Around 2012, Cadillac’s parent company, General Motors, began to develop Omega – a new, high-tech rear-drive unibody vehicle platform specifically for Cadillac. The architecture is defined by a highly-advanced, mixed-material construction that enables it to be stiff (enabling optimal suspension and chassis tuning) yet light weight (enabling optimal weight distribution and vehicle dynamics). For the moment, the Cadillac CT6 is the only model to utilize Omega, but according to sources familiar with the matter, the original business plan for the architecture also included the Cadillac XT6.
When the Omega platform was originally conceived, GM management made a business case for it with three separate vehicles. These include the Cadillac CT6, which was initially supposed to have been called LTS, falling in line with Caddy’s earlier naming conventions á la the Cadillac ATS, CTS, and XTS. In addition to the CT6, Omega was also slated for a “Lux 3” midsize sedan that became the Cadillac CT5 as well as the “Lux 4” three-row crossover, the latter of which would have been the Cadillac XT6. We will discuss the Lux 3 sedan mentioned at a later date.
Following a series of convoluted business decisions steered by cost constraints, General Motors instead decided to build the Cadillac XT6 on its bread-and-butter crossover platform, the C1, which is shared with no less than seven other GM crossovers.
As a result, Omega is now only found on the CT6, which recently ended North American production, as we covered previously.
While we may never know for sure, it’s entirely possible that with Omega providing the underpinnings, the Cadillac XT6 may have become a technological tour de force, offering a much more engaging and sportier experience behind the wheel. Omega offers a near perfect 50-50 front-to-back weight distribution (depending on the motor installed in the engine bay) thanks to its longitudinal orientation and RWD/RWD-based AWD roots, and can be equipped a variety of exciting engine options. Indeed, a combo like that would have made the Cadillac XT6 a “true” competitor for the BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, Maserati Levante, and the like.
It also would have made sense from a lineup point of view, as the XT6 would have shared bones with Caddy’s four-door flagship, the CT6.
Unfortunately, the C1-based Cadillac XT6 is relatively underwhelming to drive. Nevertheless, initial sales look promising, with 7,170 units sold in Q4 of 2019 following the UAW strike, and 4,317 units sold in Q3 of 2019. It certainly doesn’t appear as though a common platform has hurt the XT6’s appeal.
That said, any buyers hoping for a well-sorted, sporty Cadillac CUV will need to hold out for Caddy’s electrification efforts, which will include the BEV3 platform capable of RWD, FWD, and AWD applications. BEV3 is expected to underpin at least two future Cadillac crossovers.
Of course, it bears mentioning that electrification is one reason the Cadillac XT6 went to C1 in the first place, as GM decided to “pull ahead” resources in its efforts to ramp up EV development. As such, Omega was seen as somewhat of a dead-end, despite how advanced it is. Still, we hear that high-tech BEV3 models and VSS-R (another GM platform) will pull from Omega with regard to things like mixed material construction.
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Cadillac XT6 Photos
LLK
Proving once again that GM now stands for “Generally Mediocre”
Gary
+100
Dave higgins
LOL, being smart about what frame system they put an offering on is exactly that. Being smart. This is a REALLY great SUV and completely comparable to the BMW’s out there, if not better.
Ricky
It’s comparable except in the driving dynamics department. A layout that delivers a nose-heavy configuration disqualifies it from competing with BMW, Mercedes, Maserati or even Genesis. Everything else is on par, except for that. This also prevents them from making a high performance variant.
Greg
God I’d love to see the Omega-based design of the XT6 that didn’t make it!
Perhaps in a perfect world Cadillac could have built both. The shared platform, high profit money-printing XT6 as it exists and an upper market, muxh more expensive, lower volume Omega XT7.
An Omega CUV would probably only disappoint many. Only now that the CT6 is passing from the market is it suddenly “loved”. When it first came out, forums like this were full of poison posts about its shortcomings. Now, you’d think it was Jesus Christ with wheels.
anonymous guest
Omega could’ve filled the platform sharing role also if they dumbed it down enough for GMC to put Accadia on it and also a big sedan, selling cop/gov fleet versions of both. How many iterations of Chi do they expect their people to hold regard well? GM’s marketing needs to be able to internally ‘larp’ poison posts during product planning.
Felix
It did have some short comings. They fixed some but not all of them then they cancelled it. IMO the smart thing would have been to fix all of the short comings of the CT6 and use the excellent and expensive platform to underpin other vehicle to recoup the cost. To build a platform that good and not use it to it’s fullest is a waste of time and money.
Not to mention all the other things they did to cause more waste of money. Upgrading the CT6 and developing a new engine for it and cancelling them both.
Greg
Just what shortcomings were “fixed”?
Felix
The number one on my list is the Engine. Should never have had t 4 and should have had a V8 from the start. While the styling was not so much a short coming I think the refresh was an improvement. They fixed the CUE but didn’t go far enough in interior upgrades. Replacing the trouble plagued 8 speed was an improvement. They also did some suspension tweaks. IMO the elimination of the TT 3.0 was a mistake.
Geoff
Well, that is certainly disheartening.
I guess the XT6 is selling well as is, so we have that.
Greg
I suspect the executives are happy they chose the direction that they did. XT6 is selling well and likely generating a good amount of cash. The target market seems to love it. I truly doubt a more expensive Omega based vehicle would have sold as well or have been as profitable. That, and such a vehicle might have tread a bit on Escalade sales, and that is a death-penalty offence at Cadillac for obvious reasons.
Cadriver
Question… Does anyone know who Cadillac’s competition is or suppose to be?????? From everything out of GM Cadillac’s only competition is COSTS!!!!!
Felix
If you find out let me know. I have been wondering the same thing.