I see people asking this question — if Cadillac does not have the Northstar available (production has stopped), and the Ultra V8 design is still on the shelf, could they use a Generation 4 V8 in a Cadillac?
Let’s think about this for a minute.
- 2004-2005 Cadillac CTS-V used the LS6 V8
- 2006-2007 Cadillac CTS-V used the LS2 V8
- The Cadillac Escalade has offered a series of continually developing V8s peaking with the excellent current variant, the Gen 4 L94 6.2L V8.
- 2009+ Cadillac CTS-V uses a Gen 4 LSA Supercharged V8.
Is the LS Family of V8 engines smooth enough to be in a Cadillac? Is that even a question?
I have driven the current Escalade and the current CTS-V and they are both great Cadillacs. There is NOTHING wrong with a strong Gen 4 V8 in a Cadillac.
I would love to have a Cadillac CTS Premium Sedan with the LS3 V8 engine, or the L94 V8 engine. Bring it. A 400-430 hp engine would be a terrific fit between the 3.6L at 304 hp and the CTS-V at 556 hp. I suspect it costs quite a bit less than the 3.6L to produce as well, and would give mid-level fuel economy between the two engines.
Is the Gen 4 V8 appropriate for a luxury Cadillac? Yes please. Also the Gen 5 once it arrives thank you very much.
I agree! Nothing wrong with the “top” V6 with its 304 hp but a V8 is a completely different animal. The sound, the torque, still better hp without having to drill deep in the wallet in order to get a V-series with the supercharged V8. If they want to compete with BMW and Mercedes in the “middle luxury segment” they should offer a V8 of course.
Hopefully Cadillac is working on a solution to fill the gap between the current models. After all it’s a luxury vehicle and the owners want a Cadillac that out powers most other vehicles and still have the ability to get good mpg-readings.
The decision to put the Ultra on the shelf was a bad move in my humble opinion.