Cadillac has a bountiful amount of heritage in design it can utilize in its rebirth as an American-luxury vehicle powerhouse. Cadillac President, Johan de Nysschen, is more than aware of this, and recently described his idea of a proper halo vehicle for the brand.
During an interview with Motor Trend, de Nysschen described what he felt a halo Cadillac model could be. The first portion of his answer nearly confirms the existence of a mid-engined Corvette, as he says a halo car based on such a Corvette “has to be one of the options we consider.”
The second portion of his response to what a halo vehicle for Cadillac should be arouses thoughts of long, elegant shapes from Cadillac’s golden age.
“If we think about what could be a true halo car for Cadillac besides [a mid-engined Corvette model], you could go in a completely different direction. Considering particularly our heritage, I could also imagine a very luxurious, very indulgent, very sophisticated four-door convertible being a good play that draws on our heritage,” de Nysschen told MT.
Sounds quite a bit like the Cadillac Ciel concept shown in 2011, which harkened back to those elongated style lines of yesteryear, with bold, handsome styling in the form of a convertible body style.
We know a proper Cadillac flagship is coming, as the 2016 Cadillac CT6 certainly is not it, but de Nysschen’s words invite the dreamer and the enthusiast to hang on to hope the best is yet to come from the luxury brand.
After all, de Nysschen is an enthusiast. And, as he likes to tell, he wouldn’t be in this line of business otherwise.
Comments
This story should have been combined with the story on the Mid Engine Vette. Splitting them leaves this a little confusing to those who had not read the story and understood where Johann was going with this.
I saw the story a month ago and have eluded to it several times.
I would also add to this that Johann has also stated if Cadillac were to do a sports car it would be closer to 2025 to do one as they have other much more important vehicles to do before they do that.
An open touring sedan would be a bold move in a segment with out anything like it even at a higher price. Also it would play on the deep strong standard of the world cars of the 30’s that had such a model. A modern version would really be something to see and make a strong statement.
It would also showcase an engineering masterpiece, given 4-door drop-tops all but disappeared due to crash standards.
Exactly.
It is one of the most difficult cars to do today and to do one right and not make it weigh as much as a H1 Hummer it would really show case some leading engineering and technology.
It also would be a show piece and also could be shared with the large sedan hard top. Note I said Hard Top as in no post between the front and back.
If the structure is strong enough for no roof it should also support a hard top sedan.
Now if they can do it and do it right this would be the way to go. Now this is something someone would pay more for as no one else offers it.
If Cadillac is looking to build itself a ” halo ” vehicle I don’t think it should be a sports car .. It should be an ultra luxury car ( not even an SUV ) that harkens back to the ’50’s when they were building cars that you only seen the most influential Hollywood types that could afford to drive . They were built in limited numbers and were not for the average American consumer . It should be something that Cadillac almost needs to build , and then some of the new tech slowly shows up in their lower priced cars . Build from the top down not from the bottom up .
One more thing that would help is in their infotainment systems . When you buy an Escalade you get the same CUE system in an ATS . That should change . It does nothing to help in what should be exclusive to one vehicle not throughout their entire line-up . That goes along way in building an image , from a luxury car to an everymans car .
The 50’s are over. The cars then represented the leading edge going into the 50’s then became a little cartoonish. That may have worked then but you can’t get cartoonish today.
The modern cars need to represent the best of todays styling but be of their own modern design.
The retro thing is pretty much played out and it is time for new original solid design like the Elmirage was.
Even that design will be old so they need to expand upon that.
A good design is one you feel inside when you look upon it. It must be compelling even to those who do not like the brand as this is what draws them in.
Case in point the Ferrari Lusso 250 GT is one design that holds this feel and look. Every curve is attractive and it on its own has been hailed as a work of art and displayed in Art Museums. Even if it were used for today it would sell as it really has not aged much other than the older lighting. Many other cars stole from it in some styling traits.
That is what is needed today.
To me a good design is even fun to wash as you can look upon each line and see the flow of the design.
It cost no more to design a compelling original design so they need to do it.
Scott I think you missed his point entirely. NO-ONE is clamoring for wrap around windshields or tailfins. The Elmirage, Ciel and Sixteen are perfect examples of what we mean when we say “Cadillac needs to go back to what they did best”.
Those cars in proportions, execution and overall presence are so “retro” in their vibe that it’s ridiculous. They are Cadillacs. The cars that Cadillac has been peddling for the last 25+ years are place holders at best. I really like the current crop of Cars Cadillac has now. But frankly they are little more than ‘Me-Too’ Euro copies with the Cadillac crest on the grill.
I’m also flabbergasted by GM’s insistence on expanding to Europe. The market is saturated there. Except for a few countries their economies are in the tank as well. Never mind that any appropriately done Cadillac would be completely inappropriate for the roads and driving styles there.
Hopefully Johan de Nysschen will be able to push through a real “grand Cadillac” so GM will have a proper luxury flagship.
Well Johann has made it clear that Cadillac will chase what Cadillac represents and not the other makes in styling and content.
Now with that said some things will be similar like the use of twin turbo engines and sport suspensions but you will not be confused what car you are in when you get into a Cadillac vs. a German make.
But you appear to confuse the emblem in the grill for me too when it is the fact the old hood ornament is one a major problem in regulations and theft. Also many of the things some here pine for are also things most people associate with the poorer years of Cadillac. Some would even like the wire hub caps back too.
As for Europe nearly all cars need to be global today including Cadillac. With the lower volumes these cars will be sold in it will be important to maximize their global presents. What you have to consider is the big picture as in they do not have to be number one in Europe but still even at #3 or #4 the cars sold there will contribute to the over all profitability along with the China market as well as the Middle East.
Cadillac is not going to be a major volume brand like Chevy is in China to where it does not have to take advantage of other markets to meet volume goals.
Cadillac will do well and they will hit the mark with steady and sustained growth in product and image. Just do not confuse show cars for real cars. They will be dramatic cars but keep in mind ones like the Sixteen are not cars that would work in the real world at this point for Cadillac.
Take the cars you listed and add a little real world to them and you have what is pretty much coming.
the CT8 to be the true holo car ??? …….cadillacs need to be like the golden ages…………..not slab-sided germen cars.
Yes they should be sculpted but don’t get to retro here we have to make these cars of the present that represent todays version of the standard of the world the old cars used to represent.
In other words no large retro 59 fins trying to mold into todays cars.
As far as Cadillac’s halo vehicles, the key words are big, luxurious, stylish, and powerful. After all, that’s the embodiment of what a Cadillac should be. That said, the path I want Cadillac to take is not just a model, but a model line.
When I think of a halo line for Cadillac, I think of a modern Coupe DeVille:
-Omega-based
-Available on both SWB and *LWB variants
-A 2-door coupe (The production Elmiraj everybody WANTS Cadillac to build)
-A 2-door convertible
-*A 4-door convertible (The most expensive and distinctive Cadillac)
*These options along with nearly unlimited customization of colors and materials are unlocked by a bespoke package that could push the price well above 150k and compete with Maserati, Maybach, Bentley, and undercut Rolls-Royce. In the extremely rare chance you catch one in the wild, you know there’s someone rich and/or famous inside.
The C8 needs to go beyond what ever the Deville ever did.
The Deville was where Cadillac started to Decline and become the everyman’s luxury car.
We need to not style like but think of the status of the Cadillac’s of the 30’s and what they represented. Models like the 452 and the 90 series are what the CT8 needs to look at for status. Not saying look like them but for status of luxury and styling in todays terms.
This was the era that Cadillac was on top from 1930-1939.
I would say Cadillac was still on top well into the 50s. In terms of a 4 door convertible, I don’t see that coming to fruition. Sure it was a great concept to look at in 2011 but is it a viable and profitble car to produce. I am all for the ultra flagship being made but can’t see it in convertible form. One thing many people can’t understand(Motor Trend) is that these car exces are always talking about the “what if’s) these ideas have to be approved, many times are approved and shelved at the last minute. Look at the Sixteen, Lutz has said that it was just about greenlighted but at the last second the Board decided against it. My point is all this talk should be taken in a light matter and not gospel.
While Cadillacs of the 30s were indeed excellent cars, they are hardly the “desirable” Cadillac of collectors or the general public; V12s and 16s be damned – although they are blue chip cars.
It’s the Cadillacs of the late 40s to early 70s that were in lock step with the feeling of greatness and “can do anything-ness” of America. And they were emissaries of American exceptional-ism and wealth around the world.
I’d say the last great Caddys were in the mid 60s. Cadillac has been given a in your face endorsement for the direction they need to be going in. The Three elephants in the room Elmiraj, Ciel, and Sixteen have been received with universal applause the world over. Get with the program GM. Make something along those lines and get it over with.
Sorry but it what the cars of the 30’s represented is what counts here. They were some of the best cars in the world bar none at that time. Best quality, technology and craftsmanship. This is what Johann is targeting.
As for the cars in the 50’s and later you have to consider some things.
#1 who they were competing against? Lincoln? Packard was dying and many of the great cars of the past like the Pierce Arrow , Duisenberg and Auburn, Stutz etc were all gone.
Things got more mass produced and much less crafted. Special cars were bit what they used to be as like the Continental II was very hand crafted as was the Biarritz but so few were sold as few could afford them.
You get to the 60’s Cadillac became less Cadillac and much more a mass produced luxury car that was built not really much better than a Chevy but with more expensive options.
Moving to the 80’s and later the 90’s they were really in a bad way until the later Seville tried to redeem some status but on a restricted budget from GM.
Elmiraj, Ciel, and Sixteen great show cars but none other than the Elmiraj could come close to production. Even if they were adjusted they would change much.
We are best off letting them do what they are working on and stop thinking of these show cars as production. I have been around the Sixteen out in the real world and it is not a production car in any way. You could down size it and make a car that may look a little like it but many would be disappointed. Same with the Ciel.
I love the Elmiraj as much as anyone but I realize that while it may set the tone to the future it still is a show car and GM has already said they have nothing they can made the wheel base on as of a year a half ago.
I am just going to let them reach for greatness but I am not going to hold them to building production show cars as that is not how it is going to be done.
While the Ciel may set the pace for a 4 door convertible we will not get the Ciel.
But we will get a dramatic car and would be shocked for anything less than dramatic. Now do not confuse dramatic for a car difficult to live with in the real world either.
I think the 4 door convertible would be a good “Halo” car for Cadillac, provided they use a folding hardtop. If they can make that work it would be one hell of a Halo Car !!!
Scott , you missed my point as someone else tried to explain . All I am saying is Cadillac needs to build an ultra-luxury car that only the wealthy can afford , and built in limited numbers . Like they did in the 50’s . I’m not promoting the vehicles look like they did back then just build for that certain target market . Let the rich people buy a CT8 but build something for the ” wealthy ” like a CT10 , there’s a difference ! Understand !?
So chill dude , you like the rest of us all have our own opinions , and I don’t need to write a short story to get my point across . ; )
I would definitely love to see the ultra luxury Cadillac as well.
Before Cadillac gets a true halo car, I would like to buy now an ATS convertible. Today I must shop Mercedes, BMW and Audi for a luxury convertible.
the CT8 needs to spawn much higher than the CT6 in styling and class….so that way the CT7 coupe would fit between the CT6 and CT8….I think the CT7 and CT8 should show up sooner rather than later….because the CT6 does not measure up to be a true flagship.