DAMN YOU, CADILLAC!!!

"PatBateman" (PatBateman) 04/05/2016 at 18:00 • Filed to: Disappointment

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I was ready. I was REALLY ready for the CT8. A true S-Class fighter with (hopefully) a design cue (pun intended) to take the domestic auto maker to new heights. The CTS looks and performs great. The CT6 was a peak at the future. And then... AND THEN...

Nothing.

We won’t say the the CT8 has been canceled, but more mothballed. At least that’s what I’m telling myself. You have the blueprints in that gorgeous vehicle shown above. RIGHT THERE. Make that, and you’ll sell plenty.

I get that the business decision to ax the big daddy flagship most likely made a ton of sense, but what are you left with if you don’t have a damned FLAGSHIP?! This car has been the inevitable outcome since the second generation CTS in 2008; that car was Motor Trend’s COTY. And it had the damned STS to be paired with. Yuck. But the CTS showed that Cadillac could do great things!! It could take on ze Germans in their backyard at the ‘Ring! It rode nicely and made many people forget about that other little Caddy that zings (screw the Catera).

All of that was supposed to lead to the CT8: Cadillac’s redefining moment. It was their coming of age event. It was America showing the rest of the world that we still could compete with Luxury. It was the doorway to the future of transportation.

Or at least it was supposed to do these things.

And now, all Cadillac fans have to look forward to is the CT6 and possibly some bitchin’ engines attached to it. Which is cool and all, but not as cool as the CT8 would’ve been.

itschrome > PatBateman 04/05/2016 at 18:08

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Yeah, WTF man! I’m not happy with MR let’s just name shit so know one understand what we are selling, right now. CADILLAC DESERVES A FLAGSHIP!

shop-teacher > PatBateman 04/05/2016 at 18:10

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I have a very big sad :(

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > PatBateman 04/05/2016 at 18:19

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If it doesn’t have 600 horsepower MINIMUM, then don’t bother. Needs to be a Bentley buster.

EL_ULY > PatBateman 04/05/2016 at 18:22

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Wait, I thought the CT^ was the S-Class competitor. No more CT6?

PatBateman > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 04/05/2016 at 18:24

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If it's light enough, 450 would feel like 600.

PatBateman > EL_ULY 04/05/2016 at 18:25

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CT6 was supposed to be the ALMOST flagship. The CT8 was supposed to be the big bad daddy Caddy to end the war.

PatBateman > shop-teacher 04/05/2016 at 18:25

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You and I both. I want to go home and eat some chocolate ice cream or some other bullshit.

No no, scotch. I need scotch.

PatBateman > itschrome 04/05/2016 at 18:26

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YOU GOTDAMNED RIGHT!

EL_ULY > PatBateman 04/05/2016 at 18:26

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oh ok, so CT6 is like an S-class non LWB

PatBateman > EL_ULY 04/05/2016 at 18:28

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Maybe a slightly smaller 7 Series.

EL_ULY > PatBateman 04/05/2016 at 18:35

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5-series/E-class LWB :]

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > PatBateman 04/05/2016 at 19:27

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I suppose, but that would be a bit of a retreat...

PatBateman > EL_ULY 04/05/2016 at 19:44

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Close enough.

Hopefully, with the CT8 nixed, they'll fast track the TTV8 for the CT6. That should be fun.

PatBateman > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 04/05/2016 at 19:47

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That’s part of Cadillac’s current formula. Get the car lighter and the performance will increase. If they can whoop a 600 hp Bentley with a 450-500 hp engine and a great transmission, the end result is the same as if they had a heavy car with a bigger engine.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > PatBateman 04/05/2016 at 19:56

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I’ll probably never stand within 4 feet of one, so my opinion on the matter is moot.

PatBateman > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 04/05/2016 at 19:59

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I see the Bentleys all the time around my neck of the woods. I jokingly call them “The Hondas of the Luxury World”.

The CT6 will be a nice alternative for a 5 or 7 Series, but if they could make a Brougham version...

Alex from Toronto > PatBateman 04/05/2016 at 20:04

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Now I’m not totally happy with this but, it’s not a totally bad idea to cancel/delay the CT8. I think Cadillac wants to see how well the CT6 and their new Suv does sales wise before fully committing to a flagship.

Just my $0.02

ranwhenparked > PatBateman 04/05/2016 at 20:10

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I still think the CT6 could be made to work as a flagship. It already has the 2nd longest standard wheelbase and 3rd longest overall standard length of all full-size luxury cars, so the size is pretty much where it needs to be.

I think if they came out with a stretched, LWB version and an optional V8, they would be pretty much there.

In addition, they could do some higher spec trim levels with upgraded interiors like the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, and it would be a more credible rival. They could even revive some old model names for the higher trims, like CT6 Fleetwood or CT6 Eldorado.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > PatBateman 04/05/2016 at 20:10

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I’m a little slow; are you saying that folks are spending more on cars than Bentleys in your neighborhood? If I were going to buy an übersedan, I’d probably look at the four-door Maseratti.

PatBateman > Alex from Toronto 04/05/2016 at 20:11

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I’m of the school of thought where proper planning prevents piss poor performance. If proper planning was done before this car was announced, you continue forward. GM doesn’t think that Cadillac will immediately take over the luxo-barge market, but you have to have a horse in the race. Beat them with your product, and the buying masses will soon follow.

coqui70 > PatBateman 04/05/2016 at 20:13

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Ah ... the old 1976 - 2008 GM rears it’s ugly head ... kinda ironic that the only period where they made an effort to put out good product in recent memory was under Government control.

PatBateman > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 04/05/2016 at 20:15

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There's a few of those too, but there's quite a few Flying Spurs fluttering about.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > PatBateman 04/05/2016 at 20:17

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So, is the Bentley sort of a poorer man’s Rolls Royce?

DanZman > PatBateman 04/05/2016 at 20:21

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I have long said that the continental is the “Toyota Camry for rich people.”

CaptDale - is secretly British > PatBateman 04/05/2016 at 20:28

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Fucking clueless people. Buying fucking SUV/CUVs. Just buy the damn sedan because 90% of the time that’s all you’ll ever need.

PatBateman > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 04/05/2016 at 20:34

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It's for the rich person who thinks a BMW is below him, but a Rolls Royce is just a touch too expensive for them.

PatBateman > DanZman 04/05/2016 at 20:37

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One of my clients just bought a Continental GT. I think he should have done what he originally wanted and buy 488GTB, but no one at the Ferrari dealership would speak to him about it after he stood in their lobby for 30 minutes.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > PatBateman 04/05/2016 at 20:40

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As if undecided?

PatBateman > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 04/05/2016 at 20:43

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No, as if the salespeople thought he couldn’t afford one, so they didn’t talk to him.

Successful multimillionaire trial lawyers wear whatever the hell they want to wear. He wanted to wear sandals, old khakis, and a fishing shirt that day, which apparently didn't impress the Ferrari salespeople.

DanZman > PatBateman 04/05/2016 at 20:50

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That is a very interesting change of heart. I don't put those two cars in even close to the same category.

PatBateman > DanZman 04/05/2016 at 20:52

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He just wanted a toy. Driving fast or track days don't matter to him.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > PatBateman 04/05/2016 at 20:56

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I misread your other comment. I did not realize they'd left him standing there half an hour. That kind of snootiness on the part of Ferrari makes it difficult for me to look at their automobiles with any degree of interest.

AMC/Renauledge > PatBateman 04/05/2016 at 20:57

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I think that in canceling the CT8, they hurt the case for the CT6, which is now on a unique platform.

I’m also suspicious of a CT6 with the same standard 2.0T engine you get in a Regal, and an optional V6 out of the LaCrosse. Neither of which are as powerful as the G90. The 3.0TT is probably a nice enough engine, but none of that lineup leaves a luxury car buyer with a sense that the CT6 is special. And certainly not big luxury sedan levels of special.

The CT6 is also not gregarious enough in styling. It's pretty conservative.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > PatBateman 04/05/2016 at 20:58

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How does one pay for a Continental GT? Do they use a $500 Monblanc pen and stroke an actual cheque? Do the finance the bloody thing? How does that work?

PatBateman > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 04/05/2016 at 20:59

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I’m interested in Ferraris. I just wouldn’t buy one new.

PatBateman > AMC/Renauledge 04/05/2016 at 21:01

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I think the engines will do well enough. The 3.0TT is obviously the belle of the ball right now, but I think they’ll hurry the hell up with the other engines now. Maybe also a refresh in a couple of years.

AMC/Renauledge > PatBateman 04/05/2016 at 21:03

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Hopefully. That engine lineup is more 3-Series than 7, to me.

AMC/Renauledge > Alex from Toronto 04/05/2016 at 21:08

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I think that if the CT8 is canned now, it means we won’t see a car like it for probably another 8 years or so. The CT8 would probably have launched for 2019. If it gets much later in the Omega’s cycle, GM will wait until the next generation.

PatBateman > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 04/05/2016 at 21:41

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He signs the paperwork, then goes to his bank and gets them a cashiers check

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > PatBateman 04/05/2016 at 21:44

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Well, I am a middle school math teacher and a BMW is beneath ME...

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > PatBateman 04/05/2016 at 21:48

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Or maybe a V-series Cadillac. I could imagine myself aspiring to one of those some day.

PatBateman > AMC/Renauledge 04/05/2016 at 21:53

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Actually, I'd say it's more 5 Series, considering that the CT6 is lighter than the German.

PatBateman > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 04/05/2016 at 21:55

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Is like a CTS-V in a couple of years. I'm willing to bet a bit that they'll hop up the horsies under the hood to compete better with the M5.

Shmevans > PatBateman 04/05/2016 at 22:19

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*swoops in to pick up the pieces with G90

AMC/Renauledge > PatBateman 04/05/2016 at 22:30

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You can get a V8 in the 5. You can't in the CT6.

PatBateman > AMC/Renauledge 04/05/2016 at 22:37

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Not yet.

Plus, the 3.0TT would be close enough for many people in terms of performance. 400/400 in a lighter vehicle.

AMC/Renauledge > PatBateman 04/05/2016 at 22:45

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We’ll see what Cadillac actually comes up with. I’m not holding my breath for a V8 that’ll only be earmarked as an option for one car.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > PatBateman 04/05/2016 at 22:48

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Do you mind offering any clues as to where you see those Dropheads and Silver Spurs and Wraiths in the grocery store parking lot?

PatBateman > AMC/Renauledge 04/05/2016 at 23:15

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Their CEO said that they would put one in. Until that's formally canceled, I'll hold him to it.

PatBateman > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 04/05/2016 at 23:16

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Sugar Land, Texas.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > PatBateman 04/05/2016 at 23:49

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Wasn’t the Rolls Royce automobile invented in Texas?

I was stationed at Fort Polk, Louisiana, mid-80s. In those days, it was an hour’s drive to the nearest interstate highway from Fort Polk. And four hours to the airport in Houston. But you could immediately tell when you crossed into Texas because the roads got better and the drivers got friendlier. In a snap. Gawd, I hated Louisiana.