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Cadillac could base its entry-level sedan on the Chevy Cruze [UPDATE]

UPDATE: Cadillac spokesperson Donny Nordlicht tells Autoblog , "The post speculating on a future Cadillac model derived from the Chevrolet Cruze is completely false." Premium automakers Mercedes-Benz and Audi have seen plenty of success with new small front-drive-based sedans. The CLA-Class had its best January ever this year, while Audi moved more of its new A3 in 2015 than its predecessor sold in 2005 through 2010 combined. The fact that Cadillac wants a piece of that pie is no surprise, then. There's a new rumor that GM's luxury brand could launch its own compact – possibly called CT2 – to battle the Germans. Cadillac, a brand that's pushed hard to rebuild its rear-drive reputation, could develop a new entry-level model based on the front-wheel-drive 2016 Chevrolet Cruze's D2XX platform. Go ahead and make your Cimarron jokes. Sources are telling GM Inside News that a Cadillac built on the Delta platform would ditch the Cruze's turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder for a 1.5-liter turbo in base models. General Motors' well received 2.0-liter turbo four would serve in higher-end models. According to GMIN, the Delta-based Cadillac would likely command a $6,000 to $9,000 premium over the Cruze, so figure $23,000 to $26,000 on the low end to $30,000 to $33,000 for something at the top of the range. As much as we dislike the kind of badge engineering that brought us the Cavalier-based Cadillac Cimarron in the '80s, the company has done an admirable job of distinguishing vehicles on shared platforms lately. A Delta-platform Cadillac would at least have a good basis – the new Cruze is surprisingly comfy. That said, we question GM's rationale if this rumor is indeed true. Put simply, Cadillac needs another sedan like I need another student loan payment. The company has four sedans, three of which overlap two segments, and none of which are selling very well. That's not because they're bad, but because customers want crossovers, of which Caddy has but one – the new XT5. Spending the time and money to add a fifth sedan to the mix when the company desperately needs to flesh out its CUV range would be a tremendous mistake. As much as we hate to say it, if Cadillac really wants to add a small, entry-level car to its range, it'd better be a crossover. Related Video:

Hotter Cadillac ATS-V+ could use LS7 power

Rumor has it Cadillac is working on an even hotter version of the ATS-V, possibly called ATS-V+. And the latest intel from Motor Trend suggests this new model might have a great, big V8 under the hood. The V8 in question is the high-revving, naturally aspirated 7.0-liter LS7 from the Camaro Z/28. The hand-built engine makes 505 horsepower and 481 pound-feet of torque in the Z/28 – a nice increase over the 464 hp and 445 lb-ft in the standard ATS-V, which uses a twin-turbocharged 3.6-liter V6. Motor Trend says the ATS-V+ will come to market with an eight-speed automatic transmission, as well as the seven-speed manual 'box from the Corvette. A dual-clutch transmission will come to market later. Of course, we'll believe it when we see it. But an LS7-powered ATS-V sure sounds like a great package to us. Here's hoping.

Here is the Cadillac XT6 three-row SUV's interior

The Cadillac XT6 has once again been spotted by one of our spy photographers. Though the outside is still as buttoned-up as ever, our photographer managed to get close enough to see the completely uncovered interior. On the surface it looks more like the interior of the CT6 than the latest Cadillac model, the XT4, which is rather surprising. Specifically, the dashboard layout is nearly identical to the CT6's. It's a wide, sweeping dash, and the mid-section is dominated by a broad piece of trim that appears to be carbon fiber in this model. It likely can be replaced by wood, leather or a variety of other trims. The top part of the center stack is dominated by a large touchscreen with touch buttons surrounding it for driver's aids. Directly underneath are subdued air vents followed by the climate controls. These controls appear to have been lifted straight from the CT6 and feature touch buttons and a trio of toggle switches. The few places the dashboard deviates from the CT6 include how the XT6's fancy trim spans the full width of the dash, rather than giving way to some plain leather on the driver's side. This gives the whole dash a more upscale look. The dash also doesn't try to smash too many different materials and textures into one design. Overall, it all looks attractive enough, though we're a little disappointed to see a lack of physical buttons as we saw in the XT4. That being said, there are XT4-inspired elements in the XT6's interior. Most prominent is the scroll wheel down in the center console. We suspect the infotainment system will be effectively identical, so the wheel will similarly serve as a redundant means of controlling the infotainment system along with the touchscreen, voice commands and wheel controls. The shifter also seems to be the same as the XT4's. The XT6 exterior doesn't really reveal anything new. It still looks angular, and it still looks long enough to have a third row of seats. The introduction of this model will certainly give Cadillac a much more rounded lineup of crossovers from small to large, something the brand sorely needs. Related Video: