Home » Is This Cadillac CT4 Prototype Testing A More Powerful Engine?

Is This Cadillac CT4 Prototype Testing A More Powerful Engine?

Is This Cadillac CT4 Prototype Testing A More Powerful Engine?

The Cadillac CT4 is expected to undergo a midcycle refresh for the 2024 model year, bringing various updates and changes to the “regular” CT4 model range. Some of these updates could concern the luxury sedan’s powertrain, as evidenced by some interesting hardware on a CT4 prototype that Cadillac Society recently spotted testing. 

What makes this particular Cadillac CT4 interesting is the exhaust treatment out back. Note that it’s outfitted with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Portable Emissions Measurement System (PEMS). As its name suggests, this system detects emission levels in real-time while the vehicle in question is being driven. Its presence on this CT4 indicates that the luxury marque could be testing a new powertrain on the luxury sedan.

This could mean a few things in terms of changes for the CT4, but first, let’s review what’s typically under the hood of the CT4. This Cadillac CT4 350T, as the badge clearly shows out back, is normally powered by the turbocharged 2.0L I4 engine (production code LSY). For the current CT4, this powerhouse produces rated at 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque.

With that in mind, it’s possible that Cadillac is testing an updated version of the boosted four-cylinder, potentially introducing more power or torque to the luxury sedan and therefore requiring recertification from the EPA.

It’s worth noting that a vehicle also requires recertification from the EPA when its weight changes within certain parameters, despite no changes to its powertrain. That’s another possibility for the presence of the PEMS.

A third is that the PEMS on this CT4 could also indicate that the eight-speed automatic transmission currently found in the CT4 is being replaced with another gearbox. Whatever the case may be, it’ll certainly be interesting to see what’s in store for the Cadillac CT4 in the future. 

Want the latest on all things Cadillac? Then subscribe to Cadillac Society to stay in the know on the latest Cadillac CT4 news and a lot more Cadillac news coverage. We also invite you to join the latest discussions in our Cadillac forums and Cadillac CT4 forum.

Written by
Alexandra is a Colorado-based journalist with a passion for all things involving horsepower, be it automotive or equestrian.

2 Comments

  1. If this is true, glad to see the base engine increase from 237 hp. I couldn’t stand the unrefined character of it, alternating between sluggish and overcharged whine and roar. Ugh. Traded in less than a year.

    Reply
  2. I seriously doubt it’s a more powerful engine. “350” is the torque in Newton meters. 258 lbft equals 350nm….

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

Lost Password

Please enter your username or email address. You will receive a link to create a new password via email.

Sign Up