Here Are The Very First “In The Wild” Pictures Of The Cadillac CT5 Cadillacsociety
Alex Luft
In a surprise announcement mid-March, Cadillac revealed the all-new, 2020 CT5 sedan that will relaunch the brand into the popular and lucrative D-segment to battle the likes of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and BMW 3 Series. At the time, Caddy provided studio shots of the new CT5, making it somewhat difficult to understand the new vehicle’s design. Luckily, we just got exclusive new photos of the new Cadillac CT5 on the open road, and the pictures give us a new sense of the exterior styling and intricacies in the surface development.
The new Cadillac CT5 rides on an evolved version of the award-winning Alpha RWD/AWD architecture. Cadillac did not say it outright in its announcement, but the CT5 is the indirect replacement to the ATS and CTS. It will compete in the D-segment against the likes of the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
Cadillac previously told us that the “CT5 showcases Cadillac’s unique expertise in crafting American performance sedans, with details designed to elevate every drive.” Note that for what it’s worth.
We all voted and said it was the worst thing since they invented the starter. The voting was unanimous, Cadillac let America down, now everyone was going to buy an Accord and a Hyundai genesis
Yes. See how she squints? And she has to look under the steering wheel to see out! Oh my!
I've ignored this thread because a CT5 doesn't generate much curiosity in me. But the site is dead today so here I am. Here is my expert opinion. Do not doubt me!
At first it looked like a 'bu. Front end does have that flavour, ditto the profile. The ascend makes me think Maxima, umm, Infinity of some sort.
Cadillac does NOT have the unique look it's had in the past--as did Jag-you-are--when you could tell at 50 yards you were looking at a Caddy.
I think it looks really good even in a color like white that tends to not do well on certain things. That little chrome spear though is not that obnoxious but still could have been done without.
Looks good to me, and yeah, white out in the sun with no type of detailing is not the best gauge of looks... but I am having an issue with the Black Front. Is it the angle? Is it the Sport? Why is their no Chrome or shine on that grill? The XT4 has the same type of grill and there is a 3 dimensional shine to it.. this is just stark black.
I have not seen any Cadillac literature claiming that the CT5 replaces two models. There might be pricing adjustments, but that does not mean its a replacement for ATS, and even if it were, I do not see howCT4 comes below Malibu pricing, therefore there will be CT4 and CT5 pricing overlap. Most likely scenario is CT6 will drop lower priced models since XTS is no more, there is no need for 3 sedans in the $45 to $70 price range, therefore, most likely this CT5 stays where CTS is pricewise and the CT4 stays between $29 to$55 before the V series of course. CT6 will probably go from $66 to north of $100, then watch Cadillac load up the technology in its sedans.
It's okay I guess, still looks generic. I can't help but feel this is a missed opportunity for Cadillac.
It's really the front and rear lights which show no emotion whatsoever, which really let me down. I guess we'll be stuck with this design language for a few years. The proportions are not bad, though.
I agree, the more I look at it the more it feels like a big step backwards for Cadillac design. I was really stoked to see how they brought the Escala design to production, badly it turns out.
It's really the front and rear lights which show no emotion whatsoever, which really let me down. I guess we'll be stuck with this design language for a few years. The proportions are not bad, though.
I really have little issue with the face or ass, it's the profile the bothers me. To my eyes that greenhouse screams utility over design, which I can understand to a point. If I'm paying Cadillac money for a car I want to love it, and I don't.
There's not one thing about the exterior design that's bold, exciting, high-end, or sexy. I think this is the worst design that Cadillac has introduced in the last decade.
Looks great! I love the way that C pillar kink somewhat mirrors the shape of the tail light. The car looks refined and powerful! I'd love to see it in black!
Let that be a lesson to GMI (or another lesson of something we've learned over and over), 20 or so pages on the C pillar kink and it looks fine in real life. A lesson we already knew - don't go off of GM's CGI and press pictures, they have a way of making things look "not right".
And lets not forget this is a white car in bright light, somewhat overexposed and washing out surface detail.
What are the two holes/dots above the license plate? Cameras? Sensors? Looks like there is a camera in the back of the whale tale already...
Looks great! I love the way that C pillar kink somewhat mirrors the shape of the tail light. The car looks refined and powerful! I'd love to see it in black!
Let that be a lesson to GMI (or another lesson of something we've learned over and over), 20 or so pages on the C pillar kink and it looks fine in real life. A lesson we already knew - don't go off of GM's CGI and press pictures, they have a way of making things look "not right".
What are the two holes/dots above the license plate? Cameras? Sensors? Looks like there is a camera in the back of the whale tale already...
This is one I'm really going to need to see in person before I can make final judgments. But that rear 3/4ths view is just plain ugly in pictures and I sure hope it translates better in person.
That is TERRIBLE!!! Granted the basic white paint certainly isn't doing it any favors, but it looks like a goddamn bar of soap. Literally.
It's a given that every car basically is the same shape and looks somewhat similar nowadays (automotive design ****ing sucks in 2019) due to aero and crash safety requirements, but this car basically confirms what was my biggest fear when the stupid Escala concept debuted. It simply does not look like a Cadillac. At all. Even the rear, which photographed well in the CGI photos, looks off in these real world photos. Sad.
I still maintain that Escala was the worst thing to happen to Cadillac design. Boring, anonymous, derivative, and completely soulless. I genuinely do miss Art & Science. Ciel and or Elmiraj should have been the future of Cadillac design, not the Escala.
I somewhat agree with a lot of what you say. This car ain't awful but if you took the Cadillac themed front and rear ends off of it, it could be anybody's car. Now that many years have come and gone I think the original Art & Science CTS looks quite nice though.
I'm not asking for Pininfarina penned brilliance, I just want the thing to look like a Cadillac.
This is a current generation base trim CTS in Rental Car White:
Design is purely subjective of course, but that, to me, is a far superior design, mainly due to the fact that it actually looks like a Cadillac, unlike this anonymous blob of a car. Stupid Escala Concept and related design cues are going to ruin Cadillac design for me for the next decade+. Ugh.
I think if you take off the front badging, it still very definitely looks like a Cadillac. Like it or not, that's what the styling has evolved into. Same to a lesser degree with the tail. There's pretty obvious similarities to the CT6.
Looks good to me, and yeah, white out in the sun with no type of detailing is not the best gauge of looks... but I am having an issue with the Black Front. Is it the angle? Is it the Sport? Why is their no Chrome or shine on that grill? The XT4 has the same type of grill and there is a 3 dimensional shine to it.. this is just stark black.
reminds me Cruze what is not exactly a bad thing since I've always liked 1 gen. Cruze front-end design. Still better than the C/E-Class. C-Class coupe looks like sth. that competes with cheap FWD coupes as Solara Coupe or Honda Accord coupe. Car design overall has been going downhill in the last few years. I wish Cadillac kept the A&S sharp edges on their cars
I too own a current CTS and seriously believe that this is a very nice evolution of the vehicle. The front is my only concern, but that is because of the lack of a finished look, which should be rectified once we see a full on production version. That being said.. The V-Series version with that front is going to absolutely fantastic.
BTW. I think the issue with a bunch of people here regarding this cat is the evolutionary change of the design.. Thank God I wasn't here back in the day when the Corvette lost its hideaway headlights.. Mofos musta been on suicide watch Lmfao
I am "underwhelmed" My 2014 CTS had more character. Other than the tail lights I don't see any Escala in this design (other than maybe the emblem?). Speaking of the emblem, if it wasn't so big it would be hard to tell this is a Cadillac. I’m sorry, GM Design, but that does not look like a "Cadillac" luxury sports sedan. I agree with other comments that it looks more like an Infiniti than an Escala. Very disappointed.
Next week, when they have the full reveal, a lot of people will be on board with this design that perhaps are Luke warm to it at the moment. If a white pilot production car in bright sunlight looks this good, in black, gray, blue it’s going to look stunning.
This car looks like it has Premium Luxury window surrounds with the Black front grille (not the Sport front though) lacking the little bright ingots of the Premium Luxury. Clearly it isn’t 100% production ready, as the hood/front end clip have an alignment problem creating another kink inboard on the top of the headlight.
The car has such a nice stance, and regardless of whether it looks like ‘this car or that car’ I see a lot character and flavor in this design, with hints of Gen 2 CTS sedan and Escala in the rear 3/4 view. Regarding size, it could be CTS wheelbase with a slightly shorter (tidier) rear overhang as someone else has suggested, but overall this is a direct CTS replacement despite the rumors that it will supplant both ATS and CTS.
Someone asked if CT4 would be FWD based as this supposedly replaces ATS and CTS. Errr that’s a big fat NO. CT4 is clearly based on the bones of ATS and is not shrinking as many sites have predicted.
Anyhow, CT5 is shaping up to be quite a looker and the C pillar may have a faux window but the way the designers handled it, it looks surprisingly good and isn’t an issue anymore.
Btw someone pointed out something that I mentioned when official CT5 pictures were released, that the faux window kink is the rear tail light motif in reverse.
I hope you're right about the actual reveal and the stunning looks.
Is it still legal to make cars in blue or any other color that isn't white, gray, silver, or black? There actually is a pretty nice picture of the CT5 in a burgundy-ish color on cadillac.com right now.
I wonder how many variations of silver will be in the CT5 palate.
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