In addition to offering a range of sumptuous luxury vehicles, Cadillac continues to serve as GM’s technology flagship, debuting the semi-autonomous Super Cruise driver assist system with the Cadillac CT6 sedan, as well as transitioning to all-electric power with models like the upcoming Cadillac Lyriq. Naturally, innovations under the skin deserve the styling to match, and Caddy has a swath of design studies from which to pull inspiration. However, when it comes to the tech-heavy vibes, the Cadillac Cien is in a category all its own. Now, we’re taking a walk around the Cadillac Cien with the following GM Authority Live Photo Gallery.
Making its introduction at the 2002 Detroit Auto Show, the Cadillac Cien was released in celebration of the marque’s 100th anniversary (“cien” is Spanish for one hundred). The design was penned at General Motors’ Advanced Design Studio in England under the guidance of lead designer Simon Cox, while British engineering and motorsport company Prodrive built the concept as a fully functional road car.
To give the Cadillac Cien the right aesthetic, designers took inspiration from F-22 stealth fighter aircraft, creating a low, wide stance, and hard, geometric styling lines. The front end features trapezoidal intakes, while vertically oriented headlights draw the eye rearwards, blessing the Cien with a sleek, futuristic, performance-oriented aura.
That vibe continues into the profile, where the Cadillac Cien runs large 19-inch wheels in front and 21-inch wheels in back. Under the rollers, we find plus-sized brakes, with drilled rotors and calipers adorned with the Cadillac logo.
The rear end is rectangular in shape, with vertical, L-shaped tail lamps and an active spoiler that adjusts its position based on vehicle speed.
The tail end also features an experimental rear-mid-mounted engine, namely the Northstar XV12, an all-aluminum DOHC 7.5L V12 producing 750 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque. Interestingly, this engine is outfitted with GM’s Displacement on Demand technology, which allows it to deactivate cylinders under low load for greater fuel savings, similar to current GM fuel-saving technologies like AFM and DFM.
Further standout tech includes Night Vision, ultrasonic parking assists, and voice-activated infotainment.
The Cadillac Cien can now be found at the recently reopened Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, as seen in these photos.
We’ll have more GM goodness from the Petersen Automotive Museum posted soon, so stay tuned. In the meantime, subscribe to GM Authority for more Cadillac news and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Comments
Yes. It shure does. If only they would’ve built it. I wonder what that would’ve done for Cadillacs image?
So sad that a mid engine Cadillac was on the product plans before the GM restructuring in 2008-2009. I know GM said they don’t want a Cadillac version of the mid engine vette but wouldn’t it be cool when the C9 Vette comes out if Caddy made an all electric version for themselves? The C9 I believe is suppose to be the last combustion engine vette (maybe I’m wrong) but an EV caddy version would mesh well with the brands future vision.
This antiquated website won’t let me give you a thumbs up. So here one👍
Considering how flexible the Ultium platform supposedly is and the fact that GM has somehow figured out how to streamline the production process to allow a very low-volume vehicle like the Celestiq, I do wonder if an electric Cadillac hyper-car is in the cards for the brand in the near future. It would be a great way to showcase the platform and also provide a halo-effect for the brand.
That’s the halo car that Cadillac needs.
No it’s not. I have to respectfully disagree.
What Cadillac needs (and what they’re about to get) isn’t a mid-engined sports car, they need a world-class full-size luxury sedan. THAT’S their heritage.
As beautiful as the Cien is…it’s not what Cadillac needs, or what it needed.
Well they could have had a sports car and a world class sedan, right? Mercedes does it. There’s a GTR and a Maybach. If it’s an either/or proposition, I agree they needed a sedan more but if they’d had the Cien and Sixteen, that could’ve saved them.
I always thought there should be “senior” Cadillacs and “junior” Cadillacs with the former being truly high-end and very distinctive products like Cien, Sixteen, and Elmiraj. I also thought a less sexy (than Sixteen) top-shelf sedan was needed along the lines of the Fleetwood and Fleetwood 75 from 50 years ago; something with the old school luxury of space. Beneath these senior level products, there could’ve been a modern Deville like the CT6 was and an ATS-type small sedan along with RWD CUVs in small, medium, and large. These junior-level offerings would be less expensive, higher volume sellers.
Alas, nothing along those lines ever came to be. Cadillac teased us with concepts to prove they knew how to update Cadillac’s image with products true to their heritage but they never built any of them.
Personally I think if the electro-Cads are the last chance then it’s a fait accompli that Cadillac will never get to the place I wanted. Instead I see them mired in a world of uninspired EV commonality followed by an exit ramp.
Cadillac attempted a ‘junior’ Cadillac with the Cimarron, and we all know how THAT turned out. LOL
By “junior” level Cadillacs, I meant real Cadillacs just built to be sold at lower price points. The Cimarron was never a real Cadillac. It was a Cavalier with two extra headlights, a new grille, a leftover Pontiac steering wheel and some leather.
It could be argued that Mercedes has a somewhat junior/senior lineup with truly high-end Maybach, GTR, SL, G 63, etc. plus the much more attainable lower priced offerings like the C-Class, E-Class, GLC and others:
They sid have an aspirational Cadillac. It was the LaSalle.
Thankfully cadillac did it right with the CTS, ATS, CT4 and 5.
@Ci2Eye
Can’t disagree with you there. You make good points.
The only real problem, which has ALWAYS been the root of Cadillac’s problems from the 1970’s on and especially since 2000, is money. The bean counters will give you enough for an XLR roadster, but no more. Then enough for a CT6 sedan, but nothing more. The Escala was coming to production until the finance guys forced it to be axed, and we know this because it was confirmed.
If there is one area that I might disagree, it’s that the electric push won’t bear fruits for the brand, or will keep them floating around in mediocrity. In fact, I think that this EV push is not only Cadillac’s last chance to right the ship before it’s too late, it’s their BEST chance. EVs now allow Cadillac to go exclusively to RWD, cost-effectively. It allows for unbelievably expressive and unrestrained design. It allows for huge power and a near silent ride, a ride that can be tuned for luxury again as opposed to sport. You can go big, long, wide, and you’ll soon see that with the Celestiq. I think this could be exactly what you wanted, just without internal combustion engines.
Sadly, Cadillac going along as they are now wouldn’t even have a chance at reaching your vision for them. The electrification push at least affords them a shot at it.
Not the bean counters really. It’s the people at the C Suites trying to mimic VW/Audi’s playbook by releasing meh cars to inspire a progressive message
I agree with you, the cien and the sixteen especially would have saved not only cadillac, but gm as well, i remember the cadillac sixteen episode of the show ride with funkmaster flex, nice and cool.
Nobody is buying large sedans and Cadillac can’t build one to compete with MB or BMW. They have that low-volume market locked up.
Sedans still represent a 30% of the market share. Maybe a minority but there’s still people, like me, who are not willing to buy an SUV or a crossover no matter what. A luxury car company certainly does need a sedan (as a matter of fact with exception of Lincoln, all luxury brands have at least one sedan in their lineups). Cadillac could build a car with the same quality and roadbility of MB or any german car if they decide to do it. I hope they do that with the Celestiq.
and if that becomes a huge success, i think it’s time for lincoln to bring back the continental or a town car as a EV.
To my eye, the Cien gets even better looking with age (and I’m really missing that wreath and crest)…
But, I strongly agree it wasn’t an appropriate flagship then and it still isn’t today. What Cadillac has desperately needed all along is a world class ultra luxury sedan and in my opinion a traditional grand coupe. Both of which they’ve proven eminently capable of envisioning having crafted several of the world’s most beautiful and inspiring show cars over the past decade that ultimately cast a spotlight upon the vast chasm between Cadillac fantasy and Cadillac reality.
Gm apparently has so little faith in ever languishing Cadillac that they felt they’d have a better shot at the premium market reviving Hummer. I believe that to be misguided and the Hummer investment should’ve been put toward returning Cadillac to its rightful place as “Standard of the World”. Once reclaimed, Cadillac would be in a much better position to branch out to building supercars and gm’s 21st Century electric Lamborghini LM002 equivalents.
Voice Of Reason:
I disagree. The upcoming Celestiq is far more appropriate to Cadillac as a “Halo”. It’s much more in keeping with Cadillac history/ tradition. I can’t think of single 2 seat Cadillac that has ever succeeded.
Just saw this yesterday. Really is quite attractive and doesnt look dated.
Maybe they’ll build something along these lines on the New BEV 3 playroom that will blow this away in looks and performance.
The Cien should’ve been built and the Covette should’ve stayed with a front engine configuration and a lower price point. Essentially Corvette should be more like the Nissan Z; a more youth-oriented sports car.
That adds tremendous prestige to the Cadillac brand which is desperately needed and then better aligns the Corvette with the Chevrolet brand and the dealer network that supports it. The current Corvette’s pricing is way out-of-line for the bow tie brand.
Cien, Sixteen, Elmiraj would’ve made magnificent Cadillacs much more like the products of their early hey day years.
The car was a cool show car. But!
Building it as a Halo would have solved none of Cadillacs issues trying to find a way to sell sedans. It would not have fixed the management issues they have suffered.
In the end this car if built would have seen a couple years and been canceled. Another failed 2 seat Cadillac.
Cadillac does not need a re bodied 2 seat Corvette they need a sedan that sells better to the masses. If they do a 2 seat car they need a front engine roadster to set apart from a Corvette. We did that once before and people did not want a more expensive Corvette.
A lot of golfers would disagree. In fact the XLR coupe sold quite well. This had the it factor.
It’s not about sales figures for Cadillac on their Halo model. Ferrari doesn’t get perturbed if their laFarraris sell worse than their bread and butter 488s.
C8.R guy, it’s the brand image that this car would evoke. If you have no qualms about the Cadillac Celestiq being made even though not a lot of folks can buy it then when have qualms about this. Like a super corvette with better features and tech in it.
Corvette is a Chevy brand in the scale of things. An ultra luxury grant touring Cadillac is the next step to fill in that gap.
@GM needs a new marketing team:
You think the XLR sold “quite well” ????
😄😄😄😄
Let’s look at the resale figures to prove how small your brain is to fly over my whole point of a halo car for Cadillac. Actually no go look them up yourself. There are XLRs going for 50-75% of what they were bought for nearly 12-14 years later.
Ford didn’t need to build the GT40, but they did to have the bragging rights of superiority. Ford didn’t have to build the Raptor, but they did for Superiority. Ram didn’t have to build the Hellcat for sales but for Superiority.
GM….no we don’t want to build a two seater American hyper car because it just won’t sell enough….. see where I’m going with this? GM still hasn’t built a truck to compete with the TRX and Raptor, they still haven’t made a performance Escalade, they barely even touched a midsized truck for flavor.
The corvette is one thing, but wow it’s too much to ask for a Cadillac hypercar that the Cien could have been.
Oh please these things sold horribly and resale was even worse. My buddy picked up an XLRV that was $100k new for $30k just a few years later.
Nice car but just an over priced over weight Corvette.
I give them credit for trying but you can’t make. Cadillac car out of a Chevy. Or an Opel.
Halo’s are for companies that have their Sh$# together to draw attention to their lines. All these cars did for Cadillac is show their short comings.
Brand image is earned with a proper line up not on one car. You appear to be a small thinker on a large problem.
Cadillac is now trying to do it right. While unfortunately it is electric they are going to present an entire line up of leading edge EV models that are not Chevy based. Then they will present a halo car to draw attention to the rest of the new EV models. That is now it is done.
The Laferrari is not so much a halo as it is a high tech show case at a price that makes a healthy profit profit. At Ferrari every car is really a holo car in its own as their image permits this. Now if they add a SUzv they will damage that Enzo created image. One only has to say is would Enzo sell a SUV. No! He only sold cars to race even then many were road go8ng versions of the race cars.
But what do you REALLY think?
Oh okay, so let’s go back to the 1950’s when GM decided to build the corvette. No one on planet earth thought it was necessary to have Chevy build the corvette because they weren’t thought of as the super car brand….. imagine if they had your thought set back then. Your name would be Camaro ZR1 lmao
C8.R
I agree on all points.
Cadillac certainly didn’t/ doesn’t need 2, 2 seaters.
The Cien sharing a showroom with CTSs and Devilles would have been almost funny.
Spectacular – it’s what the XLR should have looked like.
The 2011 ELR looks like this concept.
Once again they didn’t build it because someone my have bought it.
The worst of this car is that it was never built. Cadillac has really excellent and beautiful concepts nobody can buy. Instead of being a concept car company, Cadillac needs to put cars like those in their production lines.
You can see where Chevy got some of its design cues for the 2021 Corvette.
A Cadillac sixteen would do the job as well. Or any of the previous concepts that Cadillac did the past few decades. Those would garner more excitement than the arrival of battery CUVs. With that said Cadillac makes some of the most inspiring concepts minus the escala. That one was really diluted in my opinion.
Father sixteen was a show car and there was nothing about it that would have made it to production. I have seen the car. If it were driven hard it would break as the engine is just there to move it at mild speeds.
The problem is they do a lot of concepts that are just not producible on shared GM platforms. Years ago they would have their own chassis. Today they don’t even have their own engine. Cadillac has become a styling exercise on a GM platform. Years ago they were the comp,etc package.
I hope with the EV package coming it will give them the ability to be a little more independent as much as they can as EV is more flexible.
I like the stying of the Cien, the mid/rear engine layout and the scissor doors. Add a Convertible model and send me notification when my car will be ready for pickup!
IF CADILLAC WOULD BUILD THEIR CONCEPT CARS SOON AFTER THEY ARE SHOWN, CADILLAC WOULD BE KING. THEY NEED THIS CIEN WITH ELECTRIC MOTORS NOW. I AM STILL DRIVING MY 2007 XLR.
THEIR NEXT MISTAKE WILL BE COMING OUT WITH THE NEW LUXURY SEDAN AT $200,000. I KNOW I AM NOT PAYING THAT FOR A CADILLAC AND I DO NOT KNOW ANY OF MY FRIENDS WHO WILL PAY THAT MUCH MONEY EITHER.
Imagine that it’s revealed as Cadillacs new EV Supercar today……Yes everyones heart is pounding really fast right now. Wake Up Caddilac.
It’s amazing Cadillac didn’t built it. They might have given the Corvette competition. Oh wait, that’s why they didn’t build it. My bad…..
Dude. I’m not sure if it’s this website or my iPhone 11. Somethings not jiving correcting and talking to each other. So since I can’t give you a thumbs up I’m gonna give you one now 👍Dang.?I think it’s my phone it took me like eight times to try and give you a thumbs up. I mean how many times can a person press a button and not get pissed off? Anyway I wanted to give you a thumbs up for your comment. Now, let’s hope this works
GM should have done everything possible to have produced this for Cadillac. It could have changed the image of the entire Brand.
Look what the R8 did for the Audi Brand.
But yet once again GM allowed the Beancounters to overstep and cancelled this before it even started.
Sometimes you have to make a Halo Shot even though it makes zero financial sense.
To me it is still an amazing looking vehicle. I am hopeful that GM will make an EV Supercar for Cadillac for a Halo vehicle.
I believe the Cadillac Cien was used in the futuristic movie “Island” starring Scarlett Johansson and Ewan McGregor. For some unknown reason I retain a lot of useless information like this.