Cadillac Phases Out Torque Badges After 6 Years Of Nobody Understanding What They Mean
Jalopnik • • business
Key Points:
- Cadillac will remove numeric torque badges from its vehicles starting with the 2027 model year to streamline the rear appearance, while retaining the T, D, and E4 badges that indicate engine type and drivetrain.
- The torque badges, introduced in 2019 to display torque in newton-meters rounded to the nearest 50, have been widely criticized for being confusing and unnecessary.
- Cadillac's naming conventions have evolved from classic names like Deville and Eldorado to three-letter abbreviations (e.g., CTS, DTS) and then to alphanumeric codes combined with torque badges, leading to increasing complexity.
- The automaker is expanding its electric vehicle lineup with models named using the "iq" suffix, such as Lyriq and Celestiq, which have been generally well received compared to previous alphanumeric names.
- There is speculation and hope that Cadillac may eventually return to using named models instead of alphanumeric designations, especially as some current models like the CT4 are being discontinued.
