Cadillac CT6: How GM Sacrificed Its Flagship Sedan for EVs — and Now Regrets It

There was a time when Cadillac proudly sold the CT6 — a full-size luxury sedan that embodied the pinnacle of the brand’s engineering and design. But in 2020, the model was discontinued. Sales had been slow, and GM decided to convert its Hamtramck plant entirely to build electric SUVs and pickups. That decision still stirs some regret within General Motors’ leadership. Company president Mark Reuss admitted in an interview that he still misses the CT6 — calling it a unique car sacrificed for the sake of GM’s new electric future.

The CT6 stood out not just for its prestige, but also for its engineering. In its final years, the flagship model was offered with an exclusive Blackwing V8 — a 4.2-liter twin-turbo engine producing 550 horsepower and 640 lb-ft of torque. The engine was developed specifically for the CT6 and featured an innovative “hot-V” layout with the turbochargers mounted between the cylinder banks. The Blackwing name later lived on in other Cadillac performance models, though with entirely different engines.

Another defining feature of the CT6 was its Omega platform, designed exclusively for this sedan. It used cutting-edge manufacturing technologies — including laser welding and aerospace-grade adhesives — to achieve a balance of lightness, rigidity, and ride comfort. After the CT6 was retired, Cadillac reverted to using the more conventional Alpha platform for its remaining sedans.

The CT6’s demise was driven not only by GM’s shift in production priorities but also by changing consumer tastes. Large sedans have rapidly fallen out of favor, giving way to crossovers and electric vehicles. Even rivals like the Volvo S90 and Lexus LS are slowly exiting the market. On top of that, the CT6’s bespoke engineering made it expensive to build, limiting its long-term viability. And so, the era of big Cadillac sedans quietly came to an end — replaced by the age of electrification and SUVs.