It's been less than three months since Johan de Nysschen left Infiniti->ke36 to join Cadillac, ->ke18 and it seems the South African-born executive is already elbows deep trying to resurrect GM's->ke2320 struggling premium brand. Speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of the Paris Auto Show,->ke227 de Nysschen revealed Cadillac's future strategy includes a product expansion that could see the introduction of at least five brand-new models over the next six years.

The first in that line is the CT6, the first all-new vehicle confirmed since de Nysschen's arrival. The luxury sedan->ke505 will be joined by a larger version, reportedly dubbed either CT8 or CT9, by the end of the decade. The limousine will compete against long-wheelbase versions of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class->ke359 and BMW 7 Series,->ke323 de Nysschen said. He also confirmed there will be a plug-in hybrid version of the CT6 and maybe an all-electric iteration too. Cadillac is also working on a successor to the ELR plug-in hybrid, de Nysschen added, but said it may not be a two-door coupe->ke141 like the current model.

Although confirmations stopped there, the South African-born president hinted there are three more vehicles under development. As rumored throughout 2014, Cadillac is planning to expand its crossover->ke288 lineup with two more models -- one positioned below the SRX and one above -- to tackle similar offerings from German companies. Lastly, a smaller sedan slotted below the ATS could be offered as an alternative to the BMW 1 Series->ke313 and Mercedes-Benz CLA.->ke3130 The latter is likely to arrive in 2018, with the crossovers to enter production in 2017. Both the small sedan and the small crossover are likely to use the platform of the next-generation Chevrolet Cruze.->ke3230

Click past the jump to read more about Cadillac's future plans.

Why It Matters

It has become rather obvious that de Nysschen's arrival at Cadillac means one thing: the South African wants to transform the struggling American brand into a global powerhouse, much like he did with Audi during his eight-year tenure. From compact sedans and crossovers to all-electric vehicles and ultra-luxury rigs, the Cadillac lineup is being overhauled to include more competitors for the German heavyweights by 2020. Once reached, the goal will enable GM's premium brand to become a global company better suited to take on BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi.

Cadillac CT6

Cadillac's new flagship sedan, confirmed by the automaker as the CT6, will slot above the current XTS and will face competition from the likes of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the Audi A8. Slated to arrive in 2015 and go on sale for the 2016 model year, the CT6 has been described as "the lightest and most agile car in the class of top-level, luxury sedans."

Cadillac also said the CT6 will make use of advanced, lightweight materials and new body-construction techniques that will help reduce fuel consumption while enhance driving dynamics and safety. There's no official word on what engines will motivate the CT6 as of October 2014, but we expect it to arrive with either a twin-turbo V-6 or a V-8 with cylinder deactivation.