5 Cadillac CT2020 Tested In Australia: Is It The Next Holden Commodore?

Something like a Cadillac CT5 was caught walking around Melbourne in significant camouflage.

The Cadillac CT5 midsize luxury sedan was caught testing in Melbourne over the weekend wearing heavy camouflage, further fueling speculation that General Motor's premium brand is preparing to enter the local market.

If the CT5 is delivered to showrooms in Australia, it will likely replace the current European-made ZB Commodore, which is built in Germany at a plant now owned by the PSA Group following Opel's 2017 buyout.

Known as the Opel Insignia in overseas markets, the new Commodore struggled to make its way into the Australian market, selling just 363 vehicles in its debut month in February 2018.

Now that Opel is under the control of the PSA Group, the Insignia is set to move to the French platform after switching to a new generation version around 2021, which will likely block Holden's access to the model.

The CT5 will give Holden a sedan from GM that can fit into its product portfolio and will be sourced from GM's Lansing Grand River Assembly plant in Michigan.

Built on the GM Alpha platform, the CT5 shares a production line with the smaller CT4 and the current Chevrolet Camaro, which is imported and rebuilt with a right-hand drive HSV.

GM was close to launching the Cadillac brand in Australia in 2008, but the global financial crisis put an end to its ambitions.

Since then, Cadillac executives have told various Australian media outlets that a local launch is still not planned, with the latest information pointing to a debut around 2020 in line with the new generation of fresh product.

The CT5 will definitely fit the bill as the new model was only unveiled earlier this year in April, with a US sales start date scheduled for later this year.

A performance-focused version of the CT5-V was also shown at the end of June, powered by a 3.0kW/6Nm 265-litre twin-turbo V542 engine that compares favorably with the current top-of-the-line 235kW/381Nm 3.6 ZB Commodore VXR engine. -liter V6.

It is important to note that the drive in the CT5 is transferred to the rear axle as standard, unlike the current layout of the ZB Commodore with the front axle, with all-wheel drive available as an option.

While the CT5 and CT5-V have already been shown to the public, negating the need for camouflage, the Melbourne car could be the rumored V8 version expected to be powered by a 4.2-litre twin-turbo Blackwing engine. eight engines, the power of which exceeds 373 kW.

In terms of dimensions, the CT5 is 4924mm long, 1883mm wide, 1452mm high and has a wheelbase of 2947mm compared to the ZB Commodore figures of 4897mm, 1863mm, 1455mm and 2829mm.

Interestingly, the CT5 is nearly identical in size to the latest Australian VFIII Commodore, which is 4964mm long, 1898mm wide, 1471mm high and has a 2915mm wheelbase.

However, Cadillac's introduction is far from confirmed.

Probably the biggest hurdle to overcome is the justification for small-scale production of right-hand drive vehicles, while the shrinking sedan segment is also another factor.

While Holden was unable to confirm if the discovered vehicle is indeed a CT5, the model had already been spotted in Australia before, albeit before it was revealed, and the brand lion confirmed that it was working on "emissions and powertrain calibration for a range of GM brand vehicles." , usually focusing on rear and all-wheel drive.

Earlier this year, Cadillac introduced its CT5 sedan, which competes with models such as the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class, while the smaller CT4 competes with the 3 Series and C-Class, respectively.