CADILLAC FLASH
Flagship CT6 is out with the old
C adillac’s new full-size CT6 sedan certainly isn’t “old Cadillac,” and it seems to be trying very hard to be a competent German car. In some ways, it succeeds. But although I like this Caddy’s knife-edge exterior styling, the inside seems more like an upscale Chevrolet — but luxurious, in a sporttuned way.
Those observations may be just growing pains as this brand stretches its wheelbase and aims for younger customers. Cadillac says it set out to create a prestigious luxury sedan that combines technology and fullsize luxury with the driving attitude of a midsize sport sedan.
The CT6 is sold with rear- or all-wheel drive, three engine choices and an eightspeed automatic transmission. Pricing starts at $54,490 for the rear-drive CT6 with 265 hp, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder. The range-topping CT6 Platinum, with twinturbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 is sold in Luxury, Premium luxury and Platinum trim levels with starting prices that range from $65,390 to $88,460. The midrange model, with a naturally aspirated 3.6-liter V-6, has starting prices that range from $56,490 to $84,460. Today’s tester is a Premium Luxury AWD (one step below Platinum) and was $77,340 with five options, including the $995 freight charge from Detroit.
The sticker price went beyond my initial guess, but technologies add up. And the tester included all-wheel drive, a 34-speaker Bose Panaray audio system ($3,700), the driver-assistance package ($4,380) of front and rear automatic braking, adaptive cruise control and night vision. The Dark Adriatic Blue metallic paint, $495, is gorgeous. But for $77,000 it would seem that vented front seats and heated rear (window) seats — $900 — should be among the standard equipment.
The most significant, and worthy, package for the sport-sedan enthusiast was the Active Chassis package, $3,300, which adds magnetic ride control, active rear steering and 20-inch wheels. Magnetic ride control is more like magic ride control, and it makes ride quality so much better, with subtle yet svelte cornering, bump “mitigation” and balletic dips and turns. The active rear steering helps the car tuck in quicker at high speeds and then at low speeds it cuts the turning circle to 37 feet, down from 40 feet in the standard CT6.
Cadillac boss Johan de Nysschen calls the CT6 “the rocket science of automobile manufacturing.” It is one of the world’s lightest and most agile full-size luxury performance sedans, he said. It has the dimensions and spaciousness of the BMW 7-Series, but the Cadillac’s curb weight is about 800 pounds lighter.
Lighter is better for performance and fuel economy. But it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to enjoy the car.
The 335 horsepower, direct-injection 3.6liter V-6 integrates auto stop-start at idle and active fuel management, known as cylinder deactivation for those times when not all six cylinders are needed. The power is adequate but not demonstrative. The full 284 foot-pounds of torque hits its peak at a high 5,300 rpm, so rather than low end launch force, there is more passing power for interstate action.
Fuel economy on the recommended 87 octane is 18 mpg city, 27 highway and 22 mpg combined. I was averaging 22.6 mpg and wasn’t sparing the horses.
Moving up to the 404 hp, direct-injection and twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 makes a stronger Cadillac statement, but it is still not an absolute power statement. This new engine has 400 foot-pounds of torque from 2,500 to 5,100 rpm with mileage numbers of 18 mpg city and 26 highway on the required premium fuel.
The eight-speed automatic gives fairly direct shifts when responding to a heavy foot on the accelerator. Between all the sensors monitoring traction and stability inputs, steering wheel angle and then deciding on the appropriate gear for a downshift, there are a lot of numbers to be analyzed before the driver gets what he or she wants.
Four-wheel disc brakes have 13.6-inch vented front rotors (with ferritic nitro carburized rotors, whatever those are) and two-piston, aluminum calipers at the rear with 12.4-inch vented discs.
The lane keep assist (with departure warning) is more insistent and abrupt in its intervention than other such systems. At times, it was as if the artificial intelligence was arguing with me. Depending on the curvature of the road, the system seemed oversensitive to the car straying too near the white line, or what it thought was the white lane markings. But it makes no correction when crossing the center yellow lines. I didn’t like the insistence and wanted to turn it off.
The CT6 has the content and technology credentials of world-class competitor. It’s all here. The decision will be whether the CT6 is your style of Cadillac.