It is the first car to adopt the brand's revised naming strategy,[6] as well as the first rear-wheel drive full-size Cadillac sedan since the Fleetwood was discontinued in 1996.

In addition to its primary markets of North America and China, the CT6 was also offered in Europe, South Korea, Japan, and the Middle East.

[10] General Motors discontinued the assembly of the Cadillac CT6 in the US in February 2020 due to poor sales and retooling of the Detroit/Hamtramck facility for electric vehicle production, beginning with the new GMC Hummer EV.

Cadillac anticipated the CT6 would serve as a temporary flagship for the marque until a larger, more luxurious sedan would be marketed as the CT8.

[22][23] The styling was refreshed in the 2019 model year, with the most visible changes made to the front and rear lamps.

[24] In November 2018, GM announced the Hamtramck plant would be retooled for electric vehicle assembly, and production of the CT6 in the United States was discontinued in February 2020, although the model continued to be produced and sold in China by the SAIC-GM joint venture near Shanghai.

[42] In a review, Car and Driver called it "powerful and sure to dazzle neophytes" but added it was "lacking in detail and separation compared with the best in-car audio".

Super Cruise sensors include an array of exterior cameras to detect lane markings and provide a 360-degree view of the vehicle's surroundings, a high-accuracy global positioning system receiver, and a driver-facing camera with infrared emitters to monitor driver engagement.

The system was designed to operate in a geofenced area, which initially consisted of 160,000 mi (260,000 km) of limited-access roads that Ushr, Inc. had mapped for GM with LIDAR.

Once the system has satisfied the prerequisites (visible lane markings, driver paying sufficient attention, driving on a limited-access freeway, no system faults), a white steering wheel icon will illuminate in the upper right corner of the speedometer display to alert the driver that Super Cruise is available.

[49] The plug-in hybrid uses a variant of the GM Voltec powertrain derived from the Chevrolet Volt (second generation).

In the CT6 PHEV, the powertrain combines a 266 hp (198 kW; 270 PS), 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder direct injected gasoline engine with an electric continuously-variable transmission incorporating a dual electric motor hybrid design, and a liquid cooled 18.4 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, which is integrated into a space behind the rear seat, reducing the trunk cargo volume from 15.3 to 10.6 cu ft (430 to 300 L).

In order to withstand the stress of a high-performance engine and reduce internal friction, Cadillac has used forged steel connecting rods and a special coating for piston pins.

When the engine is off, the intake cams are parked in the middle of their travel, preventing exhaust/intake valve overlap to allow for easier starting and smoother initial idle.

Titanium aluminide turbine wheels spin up to 190,000 rpm, producing peak boost of 20 psi (140 kPa) which is relieved by electric wastegates.

The intercooler is mounted just above each cylinder head, which reduces the charge air temperature by approximately 130 °F (54 °C) before reaching the engine intake.

The engines were hand-assembled and personally signed at the Bowling Green plant in Kentucky where each Chevrolet Corvette is also assembled.

The CT6-V also features an AWD system with optimized transfer case, rear steering, and mechanical Limited Slip Differential (LSD).

The second-generation CT6 carries over multiple compartments from the previous generation such as, gearbox, size, design cues and platform.

[70] With the technology upgrade, the CT6 receives a 33-inch infotainment screen along with Super Cruise, Magnetic Ride Control 4.0, and a digital rear view mirror.