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Cadillac to bolster CT sedans with XT crossovers

Cadillac is moving swiftly to change up its naming scheme. Barely over a week ago we received our first indication that it was considering a different name its the upcoming flagship sedan previously known as LTS. Then Cadillac not only revealed the model would be called CT6, but announced that it would set the stage with a massive overhaul of its model nomenclature. And now we have another piece of the puzzle.
According to Forbes, Cadillac will not only rename its sedans with the letters CT, but will realign its utility vehicles under the banner of XT - both to be followed by a number indicating its place in the lineup. The one exception will be the Escalade, whose nameplate has such a strong following that it would be foolish for Cadillac to cast it aside. That leaves only the SRX (pictured above), but makes room for a new crop of crossovers said to be in the works.
It's a similar approach which Cadillac's new boss Johan de Nysschen took in revising the naming scheme at Infiniti. While it's bound to ruffle some feathers and scratch some heads in the beginning - especially since the company's current flagship sedan is called XTS - it's equally sure to make sense of it all in the long run. All we need to know now is what Nysschen and his marketing chief Uwe Ellinghaus plan to call the coupes.

Cadillac CT6 beefs up with 400-hp twin-turbo V6

Cadillac's engine lineup is set to get a makeover led by the potent powerplants under the hood of the CT6. Our man Steven Ewing is onsite at an event in Detroit reporting all the details. Here's what we know so far: The CT6's top engine will be a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6. It's the first twin-turbo with cylinder deactivation, which essentially makes the V6 able to convert to a V4 unit. Power will be 400 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 400 pound-feet of torque at just 2,500 rpm. No word on what a potential CT6-V would get. The CT6 will also have a naturally aspirated V6 that Cadillac is claiming to be all-new. It's rated at 335 hp at 6,800 rpm and 284 lb-ft at 5,300 rpm. That's an improvement of 14 hp and nine lb-ft compared with today's 3.6-liter V6, and fuel economy increases nine percent. Cadillac says it's the highest output for a naturally aspirated V6 that's SAE-certified and runs on regular fuel. Both of these V6s will have stop/start technology and will be paired to with eight-speed automatic transmissions. The 3.6-liter V6 will also be used in the 2016 CTS and the 2016 ATS. Meanwhile, Ewing reports that Cadillac says the ATS-V is actually more powerful than initially announced, though there are no numbers to flesh that claim out as yet. The brand also plans to offer four- and six-cylinder diesel engines in various vehicles and new V8 options. The CT6 bows at the New York Auto Show. It will use an aluminum-intensive body that reduces weight by 198 pounds compared with a steel setup and continues Cadillac's creased design language used on the CTS and ATS models. The CT6 goes into production late this year in Detroit. Related Video: Cadillac Next-Gen V-6 Engines Led by 3.0L Twin Turbo Segment-leading power, efficiency in world's most advanced six-cylinder DETROIT – Cadillac today announced a new generation of V-6 engines, led by an exclusive Twin Turbo V-6 that will be one of the industry's most advanced six-cylinder gasoline engines. It leverages the latest technology to balance efficiency, performance and refinement in the upcoming, top-of-the-range CT6 luxury performance sedan. The all-new Cadillac 3.0L Twin Turbo is designed to achieve new thresholds of refinement and specific output for the brand's new prestige luxury sedan, which makes its world premiere March 31, at the New York International Auto Show. Production begins late this year at General Motors' Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Plant.

Bring back the Bronco! Trademarks we hope are actually (someday) future car names

Trademark filings are the tea leaves of the auto industry. Read them carefully – and interpret them correctly – and you might be previewing an automaker's future product plans. Yes, they're routinely filed to maintain the rights to an iconic name. And sometimes they're only for toys and clothing. But not always. Sometimes, the truth is right in front of us. The trademark is required because a company actually wants to use the name on a new car. With that in mind, here's a list of intriguing trademark filings we want to see go from paperwork to production reality. Trademark: Bronco Company: Ford Previous Use: The Bronco was a long-running SUV that lived from 1966-1996. It's one of America's original SUVs and was responsible for the increased popularity of the segment. Still, it's best known as O.J. Simpson's would-be getaway car. We think: The Bronco was an icon. Everyone seems to want a Wrangler-fighter – Ford used to have a good one. Enough time has passed that the O.J. police chase isn't the immediate image conjured by the Bronco anymore. Even if we're doing a wish list in no particular order, the Bronco still finds its way to the top. For now (unfortunately), it's just federal paperwork. Rumors on this one can get especially heated. The official word from a Ford spokesman is: "Companies renew trademark filings to maintain ownership and control of the mark, even if it is not currently used. Ford values the iconic Bronco name and history." Trademarks: Aviator, AV8R Company: Ford Previous Use: The Aviator was one of the shortest-run Lincolns ever, lasting for the 2003-2005 model years. It never found the sales success of the Ford Explorer, with which it shared a platform. We Think: The Aviator name no longer fits with Lincoln's naming nomenclature. Too bad, it's better than any other name Lincoln currently uses, save for its former big brother, the Navigator. Perhaps we're barking up the wrong tree, though. Ford has made several customized, aviation themed-Mustangs in the past, including one called the Mustang AV8R in 2008, which had cues from the US Air Force's F-22 Raptor fighter jet. It sold for $500,000 at auction, and the glass roof – which is reminiscent of a fighter jet cockpit – helped Ford popularize the feature. Trademark: EcoBeast Company: Ford Previous Use: None by major carmakers.