Cadillac to expand V-Series but discontinue CTS-V and ATS-V
#1
Cadillac to expand V-Series but discontinue CTS-V and ATS-V
Cadillac said Tuesday it will expand its V-Series performance sub-brand with the arrival of the CT6-V sedan in 2019 (formerly known as the CT6 V-Sport), with plans to add high-performance variants across its portfolio. The flipside to that expansion is the sunsetting of its two existing V-Series performance cars, the ATS-V (both coupe and convertible) and CTS-V sedan. Two new unspecified sedans will slot below the CT6 in Cadillac's lineup, a spokesman said.
The CT6-V will arrive next spring, roughly a year after it bowed at the New York auto show. It will feature Cadillac's new "Blackwing" V8, a twin-turbo engine that displaces 4.2 liters and produces an estimated 550 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque, sending it through GM's new 10-speed automatic transmission to drive all four wheels.
A less-aggressive version of the engine will also appear in the CT6 Platinum model, offering 500 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque.
"Beginning with the debut of the CTS-V Sedan in 2004, the V-Series sub-brand sparked new life into Cadillac," Mark Reuss, executive vice president and president of GM Global Automotive Group and Cadillac, said in a statement. "As a result of the overwhelming response the CT6 V-Sport received when revealed in early 2018, we've decided to formally make it a V-Series, signaling the expansion of V-Series."
A Cadillac spokesman tells Autoblog the 2019 model year will be the last for the ATS-V and CTS-V. The ATS-V is powered by a twin-turbo 3.6-liter V6 that's good for 464 hp and 445 lb-ft of torque, an increase of 262 hp and 173 lb-ft from the base, four-cylinder ATS, which is also set to go to pasture at the end of the 2018 model year.
The CTS-V, meanwhile, boasts a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 under its carbon-fiber hood that puts out 640horsepower and 630 pound-feet of torque, good for a 3.7-second 0-60 mph time and a top speed of 200 mph. In a Quick Spin review last year, Autoblog Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore called the car "old-school muscle in an Esquire-approved suit. It's 'roids and cufflinks."
As for what's next for an expanded V-Series, Cadillac has the new XT4 crossover, and already other companies are banking on performance versions of crossovers. Cadillac's also developing a less expensive luxury sports sedan called the CT5. It's also said to be planning a production version of the Escala concept starting in late 2021, so those could be possibilities.
"Three generations later, V-Series is recognized and coveted by many as a symbol of Cadillac Performance engineering," Cadillac President Steve Carlisle said in a statement. "In fact, our V-Series models outperform and often outsell their competitors. As we accelerate Cadillac's growth around the world, our V-Series will continue to expand the brand, enhance its image and attract new buyers to our showroom."
The CT6-V will arrive next spring, roughly a year after it bowed at the New York auto show. It will feature Cadillac's new "Blackwing" V8, a twin-turbo engine that displaces 4.2 liters and produces an estimated 550 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque, sending it through GM's new 10-speed automatic transmission to drive all four wheels.
A less-aggressive version of the engine will also appear in the CT6 Platinum model, offering 500 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque.
"Beginning with the debut of the CTS-V Sedan in 2004, the V-Series sub-brand sparked new life into Cadillac," Mark Reuss, executive vice president and president of GM Global Automotive Group and Cadillac, said in a statement. "As a result of the overwhelming response the CT6 V-Sport received when revealed in early 2018, we've decided to formally make it a V-Series, signaling the expansion of V-Series."
A Cadillac spokesman tells Autoblog the 2019 model year will be the last for the ATS-V and CTS-V. The ATS-V is powered by a twin-turbo 3.6-liter V6 that's good for 464 hp and 445 lb-ft of torque, an increase of 262 hp and 173 lb-ft from the base, four-cylinder ATS, which is also set to go to pasture at the end of the 2018 model year.
The CTS-V, meanwhile, boasts a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 under its carbon-fiber hood that puts out 640horsepower and 630 pound-feet of torque, good for a 3.7-second 0-60 mph time and a top speed of 200 mph. In a Quick Spin review last year, Autoblog Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore called the car "old-school muscle in an Esquire-approved suit. It's 'roids and cufflinks."
As for what's next for an expanded V-Series, Cadillac has the new XT4 crossover, and already other companies are banking on performance versions of crossovers. Cadillac's also developing a less expensive luxury sports sedan called the CT5. It's also said to be planning a production version of the Escala concept starting in late 2021, so those could be possibilities.
"Three generations later, V-Series is recognized and coveted by many as a symbol of Cadillac Performance engineering," Cadillac President Steve Carlisle said in a statement. "In fact, our V-Series models outperform and often outsell their competitors. As we accelerate Cadillac's growth around the world, our V-Series will continue to expand the brand, enhance its image and attract new buyers to our showroom."
#3
Lexus Fanatic
Who is actually going to buy a high-performance CT6? They are having enough trouble selling even the bread-and-butter versions. In fact, not long ago, the entire CT6 line-up was considered to be eligible for the chopping block, as it is built in the same Detroit (Hamtramck) plant that also produces several other slow-selling GM sedans.
#6
Lexus Fanatic
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Lexus Test Driver
Cadillac can really help themselves by aligning the size and price of their cars to the competition. I have been saying for years, you cannot take an entry level sedan, jack up the price, make it slightly bigger, and force it to be in the next class up while keeping the same name. People do not buy that type of BS. No one has ever pulled off such a move and no one ever will. To think there are adults working for GM who think such things are possible is sorry. The majority of Cadillac headlines these days are about failures. We deserve better from this storied company.