Cadillac’s ambitious plan for expansion in the crossover sector includes an additional three nameplates over the next few years.
According to Automotive News, one of those will be a larger-than-XT5 crossover, with three rows of seats and has been confirmed by head honcho, Johan de Nysschen.
“We can expand it, make it longer and wider. That gives us the ability to develop the car very quickly, as opposed to starting from scratch,” he said, adding that it should go on sale by the second half of 2018.
According to de Nysschen, “It’s not running yet,”- indicating work has not yet commenced on the XT5’s seven-seat stablemate. “It is a program request that we initiated with the engineers only last year. They are working at remarkable, record-breaking speed to get us the car.” Understandable, given the rapid expansion of the premium SUV and crossover segment.
Like the XT5, the cars will sit atop GM’s C1XX platform shared with the GMC Acadia, as well as replacements for the Lambda based Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse.
“It’s one of the benefits of having this very flexible architecture,” de Nysschen said. The E2XX-based C1XX architecture saves weight and offers more flexibility over Lambda, in the same way the E2XX platform, which succeeds GM’s Epsillon II offers benefits to sedans based on that matrix.
In addition, Chevrolet will also be offering a short-wheelbase variant to slot underneath the Traverse.
By Mitchell Jones
Note: Cadillac XT5 pictured
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