Cadillac’s Range-Topping Flagship Model Still To Be Defined

–

Does the world need another upper-luxury sedan? The world’s established luxury brands have proven convincingly that they can deliver excellent vehicles in the class, and when discussing Cadillac’s upcoming flagship model, the brand’s CEO, Johan de Nysschen, is concerned with something else: “Does it really move the needle?”

–

–

Speaking this week at the launch event for the CT6, Cadillac was candid about the need to consider different vehicle concepts for an upcoming flagship model. Such a car would be based on GM’s Omega rear- and all-wheel-drive architecture launched with the CT6, but would command higher prices likely to range well into six digits.

–

De Nysschen did not elaborate on possible vehicle concepts, venturing that he would like to “keep the suspense.” Cadillac’s concept cars of the recent past provide more confusion than guidance: Over the past 15 years or so, the brand has shown the Imaj crossover (2000), the Cien mid-engine supercar (2002), the Sixteen super-luxury sedan (2003), the Ciel four-door convertible (2011, pictured above), and the Elmiraj luxury coupe (2013).

–

 

–

---

–

• –
• Cadillac CT6 Plug-In Hybrid to Arrive in U.S. with “Made in China” Label

• –

• 2016 Cadillac CT6: It May Be Big, But You Can’t Call It Fat

• –

• We’ll Do Three, Maybe Four, New Crossover SUVs, No Standalone EVs

• –

–

---

–

 

–

So the brand continues to weigh its options on how to tackle the luxury segment beyond the CT6, although it confirmed a range-topper was coming last year. We’ve been hearing unofficial rumblings regarding such a car for years, and de Nysschen has stated that there may be room for two cars above the CT6. If the more niche-based ideas fail to convince him, Cadillac could still do a conventional CT8 sedan to directly face down the BMW 7-series, Mercedes-Benz S-class, Audi A8, and Jaguar XJ.

–
from Car and Driver Blog http://blog.caranddriver.com/cadillacs-range-topping-flagship-model-still-to-be-defined/