Just when we thought for sure that the mid engine Corvette was going to be the only GM vehicle of its kind, the internet sucker punches us with confusion. Today revealed photos of a mysterious key fob with a Cadillac logo for what appears to be a mid engined supercar. The images, found on Jalopnik, looks to be made of familiar plastic and metal, is of a new shape, and appears to have seven buttons.
The first three buttons are none too newsworthy – simply a lock button, an unlock button, and a panic alarm button. A rounded fourth button is configured in the center of the key fob, and programmed for remote start that actives when pressed twice. This button also likely indicates that whatever vehicle it belongs to is likely an automatic transmission.
The other three buttons on this alleged Cadillac key fob are equal parts curious and perplexing. They all feature the same silhouette of something rakish, low-slung, and coupe-like. Much like the shape of the mid engine Corvette seen in spy photos around Michigan, Colorado and the Nurburgring. One of these buttons appears to activate a front-mounted trunk, which is normal for an exotic car like a Porsche 911 or Lamborghini Huracan. It could just as well be a button for the hood of a front-mounted engine, but it’s doubtful, as that’s a rarity on a key fob while trunk releases are not.
Another button releases a clamshell hatch on the rear, which would indeed expose the power unit of the vehicle, should it be a mid engine Corvette. But it also likely would expose a second storage compartment that’s sometimes found behind the engine of this type of vehicle. The final button drops the top. Which, according to spy photos, appears to be a multi-paneled hard shell canopy.
So, why is there a Cadillac badge on this mid engine Corvette key fob? We have no idea, and nobody willing to tell us. The best we can do is speculate. All signs otherwise point to the veiled supercar seen testing around with GM markings is indeed the C8 Corvette, likely set to debut at the 2019 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, and this curious key fob could be a photoshopped image. Or it could just as well be some sort of test part that aids in an elaborate trolling effort. Feel free to discuss in the comment section as to what you think it might be.
Perhaps Cadillac is actually getting a mid-engine supercar.
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Comments
Please let this be true. Cadillac desperately needs a shot in the arm ALA Audi received with the R8.
Hopefully this is real.
It could be just the Vette team jerking the internet media around again.
Anyone remember the new Malibu with C7 rear wheels, the engine in the back seat with Ferrari tail lamps? They live to make sport of them as they scramble for details of the new car.
I hope this is not true as Cadillac has failed miserably at two dear cars twice now including one based on the Corvette. This would be strike three at a time they are bringing new product that will bring trust to the brand. The last thing they need is another $100k car that in a couple years will be worth $30k.
Cadillac first needs to focus on building the CT4 and 6 into cars people will clamor for. They need to get the XT models coming to be the ones people desire over the others. Once you earn the respect from the owners of these models then you go for the big money.
Audi earned respect in a series of good sedans before they leveraged a more expensive mid engine car.
Going big now is like soloing in a plane before you are ready to. You may get lucky and land but odds are you will not and then you just hope to walk away.
While I would want a sport car at some point you do not lead off the batting order with your power hitter.
Yessir. Look no further than the LFA, LC & NSX for a proof.
You need to have multiple generations of solid lineups before you take a crack at $100k+ low volume sports car.
I need to add “Nostradamus” in between Old and Trombone. Hahaha
My God, that remote is hideous! Not Mercedes level fugly, but very ugly.
I would agree, If i were left handed.
Cadillac’s halo car which Cadillac desperately needs should feature a glimpse of the future which means the high performance coupe would be electric.. resembling GM’s Skateboard chassis from 2002 with a 200 hp electric motor at each wheel and a range of 350 miles.
I agree with Scott, I believe this is nothing more then a fun natures joke. Don’t think for a minute that they don’t see these reports every month that this is a Cadillac not a corvette.
Like how GM engineers have the charger taillight camo on the Cadillac, and how they put a round emblem when they were testing out the new half ton pick up trucks
Also on a another note I saw it has remote start.
I don’t have an answer for this can someone help me if the mid engine vette has the dual clutch tranny as speculated….. can a dual clutch car be remote started?
I don’t see any reason that a dual clutch gearbox can’t be remotely started. The clutch is electronically activated, so it should be a done deal.
Caddy emblem sticker on the back of a C8 remote. See who they can screw with and misdirect.
I think GM can get away with having both a Cadillac and Corvette mid-engine car. Jalopnik said it would be “extremely silly” for GM to produce more than one flagship sports car on the mid-engine platform, but the two cars don’t have to be anywhere near identical in apperance or performance. The Corvette and XLR were very different, and these could be as well. The Corvette could be the performance-oriented, more “hardcore” vehicle, while perhaps the Cadillac would be more of a luxury-biased GT car. They could share a platform, perhaps even suspension technology, and use different engines, a different interior and different body. It would certainly minimize costs to have a Cadillac mid-engine car share a platform with a car they already developed, as opposed to developing something entirely new for what would ultimately be a low-volume car.
And if a Cadillac is indeed planned on the mid-engined Corvette platform, they could easily use the Corvette body to make it appear as if it’s the ‘Vette in the spy shots. We’d be none the wiser if things like wheelbase, etc. are unchanged between the two. It could be a well-kept secret like the 5th Gen Camaro Z/28 was. No one knew that thing was in development at all.
Of course it’s possible this is some kind of Cadillac electric car or hybrid as well, but it seems unlikely we’d see what appears to be a fully-developed keyfob for a vehicle we haven’t seen spyshots of or heard even a single detail about. And the retractable roof button rules out any kind of sedan. Regardless, I’m excited to see what comes of this, if anything (hopefully something!)
You know its possible the Cadillac version of the C8 could be the hybrid version. So the C8 would be pure a gas model and the Cadillac might be a Gas/Electric version. Its possible they are doing a good job of hiding the Cadillac version. The Cien is still a beautiful concept.
The parallel development of the mid-engine Corvette C8 and the mid-engine sports car Cadillac is awesome. The cost can be kept low and as a conclusion, two beautiful high tech American supercars will be produced in 2020 and 2021. The super sports car from Cadillac is particularly important because you are very successful in racing and from 2022 in LeMans can win.
If real, then this is almost definitely for Cadillac’s flagship EV.
The XLR was a total failure so it’s not likely GM will make that mistake again.
A jack of all trades keyfob, with buttons that for some might not work at all
….on the other hand…The return of the XLR?
CNC machine one fresh from a slab of titanium, a pound of the stuff costs 15-25 dollars per pound. but the fob would weigh a mere 3-4 ounces.