Cadillac News: Cadillac Drops the CT6 Plug-In Hybrid For the U.S.

[William Maley]

Cadillac's CT6 lineup in the U.S. will be seeing the departure of one its powertrains for 2019. GM Authority is reporting that Cadillac will be canning plug-in hybrid variant for the U.S.

"Cadillac remains committed to electrified systems for our vehicles. Although production of the CT6 PLUG-IN for North America is discontinuing for the 2019 model year, alternative fuel vehicles remain a part of our future product portfolio as we move deeper in to our 10-year plan. GM has committed to 20 electric vehicles by 2023, some of which will be Cadillacs," a spokesman told the outlet.

This is likely a recent decision, considering the model was listed in GM's VIN decoder documents. What caused Cadillac to change its mind on the CT6 Plug-In Hybrid? Most likely it comes down to tariffs as the CT6 is imported from China and gets slapped with a 25 percent tariff when it enters the U.S. market. Add in the factor that only a small number of 10,542 CT6s sold in the U.S. were the plug-in hybrid and it isn't quite surprising that the model has been axed.

Cadillac will continue selling the plug-in hybrid version of the CT6 in China.

Quick refresher on the CT6 Plug-In Hybrid: The powertrain was comprised of a turbocharged 2.0L inline-four, two electric motors, and an 18.4-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack to produce a total output of 449 horsepower. Maximum electric range stands at 31 miles.

Source: GM Authority

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[G. David Felt]

It is a shame, if they had the range of the VOLT plus the dual electric motors, I think it would have been a far better game changer. These type of autos should have a minimum of 50 miles on pure electric.

I honestly do not see these luxury cars selling that only have 20 to 30 something miles of pure electric range. Minimum should be 50 miles for plugin hybrids.

I do wonder if we will see a pure electric CT6 shown with production in 2020 as a 2021 model. ?

[ccap41]

7 people are disappointed. 

[Robert Hall]

Meh, a turbo 4 in a big car like that isn't very compelling.  And 340hp according to Wikipedia, not 449hp.   The twin turbo V8 that is coming is going to be the hot ticket for CT6...

[smk4565]

4 cylinder hybrid is going to have a low take rate on any luxury car.  People in the upper price ranges aren't going to care a lot about fuel economy, so electrification needs to be more about a performance play.  And turbo 4 in a full size car isn't performance.  Plus they priced this high, I remember when the CT6 came out thinking the hybrid was too expensive, they wanted close to turbo V6 money for it.

[ocnblu]

1 hour ago, ccap41 said:

7 people are disappointed. 

LOL that many?  LOL

[Robert Hall]

17 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

4 cylinder hybrid is going to have a low take rate on any luxury car.  People in the upper price ranges aren't going to care a lot about fuel economy, so electrification needs to be more about a performance play.  And turbo 4 in a full size car isn't performance.  Plus they priced this high, I remember when the CT6 came out thinking the hybrid was too expensive, they wanted close to turbo V6 money for it.

 4 cyl hybrids are for compact economy cars or midsize family sedans, out of place in a large luxury car. 

[balthazar]

But the CT6 PHEV does 0-60 close to 5 secs flat.

[smk4565]

22 minutes ago, balthazar said:

But the CT6 PHEV does 0-60 close to 5 secs flat.

So does every other expensive car.   I like a car with strong acceleration and 0-60 is jus the best measure of that.

In general I see plug in hybrid as low appeal.  A hybrid or mild hybrid that can add some performance or fuel economy without adding a lot of weight or cost I like.  But after that you might as well go full electric and get 0-60 in 3 seconds.

[balthazar]

Well; an hour and 3 seconds.

[Drew Dowdell]

Silver lining: I can scoop one of these up after major depreciation hits.

[riviera74]

A plug-in hybrid Cadillac IS NOT what the doctor ordered.  Cadillac needs to build a pure EV model, not a PHEV.  Sorry, but until Cadillac builds a CT6 that is a superior Volt (or Bolt), no one will or should buy it.

 

Call me when Cadillac builds direct competitors to Tesla's all-electric vehicle line, and not one minute earlier.

[ccap41]

11 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Silver lining: I can scoop one of these up after major depreciation hits.

Down side:  Literally nobody will know how to work on it. 

[Drew Dowdell]

10 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

Down side:  Literally nobody will know how to work on it. 

On the EV part, sure.... But that's going to be true for any EV.  The EV parts of a CT6 are just from a Volt anyway, so the skill set is the same there.  Changing the oil is the same as any GM 2.0t.

I'm most likely going with FCA vehicles next time though.

[ccap41]

8 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

On the EV part, sure.... But that's going to be true for any EV.  The EV parts of a CT6 are just from a Volt anyway, so the skill set is the same there.  Changing the oil is the same as any GM 2.0t.

I'm most likely going with FCA vehicles next time though.

1

I was just being a smartass because they've only sold 186 CT6 hybrids through August. 

[Drew Dowdell]

1 minute ago, ccap41 said:

I was just being a smartass because they've only sold 186 CT6 hybrids through August. 

yeah, it's sad they could only move that many.  They're an impressive car, but RWD only and not a crossover.  I'm betting an XT5 PHEV with the same spec would have sold significantly better. 

[ccap41]

Just now, Drew Dowdell said:

yeah, it's sad they could only move that many.  They're an impressive car, but RWD only and not a crossover.  I'm betting an XT5 PHEV with the same spec would have sold significantly better. 

Oh without a doubt that would sell better. I think the best way to get hybrid technology to expand and to get users interested in them is to put the tech in vehicles that are higher in demand. 

[G. David Felt]

54 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

yeah, it's sad they could only move that many.  They're an impressive car, but RWD only and not a crossover.  I'm betting an XT5 PHEV with the same spec would have sold significantly better. 

Course it would help if GM would pull their collective head out of their ASS and market them properly! 

[ccap41]

3 minutes ago, dfelt said:

Course it would help if GM would pull their collective head out of their ASS and market them properly! 

They don't market anything properly. Chevy, GMC, and Buick have the worst auto commercials by a large margin. Cadillac commercials seem quite good though. 

[riviera74]

32 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

They don't market anything properly. Chevy, GMC, and Buick have the worst auto commercials by a large margin. Cadillac commercials seem quite good though. 

Whoever does GM marketing should be fired.  Then hire the best, regardless of which marketing firm does the account for a different automaker.

[Drew Dowdell]

Cadillac has had some great commercials over the years.  Different topic, but still wish they would bring back the "jingle".

This is one of Cadillac's best. There should have been an entire campaign built around the "Fame" theme.

 

[Drew Dowdell]

This one is pretty darn good too.... I like the sneaky gay innuendo in it. 

 

 

 

[ccap41]

I can't even find the GMC commercial right now that I think is terrible. They compare the strength of an ant to the strength of the Terrain.. WTF? 

https://ispot.tv/a/dmOe 
 

Edited November 16, 2018 by ccap41

[Robert Hall]

1 minute ago, ccap41 said:

I can't even find the GMC commercial right now that I think is terrible. They compare the strength of an ant to the strength of the Terrain.. WTF? 

Maybe a tie-in with an Ant-Man movie?  Not sure if I saw that one.   The GMC product placements in the opening scenes for Sunday Night Football (or Monday Night Football) are pretty cheesy also... 

[ccap41]

Just now, Robert Hall said:

Maybe a tie-in with an Ant-Man movie?  Not sure if I saw that one.   The GMC product placements in the opening scenes for Sunday Night Football (or Monday Night Football) are pretty cheesy also... 

Nope.. I found it and posted it within my comment above. 

[Drew Dowdell]

7 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

I can't even find the GMC commercial right now that I think is terrible. They compare the strength of an ant to the strength of the Terrain.. WTF? 

https://ispot.tv/a/dmOe 
 

That's terrible.... I get the point they're trying to make... that the Terrain is powerful for its size.... but they don't do a good job of making it. 

[ccap41]

11 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

That's terrible.... I get the point they're trying to make... that the Terrain is powerful for its size.... but they don't do a good job of making it. 

100% agree. I get it but I think it's terrible. 

[G. David Felt]

31 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Cadillac has had some great commercials over the years.  Different topic, but still wish they would bring back the "jingle".

This is one of Cadillac's best. There should have been an entire campaign built around the "Fame" theme.

 

Totally agree, Cadillac dropped the ball on not Maximizing this commercial and the sales it would have driven into the dealerships.

That ATS commercial is too funny, your right the underlying message is there.

24 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

I can't even find the GMC commercial right now that I think is terrible. They compare the strength of an ant to the strength of the Terrain.. WTF? 

https://ispot.tv/a/dmOe 
 

That is just sad! 

It deserves this Emojii! ?

[smk4565]

GM’s marketing is bad across the board.  The Chevy focus group guy is annoying and the ads are terrible, and how did they find people to be in these focus groups that have not watched TV in the past 5 years to know it is the Chevy guy conducting the focus group. 

“That’s not a Buick” ads are fired and played out and weren’t that good to begin wih, they are literally admitting that people have no idea what their cars looks like or stand for.  Cadillac hasn’t had a good ad in about 10 years.

Subaru does car advertising right, they are on point and on message and look what their sales have done over the past 10 years. 

[ccap41]

21 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

GM’s marketing is bad across the board.  

I don't think Cadillac is on the level of the other three brands. The other three are marketed sooooo poorly. 

[regfootball]

I would actually really be interested in a CT6 plugin hybrid.  But i do admit a v6 would be a better engine choice.  The hybrid packaging here too, not fully space efficient.

But actually the fatal flaw for someone like me in a snow state is that is it not available with AWD.  RWD only is an immediate 'no can consider' for me and 1/2 of the USA in general.

Cadillac has made that particular fk up with the CTS Vsport as well.  The best available and most interesting CTS is the turbo six and that's only available with RWD too.  None of the performance ATS's are available with AWD either.

Another current Cadillac fk up.  You need to move to the platinum spec on the CT6 to get the twin turbo 3.0.  

I may someday look to find a CT6 hybrid or base 2.0 to have as a summer cruising car.  Would be a neat find after all the big depreciation is gone.

 

Edited November 17, 2018 by regfootball

[Drew Dowdell]

On 11/16/2018 at 7:50 PM, regfootball said:

I would actually really be interested in a CT6 plugin hybrid.  But i do admit a v6 would be a better engine choice.  The hybrid packaging here too, not fully space efficient.

But actually the fatal flaw for someone like me in a snow state is that is it not available with AWD.  RWD only is an immediate 'no can consider' for me and 1/2 of the USA in general.

Cadillac has made that particular fk up with the CTS Vsport as well.  The best available and most interesting CTS is the turbo six and that's only available with RWD too.  None of the performance ATS's are available with AWD either.

Another current Cadillac fk up.  You need to move to the platinum spec on the CT6 to get the twin turbo 3.0.  

I may someday look to find a CT6 hybrid or base 2.0 to have as a summer cruising car.  Would be a neat find after all the big depreciation is gone.

 

4

I agree with most of what you said, but the bolded part is incorrect. For 2019, you can get a 3.0TT on the new Sport model which comes in at $67k instead of the $87k of the Platinum.  On the 2018 model, the 3.0TT was available on the Premium Luxury trim for $70k. 

[regfootball]

44 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

I agree with most of what you said, but the bolded part is incorrect. For 2019, you can get a 3.0TT on the new Sport model which comes in at $67k instead of the $87k of the Platinum.  On the 2018 model, the 3.0TT was available on the Premium Luxury trim for $70k. 

It makes sense what you say.  I am going to have to go back and check the configuration again. Last week I tried building a 19 CT6 online and it forced me into a platinum spec when I checked the 3.0 tt. I’ll go back and do that again. 

 

The new v8 now that would be the way to go!! 

Edited November 19, 2018 by regfootball

[regfootball]

edit, it forced me into the Platinum because I wanted the light color interior.  The sport is either Auburn or black inside.