Cadillac To Get Exclusive New V-8 Engine

GM LT4 6.2-liter V-8 engine (Credit: Cadillac )

The rumors that were flying around about Cadillac completely dropping V-8 engines were thankfully false. Instead, the luxury brand is going to get its own exclusive V-8. What fueled the rumor mill was that Cadillac announced the 2016 CT6 will use a four-cylinder and turbo V-6. Apparently, that alone was proof enough to make the accusations fly.

Johan de Nysschen, the fiery new chief of Cadillac, has taken to Facebook where he announced that a “purpose designed for Cadillac” V-8 is coming. He didn’t divulge too much information about the upcoming engine, but strongly hinted that the new design would be revolutionary enough to make the V-8 relevant once more in the market. In his own words, the new engine will be “state-of-the-art powerful and highly efficient.”

Cadillac, you have our attention.

As de Nysschen pointed out in his Facebook commentary, the V-8 engine has fallen out of favor even in the luxury vehicle market. Models that once used big power plants have instead turned to turbochargers and superchargers as a replacement for displacement.

Some are wrongly thinking that the new CT6 will be the end-all Cadillac flagship model, so the fact that it won’t come with a V-8 is a sign that things are changing. The fact is that the actual flagship model for Cadillac, which will be positioned above the CT6, is coming. The vehicle is shrouded in secrecy right now, but the likelihood is high that it will be powered by the new V-8.

The news is also important because it shows just how serious de Nysschen is about being aggressive with taking the Cadillac brand in a separate direction from the rest of GM. It can no longer slap some bling on a Tahoe or Suburban and have its models featured in rap videos to stay relevant. The shift of the brand’s headquarters to New York City, away from the rest of GM is another aspect of the push to make Cadillac something different and special.