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Cadillac CT6 uses aluminum to save 200 pounds

In Cadillac's recently launched ad campaign, the luxury brand's tagline is "Dare Greatly," and the two words suggest a brand willing to take big swings, even if they don't always connect. From what the company is promising, the forthcoming CT6 seems like an embodiment of that new motto. With an eventual range of turbocharged engines, reportedly including a turbo V8, a possible plug-in hybrid and streaming rearview mirror, the sedan is certainly pitched as tech showcase. Of course, extensive use of aluminum is practically mandatory to play in the luxury field these days, and Caddy is proving its latest creation can do that too. Despite the weighty appearance of the sedan's squared-off exterior, 64 percent of the CT6 is aluminum, including the entire exterior. Caddy claims that using so much of the lightweight metal sheds 198 pounds off the scales compared to using conventional steel. There still is some steel in the CT6; although it's predominately the high-strength variety. The engineers use the heavier metal for portions around the cabin and B-pillar for added safety. Cadillac also claims using steel "close-out panels" on lower portions of the sedan make the cabin quieter without needing as much sound deadening. The buildup to the CT6's public unveiling has been a long time coming after Cadillac pinned the flagship (for now) sedan's debut at the New York Auto Show nearly a year ago. When the sheet finally comes off on March 31, we get the first good idea about just how great Caddy's latest act of daring really is. Cadillac CT6 Elevates the Science of Mass Efficiency 2015-03-13 Technology DETROIT – Cadillac will use an advanced mixed-material approach for the lightweight body structure of the upcoming CT6 range-topping sedan. The structure is aluminum intensive, but the new Cadillac also includes 13 different materials customized for each area of the car to simultaneously advance driving dynamics, fuel economy and cabin quietness. The CT6 will debut March 31 at the New York International Auto Show and go into production late this year at General Motors' Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant. "This is the rocket science of automobile construction and manufacturing today," said Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen.

Cadillac explains origins of Lyriq EV name

We feel for Cadillac, a brand we're inclined to dub the Alex Rodriguez of the automotive world — so much obvious talent, its gifts warped by repeated questionable moves and an inability to conclusively close the deal on The Big Stage. And as with Rodriguez, the expectations are so high at the same time the disappointment is so entrenched that Cadillac gets no benefits of any doubts, the commentariat ruthless with criticism for anything less than an out-of-the-park home run. This latest news, like the Newton-meter torque-based naming scheme initiated earlier this year, likely won't help. GM Authority asked Cadillac about the origin of the Lyriq name for the coming battery-electric crossover. Global head of brand strategy Phil Dauchy explained three threads that went into the new moniker. In no particular order, one thread is that "Cadillac," according to Dauchy, gets more mentions in song lyrics than any other brand, including non-automotive brands. The Music Lyrics Database, while not exhaustive, supports the case: Cadillac has 31 pages of lyric mentions among bands from Rancid to Weird Al Yankovic, beating every other brand we could think of. So ... lyrics into Lyriq. The second thread is rolled up with Cadillac's move to proper names instead of alphanumerics for the sedan and crossover lines, all of those names to end in "iq," as well as the push into electric vehicles. Dauchy told GMA the nomenclature overhaul and the two-letter suffix "[signal] that Cadillac is bringing a different type of vehicle to market, one that works in concert with man, nature, and machine." He's bullish on swaying the public with the product, adding, "When you see [the Cadillac Celestiq], its size, presence and scale all connote the emotion associated with the name." The final thread that went into the Lyriq name the alliteration of brand and model names. As GMA phrased it, perhaps unsettlingly, "With Cadillac and the model name both ending in an 'ick' sound, these names roll off the tongue quite well." This brings up a question raised in a number of comments about the Lyriq, which asks whether the last syllable is pronounced "ick" or "eek." Until now, I've pronounced the coming crossover with an "eek" at the end. "Lyr-eek" strikes me as more luxurious, and "Celest-eek" sounds better to me than "Celest-ick," that latter model being the flagship EV that follows the Lyriq. Of course, it also makes me wonder if I've been pronouncing "Cadillac" correctly.

GM's redesigned full-size 2021 SUVs face delay over coronavirus

As General Motors works to conserve cash for the coronavirus pandemic, the automaker reportedly told suppliers that it is postponing development of several future vehicles. The situation may cause GM to delay the launch of the 2021 Cadillac Escalade, GMC Yukon, Chevrolet Tahoe and Chevrolet Suburban SUVs, which had been planned to roll out in April. The original launch plan for the redesigned full-size SUVs, which are some of the most profitable vehicles produced by GM, had called for production of the current models to end at its plant in Arlington, Texas, this week. After a retooling process, the redesigned SUVs were slated to begin production late in the month of April. In an email to suppliers viewed by Reuters and confirmed as authentic by GM, the automaker also said it was suspending development work on six future vehicle programs, including updates of the Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain, Cadillac XT4, Bolt EV, Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. GM said preproduction work on those programs would be pushed back to calendar year 2021, with most of the updated vehicles scheduled to be launched as 2022 models. According to the Detroit News, work has also been paused on the Chevy Camaro and a future version of the Corvette that has yet to be unveiled and wasn't planned for production during the 2020 calendar year. Last week, the automaker told employees and suppliers it was delaying work on some future vehicles while pushing ahead with near-term models such as its redesigned full-size SUVs and the GMC Hummer EV, Cadillac Lyriq, Chevrolet Bolt EUV and Cruise Origin, as well as its new Ultium battery system. A GM spokesman who spoke with Reuters reiterated on Monday what the automaker had said last week — that the situation with its U.S. plants was "fluid" and that the automaker would "continue to evaluate" whether and when to reopen those plants on a week-by-week basis, with "employee safety" guiding that decision. GM said previously that it was closing most of its U.S. plants indefinitely. In its Monday email, GM asked suppliers to stop work on all pre-production tooling and pre-production parts manufacturing, but also not to dispose of any tooling or materials. GM told Reuters it had solicited volunteers from its workforce to finish the build-out of the current SUVs on a single shift in Arlington.