2020 Cadillac CT5 Is Confusing in Many Was at New York Auto Show

Looking at the badges and stickers all over the stand, it's way too easy to read "CT5" as "CTS." Likewise, the 350T badge on the back doesn't mean this is powered by a 3.5-liter engine, as it's actually got a 2-liter turbo with 237-horsepower. The naming system has us thinking this was actually developed for China.

The number actually represents the torque figure… in Newton meters, which translates to 258 lb-ft. There's also going to be a 550T which, you guessed it, isn't a V8, but a V6 with 335-hp and 400 lb-ft (542 Nm) of torque. Both of these systems are connected to a 10-speed automatic gearbox with the AWD being an option you need to think about. Cadillac has hinted at a performance model, but it's going to take a few years to develop.

The silver car has the Sport trim level, which gets you some 20-inch wheels, red painted brakes and a black mesh for the grilles at the front. But we figure the normal look is still sporty enough. The purple metallic model is the Premium Luxury grade, and we think it looks fantastic.

Overall, styling is difficult to distinguish from the older CTS that will be discontinued at the end of the year. The 5-point grille has been revised to connect to the headlights, which retain that vertical LED signature. At this point, some of the critical numbers are missing, but Cadillac says this BMW 5 Series-sized model will be priced like a 3 Series because it replaces the ATS too.

For the record, the wheelbase and track are wider than the CTS, but the CT5 is a little bit shorter overall. Inside, we noticed the same kind of gear selector as in the XT4, surrounding carbon trim. The infotainment still isn't as good as iDrive, but it looks to have improved.