Cadillac 'halo vehicle' not coming until after 2022

NEW YORK -- Cadillac will realign its product portfolio and get its business operations in line before releasing a "halo vehicle," according to brand President Johan de Nysschen.That means consumers and dealers will have to wait until after 2022 for such a vehicle -- following the completion of Cadillac's previously announced product shift to three cars, three crossovers and the next-generation Escalade through 2021.Those products, according to de Nysschen, will better position Cadillac and its dealers for future success and products, including a halo vehicle -- not necessarily a car -- that could include all-electric and internal combustion variants.Once Cadillac fills in the white spaces in its portfolio, the brand "can, candidly, generate some growth, generate some revenue, put volume through our dealer organization so they can also invest in the elevation of the brand, all those logical things," de Nysschen told Automotive News at the auto show here.Cadillac, on average, plans to release a new vehicle every six months by 2022. It started Tuesday with the reveal of the new XT4 compact crossover. That will be followed by the unveiling of a large crossover -- either XT6 or XT7 -- possibly late this year and then a replacement for the ATS compact sedan and potentially the CTS midsize sedan late next year.Through 2021, de Nysschen said the brand will focus on a vehicle portfolio powered by internal combustion engines, including Cadillac-exclusive V-8 and V-6 offerings. Following that time frame, Cadillac will begin releasing electrified vehicles as part of General Motors' plan of 20 new all-electric or fuel cell vehicles by 2023.De Nysschen reconfirmed Cadillac is slated to receive a "disproportionate share" of those electrified vehicles. "Since these new technologies are pricey, it really begins to make a lot of common sense, not in all cases, to roll out some of them in Cadillac first," he said. "We therefore see it as a great opportunity for Cadillac to take the lead from GM with rolling out these things. Not only for the company and economically commercializing these new technologies, but also for the brand elevation it will give to Cadillac."

Cadillac 'halo vehicle' not coming until after 2022

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