When General Motors announced it would unallocate production to some of its North American plants, we bade farewell to cars that would soon meet their maker. Among them was the Cadillac CT6, in line with five other models to be chopped in 2019. However, company executives say that is not the case with the CT6 after all. Despite idling the Detroit-Hamtramck plant where the car’s built, Cadillac will continue the CT6 past the plant’s June 1 date to end its production.
According to an Automotive News report, Cadillac President Steve Carlisle said the CT6 would remain in production. However, it may have to move production to another plant or import it from China, where Cadillac also builds the model. Carlisle told AutoNews, “We’re working hard to find other alternatives to that.” Importing from China “would be the least-preferred option.”
With the Cadillac CT6’s stay of execution, Carlisle mentioned the car would be part of negotiations with the UAW. The unions have contested GM’s decision to close several plants, as thousands of workers could stand to lose their jobs.
Here’s the point that’s thrown us with GM’s earlier news: Why discontinue the CT6 in the first place? The CT6 is a relatively new vehicle, based on a new platform for GM. The company poured tons of money into its development, particularly of the much-hyped CT6-V. Cadillac did just announce pricing for that model, so it’s clearly on track to stay in production.
Carlisle and GM President Mark Reuss went on to say the CT6 was never meant to be axed with the company’s other sedans. However, at the time company spokespeople made no mention of the CT6’s exclusion from the six discontinued models we and other media outlets mentioned. Cadillac is the launchpad for new-to-GM features like Super Cruise and the 550 horsepower “Blackwing” V8.
