General Motors is the midst of killing off several sedans in North America, but Cadillac is a notable exception as the company has introduced the CT4-V, CT5 and CT5-V.
Cadillac has even backtracked on the death of the CT6 and CT6-V. The models were originally slated to go out of production in North America on June 1st, but the automaker eventually extended production to January of 2020.
Cadillac’s commitment to sedans comes at a surprising time as many brands are shifting their focus to crossovers, trucks and SUVs. In fact, Cadillac’s sedan-focused lineup was often blamed for mediocre sales. However, that issue has been addressed thanks to the introduction of the XT4 and XT6.
The company’s decision to stick with sedans might be surprising to some, but Cadillac’s executive director of global design told The Globe and Mail, “We’ve got lots of SUVs [now], so we wanted to come back and look at the sedan lineup.” He went on to say “The buying power of younger people is huge, so the CT4 is a great entry to Cadillac for them.”
This seems to suggest Cadillac is counting on young consumers to embrace their sedans. That isn’t out of the realm of possibility as a previous study has shown 86% of 18-34 year olds, who don’t own a sedan, would consider buying one now or in the future.
If this is what Cadillac is hoping for, they’re not alone. Last fall, Nissan’s Bruce Pillard said “We think younger generations will buy more sedans than older generations.” He went on to say young consumers “don’t want to drive daddy’s car,” which is a crossover these days.
Also Read: Cadillac Teases Hotter CT4- And CT5-V
Besides sticking with sedans, Cadillac is planning to add an assortment of new V-Series models. The CT4- and CT5-V were introduced last month to a lukewarm reception, but higher performance variants are already in the works. The company is also expected to introduce a handful of V-Series crossovers.
As Cadillac’s performance boss, Mirza Grebovic, hinted “You’ll see an expansion of the V-Series. We’re trying to go out with a bang while internal combustion is still kicking.”
