When GM initially set out to define its all-new BEV3 platform, Cadillac didn’t wait long to express its desire for a particularly important item: a sufficiently long axle-to-dash.
Automotive enthusiasts also use the phrase “long hood” to describe this unique physical attribute, and appreciate the prominent role that it played in defining the great treasures of the Classic Car Club of America (CCCA) as well as the sensuous post-war era European sports cars and Mitchell / Bordinat / Engel-era American personal coupes.
Cadillac knows this, particularly the designers who work in its Exterior Studio. In fact, GM’s Design Center houses a wonderful library that contains one of the world’s largest collections of books on the history of the automobile, and is available to designers as well as others at GM to freely use. Many do, some undoubtedly to immerse themselves in the glory of Cadillac’s past and thus be inspired to envision a future worthy of the marque’s highest ideals and grandest traditions.
Soon after its inception, BEV3 did indeed add a provision for a second, longer axle-to-dash in the range of four to six inches, for most future Cadillac electric models and for other future premium vehicles in the future GM EV portfolio. Not surprisingly, the provision received scrutiny during the development of the Cadillac Lyriq, some challenging it for negatively impacting investment, piece cost, weight, turning radius, ease of parking, and plant complexity, and for being unnecessary for component packaging and vehicle functionality. These were proper concerns to raise and it was proper that they were fully considered and ultimately dismissed, with customer appeal and pricing winning the day.
Gordon Buehrig, the great automobile designer of the first half of the 20th Century once said that good design is largely a matter of proportion. He would undoubtedly have agreed with Cadillac’s advocacy for a longer axle-to-dash as part of a bold plan to elevate the marque’s status within what his generation referred to as the fine car market.
One should note that Mr. Buehrig did not say that proportion was everything, or that a long hood guaranteed good proportion and a short hood prevented it. Proportion is defined by three axes, not one, and there are automotive shapes yet to be envisioned, some which may prove key to mass EV acceptance and profitability including in the luxury space.
In future articles, GM Authority will explore GM – its products and business strategy, its inner workings, its vision and another quality inherent in all car companies – its blind spots. We will do this because in these heady times, we must remain alert and informed. There is a lot riding on the hood.
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Comments
Thank you for this. I look forward to the forthcoming articles.
And….HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE.
When I see the Lyriq, I don’t see stunning proportions, just a lot of wasted space.
Longer hoods should equate to luxury and a true luxury vehicle with a long hood with RWD should be standard for luxury vehicles for all segments but that practice is ignored anymore when you see brands like Audi, BMW, MB and etc build these FWD subcompact CUVs and sedans with short hoods due to R&D. The CT4 and 5 stayed true to form but the XT models don’t have that appeal sadly.
Even Mazda, new with efforts to become premium, has beautiful proportions on CX-30. I thought that vehicle would change the CUV space but few automakers have followed.
Some call a long hood a waste of space but with frunks that won’t be the case.
I think the rest of the auto world hasn’t followed Mazda’s CX30 because they saw the entire car. Not impressive at all. You sit low in and below the dash and door panels. Rear visibility is not good. Shut the doors and it sounds like you just slammed a beer can. Top of the dash has this strange rubbery panel that looks ok, but that’s it. And Mazda hung so much black plastic all over the outside that just cheapens it all the more.
Buick Encore GX with the ST package is a much nicer vehicle.
My CX30 is by FAR the best car I have ever owned………I may trade up for a CX50 except that I would really rather have a nice electric; but with purchase price stopping Me……..An AWD electric will still cost 20G more than gas……….Despite what the Electric Viking says…………..Paul
No offense paul, but if the CX30 is by FAR the best car you have ever owned, then I feel sorry for you. I work at a Mazda store and that car is a major disappointment in many ways. But then again, this is Mazda who spent years and how much money bringing us the MX30 EV. So I guess the good news is that the CX30 isn’t the worst vehicle Mazda offers.
I think the vehicle looks great till you get to past the back door and then about half of the utility is lost to frivolous design based on aerodynamics.
Never Have I seen a nicer looking car………..GM will ALWAYS have MORE orders than They can fill with cars this beautiful……….Beauty sells……Power sells……….Caddy has both…………Paul
Why not just call it ‘long hood’? ‘Dash to axle’ could mean dashboard to rear axle.
I do not necessarily agree with the notion of hanging onto old styling traditions, especially when they get in the way of creative efficiency. I do like the Lyriq styling overall, but I’m afraid its shelf life will not be as long as it could be. I see long hoods getting shorter and rooflines getting longer as streamlining becomes more evident in future design.
Hope you enjoy your all new Mercedes EQS sedan with its streamlined body
In GM’s case the 4-6 inches refers to the length from front wheel centerline to a specific part of the driver’s foot while resting on the accelerator in the non-depressed position. This allows for a consistent, measurable dimension for every vehicle… at least while cars still have an accelerator!
Hood length can vary widely within this dimension because it is also driven by front overhang and windshield touchdown. The first Chevy Bolt had a forward-extended touchdown while the second Gen pulled it rearward, changing the cars proportions. Looking back, the ’56 Continental Mk II is a great example of pulling the windshield touchdown rearward to help lengthen the hood.
I fully agree with your comments about creative efficiency. Some in Design Center might benefit from a walk around the reflecting pool to get some fresh air.
Not Everyone gives a RAT’s hind end about Aero………..I, for certain, do not……….Paul
Reading this article made my mind go directly to the 1980 to 1985 Cadillac Seville and 1979 to 1985 Eldo. Now those were attractive luxury cars that seemed to have that long hood design.
I agree that long hoods look nicer. The BEV2 platform had a ‘snub nose’ look that didn’t appeal to my tastes. While I fully understand why it was done (better for parking, removing wasted space in the front, etc.) I also understand why Cadillac wanted a better look.
The Lyric is the ONLY electric which looks right in My eye………….Shorten the hood and You lose Me………I insist on 8″ of ground clearance and a long hood………….And the car must stand upright………Screw the banana shaped Aero cars………I had one on order, but canceled when I realized purchase was years away………………….Paul
Pity GM cannot build more of Them…….Lots more……………AND I suppose this means the affordable Equinox is Years away……I’ll never live to see it………..I amm 80……………Paul
It’s not that GM can’t build more per se. Instead, it’s more like GM can’t build more right now. Barring any unforeseen disruptions, this should change in 2023 CY, as Ultium plants go online.
The game changing EV thing for better or for worse, should bring back classic designs due to supposed operating efficiencies over ICE vehicles. With modern assembly methods using robotics and programmable automatic weld and assembly machines reducing production times to approximately 8 hours per vehicle, costs should be reduced to produce larger vehicles of classic design. Even pricing should be reduced.
Everything on the road today is bland, cookie cutter design. It looks like a generic parade. No head turners anymore except large loaded full sized crew cab pickups with dramatic in your face front ends.
Extend the fronts for safety and looks. Expand the cabins for comfort and desireability. Bring back deep comfortable front bench seats. Rekindle the interests of the youth in automobiles. The electronic dash and infotainment screens are not everything.
I thought Americans gave up on the station wagon. This new EV is the modern recreation of my father’s 1966 Pontiac Tempest Wagon.
Mick1: We didn’t give up on the station wagon. We just did the pea under the shell game and stopped calling them wagons. Instead, we now call them SUV’s and CUV’s.
That hood length looks perfect to fit an LM2 or LZ0, and then, I would consider it for my wife’s next ride. Why waste all that money on an electric that will be out of fashion when a clean diesel will again rise, and electric car mfgrs. will all slowly become obsolete and extinct. Just my opinion.
Mike: I’m with you on the clean diesel. I’m spooked on all electrics. This winter is showing weak links with all electrics especially in the upper Midwest and Colorado.
The techies and wanna be progressives have jumped on all electrics. It’s a cool prop for them like beanies,, tattoos and beards.
All electrics OK for short commutes in Southern Cal., Houston or Phoenix. All electrics in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit, Toledo, Cleveland, Buffalo, etc. in the winter? You have to have a cast iron stomach.
The long dash to axle used to mean RWD with a large engine. An EV has no engine so this is pointless and only appeals to people that can’t let go of ICE design. There will be a market for this for a while though. Although they could have at least provided a frunk in all of the wasted space.
Please tell me you’re not that dull.
Step 1: look at the side profile of Tesla egg… sorry, I mean Model Y.
Step 2: look at the side profile of the Cadillac Lyriq.
Tell me that the Tesla with its stupid shape and short dash to axle looks better than the Lyriq.
Good design and proportions still matter.
PS: the Lyriq does not “waste” space by not offering a frunk. They put a bunch of electric hardware under that hood, enabling them to offer a large underfloor storage area in the trunk.
Right, you keep believing GMs excuse. They did it purely for looks. The shorter Model Y has enough room in the rear to fit a (small) third row while Lyriq reviews mention its lack of cargo space for such a large vehicle.
One benefit though of putting more components under the hood of the Lyriq is easier access for repairs.
Yes the Lyriq looks better from an ICE perspective, but eventually function will prevail over that old preference of form.
I still do not understand why GM chose to not offer Frunks on their vehicles except on Pickup trucks it seems.
Makes absolutely zero sense. Only thing I can think of is that they do not want vehicles with Frunks sharing floor space with ICE vehicles because shoppers will realize just how much more Storage and interior space BEV’s actually have over ICE vehicles.
They do give you a frunk… it’s just located under the floor of the actual trunk.
Having one cargo area is superior to having one in the front and one in the rear since you no longer need to remember what you put in which “trunk”.
After living with a frunk for the last couple of years in my C8, I have zero desire for another vehicle with a frunk and another trunk.
That made zero sense but okay. “Yeah, I hate a car with more storage I know what to do with so just give me a glove box on my next car” (said no one EVER) ***rolls eyes***
@Antonio Lira
Well Tesla and others give you both!!!
So again, why the long hoods on GM BEV’s but no Frunk?
Makes absolutely zero sense!!!
Trust me, having a Frunk is great.
There is no frunk because the front axle is pushed as far forward as possible to minimize front overhang. If you look at a Tesla they have a stubby front end with the front axle pushed back to allow for room for the frunk.
They forgot to mention the other benefits of long axle to dash – better ride and more footwell space!
Sydtron:
Amen to your comment. GM has tossed their ergonomic design manual out, or has left it on the shelf collecting dust in their design shop.