Super Caddy! V-12 powered, Zeta-based Cadillac coming
Posted 3/21/2007 12:16:13 PM by Angus MacKenzie
Filed under: Car News, The Big Picture, Cadillac


Bob Lutz has confirmed rumors swirling through Detroit that Cadillac is working on a Zeta-based S-class rival - and that the top of the range version will be powered by a new V-12 engine currently under development.

Styling proposals for the car, inspired by the glamorous Cadillac Sixteen concept from 2003 (pictured), have been already prepared in Detroit under the direction of GM's North American car design chief Mike Simcoe, the former Holden designer responsible for the look of the new Zeta-based Holden Commodore and the Pontiac G8. Much of the engineering and development of the car will be done in Australia by the Holden engineering staff, although the new V-12 powertrain is being developed in Detroit.

The Zeta platform is already built in 114.8 inch (Commodore/G8) and 118.5 inch (Holden Statesman/Caprice) versions. The big Cadillac's wheelbase will be at least 120.5 inches simply because it will almost certainly share the same front end structure as the new Camaro, which has had its front axle centerline pushed two inches further forward than Holden's Zeta cars. The extra room up front will be needed to package the new V-12 under the hood.

Cadillac last sold a V-12 powered car in the 1930s, although it showed a 7.5-liter V-12 in the Cien concept, and built a prototype 8.2-liter SOHC V-12 in the 1960s. The new V-12 is said to basically be two of GM's new 3.6-liter, direct injection, quad cam V-6s fused together. Obviously the block, heads, crank and camshafts are unique to the V-12, but components such as pistons, valves, connecting rods, etc., can be shared to reduce costs.

The DI V-6, which makes its debut in the new Cadillac CTS this year, develops 300 horsepower. With a capacity of 7.2-liters, the V-12 should safely make 600 horsepower or more, and about 540 lb-ft of torque. Sources say Cadillac will also offer two V-8s in the car. Logic suggests the entry-level engine will be a 5.0-liter version of GM's new Ultra V-8, while the mid-level engine would be a 6.0-liter Ultra. Outputs would be around 400 and 500 horsepower, respectively.

Lutz has been pushing hard for a top of the range Cadillac that is truly competitive with Mercedes-Benz S-class, BMW 7-series and Audi A8 since he arrived at GM. While some observers wonder whether GM's luxury brand - indeed, America's only true luxury brand - can deliver such a car, or whether there's even a market for it, there's no question Cadillac needs a halo model that's taken seriously by the rest of the world (unlike the lumbering DTS) if it is to be a player in the segment. Lutz has struggled mightily to make the numbers add up for GM's beancounters. But the reality is Cadillac simply can't afford not to do this car.

 

sweet

 

Hauls ass and eats gas! lol

 

Ummm, No...

"Hauls ass and eats gas! lol"

It'll probably do 30 mpg w/ Multi-displacement technology...

The "eats gas" thing is pretty much moot in a car like that anyway.

 

Hillsdale......

Interesting find. But, I can tell you for sure the engine was resurrected from the storage shelf. They had it when I was working there...not with the DI and a few other goodies, but it was a Cadillac V-12 and had components from the 3.6.

It will be interesting to see if the engine will befor real. The platform may evolve into something else, depending on petrol.