1993 Cadillac Allante, Last Year For The Allante! 1 Of Only 4,670 Produced! on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Cadillac president de Nysschen says electrification coming 'across the spectrum'

We like to pick on new Cadillac president Johan de Nysschen for his insistence, many years ago, when he was president of Audi of America, that plug-in vehicles are for idiots. Listening to him give the keynote address at the Washington Auto Show today, you wouldn't know he ever said anything negative about an electric vehicle. Instead, he sounds something like a EV-angelist. De Nysschen said that Cadillac will be able to benefit from GM's considerable expertise in plug-in technology, which he said would be "applied across the spectrum of our portfolio." GM's electric committment will help in "making electrification commonplace." With the plug-in ELR already on the road, de Nysschen said that the company's next step in advancing powertrains will be the introduction of stop/start technology – which de Nysschen called an "important system to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions" – into a Cadillac for the first time later this year. Without giving any specific details, de Nysschen said that Cadillac will introduce eight new models (not necessarily plug-ins) by the end of this decade, including five that "will take Cadillac into market segments where the brand is not even present today." These new vehicles will likely be much lighter than today's vehicles, de Nysschen said, because "weight reduction today is critical to automotive design, it helps to improve fuel efficiency and contributes to desireable vehicle dynamics." The key is to reduce weight without compromising safety or comfort and to use the right material – steel, aluminum, carbon fiber – in the right place at the right time. It was a not-so-subtle jab at Ford and its new aluminum F-150. "In the pursuit of weight reduction, some manufacturers have also opted for abandoning steel and have gone for an all-aluminum approach," he said. "At Cadillac, we believe that different materials each present particular advantages in specific applications. There is no single material that represents the optimum balance of the conflicting objectives of every single application." Related video:

Cadillac prices new XT5 from $39,990

Keen to put your deposit down for a new Cadillac XT5, but waiting to find out how much you'll need to set aside? Well the wait is over, friend, as Cadillac has announced pricing for the new crossover. US pricing starts at $38,995, which works out to $39,990 once you factor in the standard $995 destination charge. That's only $1,390 more than the now wreathless brand charged for the outgoing SRX, which the new XT5 replaces and which carried a starting price of $38,600 (delivered). It also undercuts the competition from most other luxury automakers. The BMW X3 ($40,495), Audi Q5 ($40,900), Lexus RX 350 ($42,850), and Infiniti QX70 ($45,850) each start at a higher base price than the Caddy. However the Mercedes GLE stats marginally lower at $39,875, and the Lincoln MKX goes for significantly less at $37,935 – all prices including destination charges. Of course, that starting price is just for the base model with front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is optional on Luxury and Premium models, but comes standard on the top-spec Platinum. Step that far up the ladder, though, and you'll be looking at $63,495 (delivered). Related Video: New 2017 Cadillac XT5 Crossover Arrives in April 2017 XT5 CROSSOVER PRICED FROM $38,995 IN THE U.S. 2016-02-10 The first-ever Cadillac XT5 will arrive in U.S. dealerships in early-April, continuing the brand's product-driven growth. XT5 enters the strongest category in the luxury automotive space, the midsize luxury crossover segment, where Cadillac set sales records in 2015. "The arrival of this sophisticated new crossover positions Cadillac well, as XT5 enters the most popular segment in the global luxury market," said Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen. "It's pivotal to our ongoing growth, which is why we've developed XT5 from the inside out to provide customers more space, more technology, more luxury and more efficiency." The XT5 is the first in a series of upcoming luxury crossovers carrying the "XT" designation, a key aspect of the brand's product-driven global growth plan. The new luxury crossover joins Cadillac's lineup immediately following the new range-topping CT6 Sedan, as the brand enters a new phase of product growth. The XT5 is the next chapter in elevating the Cadillac brand: it is bold, distinctive and sophisticated with enhanced driving dynamics. This new crossover perfectly reflects Cadillac's positioning in the luxury automotive marketplace, de Nysschen said.

2015 Cadillac Escalade blings its way into LA

The new Cadillac Escalade sauntered out onto the Los Angeles Auto Show stage, showing off its new familial face and redesigned interior. That exterior, with its slim, wrap-over headlights and tall, vertical taillights (both made up of LEDs) is a subtle but significant departure from the past styling of General Motors' flagship SUV.
And while there's no shortage of stuff to discuss about the Caddy's exterior, its cabin is where the big changes happen. Aside from the column-mounted shifter, the cabin receives a heavy going-over, receiving Cadillac's new CUE infotainment system and a significant upgrade to the materials. Comparing it to furniture, Eric Clough, Cadillac's director of design for interiors, said, "An exceptional level of craftsmanship has gone into the redesign of the 2015 Cadillac Escalade, and it all centers on the premium materials and extensive use of cut-and-sew live stitching."
Under hood sits a 420-horsepower, 460-pound-foot, 6.2-liter V8. Fitted with direct injection and active fuel management, fuel economy for the big Escalade should get a much-needed boost beyond the current model's 14-city and 18-highway miles per gallon, although official numbers haven't been published quite yet. A six-speed automatic is the sole gearbox choice. Cadillac has also fitted the new Escalade with GM's magnetic ride control system, which should deliver a more refined ride than its predecessor.