1974 Cadillac Eldorado Base Convertible 2-door 8.2l on 2040-cars

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Hottest Cadillac CT4-V and CT5-V rumored to offer manual transmissions

We recently received one large detail to fill in the picture of the hottest versions of the Cadillac CT4-V and CT5-V, the sedans maybe or maybe not called Blackwing. As you know, due to a platform switch caused by cost cutting at parent GM, the 4.2-liter twin-turbo Blackwing V8 won't figure in the equation because it won't fit in the engine bay of either sedan. The new, gone-too-soon engine is too wide and too tall. The hottest V models will turn to stalwarts in the range, the CT4-V appearing to get the 3.6-liter twin-turbo V6 used in the departed ATS-V, the CT5-V working with the 6.2-liter supercharged V8 also put to use in the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and C7 Corvette Z06. But all of this could mean good news for three-pedal enthusiasts; both engines have been paired with manual transmissions previously, and Muscle Cars & Trucks says both of the coming flagship V models will get manual transmissions. We've expected a manual in the CT4-V. Not only did GM President Mark Reuss say, "Cadillac will make manuals in V-Series" during the launch of the milder V variants, but spy video of the CT4-V from last summer captured a camouflaged CT4-V looking and acting like a car with a manual gearbox. However, no one surmised that the CT5-V would get a manual, too. None of the bigger sedan's competition is sold with a stick shift, and the retired CTS-V with the same 6.2-liter supercharged V8 was only sold with an eight-speed automatic, while just one aisle over the Camaro ZL1 offered a six-speed manual and the Corvette Z06 a seven-speed manual. The last time Cadillac put a row-your-own in the midsize luxury scorcher was the second-gen CTS-V — the one that came in a wagon bodystyle, too — which paired a supercharged LS9 V8 derived from the C6 Corvette ZR1 and a six-speed Tremec manual. MCT doesn't cite any sources, so take this as rumor for now. It's possible to read Reuss' statement in line with this rumor, though. The assumption has been that the plural "manuals" referred to multiple stick shifts going into multiple CT4-V sedans, whereas he could have meant there will be two manual-equipped sedans in the V-Series range. We'll hope for the best and see what pops out of the transmission tunnels on both sedans when they debut later this year. Related Video:

Cadillac president Johan de Nysschen expands on brand's future

Cadillac president Johan de Nysschen chatted with journalists at a recent roundtable, expounding on everything from domestic racing to Chinese manufacturing. The brand's been doing a slow burn on rolling out new products and increasing sales, but admittedly, there was a lot of work to do. After closing out last year 0.8 percent down in the U.S., the domestic luxury brand is more than 5 percent up so far this year, thanks to healthy double-digit bumps for the ATS and Escalade, and increased fleet sales. Globally, the brand's doing 21 percent better. The XT5 still outsells everything, though. Asked about slow sedan sales, de Nysschen cited a few reasons, one of them "energy prices," which are low enough to fuel the crossover craze. You can also read that as another admission that Cadillac doesn't have enough crossovers to please the crowds, a fact the XT4 will soon address. Yet de Nysschen also pegged the sedan malaise on "younger consumers who really are less tuned into dynamics and handling and all of those things that used to excite enthusiasts. It's more about the way cars complement and enable their lifestyle now." He topped that with a take on U.S. roads, saying, "I also have to say it may also be influenced a little bit by the decay of America's infrastructure. When roads no longer support high-performance sport sedans and ultra-low-profile rubber, people are going to respond to it." Those latter takes seem wide of the mark. Yes, BMW is the established leader, but the Munich carmaker sold 8,806 3 Series' so far this year in all variants, compared to 2,543 ATS coupes and sedans. Mercedes-Benz has sold 8,366 C-Class models so far in all variants. As for infrastructure, yes, it's a mess, but AMG sales rocketed up nearly 50 percent in the U.S. last year, nearly 10 percent of overall Mercedes sales, and the Three-Pointed Star expects that to rise again this year. People are buying sedans and performance models. They simply aren't buying enough of them with Cadillac badges. Cadillac has no plans to go racing in Europe since the brand doesn't have the kind of presence there to justify the investment. De Nysschen said they'll stick with the Daytona Prototype International formula in the U.S. domestic scene, and continue with the tech transfer from race to road.

Cadillac Super Cruise wins the 2019 Autoblog Technology of the Year Award

Autoblog's 2019 Technology of the Year winner is Cadillac's Super Cruise. The SAE Level 2 semi-autonomous system allows for hands-free highway driving, reducing driver fatigue and improving safety. Additionally, Super Cruise packs in safeguards that force a driver to stay alert, bringing in a level of accountability not found in other Level 2 systems. Cadillac beat out Infiniti's VC Turbo technology and the EQ Boost 48-volt system from Mercedes-Benz, the other two finalists. General Motors mapped more than 130,000 miles of highways across the country, so Super Cruise always knows where you are. A camera on the steering column keeps an eye on the driver to make sure they're watching the road. Stray your gaze too long and the system forces you to take back over. Super Cruise has its limitations — it won't change lanes for you — but it is the most well-rounded and refined semi-autonomous system we've ever tested. There's no ping-pong effect as the car finds the center of the lane, and it always seems to leave a comfortable gap between you and the car ahead. Super Cruise launched in the CT6, which is ending production this year. But the sophisticated technology will migrate to other Cadillacs in 2020. The system is as easy to use as any other adaptive cruise control. Indicators in the instrument cluster and a light on the steering wheel indicate when and if the system is able to work. If you're off the defined grid, you can still use the car's regular adaptive cruise control — you just have to keep your hands on the wheel. Autoblog editors were also impressed with Cadillac's responsible approach to marketing the tech. The company doesn't even promote it as a Level 2 system, as it doesn't want to over-promise and under-deliver. Quite the opposite actually. Super Cruise simply works, and it works well. That's why it's our 2019 Technology of the Year. We'll present the award next week at the Detroit Auto Show. Come back for video of the event. Related Video: