When Cadillac’s first car rolled out in 1902 it was powered by a single-cylinder motor making a whopping 10 horsepower. You can expect five more cylinders and a lot more muscle under the hood when the new Caddy CT6 debuts at the New York Auto Show next week.
Among the various powertrains the new flagship sedan will be offered with, Cadillac plans to offer a pair of new V-6s, including a 3.0-liter twin-turbo package that will balance performance and fuel-economy thanks to technologies such as displacement-on-demand and engine Stop/Start.
“With nearly zero turbo lag and a commensurately low-inertia rotating assembly, this engine climbs the rpm ladder and produces power on demand,” said Chief Engineer Rich Bartlett. “Its performance is more than just the maximum output – it’s how it is delivered and the new 3.0L Twin Turbo delivers it with smoothness and precision.”
The smaller of the two new engines will produce 400 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque, according to Cadillac. In terms of specific output – horsepower per liter – it is one of the highest-rated sixes out there and will give the new Cadillac CT6 an advantage over rival six-bangers from Audi and BMW.
(Click Here for a sneak peek at the 2016 Cadillac CT6 flagship.)
Cadillac isn’t offering specific mileage numbers yet but claims it will deliver significantly better figures than with its older engines. Credit, among other things, a new 8-speed transmission, as well as Stop/Start technology that shuts the engine down rather than letting it idle at a light or in a fast food line. The engine also will be able to shut down two of its cylinders when power demands are low.
The new automatic gearbox and those mileage-minded features will also be shared on the new 3.6-liter V-6 that will be offered with the CT6 sedan. This package will make 335-horsepower and 284 pound-feet, 14 hp and 9 lb-ft more than the old GM Gen-3 V-6. The mileage also will increase, Cadillac promised, by 9%.
It’s unclear what other engines Cadillac might eventually offer in the CT6, though it’s all but certain the luxury brand will eventually offer a high-performance V-Series model. The smaller CTS-V sedan that was launched at the Detroit Auto Show last January is powered by a supercharged LT1 V-8 making 640-hp.
(Click Here for more on the 2016 Cadillac CTS-V.)
Both of the new V-6s will roll off the line at General Motors’ powertrain plant in Romulus, Michigan, while the 8-speed gearbox will be assembled at plants in both Toledo and Silao, Mexico.
The CT6 is meant to put Cadillac back in the premium luxury segment, going up against the likes of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7-Series and Audi A8. Brand President Johan de Nysschen confirms Caddy plans to push even higher late in the decade with a model that is expected to be called either the CT8 or CT9.
The South African-born executive has also told TheDetroitBureau.com that a new entry model, smaller than the current Cadillac ATS, is in the works, along with a mix of new crossover-utility vehicles. In all, GM is investing $12 billion in its flagship brand – a costly program that will see eight new models launched by decade’s end, five of them in segments Cadillac currently doesn’t compete in.
The two new V-6s will eventually be used in a number of those products, including the ATS and CTS sedans.
(For more on the Cadillac product program, Click Here.)
I’ve driven a 2014 Chev. Camaro with a ~305-310hp naturally aspirated variant of the new CAD V6 it was convincingly fast and just as well could have been a modern conservatively tuned small block V8 from the driver seat !
Audi developed the high torque moderate HP engine philosophy decades ago and many have followed because it makes for a decent driving experience with sufficient power to please most people and applications. Using a small turbo that spools up almost instantly eliminates most turbo lag and the wide torque band makes it feel like a much larger engine yet the fuel economy is better unless you use a lot of WOT operation.
400 HP and 400 lb-ft is a good combination and output from a performance oriented 3.0L V6 engine. If properly designed and built with premium components, these engines should be bullet proof reliable for 100K miles or more.