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Check Out The Cadillac Optiq From Sketches To Reality

GM officially introduced the all-new 2025 Cadillac Optiq, which is scheduled to go on sale in the North American market before the end of the year. However, we may not always realize the process involved in bringing a new vehicle to market, and the GM Design team recently decided to share some insight on the subject.

Cadillac crossover sketch penned in 2017, serving as inspiration for the brand's EVs such as the Cadillac Optiq.

Cadillac crossover sketch created in 2017 and released in 2021

In a series of posts on its Instagram account, GM’s design team released a sketches, renderings and real-world images of the Optiq during its creation. Like with any vehicle, the design starts with inspirational drawings, frequently used to establish signature styling cues for the brand as a whole.

A 2D Cadillac crossover sketch released in 2021, but penned by GM designer Zhou Fang way back in 2017, shows a strong resemblance to the brand’s current and upcoming EVs. Although sketches usually present unusual proportions that don’t make it to production, such as a very low roofline and a high waistline, as well as massively oversized wheels in this case, it creates a vision to build on. Sketches of the vehicle’s interior are also crafted.

Cadillac Optiq interior design sketch

In the case of the Cadillac Optiq, designers then started to create computerized renderings with more realistic proportions and styling elements, yet still a stretch from an actual roadgoing vehicle. However, we can see the crossover’s overall appearance taking shape.

The GM design team’s sculptors get to work, creating a scaled-down 3D clay model of the Cadillac Optiq, which serves as a basis for a full-size clay model, conceived with the help of high-tech machining tools that carve the design out of the clay. The sculptors then start tweaking the finer details by hand, before wrapping the vehicle and installing wheels, as we can see from the design team’s images taken in the closed yard of the GM Design Center in Michigan, and inside the GM Design Dome. It’s interesting to see that in this case, only half of the scaled-down model was formed, and set against a mirror to project a symmetrical view of the whole vehicle.

GM Design team working on a full-size 3D clay model of the Optiq

As for the production-ready 2025 Cadillac Optiq, it will feature a fixed-glass roof, a black crystal faux-grille with a laser-etched pattern, flanked by Cadillac’s vertical signature lighting. The side profile shows that designers kept the high-beltline, low-roof shape, though toned-down to realistic proportions. The rear section of the Optiq shows a trick rear quarter panel window design with a graphic pattern incorporated into the acoustic laminate glass, along with vertically positioned taillamps. The crossover’s tailgate also sports a high-mounted spoiler, a subtle lower deck winglet and no rear wiper.

The full-size clay model of the Optiq alongside a scaled-down 3D clay model.

In North America, the Optiq will be offered in Luxury 1, Luxury 2, Sport 1 and Sport 2 trim levels, all equipped with a two-motor Ultium Drive powertrain that develops an estimated 300 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque while creating an all-wheel drivetrain. Meanwhile, an 85 kWh Ultium battery pack provides the energy, allowing for an estimated driving range of 300 miles on a full charge.

The cabin boasts a 9K-resolution, 33-inch LED display integrating both the digital driver instrument panel and infotainment system touchscreen. A 19-speaker AKG sound system will be featured as standard, while GM’s Super Cruise assisted drive system will be available. Cadillac also claims segment-leading second-row passenger space and cargo capacity.

Production-ready 2025 Cadillac Optiq

The 2025 Cadillac Optiq will ride on the automaker’s BEV3 platform, and will start at an estimated $54,000. It will enter the brand’s EV lineup below the Cadillac Lyriq, the forthcoming Cadillac Vistiq, the Cadillac Escalade IQ and the flagship Cadillac Celestiq.

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Mike is a seasoned automotive journalist that loves both old-school muscle cars and environmentally friendly EVs.

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Comments

  1. Ubiquitous styling that’s not iconic.
    Remove the Cadillac logo and replace it with any other manufacturer’s and you’d not know the difference.

    Reply
    1. Umm it clearly has Cadillac styling cues… I don’t know you you are missing them.

      Reply
      1. Simply put a Chevy bow tie where the little Cadillac crest logo is on the grille.

        Nothing “uniquely” Cadillac endures in the rendering.

        Reply
  2. 300 miles from a 85kWh battery is a 3.5 miles per kWh rating. I expect the Optiq to become a great selling model for true Cadillac lovers.

    Reply
    1. They also bumped up the HP and Torque for this model compared to the Equinox platform mate.

      Reply
  3. In this case I like the production model much better then the concept sketches. This is a Cadillac through and through sorry it’s not 1985 anymore Chuck

    Reply

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