Photo: CarPix
According to GM’s most luxurious brand, the 2016 Cadillac CT6 promises to take a new approach to prestige luxury, all while emphasizing on a dynamic driving experience and advanced technologies. On this occasion, we’ll focus more on the technologies and far less on the luxury of the upcoming flagship sedan.
For starters, the CT6 has been confirmed to debut a state-of-the-art high-res monitor incorporated in the rearview mirror. While the display itself has been developed by the Gentex Corp, Cadillac informs the extra-wide film angle of the rearview parking camera is the courtesy of Japan’s Sharp.
Uwe Ellinghaus, the marketing chief of the GM-owned brand, previously declared that the New York Auto Show in April is the venue that will be used to debut the 2016 Cadillac CT6, while the model itself won’t be a real S-Class/7 Series/A8 competitor. Ellinghaus disclosed that the CT6 is large enough to be slotted between the BMW 5 Series and 7 Series.
Underpinned by the all-new Omega platform, the 2016 Cadillac CT6’s skeleton is suited for rear-wheel and all-wheel drive configuration, while the selection of turbo’d V6 and V8 motors will join a PHEV CT6 that promises "industry-leading fuel economy upwards of 70 mpg equivalent."
As for cog-swapping duties, expect the GM Hydra-Matic 8L90 eight-speed automatic to row all those ratios. After a $300 million investment at the GM Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly plant, Cadillac now informs the facility is gearing up to manufacture the CT6 sedan. Furthermore, the upcoming flagship model “aims to join the elite group of top-class large luxury cars” in the fourth quarter of 2015.
According to Caddy, a new body shop with new tooling and advanced technologies – including 205 robots – has been added to the plant. The fully automated, 138,000-square-foot shop is dedicated to the manufacturing of the high-end luxury sedan.
Before you scroll down to watch the video which features how robots assemble the platform and body shell of the 2016 Cadillac CT6, we need to point out the advanced mixed-material assembly process and the state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques employed.
Material joining techniques prominent in the body construction of the CT6 include:
- Patented Aluminum Spot Welding Technology
- Aluminum Laser Welding, which creates a seamless joining of exterior panels
- Self-Piercing Rivets, which are able to join different types of materials together with a clean appearance
- Flow Drill Screws, which are able to join different types or materials and used in conjunction with adhesive
Aluminum arc welding and structural adhesive are also separately used for CT6 body assembly.
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