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2020 Cadillac CT5 in New York: 7 questions with the chief engineer

Cadillac revealed the 2020 CT5 at the New York Auto Show, and we decided to sit down and have a chat with chief engineer Mike Bride to learn more about the car. You can read our reveal post here to get the full download, and then read on below to learn a bit more. Cadillac is still rather coy about any performance model to spawn from the CT5, but things appear to be looking up after our conversation that you can read below. Q: What's the driving nature of this car? Should we expect something similar to the CTS and ATS? A: Yes, you can see it's built off the rear-wheel-drive architecture. Our goal was to retain all of that fun-to-drive nature. Direct steering feel, responsive handling. Going forward, we ask how we can continuously improve, and that was really about driving more sophistication in the ride, a much more mannered car that's better for impact harshness and rolling isolation, really provides comfort when you want comfort over tire strips and heaves in the road. Really getting that level of isolation, but not compromising that handling and direct steering feel of the Cadillac sedans we've grown accustomed to. Q: How is this car different from the CTS underneath, and other Alpha platform cars? A: I would say this is a major revision. A lot of new parts, a lot of new part numbers, a significant evolution. In the suspension space, the links are all new, and there's been a lot of work done in isolation, so the bushings and strut mounts are all new. We've evolved the Alpha platform to now get the ride control and road isolation, the comfort aspects of it all. There are a lot of structural improvements like a changed wheelbase, an evolution in rear foot-swing and foot space from the fuel tank area to get in and out of the car better. As we developed this structure, it was about overall structural body stiffness, and impedance at the chassis attachments to really get that level of isolation from road inputs. We try to have a calm floor, a steering wheel that doesn't vibrate, and quiet to the driver's ear. Those were the paths we went after to really drive the structure to the right stiffness requirements, structural integrity, a lot of development into suspension bushings, tuning elements, strut mounts. We have a new damper technology, a ZF damper. It has MVS damper technology. It's a multi-valve system that provides less harshness from an NVH standpoint and a great optimization balance of motion control with ride inputs.

Cadillac can't keep up with Escalade demand, can't move its sedans

No matter how much Cadillac revitalizes its lineup and its image, it seems that all consumers want is the Escalade. In fact, Automotive News reports that General Motors can't keep up with demand for the fullsize luxury SUV, despite sticker prices that start at over $70,000 and approach six figures at the top end of the spectrum. Contrast that with sedans like the ATS and CTS, which are far cheaper but which Cadillac hasn't been able to move fast enough to keep up with production, prompting both the manufacturer and dealers to offer substantial incentives to keep them from piling up. Cadillac had been resisting a price cut of the ATS or CTS, lest it hurt resale values – itself a factor that could explain consumers' reluctance to buy them in the first place – but been offering subsidized leases, discounted financing, rebates and cheaper options. Combined with incentives from individual dealers, according to AN, buyers can be looking at five-figure discounts on buying a new Cadillac sedan. And now, finally, it seems the CTS will indeed get a little bit off its bottom line. Yet GM has been producing the ATS and CTS at rates that their sales can't keep up with. The automaker was forced to idle the plant in Lansing, MI, where it assembles the ATS and CTS for six weeks starting this past December. And since it reopened late in January, it's been reduced to a single shift as dealers try to move the metal they've already got. Meanwhile the plant in Arlington, TX, that produces the Escalade and its Chevy and GMC siblings has been running on overtime, with three shifts throughout the week and even into the weekend to keep up with demand. Profitable as it's been for Cadillac and GM, though, the Escalade does not represent the future of where it wants to take the brand - separating the Escalade as almost a brand unto itself that's been left out of the company's new naming scheme. If only it could make its sedans as successful as its fullsize SUVs, it'll be all set.

2016 Cadillac CTS-V arrives with 640 hp, 200-mph top speed

Ask the company's executive team, and they'll tell you "this is the maximum Cadillac V-Series." It's the 2016 CTS-V sedan, and it packs the very best of what's possible at Cadillac. And the company says it doesn't think "anyone thought it was possible that we could push [the CTS-V] this far." The big news is what's underhood: General Motors' supercharged, 6.2-liter LT4 V8, tuned to 640 horsepower and 630 pound-feet of torque. That's 10 hp and 20 lb-ft less than the monstrous Corvette Z06, and the result is the most powerful car Cadillac has ever produced. With rear-wheel drive, launch control and the eight-speed automatic transmission (sorry, folks – no more manual transmission here), Cadillac says the 2016 CTS-V will sprint to 60 miles per hour in just 3.7 seconds, on its way to a top speed of 200 miles per hour. Naturally, Cadillac's engineers say they have tuned the CTS-V to ensure it can put all that power to the ground with the most precision and poise possible. That starts with the excellent Magnetic Ride Control active damping system (with a claimed 40-percent increase in responsiveness)and a 25-percent increase in structural stiffness that should improve overall handling and steering. What's more, a high-performance Brembo brake package comes standard, as do 19-inch alloy wheels wrapped in seriously sticky Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires that will reportedly offer 1g in lateral acceleration. Cadillac also says that all changes to the bodywork are functional. That includes a carbon-fiber hood, front splitter, rear spoiler and diffuser that are super light and aid with aerodynamics and weight reduction – all of which will be available as an optional package for folks who like the exposed carbon look. Inside, it's more of what we're used to on lesser CTS models, but there's newly optional carbon fiber trim, microfiber suede upholstery trim, and some seriously awesome Recaro seats. Additionally, as we exclusively reported earlier, Cadillac will offer GM's Performance Data Recorder in the CTS-V. It records high-definition video with data overlays that's sharable via social media. Beyond that, Cadillac will offer the usual smattering of tech goodies, including Siri Eyes Free, OnStar with 4G LTE, CUE infotainment with navigation and Bose audio. The CTS-V will launch later next year, following the debut of the smaller ATS-V. In the meantime, the sedan will officially bow at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show in just a few weeks.