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Cadillac halts diesel engine development [update]

Cadillac halts diesel engine development [update]

The firm will instead focus on electrification.

The European versions of the all-new Cadillac XT4 premium compact crossover will be offered with specially developed gasoline and diesel engines meeting the latest EURO 6d emission standards.

Don't expect to walk into a Cadillac showroom and see a diesel-burning model anytime soon. The New York-based company has confirmed it has put the development of a turbodiesel engine on hiatus to focus on electrification.

"We've been working on diesel, but the markets may be changing more quickly than we anticipated. Going forward, we will focus on electrification," said Cadillac president Steve Carlisle in an interview with Automotive News.

The publication added Cadillac's program focused on developing four- and six-cylinder turbodiesel engines. They would have primarily bolstered the European offensive Cadillac has planned for years but never carried out, but officials also planned to sell diesels in the United States. The new XT4 should have received a diesel option in America, for example. Cadillac told Leftlane the Euro-spec model will be offered with one.

"The European versions of the all-new XT4 will be offered with specially-developed gasoline and diesel engines meeting the latest Euro 6d emission standards," the firm noted.

Cadillac's diesel program hit two setbacks. The first was the Dieselgate scandal from 2015, which demonized the diesel engine across the industry while adding cost and complexity to the process of certifying one in the United States. The second was parent company General Motors' sale of Opel, which worked hand-in-hand with Cadillac. Development work nonetheless continued until recently.

Carlisle said Cadillac might still launch a diesel if there is enough demand for one; it hasn't killed the program entirely. He stressed the diesel engine will be around for years to come but dropping one in an American-spec luxury car may not make sense for much longer.

Updated: Added statement from Cadillac about diesel availability in Europe.