We’ve long proclaimed one of Cadillac’s strengths is its exterior design language, and the 2019 Cadillac XT4 crossover wears it quite well. We’d say that’s especially true of the exterior lighting designs at the front and rear. Cadillac designers would agree with us in that respect.
Therese Pinazzo, exterior design manager for the XT4, told AutoGuide in an interview published last Thursday that the lighting elements were one of the more difficult parts of the XT4 to design and engineer. However, designers fought to ensure the head and taillights retained Cadillac’s signature look.
Intricate lighting details come at a cost, and cost isn’t something program managers want to see attached to an entry-level luxury crossover. The 2019 Cadillac XT4 will start at $36,000, after all. Pinazzo and her team were able to create a rather intricate design without drawing unnecessary costs, however. Perhaps most impressive are the rear taillights, which look like one fluid shape. In fact, they aren’t, and a small gap splits the two sections.
Pinazzo admitted it wasn’t an inexpensive solution, but designers fought for the final product. Ultimately, they won. The front headlights feature two LED strips, with the bottom strip also acting as the turn signal.
Again, it wasn’t the least expensive option, but design won here, too.
Comments
I really don’t want to read the words “budget constraints” and “Cadillac” in the same sentence. I thought those days were over.
Don’t be a troll. Ever car has budget constraints. Vehicles need to hit certain price points development as well as cost to build both play a roll in that.
That goes for every manufacture, unless you think every car the competition is the absolute pinaccle of what they can do. Sounds expensive.
But I think GM as a whole has used the budget constraints too often as an excuse for not being innovative. You should see the incredible detail and innovation in Japanese Kei cars (mini cars) that cost less than half of this Cadillac. Many have sophisticated lighting, cut lines, attention to detail that Cadillac is finally starting to get. And their designers do not trumpet their accomplishments, just do it.
While the Cadillac designers are all smitten with their result, this should be standard practice at GM. Too often we get bland. Love GM and Cadillac, but no more excuses.
Joe there are budget constraints to every vehicle that is trying to hit a price point. At the entry level more so than any other segment.
The base price of a CT4 is $36,000 so you just can not dump all that you may want into it and still hit that mark. Same at Benz and BMW when trying to hit a price and still control cost.
Each model has a price to hit and to do so they have only so much room to work. The cheaper the price the less room to work. They count everything. Even the smell of leather is an added element and it cost more money so if they add that the money has to come out some place else.
While some things are visual many things that they do not go cheap on are unseen. While it may not be seen it enhances the driving and ride.
The bottom line is the cheaper models are going to see some compromise as they have price points that will require it. Now as you move up they will have more room to work and they will not be as worried.
Agree, but it should never be used as an excuse for not innovating, busting your balls, and creating something that is wonderful. We Americans do more and do it on a higher level; history has proven it. We just need to not make excuses, innovative, excite, and work hard so the world can see again what amazing talent and resources we have.
Let’s hope every vehicle Cadillac produces doesn’t have an excuse. The CT6 is getting better, now let’s hope all vehicles are executed to the highest level.
No excuses!
I’m just glad LEDs are standard on this model. No Cadillac should be driving around with halogen headlamps. Lighting is becoming more and more important to vehicle design, and I hope Cadillac stays at the cutting edge of that.
THANK YOU!
I understand that the Mercedes GLC has halogen bulbs, but this is an easy opportunity to be better than the competition. I would rather buy a car that is $950 more expensive and have standard LEDs than to see “LED Headlights” as an additional $950 cost.
In the words of Drew: “no Cadillac should have fake leather and halogen headlights, even on the base model”
Of course, Drew probably also thinks LEDs are a Chinese conspiracy to put oil-lamp makers out of business, but his point about Cadillac dropping “shortcuts” is valid.
Sorry, you are incorrect.
Americans once again want their American vehicles made in America to support American businesses, jobs, and communities again. Nothing wrong with that. Chinese-made vehicles can be sold in China. We dont need to farm our engineers, manufacturers, and all the support networks to China to save a buck or two while destroying our country from within. Those days are thankfully coming to an end under new leadership.
No “Chinese conspiracy.” Just simple, intelligent production and trade policies to create a much better country to live in again.
I would love nothing more than to buy American. Unfortunately we now live in a global economic world where things are produced at the most economical cost. My dad was a WW11 veteran and buying things made in America was always a priority. If it came from Japan it wouldn’t be allowed in the house. It’s sad to say that today in America people don’t really care where something is produced. Everyone is out for themselves and what satisfies their gratification and the “hell” with their fellow countrymen. Nowadays it’s Hooray for me and screw you.
I agree and disagree on some points.
A lot of big companies are global nowadays and I don’t see anything wrong with it. One thing if a company that operated in the US only and then decide to take a cheaper way out to save a buck and sacrifice higher income domestic jobs to go overseas to pay a lot lower wage don’t set well with me.
Also, what is being made in China, Japan, Germany and etc. is trivia as long the product is well made and a need for it. So being made in China and sold in China only is silly and an old fashion way of doing business.
Nowadays, there a new jobs introduced in the US daily that many of those jobs are not filled because people lack skill and a lot of jobs are vacant because of lack of skilled labor no employer would want to spend time and training prospects that could take weeks and money.
Of course, _vorg is an outright liar and classic internet troll. I’m actually for modern technology Cadillacs which retain Cadillac values, something that _vorg either can’t or pretends not to understand. Of course Cadillac should have LED or HID headlights, not the halogen ones that are on the base ATS and CTS. And if something better comes along, then of course it should have that as a standard feature.
Henry is right, and I thank him for the comment and attribution, that I feel a real Cadillac should never use cheapened “base” content on ANY trim level. Otherwise it’s not a Cadillac. But clearly JdN doesn’t understand what Cadillac means, he just thinks “If the Germans do it, so should we”.
As to the XT4, good for them to include LED headlights on all trim levels, but they should not have used vinyl (aka fake leather, aka “leatherette”) seating on the lowest trim level – which they do. The XT4 was supposed to be JdN’s proof of “doing it right”, but it’s very uninspiring. The XT4 could be anyone’s car, including Chevy.
Replacing halogen headlamps with LED isn’t that expensive. I did this to my 2009 Chevy Equinox for $120. The real deal is for Cadillac to install factory designed LED headlights which never need servicing, and which saves space and weight under the hood. Same for the tail lights.
It is a difficult task to keep a project on budget . Iv’e seen where something as simple as a door wire can be shortened or re-routed and the cost can be as low as a dime . But when you figure that little cost savings times how many vehicles to be built can save a ton money and possibly used on something else .
What helps with that rear tailight design looking fluid is the production tolerance ( gap from the rear hatch to the rear quarter ) . The tighter the tolerance the better looking the sum of the parts look together .
Glad these young designers won the fight .
It is even true on the more expensive models , anything under the skin that the customer will never see is an excellent place to keep the cost down in case the funds are needed elsewhere . This is where the designers work with the parts suppliers all the way through the pre-production phase .
And it bodes well for the next Escalade. Attention to detail!
The whole premise of a “base” luxury brand vehicle is an odd one. Unless you’re a brand snob, I don’t get why anyone would buy a base Cadillac, BMW, Audi, etc. without real leather, seat heaters or other luxury and tech features that can be had on other brands for many thousands less. Why buy a luxury brand vehicle without the luxury??
55% of all luxury vehicles are leased, more bases are leased while more optioned out top trims are purchased…
Unfortunately the leather decline trend has already started, progressively will be removed from each trim level as standard equipment but will most likely remain an option and on super high end vehicles…
I love the xt5 and the new design of the xt4 but if your engineers can’t duplicate the Audi sequential turn lights then you are always trailing.
1. When you state “your engineers”, you probably are referring to Cadillac engineers… meanwhile, GM Authority is an independent publication covering GM and its brands, making your comment ill-addressed.
2. Vehicle design is done by designers, not engineers.
3. Why copy Audi, when they can do better? Who is to say that the sequential lights you are referring are somehow ahead or superior to Cadillacs very distinctive vertical lighting elements?