Cadillac is partnering with design house Public School to debut the XT5 at venues around the world. The first will be a private event held in collaboration with a runway show for Public School’s “pre-fall” collection in Dubai. The event will be held on the eve of the 2015 Dubai Motor Show, where the XT5 will also be shown.
This first peek at the XT5 confirms what has already been revealed in leaked photos. The XT5’s overall look appears heavily influenced by Cadillac’s recent CTS, ATS, and CT6 sedans. The crossover sports an updated version of the edgy design language that has defined Cadillac for over a decade, with elements like elongated LED daytime running lights, a shield-shaped grille, and an updated Cadillac logo borrowed from other recent models.
The XT5 also debuts Cadillac’s new “XT” naming convention for crossovers, which matches the new “CT” scheme for sedans that was started by the 2016 CT6. Apparently, actual names just aren’t good enough. When it hits showrooms, the XT5 will have some big shoes to fill, as Cadillac says the outgoing SRX crossover is currently its best-selling model worldwide.
Like the SRX, the XT5 could share a platform derived from one for less-prestigious GM models. Powertrains will likely be sourced from other Cadillacs, with reports so far indicating a 3.6-liter V6, and possibly a plug-in hybrid variant, borrowing components from the CT6, sometime after the XT5’s introduction.
On the inside, expect an updated CUE infotainment system with available Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. CarPlay is already available on certain 2016 models, with Android Auto set to follow. Cadillac also recently added a faster processor to CUE, and made some other tweaks.
The XT5 may be the last new Cadillac model for awhile. Boss Johan de Nysschen has said that after the new crossover arrives in showrooms, Cadillac will hold off on new-model introductions until 2018 or later. Cadillac will focus on brand building instead which, if nothing else, will give consumers plenty of time to get acquainted with the XT5.
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