2016 Cadillac CT6: First Look

Competes with: BMW 7 Series, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Audi A8, Maserati Quattroporte
Looks like: A longer, wider CTS
Drivetrains: 265-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, 335-hp, 3.6-liter V-6 or 400-hp, turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6; eight-speed automatic; rear-wheel drive for four-cylinder engine, all-wheel drive standard on V-6
Hits dealerships: Late 2015

Cadillac has finally lifted the veil on its new flagship model, the 2016 CT6 luxury sedan, making its debut this week at the 2015 New York International Auto Show. The big sedan (its wheelbase is almost 8 inches longer than a CTS sedan) is the latest attempt to challenge German luxury juggernauts BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi. Cadillac is pulling out all the stops to shove lots of technology and content under the chiseled, angular sheet metal that has become its trademark.

More 2015 New York Auto Show News

The CT6 represents more than just Cadillac building a big luxury cruiser; it also features a remarkable amount of engineering to make it the lightest car in its class — by a significant amount.

Exterior

Longer, lower and wider than the CTS that it will sit above in the Cadillac lineup, the CT6 is an understated yet attractive extension of the themes seen on the rest of the Cadillac model range. What it is not, unfortunately, is anything like the Elmiraj or Ciel concept cars of the last three years. That’s a shame as those cars were showstoppers. Perhaps in a nod to the more conservative Chinese market where the CT6 is expected to play an important role, Cadillac opted for a less aggressive approach. The car features a new “Indirect Fire” LED front lighting system that the automaker says provides better illumination while framing the car’s face with a distinctive look.

Interior

Inside, the Cadillac CT6 is swathed in top quality leather, wood, metal and carbon fiber. The brand is throwing a bunch of content at the car as well, with features that it hopes will put it in the same consideration set as the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. At the first glance of the specs sheet, it would seem that the CT6 has the goods.

Up front, passengers can enjoy seats with premium Opus leather, five massage programs and woven-in-fabric seat-heating elements. A new 10.2-inch Cadillac User Experience high-definition multimedia screen resides in the center console, which also features a secondary touchpad for handwriting recognition input on the center armrest.

Backseat passengers have it even better, with 40.4 inches of rear legroom and an optional Articulating Rear Seat Package that gives 3.3 inches of adjustable seat travel; lumbar adjustment; tilting cushions; massage, heating and cooling; and an armrest with media controls for the 10-inch screens located in the front seatbacks. An optional Bose Panaray premium audio system features a boggling 34 speakers, none of which is larger than 4 inches. Keep everyone comfortable with a four-zone climate control system, and you have all the right stuff on board to go head-to-head with the top German luxury sedans.

Under the Hood

It’s underneath the skin where the CT6 really impresses. The car is the size of a standard wheelbase BMW 7 Series, but it weighs less than a BMW 5 Series or a Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The car’s structure is primarily aluminum, but uses 11 materials to create the chassis and body.

Three engines will be available: a 265-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine; a 335-hp, naturally aspirated 3.6-liter V-6; and a 400-hp, twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6. All engines use GM’s new eight-speed automatic transmission; the four-cylinder is rear-wheel drive while the V-6 engines get standard all-wheel drive. An Active Chassis System is optional on V-6 models as well, which brings rear steer capability and Cadillac’s Magnetic Ride Control to the party. Selectable Tour, Snow/Ice and Sport modes are standard across the range and adapt the car to various driving conditions.

Safety

Cadillac is bringing a host of new safety systems to the CT6, including an advanced night vision system with large animal and pedestrian detection and a rearview camera mirror that uses the rearview mirror as a display to show an unobstructed rear view, as if rear passengers and pillars aren’t even there. The CT6 also features a 360-degree camera system that displays on the center screen; it also has a recording function to act as a front and rear dashcam or a 360-degree security monitor when the vehicle’s security system is activated. A new park assist system incorporates automatic braking into the automatic parking function, while the pedestrian collision mitigation system also can bring the car to a halt if it detects that it may hit someone walking in front of the car.

Production of the new CT6 is scheduled to begin at Cadillac’s Detroit-Hamtramck, Mich., plant by year’s end.