In January of 2012, Cadillac revealed the ATS sedan. That car is designed specifically to target the BMW 3-series and similar sports sedans, and it has allowed the third-generation CTS, which just debuted at the New York auto show, to abandon the segment-stretching mission of its predecessor and make a serious run at the mid-size luxury segment. Now that the new sedan is a real thing, we thought we’d check our sources for the latest on the brand’s coupe and wagon plans.
So what’s to become of the CTS coupe and the CTS wagon, which are based on the outgoing model? According to sources very close to Cadillac, the coupe and the wagon will carry on as they are for the time being. The 2014 sedan is scheduled to go into production at GM’s Lansing, Michigan, plant this fall, and we understand that the coupe and wagon will be built alongside the new sedan for “at least a year.” We wouldn’t bet on either model surviving longer than that.
We’ve also again confirmed that the all-new CTS will not spawn a wagon variant. The wagon existed for three primary reasons: 1) The second-gen CTS was tasked with reintroducing the brand to Europe, which loves wagons; 2) It required very little alteration and extra cost; and 3) The wagon helped Cadillac present an image of a full-line automaker. But the five-door accounted for just seven percent of all CTSs sold last year—roughly 3500, one in three of which were high-performance V models—and the brand doesn’t see a good reason to offer a new one.
But a reasonably sized Cadillac coupe will carry forward, although not among the CTS line. Once the current two-door shuffles off this automotive coil, it’s highly likely that we’ll see the sheets pulled from an ATS coupe. Such a coupe will provide Cadillac the opportunity to reach more entry-luxury buyers—70 percent of ATS buyers are migrating from other luxury brands, and an additional body style gives Caddy another weapon with which to battle Audi, BMW, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz.
- Long-Term Road Test Wrap-Up: 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon
- Comparison Test: 2012 BMW 328i vs. 2013 Cadillac ATS
- Comparison Test: 2011 Audi RS5 vs. 2010 BMW M3, 2011 Cadillac CTS-V
While we’ll mourn the loss of two CTS variants, we’re told Cadillac’s lineup still will see net growth despite these losses. And don’t forget that V versions of both the ATS and the CTS are on the way within the next couple of years. For those upset about the wagon’s imminent demise, well, you have at least another year to buy a brand-new CTS five-door—we recommend you follow one third of the herd and make yours a V.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/InjoWnnYpYM/
Helm Glöckler Paco Godia Carel Godin de Beaufort Christian Goethals Paul Goldsmith
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