A white 2020 Cadillac CT5 was spied in Australia back in August, sparking rumors that the premium brand may be headed to the Australian market.
The Cadillac CT5 in question was spotted by the Australian publication WhichCar as it was offloaded from a plane in Melbourne. The four-door appears to be in the production-spec Premium Luxury trim level with all-wheel drive.
2020 Cadillac CT5 Premium Luxury AWD in Australia. Photo credit: WhichCar
Rumors that the sedan would head Down Under have led to speculation that the Cadillac CT5 would serve as a replacement for the Holden Commodore, which is scheduled for the chopping block for the 2020 model year.
For reference, General Motors recently sold its European business to French multinational Groupe PSA. PSA owns Citroën, Peugeot, DS, and now, Opel and Vauxhall as well. As a result, the future of the Holden Commodore, which is produced at a plant now owned by PSA, was thrown into doubt.
However, the Cadillac CT5 would make for a viable replacement, as tipped by GM President Mark Reuss.
“It’s up to Dave [Buttner, former Holden Director], but we’re certainly capable of doing that [introducing Cadillac to Australia],” Reuss told WhichCar in an interview. “It could be an opportunity for us.”
To note, Dave Buttner left Holden earlier this month. The WhichCar interview quoted above took place prior to this development, but the prospect of introducing the Cadillac brand to Australia remains. GM previously sought to introduce Cadillac to the Australian market in 2008, but nixed the idea when the global financial crisis hit.
WhichCar also reports that the Cadillac CT5 has been seen testing at Holden’s Lang Lang proving grounds, which is located in the Australian state of Victoria.
We think the Cadillac CT5 would make for a solid replacement for the Holden Commodore. With 335 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque on tap from the optional twin-turbo 3.0L LGY V6, it would have the right output to get the job done, while the standard turbocharged 2.0L LSY four-cylinder could play backup.
As outlined by our sister publication, Cadillac Society, one possibility is that GM is merely sending the CT5 over to Australia for testing, utilizing available development resources with no further plans to actually bring it to market there.
The other possibility is a full-fledged Aussie invasion. However, to pull that off, Cadillac will need to convert the CT5 to right-hand-drive, a setup that’s currently not offered by the premium brand. In that scenario, right-hand-drive Caddy models could also see additional application in other right-hand-drive markets – namely Japan and the U.K.
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Source: Cadillac Society
Comments
If I’m not mistaken, this version of Alpha is RHD capable. Is it a chance Holden can decontent this enough to be the new Commodore?.
Lots of talk of this Cadillac becoming a Commodore and the Camaro also coming. But neither are engineered for right hand drive .
The Cadillic would have to be converted just like the Camaro is currently. Which would make it (the Cadallic) too expensive just like the Camaro currently is compared to Mustang.
GM will walk away from Australia just as it has done from India the UK Europe South Africa. They are no longer a global company their focus being China and the US
And South America, Mexico, Canada, South Korea…..
I forgot that those aren’t parts of the globe…….
Let’s hope so. Our Oz brethren need RWD GM vehicles more than ever.
Since GM discontinued the RWD Commodore, Kia Stinger sales have gone through the roof.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Australia GM employees have been involved in day 1 in the development program of CT4 and CT5. They have been in the Detroit area for a while. This car is a pre-production unit. I know because my cousin is one of those GM employees and he offered to send me pics of the car if he could get permission. I told him not to bother since I’d seen the CT5 pics from the car show. Anyways, this CT5 is being used for development purposes that has nothing to do with introducing the CT5 to Australia.
And yes, Alpha is RHD capable, which is why its relatively easy to convert Camaro’s to RHD at Wilkinson’s shop, the issue is that LGR and other plants that produce Cadillacs (except Spring Hill) would need to be modified for RHD production and of course RHD parts (especially for the dash, front door controls and steering rack) would have to be designed and ordered. And maybe something is planned for Cadillac in Australia (they have a website under development: https://cadillacaustralia.com/) but I’ve heard no rumours of anything…
no RHD version, so no it won’t
Cadillac have previously made RHD cars, the CTS was built RHD and sold in small numbers in New Zealand.
Correct Bruce. They made both the 1st generation CTS, the 1st generation SRX and the STS (FWD and later Sigma RWD) in RHD. They were sold in the UK, the 2nd gen CTS, SRX and RWD STS were sold in South Africa and about 89 CTS’ destined for Australia we’re dumped in NZ when plans to launch Cadillac in Australia were abandoned. They also sold some RHD models in Japan. I believe they made about 350 2nd Gen RHD CTS’ in total.
I owned both a RHD CTS and SRX when I lived in South Africa. I’m still in contact with the guy I sold my CTS to and it’s still gong strong and bullet proof reliable after 11 years (I bought it new in October 2008).