General Motors announced a purge to its passenger car lineup on Monday, and we have official confirmation the Cadillac CT6 sedan is part of the car cull.
A Cadillac spokesperson confirmed with Motor Authority that the CT6 sedan will exit production in mid-2019. The spokesperson confirmed the 2019 CT6 will be built at the Detroit-Hamtramck plant in all configurations, which includes the newly announced CT6-V. The latest Cadillac V variant features a hand-built 4.2-liter twin-turbocharged "Blackwing" V-8 engine and makes 550 horsepower. Cadillac will also build the regular CT6 sedan with the V-8 engine option, detuned to 500 hp, however.
2019 Cadillac CT6, 2018 New York auto show
Cadillac still expects it will have CT6 sedans at dealership lots through all of 2019 even after production at Detroit-Hamtramck ends. CT6 production will, however, continue in China where the sedan will remain on sale.
The spokesperson added the CT6's death does not change Cadillac's plans to roll out its Super Cruise semi self-driving system across the lineup, either. But, currently, the CT6 is the only Cadillac equipped with the hands-free driving system. Cadillac could include the system with the soon-to-debut XT6 crossover, which is slated for an introduction at the 2019 Detroit auto show in January. It would ensure Cadillac still produces a vehicle with its banner technology after the CT6 completes its march to the grave.
Cadillac also has two new sedans in the pipeline to replace the ATS and CTS, what we know as the CT4 and CT5. There's also the possibility Cadillac has given the green light to produce a flagship model based on the Escala concept.
2019 Cadillac CT6, 2018 New York auto show
The CT6 will join the Chevrolet Impala, Volt, Cruze, Buick LaCrosse, and Cadillac XTS on death row. Each named vehicle is currently built at an assembly plant General Motors plans to idle for next year. The CT6 is built at the Detroit-Hamtramck plant alongside the Impala, Volt, and LaCrosse. GM also plans to idle the Lordstown plant in Warren, Ohio, which builds the Cruze exclusively. The Oshawa plant in Ontario, Canada, builds the XTS and Impala and will shut down next year.
GM will need to negotiate the U.S. plant closures with the United Auto Workers union before it can officially hit the lights, but neither the Michigan or Ohio facility is up for product allocations next year.