![\"Is](\"http:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/-mm-\/3d69f5dfeb6f047a0225085f2ad836e918a6f5cf\/c=520-0-3608-2322&r=x393&c=520x390\/local\/-\/media\/2016\/06\/24\/DetroitNews\/DetroitNews\/636023889057177580-ct6-fr3-4.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/div>In the Age of Ute, Cadillac\u2019s decision to roll out a full-size flagship sedan \u2013 the CT6 \u2013 has been met by rolled eyes from many in the auto press. Tough crowd. But as I tell anyone in the luxe shopping aisle these days: You gotta drive this car.<\/p>\n
It is the best. Cadillac. Ever.<\/p>\n
The luxury brand\u2019s comeback has been longer and more frustrating than that of Tiger Woods. Like the golfing great, Caddy deems anything short of No. 1 a loss. As Woods benchmarks to Spieth and McIlroy, so has GM\u2019s luxury brand benchmarked to BMW, Audi, and Mercedes \u2013 the kings of performance luxury.<\/p>\n
Like Woods, Cadillac may not make its way back to the top. The competition is formidable. Not just the German gold standards but also a new player named Tesla which has electrified the full-sized sedan market with the Model S.<\/p>\n
On its way back Caddy has put up some impressive product. Stuffed with a Corvette Z06 engine, the ferocious CTS-V sedan is a supercharged rival for BMW M5 and Mercedes-AMG S63. The handsome ATS sedan is an asphalt carving knife, challenging its German peers for best handling car in segment. Combine that handling with a 464-horse, twin turbo V-6 and the ATS-V rivals the legendary BMW M3 for best performance sedan.<\/p>\n
But with each entry there have been as many minuses as pluses. The Vs\u2019 chain-mail grille and high price tags makes them a tough sell. The ATS\u2019s backseat would cause anyone but small children leg cramps. And all suffered from a CUE infotainment system that had owners running from their cars screaming. To beat the most desired brands on the planet, \u201cas good\u201d isn\u2019t good enough. You have to build superior, transformational (see Tesla) product.<\/p>\n
For the first time, Cadillac has done it with the CT6.<\/p>\n
The CT6 advantage begins with a look. The Caddy\u2019s loooong hood is a head-turner. Credit rear-wheel drive architecture compared to the outgoing XTS which was less elegant giving its cab-forward, FWD proportions. With most of its bulk set over the rear wheels, the car has a crouched, catlike stance. Gorgeous. Combined with the signature, vertical Caddy running lights and a sculpted face \u2013 wide mouth, headlights pushed to the edges \u2013 the 6 demands you get to know it better.<\/p>\n
You gotta drive this car.<\/p>\n
Inside the Caddy is equally impressive. Gone is the (trying-too-hard) cut-and-sewn dash replaced by an elegant, horizontal layout. Significantly, the CUE infotainment system has been overhauled. Its maddening\u00a0slider controls have been replaced by more workable buttons, and the screen \u2013 once lazy to the touch \u2013 jumps to your command. The change comes too late for my friend Dicran \u2013 he ran screaming from his XTS to buy an Audi A6 after one CUE snafu too many. And after a lease with Audi\u2019s maddening, remote rotary dial control, he\u2019ll come back to Caddy for a second look.<\/p>\n
With a workable interface at last, the console\u2019s deeper details impress. Apple Car Play and Android Auto come standard. The imposing, yacht-like gearshift slides easily along its track next to twin upholders. A clever phone slot hides just under the storage console \u2013 itself brilliantly designed with a left-and-right hinge so that it is equally accessible by driver and passenger.<\/p>\n
The roomy rear seat is a nice place to be even for a 6-foot-5 circus freak like me. Adjustable seats, multi-functional center armrest. I could lounge back there all day \u2013 were the CT6 not such a blast to drive.<\/p>\n
You gotta\u00a0drive this car.<\/p>\n
Because once Caddy has sucked you in with eye candy, it reveals its transformational trick: a 3,657 pound-chassis that makes this car handle like a sports coupe. That\u2019s 600 pounds lighter than a Mercedes S-Class. Or 1,000 pounds lighter than Tesla. More than any big car I\u2019ve driven, the CT6 demands to be thrown into turns like an oversized Miata.<\/p>\n
All this for just $54,490 \u2013 or $30,000 cheaper than a BMW 7-series. My only caveat is the base 4-cylinder doesn\u2019t belong in it (well, two caveats \u2013 the eight-speed tranny can be curiously clunky at low speeds). Not because it can\u2019t pull 3,600 pounds (it can), but because a 4-banger just doesn\u2019t sound right in this upscale athlete. The CT6 is a no compromise package \u2013 so don\u2019t compromise by choosing anything but the superb, all-wheel-drive, twin-turbo V6. Still 900-pounds lighter than a comparable Tesla, still (at $72,170 loaded) $10k less than a base 7-series.<\/p>\n
Best Cadillac ever.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, I thought you were just saying that as a good Detroiter,\u201d said my friend Julie as she slipped into the CT6. \u201cBut this really is a stunning car.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cadillac has a lot of baggage. Keep building CT6s and it won\u2019t be carrying it around for long.<\/p>\n
2016 Cadillac CT6<\/strong><\/p>\n Specifications<\/strong><\/p>\n Vehicle type:<\/strong> Front-engine, rear- or all-wheel drive, five-passenger sedan<\/p>\n Price:<\/strong> $54,490 base ($72,170 AWD, twin-turbo V-6 as tested)<\/p>\n Power plant:<\/strong> 2.0-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder; 3.6-liter V6; 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6<\/p>\n Power:<\/strong> 265 horsepower, 295 pound-feet of torque (turbo-4); 335 horsepower, 284 pound-feet of torque (V-6); 404 horsepower, 400 pound-feet of torque (twin-turbo V-6)<\/p>\n Transmission:<\/strong> Eight-speed automatic<\/p>\n Performance:<\/strong> 0-60 mph, 5.1 (twin-turbo V-6, Car & Driver est.)<\/p>\n Weight:<\/strong> 3,657 pounds (base, 4-cyl, RWD); 4,085 pounds (Twin-turbo V6, AWD as tested)<\/p>\n Fuel economy:<\/strong> EPA 22 mpg city\/31 mpg highway (turbo-4); EPA 19 mpg city\/29 mpg highway (V-6); EPA 18 mpg city\/26 mpg highway (twin-turbo V-6)<\/p>\n Report card<\/strong><\/p>\n Highs:<\/strong> Athletic proportions; modern, elegant interior<\/p>\n Lows:<\/strong> Turbo 4-banger out of place in this athlete<\/p>\n Overall:<\/strong>\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In the Age of Ute, Cadillac\u2019s decision to roll out a full-size flagship sedan \u2013 the CT6 \u2013 has been met by rolled eyes from many in the auto press. Tough crowd. But as I tell anyone in the luxe shopping aisle these days: You gotta drive this car. It is the best. Cadillac. Ever. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19007"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19007"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19007\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19008,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19007\/revisions\/19008"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19007"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19007"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19007"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}