When people talk of a “flagship vehicle,” it generally means a full-size luxury sedan that is both prestigious and uncompromising. Like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, and the like. But it could also mean a niche halo model, like the Lexus LFA, or the upcoming BMW i8. The same type of concept may be in the works for Cadillac, according to a source from an Edmunds report.
Word of such a project comes just after GM tossed out plans for a tier-one full-sized luxury sedan aimed at Bentley, one that would start above $100,000. The program was based on the Omega platform and was internally known as O1LL, and because it was shaping to be too similar to the upcoming S-Class-fighting O1SL (what’s expected to eventually known as the Cadillac LTS), developers aborted the project before the company sank any more money into it.
With O1LL as it was known being scrapped, it opens the door up for something different, though equally mouth watering. According to the Edmunds source, it could be completely unconventional:
“There was a contingent (at GM) saying that a super ELR that uses a really leading-edge technology drivetrain could be a flagship, and they are right, it could,” the industry source said. “I am not saying an ELR, but I am saying a fuel-cell car or whatever.”
“Your options for a flagship are multiple,” the industry source continued. “You don’t have to do an S-Class Mercedes or a (Rolls-Royce) Phantom. You don’t have to do that car. There are other options.”
A fuel-cell Cadillac? Considering GM’s latest deal with Honda, there just might be some weight to those words.
Comments
Flagship = big ass sedan with big ass price tag and big ass features and toys
Halo = sports/performance/exotic car (ie. R8, SLS, 918)
Amen brother! I truly hope Cadillac can see the difference between such!
How many two seat Cadillac’s have to fail before people catch on. I know it not popular to say but Cadillac is not ready for a car as such yet in such low numbers.
Building a sport car for a lot of money is easy but to do it in low volume under around $100K is difficult and often short term.
Cadillac would be better served with Aston like coupe for a $90-100K price that seats 4 and offers a convertible. This would have much more appeal to a wider segment and would be a car that could be tuned to different uses.
It also would not compete with the Corvette. Lets face it to compete with the Corvette is a challenge for those outside GM and will be even more difficult for Cadillac.
If you look at the history of 2 seat cars they have a short live generally. Only The Miata and Vette have lasted long term and not come, gone and come back to go again like so many others.
The mid engine thing too would only complicate the car. I own a mid engine car myself today and know first hand it is not so much where the engine is vs. the balance of the car that is important. With todays longer wheel bases and set back engines a front engine cars would have wider appeal and be cheaper to build. Also the luggage will stay cooler.
There is definitely a place for special cars at Cadillac but they need to not be some wild ass pipe dream.
At some point a small roadster to compete with the BMW could be a good idea on the Alpha.
While my heart would love to see a car like pictured above my head also tells me the difficulty of building marketing and pricing a car like this. Also it is not the most user friendly car so it will limit sales.
the Miata may not be the most exciting car in the world but it fits more people lives than many odd sports cars and that is why it has out live the RX7 and MR2. Same applies in this segment.
I would love to see a coupe much like the new Audi Quattro that is coming. A powerful 2+2 with lots of power and AWD. This is going to be a powerful car in the market when it arrives.
Amen to that too brother! Cadillac has got to be successful at developing and producing more mainstream luxury vehicles that appeal to the market before they try and tackle something like this. The ATS and CTS are great steps in the right direction. But the rest of the lineup could use some improvement.
Just a few things.
“Only The Miata and Vette have lasted long term and not come, gone and come back to go again like so many others.”
I’ll add the Mercedes SL to that list. Arguably the second oldest passenger car nameplate, if the 1983 Corvette skip is ignored. Nevertheless, it’s certainly lasted very nearly as long as the Corvette.
But this quote…
“While my heart would love to see a car like pictured above my head also tells me the difficulty of building marketing and pricing a car like this.”
…is 100% truth. The impact of a concept car compels people to act on emotion and, very often, not by the brain. The Cien did this, so did the Sixteen and the Ciel. All 3 concepts hit the hearts of virtually everyone who saw it, and the words “Build it, GM!” were echoed endlessly.
The unfortunate fact is that while it is the ‘bean counters’ that had to slaughter the concepts, they did so because it would hurt GM if they approved it. It would cost GM dearly to do any of 3 major Cadillac concepts of the last 10 years, and even if GM lost money on a (hypothetical) 2006 Cadillac Sixteen, a car like that would be the first to get the chop in 2008.
I believe that bean counters have a heart; even a bean counter can feel moved by the concepts and lust for them like we all did. All 3 concepts were stirring and would have done wonders for Cadillac’s global image. It’s just that the bean counters were the first to listen to their brain after the initial rush washed over them.
I can’t blame them for that, it’s their job.
I have to agree with the “wild ass pipe dream” part and would also like to see Cadillac do the above pictured car.
Cars like the Sixteen and Cien are catch 22’s.
If GM does not build them people complain and if they do build them they are not cheap and most times if held to the standard the show car was built often make cars with issues for the street. If GM corrects the issues then they get railed for not sticking to the show car.
I hope Cadillac starts showing cars that are 90 percent production so there is little disappointment and leave the non production stuff aside for a while. I would like to see ground breaking cars that will knock people out and be producible as they are and still be a great car.
As wonderful as the Sixteen was it could never be built as it was and if they did people could complain about many things on it if they had to drive it. A car with a hood much longer than a 69 GP would be no fun in parking lots. Also a sixteen cylinder engine would never have made production and more complaints would have been heard.
Just a clue to what happens if you stay too close to show. Remember all the complaints on the Camaro interior? That is because there were some at GM that made them stay true to the show car when many on the Camaro team wanted to make the changes to a more appropriate interior for the car. Sometimes you can get too much of a good thing and it bits you in the Ass.