Cadillac Elmiraj sedan RWD flagship finally caught testing

Wed, 22 Jan 2014

While we still have no insight as to it being named Elmiraj, STS or some other permutation of the –TS nomenclature ("LTS" has apparently been registered by GM, as well), new spy shots give us proof positive that Cadillac is indeed hard at work on a rear-wheel-drive flagship model. Spied for the very first time in some north country testing, these shots provide a first look at the upcoming range-topper from Cadillac.

Impressively long and large bodywork ride atop new General Motors' corporate Omega rear-drive architecture here. Heavy cladding over camouflage may discourage finding any details, but the overall, sharp-edged and blocky design is clearly reminiscent of what we've seen on the new CTS and the recently debuted ATS coupe. A strong, wheels-at-each-corner stance helps emphasize the length of this stretched Caddy, and everything about the proportions seem spot-on for a new fullsize flagship for the brand.

It's quite possible that Cadillac will ultimately festoon this large sedan with detailing reminiscent of the original Elmiraj coupe, though thus far we've only seen prototypes wearing four-doors.

Cadillac has been dropping turbocharged engines all over its range, like the 410-horsepower, 3.6-liter V6 found in the XTS and CTS. We have no clue as to what mill might currently live under that broad hood, but anything from that potent V6 to any number of the company's updated V8 range would be appropriate for taking on the likes of the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. We do expect a production version of this car to hit dealers for the 2016 model year.

Does this first glimpse of the Elmiraj sedan/Cadillac flagship get your motor running? Tell us what you think, in Comments.

By Seyth Miersma