Even as Cadillac readies its smaller ATS sedan on the heels of last month's launch of the larger XTS -- the all-new stablemates that have joined or will join the CTS in Caddy's current lineup -- word has leaked out, via Automotive News, that Caddy has given the green light to an oft-speculated flagship sedan meant to compete with the commanding likes of both the BMW 7-Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

The new range-topper, which will sit above the XTS, will be built on an all-new rear-wheel-drive platform slated for 2015, according to the publication. Not only that, but the popular CTS midsize sedan will be redesigned in an ongoing attempt to compete with the likes of the Mercedes E-Class and BMW 5-Series. That "longer, sleeker" iteration -- those descriptions according to Automotive News -- should arrive in the middle of next year as a 2014 model, built on the new Alpha platform (which also underpins the the upcoming ATS, the first model to use the chassis). Expected among the available engines for the redesigned CTS are a turbocharged 2.0-liter and a 3.6-cylinder V6. A new coupe variant is expected to follow, though a refreshed wagon version is not, and we are sad about that.

A coupe version for the ATS, too, is expected in 2014, when we may also see a high-performance "V" variant. A diesel mill is expected for the ATS in Europe, though not necessarily in the U.S., while a wagon variant is on the table for Europe (and perhaps the U.S., though less likely) in about five years' time should the ATS prove popular on the Continent.

As for the flagship sedan, built on a platform referred to as "Omega," a 3.6-liter V6 and V8 option are expected, along with an 8-speed transmission and the option for all-wheel drive. Some styling cues from the Ciel concept (pictured above) first shown at Pebble Beach in 2011 should make the cut for the production version.

[Source: Automotive News.]