why Cadillac is stuck where they are today.
To build a world class luxury car, you need the perfect combination of Money, Vision\Foresight, Patience\Independence & Commitment.
GM have the money & a vague vision of what they want Cadillac to be, but they’ve demonstrated time & time again that they completely lack the other ingredients.
Let’s take a look at Volvo for example. Although Geely didn’t have experience in this field, they had all the right ingredients & hired the right people. It worked.
Of course Cadillac & Volvo are completely different companies with different histories, philosophies & goals, but the path to the success is the same.
Spot on. GM has previously lacked the direction but most importantly the necessary patience. Hoping that the current leadership with Barra, Ammann and Reuss will fare better.
Things might get better with Ammann out of the picture. While I’m hoping for the best, I’m not holding my breath.
Wouldn’t this car, if made, be an Escala???
Rolls Royce Wraith plz Caddy plz ??
Based on what the report is stating here, this car is designed to take on the 8 Series BMW and the Mercedes S-Class. Cadillac has discussed in Motor Trend Magazine last year the possibility of reviving their Halo Performance Car in their efforts to take on top level contenders from BMW, Audi, Mercedes and Lexus, so this no CT5 in disguise, we haven’t even seen the renderings of an exposed 2019/ 2020 CT5 Sedan, and a photo of that particular car was just recently released with the car completely covered in white disguise wrap . XLR resurrected, it’s possible!!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, some of yall dont understand. Its disappointing when I hear “Cadillac/GM enthusiasts” having no faith in the future of the company. Whether this is a production vehicle or not (I’d really hope it is),or where Cadillac wants to use alphanumerics (like they basic have been since the 80’s), or how drop dead gorgeous this coupe is shouldn’t matter (except the latter).
This is the design direction of the best American Luxury Brand. Dont forget Cadillacs accolades, 1st or 2nd highest ATPs of major luxury brands, had its 2nd best year of global sales last year in its 115 almost 116 year history, and ~50% of their sales last year were sold to Gen Xer’s. Yeah Cadillac got work to do, but the brand is going places..have faith
This is site and the other GMsh&&thole are just site for little girls to b&&ch on……..
Trust is earned. I love Cadillac, but GM demonstrated times and times again that they’ll always take the easy way out & half ass it. Unless they show me otherwise & prove me wrong, I’ll have no faith in GM.
People forget this is an industry measured in decades. The lifecycle of smartphones has people expecting turnarounds quarterly.
Cadillac’s needs to get real which means no 4-cyl turbo base engine or even a naturally aspirated V6, the base engine should be a naturally aspirated version of Cadillac’s new 4.2L DOHC-4v V8 with the top model being the twin-turbo 4.2L V8.
It really depends on where this coupe is aimed. If Cadillac make it a $150K halo car then you can bet there will be no I4 turbo available. If it’s an Alpha 2 platform replacement for the ATS Coupe then a Tripower 2.0T LSY will absolutely rock in such a light car. It will likely be tuned for high output in a longitudinal configuration, not the low output seen in the XT4 FWD, so expect 0-60 times under 5 seconds.
In what reality do you live in where you would recommend not offering tours and sixes as “reality”?
Do you want Cadillac to sell 1,000 units across the board and make a loss? That’s what your recommendation will deliver. Ridiculous.
Those are some small side view mirrors!
I just want a full sized car please. Four door would be nice with AWD as well.
First, I’m glad that you’re finally out of your coma and that you’re feeling better and breathing on your own again and everything, and I’m sure once your up and about and walking and not using diapers again. you’ll be happy to know that Cadillac has been selling a full size sedan in RWD/AWD for like 2 years now…..
Welcome Back!
The tail lights are in the wrong spot in the profile view. They should be set back where that second line is since the back of the car is slightly curved. Same concept as the headlights. They don’t appear at the very front of the car in the profile view
1; It’ll be interesting to see the thickness of the actual headlights.
2; I hope the vertical DRLs are more vertical in real life, not this acute angle stuff.
3; Nice.
Wow. The profile shot should have been on the headline — I almost didn’t read this!