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While GM’s luxury brand is working on massive electrification these days, the latest reports suggest that the company won’t give up on new ICE models so easily. Instead, it plans to do several redesigns over the next few years. Moreover, there’s even a chance to see brand-new models. One of them is the brand-new 2023 Cadillac XT7 or XT8, which was dismissed less than two years ago. According to rumors, this scenario seems possible once again.
At this point, details are still unknown but some things are relatively easy to predict. Our insiders claim that there are two possible scenarios for the new crossover. One of them is to see a bigger version of the XT6, which would offer a properly-sized third row. On the other hand, some sources suggest that the 2023 Cadillac XT7 or XT8 could come as a genuine premium crossover, riding on a proper platform and with a much more capable powertrain.
Does Cadillac really need another crossover?
In today’s market, when all carmakers are gravitating toward complete electrification, many wonder if there is a need for brand-new ICE cars. While that’s a logical question, the fact is that traditional internal combustion engines will remain in production for many more years. Therefore, we believe that there is plenty of room for another large SUV.
This becomes even more obvious once you take a look at Cadillac’s current lineup. Currently, the biggest crossover is the XT6, which costs around $50.000. The smaller XT5 is just a couple of thousand cheaper while, on the other hand, the full-size body-on-frame Escalade costs nearly $30.000 more. So, there is a huge gap between the mid-size crossover and the full-size SUV, not just in terms of price, but also in terms of size, because the XT6’s third row could barely be called functional.
So, there is plenty of reason to believe that the 2023 Cadillac XT7 or XT8 has good potential. However, it’s still hard to determine the actual design approach, so we will discuss two of the aforementioned scenarios.
2023 Cadillac XT7 or XT8 as a Full-Size Crossover
The first and the more probable approach would be to see a full-size crossover. Currently, there is the XT6, riding on the C1 platform, with 112.5 inches wheelbase, just like the GMC Acadia. On the other hand, the Chevy Traverse rides on a significantly stretched version of this wheelbase, with nearly 121 inches between the axles. So, the 2023 Cadillac XT7 or XT8 could come with such a design approach.
More precisely, we would expect Cadillac’s model to share parts with the upcoming next-generation Acadia, which will also become significantly bigger. Moreover, it will also ride on GM’s new VSS platform. In that case, we would see the VSS-F iteration of the platform, with a front-wheel-drive-biased layout.
This would practically mean the same design approach as the XT6, just in a bigger package. So, we would probably see the same 3.6-liter V6, with the possible addition of a newer-generation turbo-four.
2023 Cadillac XT7 or XT8 as a Premium Performance Crossover
The less-likely scenario is to see a design that’s not based on VSS or C1 architecture. Instead, we would see a genuine Cadillac design, based on the Omega platform. Currently, this architecture underpins the CT6 sedan and offers a “real” premium layout, with a longitudinally-mounted engine and rear-wheel drive. Moreover, this layout means that the 2023 Cadillac XT7 or XT8 would use the company’s super-capable 4.2-liter twin-turbo V8 engine, which puts out 550 horsepower and 640 pound-feet of torque.
The problem with this scenario is that the development would take much more time and resources. Add to this the super-expensive V8 engine and it becomes clear that the price gap between the XT6 and Escalade would remain, but only because the 2023 Cadillac XT7 or XT8 would cost as much as the full-size body-on-frame SUV, if not even more.
2023 Cadillac XT7 or XT8 Release Date
As you can see, the potential for the 2023 Cadillac XT7 or XT8 definitely exists. However, it’s still early to talk about the potential launch date or something like that. At this point, the only we could say is that we hope that the new SUV could arrive in the next year.
