Cadillac invests in Lansing plant for model overhaul

Nora Naughton | The Detroit News

General Motors Co. is investing $175 million in its Lansing Grand River plant to prepare for an upcoming overhaul of the Cadillac sedan lineup.

The automaker says it already has begun installing new tooling and equipment at the Lansing plant that builds the Cadillac CTS and ATS sedans, as well the Chevrolet Camaro.

Cadillac announced in May it would replace the ATS and CTS with a new sedan, keeping CT6 as the brand's "prestige sedan."

A Cadillac spokesman would not comment on the name of the new car, but said the brand would continue with its alpha-numeric naming pattern, unlike Ford Motor Co.'s Lincoln, which is in the middle of shedding its MK badges.

GM spent $211 million in retooling at the Lansing Grand River plant in 2016, a project that included a 32,000-square-foot addition to the body shop for future Cadillac sedans. The plant currently employs nearly 1,600 employees and operates on two shifts.

The Monday investment is part of Cadillac's nearly $500 million manufacturing investment in U.S. manufacturing over the last two years — part of an effort to boost the brand's sales in North America. Cadillac also recently invested in plants in Texas, Kansas and Tennessee to accommodate expanded Escalade output and production of the new XT4 and XT5 crossovers.

Cadillac is in the middle of a product overhaul begun by recently ousted president Johan de Nysschen. The new president, Steve Carlisle, continues Cadillac's effort to introduce a new model every six months through the end of 2021, beginning with the XT4 that debuted earlier this year.

The GM luxury brand is also aiming to begin an expansion of its Super Cruise technology to the entire lineup starting in 2020.

“Cadillac is on the cusp of rolling out the most aggressive product portfolio expansion in the brand’s history,” Carlisle said in a statement. “GM’s continued support of Cadillac positions us for tremendous growth in the coming years, and the continued investment in our North American facilities helps ensure we will remain on the forefront of manufacturing technology as our next generation of luxury vehicles are launched.”

nnaughton@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @noranaughton