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It won’t have tail fins, but Cadillac’s rumored convertible will have style

Big things are happening at Cadillac. General Motors’ luxury brand is planning a full-size flagship sedan, a mulling a compact entry-level model, and preparing to launch the ATS-V and CTS-V hot rods.

In the midst of all that, Cadillac is reportedly considering yet another new model. Automobile Magazine reports that its leaders are discussing a convertible.

While its chromed and tail-finned 1950s land yachts still bring plenty of good feelings, Cadillac hasn’t sold a convertible since 2009 (it did unveil the Ciel concept, pictured above, in 2011). Its last effort was the ruthlessly angular, Corvette-based XLR, a car that was somewhat of an acquired taste.

Related: 2015 Cadillac ATS gains more power and tech

This time around, Cadillac will leave all of its options open, including a new XLR. Along with the LTS flagship sedan set to debut at the 2015 New York Auto Show, such a car could help raise Cadillac’s prestige and compete with high-dollar convertibles like the BMW 6 Series and Mercedes-Benz SL-Class.

However, a convertible version of the just-released 2015 ATS Coupe seems more likely. A drop-top was planned during the initial design of the ATS but never followed up on, and the compact luxury convertible segment is one of the hottest, with entires from Audi, BMW, Infiniti, Lexus, and Mercedes all competing for sun-lovers’ dollars.

Whatever form it takes, don’t expect to see a new Cadillac convertible for a few years. GM already has its hands full with the current laundry list of Cadillac projects.

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Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
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