2020 Cadillac CT5 Spied Testing

Here’s our first look at the upcoming Cadillac CT5, spied undergoing testing in what appears to be a mid-level development stage while wearing a significant amount of camouflage.

At the front, this CT5 prototype shows headlights that have a similar “boomerang-like” shape as those on the Cadillac Escala concept, with a new horizontal accent light joining the primary light unit and the vertical accent light seen on current Cadillac model. Meanwhile, the hood features very prominent surface styling elements very much reminiscent of those on the current CT6 and CTS.  Notably, the hood has a scoop, making us wonder if the model we’re looking at here is a mid-tier performance model in the form of a CT5 V-Sport. Alternatively, the scoop might simply be part of the camouflage, and not at all part of the aesthetic or functional elements of the CT5.

Though it’s challenging to tell exactly how big the vehicle actually is from these shots, it does appear to be smaller than the current, third-generation Cadillac CTS and larger than the first-generation ATS. This lends more credibility to rumors that the CT5 will be positioned as a “tweener” model between the compact and midsize luxury sedan classes.

Notably, the roof line flows into the rear end in a much smoother fashion than what we currently see from the ATS and CTS. This gives the vehicle a sportback-like profile seen on such models as the BMW 4 Series Grand Coupé, Audi A5 Sportback and the new Buick Regal Sportback. But while those vehicles all feature a liftback-style hatch, we believe that the Cadillac CT5 will stick with a traditional trunk.

Despite the heavy camo, we can make out that the CT5 tester is wearing “boomerang-like” taillights – another design trait from the Escala concept. We’re not quite sure why the tester has what appears to be a horizontal light strip along the decklid, but we suspect it’s meant to confuse passers-by and enthusiasts like ourselves into thinking that we’re looking at a prototype for the next-generation Dodge Charger. Finally, the Cadillac CT5 tester also features horizontal exhaust outlets at the very bottom, which are similar to those used on the third-gen Cadillac CTS from the 2014-2016 model years. The outlets were swapped to vertical units for the 2017 model year.

About 2020 Cadillac CT5

The Cadillac CT5 is an upcoming family of luxury passengers cars. Expected to launch in 2019 as a 2020 model year vehicle, the CT5 will be based on the Cadillac Alpha 2 platform – an upgraded version of the initial version of the Cadillac Alpha architecture that underpins the first-gen Cadillac ATS and third-gen Cadillac CTS.

Previously, Cadillac President, Johan de Nysschen, stated that the current ATS and CTS will not receive natural successors, leading us to believe that the 2020 Cadillac CT5 will be uniquely positioned to occupy the price range of C-segment luxury cars such as the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, BMW 3/4 Series, Lexus IS/RC, Audi A4/A5, and Alfa Romeo Giulia, while being slightly larger than those vehicles, though not quite as large as the next segment up – the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, BMW 5 Series, Lexus GS or Audi A6.

The Cadillac CT5 will be offered as a four-door sedan. A two-door coupe variant is highly likely. Convertible and wagon models are possible, with latter being particularly important for Europe as Cadillac gears up to enter the market around the 2021 calendar year.

The CT5 will be built at the Cadillac Lansing Grand River plant, which is the current birthplace of the ATS, CTS and Chevrolet Camaro. A Shanghai-GM plant will produce the model for the Chinese Domestic Market.