Cadillac News: Cadillac XTS Refresh Surfaces In China

[William Maley]

It seems Cadillac has some updates in store for the XTS if some leaked pictures from Chinese website Autohome are the real deal.

The pictures show the XTS taking some ideas from the CT6 and XT5. Up front is a broader, more upright grille with new headlights. Around back is a more sculpted trunk lid and L-shaped taillights.

Powertrains are expected to carry over, meaning the U.S. will stick with the 3.6L V6 and twin-turbo 3.6L. Over in China, the XTS will stick with the 2.0L turbo-four. We wouldn't be surprised if there is an update for the CUE system.

Source: Autohome

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[Guest AsianPersuasian]

Looks very, very Korean.

[Stew]

Not that the XTS has ever been a great looking car, but this is terrible. 

[riviera74]

That refresh looks like somebody phoned it in rather than actually make it look better.

[surreal1272]

I really hope this a bogus photoshop job because why in the world would this even merit an update when it was supposed to be on the way out. It is also a possibility that this is just a China market update since Cadillac has a bigger presence there than they do here (seems like it anyway). The picture really does look like a bad patch job on the front end though. Just hideous.

[Drew Dowdell]

Because now it looks a lot more like the CT6.  They're going to keep building the car till 2020 and possibly longer for China. 

[oldshurst442]

This news excites me just as much as the Lambo Urus news...

And in case you have no clue what that may be....a cute GIF that explains my position on the matter

 

I always wanted to like the ΧTS, but I was lying to myself.

The first year the ΧΤS came out, I was head over heels over it....call that blind love for GM...

But I hated myself....I felt dirty....

Then I realized I was not honest about this whole XTS thing. I finally saw the XTS for what it really was...one ugly whale!

There is no excuse for that when Epsilon and Super Epsilon platform mates Lacrosse and Impala look damned good...

This refresh might make it look more like the current front fascia of the recent Caddys, the poor XTS is uglier than ever.

Just my not so over the top yet >ahem< humble opinion.

[riviera74]

Oldshurst442, maybe Cadillac does not really CARE about the XTS as they do other models.  It is the only holdover from pre-bankruptcy GM left in the stable.  Maybe it is a placeholder for the (supposed to be awesome) CT8 flagship that has not yet been released.

[smk4565]

54 minutes ago, riviera74 said:

Oldshurst442, maybe Cadillac does not really CARE about the XTS as they do other models.  It is the only holdover from pre-bankruptcy GM left in the stable.  Maybe it is a placeholder for the (supposed to be awesome) CT8 flagship that has not yet been released.

XTS came out 4 years after bankruptcy, even though it was developed on a shoe-string budget post bankruptcy.  I think it was more a way to replace the DTS with a car of similar size with a V6 that got better MPG to help CAFE, and they had to use what was in the parts bin since the G-body and Northstar were well past their prime.

I don't think that CT8 is ever coming.  They have talked about a Cadillac flagship since Ed Whiticare was CEO in 2010, 7 years later, nothing, and large sedans are a shrinking market, the XJ is probably getting cancelled, the A8 sales are in the tank, Lexus GS is getting killed so they can sell more LS's since it's sales are in trouble.  There is no market for it.

[oldshurst442]

34 minutes ago, riviera74 said:

Oldshurst442, maybe Cadillac does not really CARE about the XTS as they do other models.  It is the only holdover from pre-bankruptcy GM left in the stable.  Maybe it is a placeholder for the (supposed to be awesome) CT8 flagship that has not yet been released.

It was supposed to be a placeholder for when the CT6 arrived....

Regardless, it was ugly then when it first showed us its ugliness, and its uglier now.

GM and Cadillac DO care as the XTS is printing money for them. Here and especially China. And I get that!

I just wished Cadillac would start to cease on relying on this type of vehicle to make them money.

I just wished Cadillac would cut FINALLY cut ties with their late 1970s-80s vision of selling Cadillac image...

This is just a better version of this car

and then this car

selling to the same clientele that Cadillac vowed to leave behind even as far back when they introduced this car

And to tell you the truth...both Devilles I posted look 1 000 times better then the ΧTS....

Yeah yeah....the XTS is miles ahead in chassis refinement and performance.

The XTS is:

1. UGLY with a capital F as in F***king ugly

2. outdated in by at least 25 years in what actual vision Cadillac wanted to be in when they went RWD with the Catera and later the CTS and we could add another 5 years to that as the FWD STS

did a BETTER job is keeping with that "modern" image they have been pushing for!

 

I must admit though, many people from the foreign crowd who get themselves into a XTS LOVE their experience with one!

Which perplexes the phoque out of me as the ΧΤS in essence is what drove them AWAY from GM/Cadillac and American cars in general in the first phoquing place!

I STILL DONT LIKE THE XTS, though....ITS FUGLY!

 

[daves87rs]

Looks...okay. Not much of a change though....

[regfootball]

Like the updates.  More presence. Hope they have a new center stack with a decent new CUE.  Hope the turbo six can stay.  

The XTS is something that someone like my mom would be good with. Something to replace the DTS although she would believe the XTS is small. She doesn't like the shape and beak of the new CTS and the ATS being of no size is not an option. 

It's ok to have the XTS hold down the cheapskate Cadillac buyers market.  Caddy needs to fix all the CT6 problems in order to keep the prices up for that .  It's too narrow  the styling is bland and has some proportion issues  the interior is cheap  we may see an early rename and reskin back to DTS

I would focus on making the CTS geared to those who have a higher sensitivity to sharp handling and tactile feel and performance  they could invest in nicer seats and interior bits  give us the twin turbo plus AWD  

The ATS it will be interesting  they need to find a niche for the smaller size in the US  and add some backseat room  they would be better off cutting back us inventory for ATS and making it niche like  try to guide those sales to the CtS  

crossovers are king but there are still people who don't want one  my mom is short and small enough that she doesn't think an srx would work for her  hard to step up into  she still wants a larger car though  even at her age she would probably benefit from the small downsize from dts to XTS  for ease of driving and parking etc  

 

 

 

[ocnblu]

Front end is truck-like in its bluff attitude.  Not a fan of the tomahawk headlights.

[David]

@oldshurst442 I get you do not like it, but the baby boomers love it and as long as we have millions buying them here and the Chinese who love their versions as personal limos it makes good sense to tweak and continue to build it.

In fact I can see the XTS being moved to the classic form and still being built especially for the Limo, Livery and private auto chauffeur business at the airports past 2020.

I agree with many that it is a relic of the past GM, but does make money, has a clear market that wants it and no reason to kill it. 

Why kill a money maker just because. Kinda like the stupid decision to kill the Avalanche / Escalade Ext.

[smk4565]

Is XTS a money maker, or does it steal sales from a higher priced CT6?

[cp-the-nerd]

3 hours ago, smk4565 said:

Is XTS a money maker, or does it steal sales from a higher priced CT6?

I don't have the sales figures, but I'm almost positive half of XTS sales are fleet. I wouldn't be surprised if the retail sales were cannibalizing the CT6 to some extent.

[David]

4 hours ago, smk4565 said:

Is XTS a money maker, or does it steal sales from a higher priced CT6?

I can honestly say that my own parents who are baby boomers do not like the CT6 but love the XTS. 

With that said, yes you might have 10% of the XTS sales cannibalizing CT6 sales but not much more if that. Looking at both side by side and sitting in them, clearly two different beasts and appealing to two different customers. Ride alone is where you divide the type of customer and this is very much age driven.

[Sal Collaziano]

It seems as if when it comes to Cadillac, I always like what most people don't - and vise versa. I like this XTS update - especially from the back. I think it looks classy and unique...

[oldshurst442]

9 hours ago, dfelt said:

@oldshurst442 I get you do not like it, but the baby boomers love it and as long as we have millions buying them here and the Chinese who love their versions as personal limos it makes good sense to tweak and continue to build it.

In fact I can see the XTS being moved to the classic form and still being built especially for the Limo, Livery and private auto chauffeur business at the airports past 2020.

I agree with many that it is a relic of the past GM, but does make money, has a clear market that wants it and no reason to kill it. 

Why kill a money maker just because. Kinda like the stupid decision to kill the Avalanche / Escalade Ext.

 

I fully understand this....

I agree to a point for its existence.

You are preaching to the choir about these kinds of Cadillacs. I LOVE these kinds of Cadillacs myself (except this one)

However

1. I understand that there are some of us that like the looks of it....like your parents and @Sal Collaziano (welcome back is in order although I did not know you then) but there are many that think its a whale....

That is not good going forward....especially when its usually the older folk that loves these things....yes yes...younger folk like them too, but most of the younger crowd buy the XΤ5 αnd the Slade which better aligns with Cadillac's vision of the Arts and Science crowd rather than the mid 1970s and 1980s crowd that bought these types of Cadillacs.....

2.

Not a very good image to have if you ask me....

 

Hey....when Cadillac sold these

Cadillac also sold these when these (and Cadillac) where on top of the world

 

Remember....

That Cadillac was starting to become a laughing stock when this came out....

 

A livery service vehicle is not a bad thing....but ONLY when you are on top of the world

Cadillac has not had a DESIRABLE halo car like the M-B on the bottom in 4 decades!

 

1. So....not only is a ΧΤS is ugly to me and it looks better in hearse mode (NOT a good thing) and Cadillac DESPERATELY NEEDS A PRETTY CAR

2. keeping it around for just the money is not a viable reason for me....

It sells!   

GREAT!

So does a XT5 and any other SUV Cadillac is willing to sell....

Cadillac, if it WANTS THAT MONEY...maybe they should have invested in MORE CUVs and SUVs that align BETTER with their IMAGE THEY want to sell to make that money!!!

I thought they wanted to do away from that crowd that wants the XTS...well, they sure got me on board to NOT want these types of vehicles....am I being duped by Cadillac marketing folk?

Edited May 17, 2017 by oldshurst442

[Robert Hall]

Never cared for the styling of the XTS, esp. the front...I liked the DTS quite a bit, enjoyed the one my sister and I had for 4 years.   I wouldn't mind a late DTS as a cruiser... 

I do like the 'type' of Cadillac the XTS represents, though..the traditional comfortable luxury cruiser Caddy rather than the Audi/BMW/MB style 'serious' models..there is a place for both kinds of Caddy, IMO.   

Edited May 17, 2017 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[Sal Collaziano]

When Cadillac started chasing after BMW, Lexus came in with soft luxury and took all their customers. Look at BMW these days, growing by leaps and bounds with soft luxury. Of course, Audi is also growing by leaps and bounds being typically "German". But it doesn't work for everyone. BMW would do fine either way - but the brand is perceived as "luxury" more so than Audi - so the softer sprung suspensions and supple leather are doing well for them.

I think there's still a place for Cadillac's supreme luxury theme - especially now that Lexus is moving away from it and trying to be more BMW and Audi-like. Watch out for Lincoln. Lincoln is taking the soft luxury approach. If you think Lincoln can't make a come back - you must have missed Hyundai's luxury brand. Their G80 and G90 are excellent luxury sedans and they've got a lot more to come...

My personal prediction is that Lincoln is going to take the luxury sales crown in America within 2-3 generations...

[balthazar]

49 minutes ago, Sal Collaziano said:

Look at BMW these days, growing by leaps and bounds with soft luxury.

BMW U.S. sales peaked in 2015, they were down 10% in '16 and are down slightly in '17 from that. Their cars are getting particularly hard hit; down 15% in '16 & 10% so far in '17. Whereas prior to, the reviews for BMW have been consistent, the more recent ones I've read have hit their product in BMW's foundation: steering, braking, etc. While I would give the benefit of doubt to market fluctuation, something else seems to be going on here. They desperately need a new design direction and tighter focus on their 'middle-age spread' of a catalog.

[Drew Dowdell]

G80 and G90 are good products, but they feel like someone went through a check list of "must haves" but forgot all of the details.

The reason the XTS is sticking around is likely China. 

[David]

10 hours ago, Sal Collaziano said:

 Look at BMW these days, growing by leaps and bounds with soft luxury.

 

9 hours ago, balthazar said:

BMW U.S. sales peaked in 2015, they were down 10% in '16 and are down slightly in '17 from that. Their cars are getting particularly hard hit; down 15% in '16 & 10% so far in '17. Whereas prior to, the reviews for BMW have been consistent, the more recent ones I've read have hit their product in BMW's foundation: steering, braking, etc. While I would give the benefit of doubt to market fluctuation, something else seems to be going on here. They desperately need a new design direction and tighter focus on their 'middle-age spread' of a catalog.

With BMW auto's turning into fire storms and burning peoples houses down, I do not see a bright future over the near term for them. I suspect now that many countries are looking into this self burning of the auto's, BMW is going to have to deal with an ugly short term mess.

[David]

@oldshurst442 I am surprised that the funeral business only uses car based hursts. Yet then I search and find out that there is a company building them off SUV's.

OK, I now will say officially the XTS needs to die. This is a far better last ride machine!

Imagine this as the new Ghost Busters Ride!  

[NINETY EIGHT REGENCY]

The concept from years ago had it right.  The production car did not..

 

 

[oldshurst442]

5 hours ago, dfelt said:

@oldshurst442 I am surprised that the funeral business only uses car based hursts. Yet then I search and find out that there is a company building them off SUV's.

OK, I now will say officially the XTS needs to die. This is a far better last ride machine!

Imagine this as the new Ghost Busters Ride!  

 

You always find a way to humour me!!!!   Cheers to you

 

PS: Yup...if the remake of Ghostbusters was a complete reversal of roles, then HELL YEAH that 'Slade should have been their ride!

An overly expensive and blinged out brand new Escalade representing the last of the petty cash would have been funny! 

(AND NO!  I HAVENT SEEN THE REBOOT!)  (AND HELL TO THE NO WILL I EVER SEE IT!!!)

 

Edited May 18, 2017 by oldshurst442

[oldshurst442]

5 hours ago, NINETY EIGHT REGENCY said:

The concept from years ago had it right.  The production car did not..

 

 

And still no hybrid!!!!

A Saturn Vue was scheduled to have a hybrid! Then this car where it being a Cadillac  could absorb the  cost and sticker price better...(that is what the dude said, and what he did not say but I am saying....a car that could at least make some competition to Tesla and not be blown away by it!) 

At least offer hybrid tech on it now!!!! Even if only in China for Pete's sake!!!!