Will Cadillac Really Axe the CT6?
There have been rumors flying this week from a story run on Business Insider, itself a re-print of a blog post by Wolf Richter, about GM cancelling 6 passenger cars, including the Cadillac CT6 and XTS. The 'evidence'? A statement from UAW President Dennis Williams about talks with GM to get higher volume products into some plants such as Hamtramck and Lordstown. Richter then waxes on about the decrease in sales volume in cars industry-wide and cancellation of products at other companies. Let's neglect for a moment that GM could be talking to the UAW about moving more models to the Hamtramck plant (which builds the CT6), or that Richter uses the dropping of the Lincoln MKS as evidence of products being axed (the MKS is still with us...Lincoln renamed it Continental). Leaving that behind...would dropping the CT6 and XTS make sense for the brand? In a word - no. CT6 is the halo car of the brand; a means of showing proof that Cadillac can build a car that equals the luxury competition. The XTS is kept in the lineup to appeal to classic Cadillac buyers that don't like the harder edge of the CT6 or CTS all while riding on a platform that is largely paid for by sales of its platform mate the Buick LaCrosse. If GM wanted to shutter Hamtramck, and not add other products to the line, it would likely move CT6 to Lansing plant that currently builds the CTS, ATS, and Chevrolet Camaro. Are sedan sales suffering industry-wide? Yes. Is that a reason to jump directly to GM killing off money-making product for Cadillac? Doubtful. So, let's move on, shall we? Source: ...yeah, I am not giving Mr Richter or Business Insider the traffic I'm sure they were after with their posts.