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What if the mid-engine Corvette is really a Cadillac?

Call me crazy, but I'm not convinced the mid-engine Corvette is the next Corvette. The rumor is strong, yes. And, contrary to some of the comments on our site, Car and Driver - leader of the mid-engine Corvette speculation brigade - has a pretty good record predicting future models. But it's another comment that got me thinking: or maybe it's a Cadillac. There is clearly something mid-engine going on at GM, and I think it makes sense for the car to be a Cadillac. First off, check out how sweet the 2002 Cadillac Cien concept car still looks in the photo above. Second, there are too many holes in the mid-engine Corvette theory. There are too many holes in the mid-engine Corvette theory. The C7 is relatively young in Corvette years, starting production almost three years ago as a 2014 model. Showing a 2019 model at the 2018 North American International Auto Show would kill sales of a strong-selling car before its time. Not to mention it would only mean a short run for the Grand Sport, which was the best-selling version of the previous generation. More stuff doesn't add up. Mid-engine cars are, in general, more expensive. Moving the Vette upmarket leaves a void that the Camaro does not fill. There's not much overlap between Camaro and Corvette customers. Corvette owners are older and enjoy features like a big trunk that holds golf clubs. Mid-engine means less trunk space and alienating a happy, loyal buyer. Also, more than 60 years of history. The Corvette is an icon along the likes of the Porsche 911 and Ford Mustang. I'm not sure the car-buying public wants a Corvette that abandons all previous conventions. And big changes bring uncertainty - I don't think GM would make such a risky bet. Chevrolet could build a mid-engine ZR1, you might say, and keep the other Corvettes front-engine. Yes they could, and it would cost a ton of money. And they still need to fund development of that front-engine car. I highly doubt the corporate accountants would go for that. But a Cadillac? Totally. Cadillac is in the middle of a brand repositioning. GM is throwing money at this effort. A mid-engine halo car is the just the splash the brand needs to shake off the ghosts of Fleetwoods past. And it's already in Cadillac President Johan De Nysschen's playbook. He was in charge of Audi's North America arm when the R8 came out. A Caddy sports car priced above $100,000 isn't that unreasonable when you can already price a CTS-V in that range.

Why GM will import the Cadillac CT6 PHEV from China

There's a clear-cut reason that General Motors is going to build its upcoming plug-in hybrid CT6 sedan in China. Sure, the car will be sold in China and the US, but the real reason for the "Made In China" stamp is environmental. If an automaker wants to build a new model in China, adding a green powertrain is an easy way to do that. The CT6 will have both a PHEV option as well as standard gas engine versions. David Leone, Cadillac's executive chief engineer, told AutoblogGreen recently that, "[China is] far more receptive to approving localized production of vehicle programs that have new energy vehicle powertrain applications." To put it succinctly, since the CT6 has a PHEV option, it is easier for GM to build all CT6 models in China. Some of them will then be imported to the US. "Most new global Cadillacs will also be produced in China as well. It's our second-largest market in the world." "To bring any new car into China, to produce it, you need government approval," Leone said. "The government isn't interested in bringing many new cars to market that don't have new energy credits. [The CT6] also provides new energy credits that enables it to be an attractive, well-received product in China." Leone said that there are two main markets for the various CT6 models: China and the US. The car will arrive in the 2017 model year, so some time after the end of June 2016. There are other practical reasons to build the PHEV in China, like the cells in the battery pack. Those are provided by LG Chem, which makes some cells in Michigan but more in South Korea. And GM already builds cars in China through its joint venture with SAIC, Shanghai General Motors, or SGM. "In February 2013 we started making the XTS, in summer of 2014 we started making the ATS-L," Leone said. "We will be producing [the CT6] within a number of months. Most new global Cadillacs will also be produced in China as well. It's our second-largest market in the world." The Chinese and US versions of the CT6 will be identical, Leone said. While some Cadillacs sold in China are slightly different than the US versions – the Chinese ATS is 77 millimeters longer, for example – the CTS6 PHEV will be exactly the same in both places, other than slight tweaks to the trim levels. Still, "more of our cars going forward will be the exact same car," he said. That doesn't mean that sales will be the same everywhere.

Cadillac previews CT6 interior and its 34 Bose speakers

We get an early monochrome look at the upcoming Cadillac CT6 interior thanks to its stereo system. Bose will debut its Panaray Sound System in the flagship sedan and have 34 speakers located throughout the cabin that will have the occupants bathing in sound. A close look at the interior mock-up shows little visible difference between the CT6 and the praised CTS; the only thing we could find was that the headrests are slightly different and the seat switches have been moved to the doors, a la Mercedes-Benz. As for that Panaray, Bose says it incorporates elements from the company's home and professional audio products, and was designed "exclusively" for this car. We don't know if that means it was tuned for the CT6 or that it will only ever be available on the CT6. Nor do we have any detailed specs on it at the moment, but there's a press release below with a few more tidbits and a high-res graphic above with details on each speaker. Bose Introduces First-of-its-Kind Panaray® Sound System for First-Ever Cadillac CT6 Advanced automotive sound system integrates elements from home products DETROIT, 2015-03-26 – Thirty-five years ago, Bose and Cadillac defined premium automotive audio, forever changing how people listen to music in a vehicle. Now Bose is introducing its most advanced and highest-performing automotive sound system – the Bose® Panaray® system, designed exclusively for the Cadillac CT6 sedan. The 2016 CT6 is a first in its segment, combining the prestige and technology of a range-topping vehicle with the dynamics and efficiency of a smaller one. The Panaray system marks the global debut of Bose Automotive's new line of "Advanced Technology Series" sound systems, integrating technologies and design elements from Bose home entertainment and professional audio products to deliver unprecedented performance in a car. "We asked Bose to create something truly special for this new vehicle: an unbounded sound system, providing an audio experience unmatched in any other luxury automobile," said Travis Hester, Cadillac CT6 executive chief engineer. "Cadillac CT6 customers will be elated by what they hear and feel when they switch on the Bose Panaray system." The Bose® Panaray® system reproduces music with more clarity, precision and deep bass than any system preceding it.