After months of turmoil, GM’s future product plans are coming into focus.   By 2010, production of the Cadillac DTS will wind down at GM’s Hamtramck assembly plant and be replaced with the Chevy Volt.

In its place, a new model named the XTS will take the flagship position in the Cadillac lineup.  The National Post is reporting the new model will be built at the Oshawa assembly plant alongside the new Camaro, an updated Impala, and the Buick Regal.

Rumors have surrounded this vehicle for years.  It was originally slated to use the RWD Zeta platform, but as new CAFE standards were enacted, GM’s large sedan RWD future was scrapped.  Instead, the green light was given to an extended AWD Epsilon II platform.   This platform currently underpins the Chinese Buick Regal, the upcoming Buick Lacrosse, and the all-new Saab 9-5.  The XTS will likely supplant both the STS and DTS.

Details remain sketchy, but the XTS is projected to be a direct competitor to the Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7-Series.  If Cadillac pricing trends stay true, the XTS will cost thousands less than its foreign competitors.  The XTS is scheduled to debut in December 2011.

What does this mean for the chauffeured transportation industry?  Considering the Lincoln Town Car is the king of the airport transfer, not much.  Although the Town Car is long in the tooth, it’s reliable and cost efficient.

The new Cadillac may not replace the Town Car, but it will be an affordable option for operators who need a large AWD premium luxury vehicle.