General Motors has decided to extend production of the Chevrolet Impala and Cadillac CT6 through January 2020 instead of the original execution date of this coming June. Both sedans are being phased out as the automaker continues its shift towards electric vehicles and a stronger focus on trucks and SUVs. Traditional sedans, at least in GM's mind, have no future. Production for both vehicles, as well as the just discontinued Chevrolet Volt and Buick LaCrosse, takes place at the Detroit, Michigan Hamtramck facility, which is one of three US manufacturing facilities GM plans to shut down. But why the short life extension for these two particular sedans?

According to GM, it is "balancing production timing while continuing the availability of Cadillac advanced technology features currently included in the CT6-V, the Blackwing Twin-Turbo V8 and Super Cruise."

The CT6-V was sold out within an hour of going on sale, which wasn't too surprising given it's powered by a new V8 with 550 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque. It's not exactly cheap at nearly $90,000. It has a 275-unit planned production run that will likely help turn it into an instant classic and future collector's car.

As for the Impala, GM didn't specifically state why it too has a temporary life extension, given the fact it definitely does not have a V8 option nor available Super Cruise semi-autonomous driving technology. We reached out to GM for comment but our best guess, as of this writing, involves fleet production demand. The Impala is a fairly popular rental car and GM may want to meet some last-minute orders before ceasing production for good.

But there still could be some future hope for the CT6. We've heard some rumors claiming a new CT6 is in development but it's still a couple of years away. Cadillac already went on record stating its intention to launch more electrified vehicles in the coming years as a supposed last-ditch effort to maintain relevance, i.e. survival. A new CT6 would likely be built on a new rear-wheel-drive platform designed for electrification to varying levels. It may not be a pure EV like the Tesla Model S, for example, but rather feature a next-generation plug-in hybrid system. We'll just have to wait to see what unfolds.