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2018 Cadillac XT7 three-row crossover spied [UPDATE]

UPDATE: Upon further consideration, and after speaking to some industry insiders, it appears this might not actually be a new Cadillac, but instead just a mule of the new Chevy Traverse. One source points out that the foglights are fixed, round units, which would be production spec and would not suggest Cadillac. Another source says the Cadillac version of the Traverse/Acadia/Enclave was cancelled, and development has stopped. Yes, a Cadillac of this size is expected to arrive – and elements of this prototype sure do look Cadillac to us – but it might be too early for this to be it. Cadillac is expanding its portfolio with a three-row crossover. This is it. Expected to be called the XT7, the new vehicle will give Cadillac an entry above the XT5 and below the hulking Escalade. Though the XT7 is heavily covered, we can see Cadillac's (?) bold grille and what looks like strong proportions. It'll probably look like a larger XT5, and you can sort of (maybe) see a similar roofline if you squint. Spy shooters caught it testing with the new Chevy Traverse and Buick Enclave, and they're all expected to use the new General Motors 3.6-liter V6 engine, like the recently revealed GMC Acadia. The XT7 could show up as soon as late this year or early in 2017. Its part of GM's push to capitalize on the red-hot crossover segment that has been fueled by low gas prices and Americans' thirst for utility. The XT7 would likely represent GM's most profitable play in this segment. Simply affixing the Cadillac badge on the front adds thousands of dollars to the sticker compared to a Chevy or Buick product. The XT7 will also give Cadillac a significant opportunity for growth – and perhaps allow it to gain on Mercedes and BMW on the sales charts. While the CTS and ATS have had mixed success, Americans have continued to show a willingness to buy Cadillac utility vehicles. The XT7 is the latest in Cadillac's product blitz following the XT5 and the CT6 range-topping sedan. Those two are the most critical Caddys, but the XT7 isn't far off. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2018 Cadillac XT7 View 11 Photos Image Credit: Brian Williams / SpiedBilde Spy Photos Cadillac SUV

Cadillac XT5 platform to underpin three-row crossover

Cadillac just launched the XT5 crossover to replace the SRX. But that's only the start. Speaking with Automotive News, Caddy president Johan de Nysschen confirmed that a new three-row crossover is also on the way. The seven-seater is based on a stretched version of the flexible platform underpinning the XT5, which we just drove recently. Taking that approach will give the luxury brand a larger crossover to pit against the likes of the Infiniti QX60, Audi Q7, and Volvo XC90 without having to develop one from scratch. It will also give buyers a more car-like alternative to the larger, truck-based Escalade. "It's one of the benefits of having this very flexible architecture. We can expand it, make it longer and wider. That gives us the ability to develop the car very quickly, as opposed to starting from scratch," de Nysschen told AN. "It's not running yet. It is a program request that we initiated with the engineers only last year. They are working at remarkable, record-breaking speed to get us the car." The new model would likely be called the XT7 and offer similar levels of equipment to the existing, smaller XT5. The existing mid-size model packs a 3.6-liter V6 mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and comes in four trim levels. Related Video:

GM intends to offer semi-autonomous vehicles by 2020

Prepare for a few years of technological saber-rattling, as the world's automakers begin pushing to bring self-driving cars to market. Earlier this week, Nissan announced that it aims to offer autonomous vehicles by 2020, while Google, BMW and several other marks are working on similar efforts.
General Motors is doing things differently, though. Rather than push for a fully autonomous car, it's continuing to refine its semi-autonomous Super Cruise, a product that we tested in April 2012 and that will eventually see use on some Cadillacs before trickling down to the rest of the General Motors family. Super Cruise, which is undergoing testing in the Cadillac SRX, doesn't take complete control out of the driver's hands. Rather, under a very specific set of circumstances on the freeway, it will marry the capabilities of things like lane departure warning and adaptive cruise control to allow the driver to take their hands off the wheel. All of which sounds a lot like the system Mercedes-Benz is launching on the 2014 S-Class.
The system is still in development, according to John Capp, GM's director of electrical controls and active safety technology. Now that that the biggest hurdle, steering control, has been cleared, GM's engineers can focus on things like teaching the system to adapt to differing road conditions and visibility levels. As we reported in 2012, Super Cruise is still befuddled in low-visibility situations or when road markings aren't particularly clear.