Cadillac’s current flagship sedan is the CT6 which is similar in size to the S Class but it is more than 1,000 pounds lighter and on top of that it can’t really match its German competitors in terms of features or even comfort. This made people think about a better model than it and considering that Cadillac trademarked the CT brand up to the CT8, this made people believe that an even larger and more luxurious model was going to be made.
Unfortunately Cadillac said quite recently that they are not currently working on a CT8 because gas prices are quite low and people are looking to buy mostly crossovers.
2019 Cadillac CT8 Review
However, this is not going to last all that much and we do know that they will release a flagship sedan, most likely with the 2019 Cadillac CT8 which is far enough in the future to allow people to settle on what cars they like to buy and also this would give Cadillac plenty of time on developing the model.
Currently their only real platform is the Alpha which underpins quite a few cars from the Camaro to the CT6. Its best feature is that it is very light and also very rigid but it doesn’t really fit a true luxury sedan due to its limitations and the way it is built.
2019 Cadillac CT8
In terms of size it would allow the CT8 to be as large as the S Class or the 7 Series but the platform would likely have trouble in accommodating larger engines, a new running gear or even a heavier body.
This makes us think that the 2019 Cadillac CT8 might be the first car to use an entirely new platform developed from scratch specifically for GM’s future luxury cars.
This would be a similar strategy to Porsche’s or Audi’s where the top end models are usually built on highly modified or even bespoke platforms.
2019 Cadillac CT8
In order to provide the levels of comfort of its competitors, the CT8 is expected to feature an air suspension system with an active ride quality system which will be controlled by a computer.
This should be able to read the road ahead and allow the car to anticipate the bumps in the road. There are a few similar systems out there but none of these is really all that great.
As we said, unlike the CT6, the CT8 will definitely be heavier not because Cadillac is going to use worse materials but because they are going to add a lot more insulation, thicker glass, likely active engine and transmission mounts, beefier brakes and axles as well as a more imposing body which should still follow their design language but it will likely also borrow from cars like the Elmiraj concept.
2019 Cadillac CT8
Due to its weight the 2019 Cadillac CT8 won’t be able to be powered by the tiny 2 liter turbocharged inline 4 petrol engine in the CT6. Instead we expect the base model to feature a 3 or 3.6 liter twin-turbocharged V6 with close to 450 horsepower and over 400 lb-ft of torque.
This model will likely come with all wheel drive as standard and an 8 speed automatic for maximum comfort and safety. For those wanting for more a new engine is also expected to be installed under the hood of the CT8. This new engine will likely first be showcased on the CT6.
2019 Cadillac CT8
We are talking about GM’s upcoming 4.2 liter twin-turbocharged V8, an engine which is expected to feature the fuel efficiency of their V6 on the highway while offering close of 600 horsepower and 600 lb-ft of torque which should be more than enough to allow the CT8 to keep up, or outrun, cars like the S550 or the 750i.
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