Gallery: Cadillac ULC Concept At New York
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A few things to notice about the ULC:
- The OnStar logo joins the Caddy logo within the headlamp (image 5)
- That Caddy emblem on the top end of the B-pillar is actually the button that opens the scissor door (image 13)
- There is an integrated umbrella at the base of the scissor door (image 14)
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Ok, I’m really trying to keep an open mind on this concept vehicle. But there are a few things that I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around. Maybe somebody can help me with these questions.
1) Visibility.
When I’m driving in downtown Seattle, Washington, I want to be most alert when I am looking for parallel parking, pedestrians crossing, delivery trucks pulling out of nowhere (or for that matter, a car), and the last thing I want is restricted visibility, especially when it’s raining at night. These narrow side slit “Speak-Easy” windows seem like it would do just that. Also, the rear left & right quarter sections look as if they would have large blind spots.
2) Versatility & Practicality
While the scissor style doors gives you a wide opening for easier entry and exit, for an “Urban” or “City Car” it might be more practical to have 4 doors instead of 2. Rear doors gives your passengers more freedom to independently enter/exit the vehicle without intervention from the front. Also, the front occupants look like they may need to lean forward to let the rear occupants exit/enter the vehicle. In congested city driving, being able to do this quickly can have its benefits.
3) Room
Judging by the photos, there seems to be a big center section running inside the vehicle from the front to the rear of the car that looks somewhat similar to the Chevy Volt. Is there a reason for this? That looks like it takes up a lot of room. Why not have design something more towards a flat floor (unless it compromises structural integrity), and eliminate a center counsel? You could have an elevated platform to store your batteries while the occupants would be able to enter and exit the vehicle just above curb level. Your passengers would certainly appreciate it, especially in the back. It would also reduce the claustrophobic look to the back seats.
4) Overall Design
What is the car REALLY designed to do? If it’s truly an Urban City Car, why the steep rake on the windshield that looks like you’ll be doing 100+MPH? Is this car low to the ground where you need to “climb down” to get in? If so, why? Shouldn’t an Urban City Car have a higher profile so the passengers will be able to step out onto the curb instead of up to the curb? Shouldn’t the driver to an Urban City Car be able to sit higher to see their environment so when they pull up next to another car, they’re more their height instead of being lower? And the rear passengers, shouldn’t they be able to have a window? This would add to better visibility too. What about how the vehicle rides? And those huge “Wagon Wheels”, are they designed to withstand massive pot holes without damaging the rims? And will there be sufficient rubber on the tire to cushion the ride on those rough, city roads?
In fairness, I’ve never seen the Cadillac ULC in person. I’m only going by the pictures of what I’ve seen. But I mention these things because this is what I would focus on if I were designing a car meant strictly for city driving. The Cadillac shown here looks like it’s designed more for a futuristic movie in some sort of a “Star Trek” setting than today’s urban real-world city driving. I mean no disrespect to Cadillac, but I have a very hard time in taking this car seriously.
In reference to the above mentioned comments, I agree somewhat with this subject although I have not seen the car up close; I will need to see it in person in order to get a better opinion about it.