The Cadillac CT5 2020 sedan will debut at the New York Auto Show

Cadillac will present its next model, the 2020 CT5 sedan, in early April at the New York Auto Show. The company has made our first visit to CT5 on Monday and over the next few weeks will be unveiling more of the car with an online video series called "Sensory Sympathy".

Any automaker exhibiting an SUV-era sedan seems to feel the need to justify its decision, and Cadillac President Steve Carlisle is no exception. At a presentation with reporters in Detroit last week, he said that Cadillac would not abandon traditional cars as there are still many luxury buyers who prefer them.

"We are very attached to sedans, just to clarify things, we see this as part of the DNA of our brand," Carlisle said. "When you look at who's buying sedans today, they're actually anti-SUVs and crossovers."

He added that the luxury sedan segment is still "considerable" and that in China, an important market for luxury automakers, sedan sales continue to grow.

Andrew Smith, executive director of global design at Cadillac, had a different perspective on why cars like the CT5 still have a future: "I'd say the boring sedans are dead, I think the beautiful sedans will be there for a moment. "

The Cadillac CT5 uses what Smith describes as "a new generation of Cadillac aesthetic language". Like previous "Art & Science" cars, the CT5 is defined by taut lines, strong proportions and LED lighting, but the bodywork is simpler and not as irregular as some older Cadillac cars. Its appearance is very different from today's ATS and CTS sedans, but it can still be recognized. Cadillac tails.

The low hood and flat nose give way to a wide grille, with LED strips starting from the headlights and descending into separate light channels in the lower fascia. The roof line curves sharply behind pillar B, diving into the trunk. In the center post, a plastic trim mimics the appearance of a quarter of window; it is engraved with a Cadillac script logo. According to Smith, the designers paid particular attention to the rear of the CT5, ensuring that it is not identical to other Cadillac sedans.

Beneath the surface, the CT5 is built on a version of General Motors' famous Alpha platform, versions of which have also been used for ATS and CTS, as well as Chevrolet Camaro. Engine choices include a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6, both coupled to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive and AWD variants will be offered.

The interior follows the trend of other recent Cadillac designs and will offer plenty of leather and real wood trim. A tablet-type touch screen with an updated version of the company's infotainment software CUE is displayed in the dashboard. It can also be controlled by a rotary controller mounted on the console, as shown in XT4 and XT6. The electronic selector has been redesigned to be easier to use, active noise canceling technology will be standard and a Bose audio system will be available.

As with other recent Cadillac models, the CT5 will be sold according to a "Y" finishing strategy that separates luxury and sport models. He will also use the torque-based powertrain badging recently announced for the XT6. Cadillac will build the CT5 at its Lansing Grand River, Michigan facility after investing $ 221 million to upgrade the facilities of the new car.

After its public debut at the New York show, the Cadillac CT5 will be marketed by the end of the year.