2019 Cadillac CT6-V Renamed As Beloved CTS-V Put Out To Pasture
Cadillac's most potent V-Series cars are gaining a new member, with the 2019 CT6 V-Sport graduating ahead of its launch to CT6-V status. The news will see the roughly 550 horsepower super-sedan take the place of the CTS-V in Caddy sports sedan fan's hearts, since the existing car is being discontinued after the 2019 model year.
The CT6 V-Sport was announced back in March, the first vehicle to feature Cadillac's first ever twin-turbo V8. Sitting at the top of the CT6 line-up, the car has all-wheel drive as standard, and is expected to spit out 550 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque. The automaker is playing performance figures close to its chest, though estimates are high.
Now, Cadillac says, the car is getting a rename ahead of its arrival at dealerships. Rather than just a V-Series car – the performance sub-brand which the automaker credits for helping reinvent Cadillac back in 2004 – it'll be a full on member of the speed club.
"As a result of the overwhelming response the CT6 V-Sport received when revealed in early 2018," Mark Reuss, executive VP and president of GM Global Automotive Group and Cadillac, "we've decided to formally make it a V-Series, signaling the expansion of V-Series." Unfortunately, it'll be replacing rather than joining some of the current V-Series club members.
The CTS-V is probably the most similar car in Cadillac's current range to the 2019 CT6-V. Based on the CTS sedan, it has a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine with 640 horsepower and 630 lb-ft of torque. With a top-speed of 200 mph, and a 0-60 mph time of 3.7 seconds, the only thing really holding it back is the traction limitations of a rear-wheel drive car.
As of the 2019 model year, though, the CTS-V will be making its final bow. It'll take with it the ATS-V, too. The smaller car has a twin-turbo 3.6-liter V6 with 464 horsepower and 446 lb-ft of torque. Cadillac confirmed earlier in the year that the 2018 ATS-V sedan would be the last showing of the four-door (along with the regular ATS). Now, we know that the ATS-V coupe will only last one year longer than that.
Cadillac does intend to fill in the gaps, mind. The new 2019 XT4 crossover – which we gave our verdict on recently – is a good example of that, targeting the lucrative compact SUV segment which the automaker has been conspicuously absent from in recent years. New models are expected to arrive roughly every six months between now and the end of 2021, too.
At the same time, Cadillac plans to expand availability of one of its flagship features, Super Cruise. The semi-autonomous driving system, which allows drivers to take their hands off the wheel while on highways, has until now been exclusively offered on the CT6 sedan. Cadillac, though, plans to expand availability across its entire range from 2020.
Update: Although the CT6-V and the CTS-V will be similarly focused, the former is not a replacement for the latter. In fact, Cadillac plans to replace both the CTS and the ATS lines with two new sedans, smaller than the CT6. It's unclear whether there'll be a new CTS-V or ATS-V at this stage.