When car companies decide to cease production on a certain model, it can be for any number of reasons. The number one reason is safety concerns, followed closely by poor sales. But when cars are discontinued, it’s rare for a company representative to publicly say it shouldn’t have happened. However, that’s exactly what General Motors president Mark Reuss did regarding the Cadillac CT6, which was one of the highest-horsepower Cadillacs ever made.
During an episode of the “InsideEVs” podcast, Reuss was asked if he would’ve handled things any differently in the past, with the knowledge of what was ahead. Reuss was quick to say that there were indeed some decisions that he regretted having to make. “I wish we didn’t have to stop the CT6 for Cadillac, but we did,” he admitted. “And we converted factory zero, and we wouldn’t have the trucks that are in that factory.” Factory Zero is the name of GM’s Detroit-Hamtramck plant, which was turned into a facility to build electric vehicles like the Cadillac Escalade IQ in 2020. The Cadillac CT6 was built in the plant prior to the change.
The decision to stop production also came after sales of the CT6 dropped in 2019, with only 1,625 cars sold in the third quarter. This total was down about 31 percent from the year before. Overall, sales of the Cadillac CT6 through that point in 2019 had dropped around 22 percent versus the same timeframe in 2018.
Power, performance, and accessible pricing
Cadillac, a major car brand with high maintenance costs, introduced the CT6 in 2016 as a full-size sedan with a more accessible price point. It was the only GM vehicle built on the automaker’s new Omega platform, and was originally intended to be the Cadillac LTS. This would’ve made the car a direct competitor to the BMW 7 Series and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. But instead, the CT6 designation meant that GM was going in a different direction. The CT6 was meant to be a high-end car, but without the expensive features of luxury automobiles.
Because of this, when the Cadillac CT6 debuted in 2016, the 2.0L turbo base model had a price point of $53,495. The top-tier 3.0L turbo platinum model was priced at $87,465. In contrast, the 2016 BMW 7 Series had a starting retail price of $81,300 for the 740i turbo. The 750i xDrive turbo carried a starting price of $97,400. The 2016 Mercedes-Benz S-Class 550 started at $95,650, and the top-tier S 600 was priced at a whopping $169,050.
Beyond its pricing, what made the Cadillac CT6 special was its ability to deliver strong power and torque. This was especially important for a full-size sedan, which needs that extra push to move, while also providing a smooth ride. The CT6 was light and rigid, setting it apart from other Cadillac models and making it a popular choice, at least for a while.
