When Cadillac announced the CT4 in late May, it only provided details about the high-performance mid-level CT4-V model, which is powered by a turbo-charged 2.7L I-4 L3B engine (320 horsepower / 369 pound-feet of torque) mated to a ten-speed transmission. However, the powertrain for the regular Cadillac CT4 model was not announced at that time. Luckily, Cadillac Society has uncovered just that.
The regular Cadillac CT4 will be powered by a turbo-charged 2.0L engine (production code LSY) making 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. That’s the same powerplant as what’s found in the base Cadillac CT5, XT4, refreshed XT5, and the XT6 (in China). In the CT4, though, the boosted four-banger will be mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission (production code M5N).
| Engine | Horsepower @ RPM | Torque @ RPM | Transmission | Suspension | Drivetrain | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CT4 | Turbo 2.0L I-4 LSY | 237 @ 5000 | 258 @ 1500-4000 rpm | 8-Speed Auto | FE2 | RWD or AWD |
| CT4-V | Turbo 2.7L I-4 L3B | 320 5600 | 369 @ 1800 | 10-Speed Auto | FE3 with Magnetic Ride Control (RWD models only, not for AWD models) | RWD or AWD |
| CT4-V Blackwing (expected) | Twin-Turbo 3.6L V-6 | 470 | 460 | 10-Speed Auto / 6-Speed Manual | FE3 with Magnetic Ride Control | RWD or AWD |
The fact that the regular Cadillac CT4 will be powered by the turbo-charged four-cylinder LSY engine is not unexpected. In fact, that’s something we have already been expecting before the new model was even announced. What is surprising, however, is that the boosted four will be mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, rather than the all-new ten-speed unit.
The eight-speed transmission has often been criticized for sub-par behavior, such as erratic shifting behavior and various vibrations. Cadillac’s parent firm, General Motors, has recently issued a Technical Service Bulletin that seems to resolve these issues for existing vehicles with the transmission.
The regular Cadillac CT4 will be available in three trim levels – the base Luxury, as well as the up-level Premium Luxury and Sport – with rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive on offer. A standard FE2 suspension will underpin all of those models. Meanwhile, the CT4-V will have the upgraded FE3 suspension with Magnetic Ride Control on rear-drive models (units of the CT4-V with all-wheel-drive will not have Magnetic Ride Control, while still featuring the sportier FE3 suspenders).
Now that we know the powertrain combination for the regular Cadillac CT4 as well as the CT4-V, the only variant in the model range for which we have yet to find out powertrain details is the next-level CT4-V, which we initially reported will be called CT4-V Blackwing. That model is expected to be powered by an improved version of the twin-turbo 3.6L V6 LF4 engine found in the last-gen ATS-V. We expect the dual-boosted six to be mated to a choice of a six-speed manual or a ten-speed automatic transmission.
We’ll keep our ears to the ground and report once we know more. In the meantime, be sure to subscribe to Cadillac Society for more Cadillac CT4 news and around-the-clock Cadillac news coverage.
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