From the LA Auto Show, Cadillac’s video showing the new XTS.

Enjoy:

Categories: News, Video, XTS
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It’s little secret that tCE is less than impressed with the technology suite Cadillac has been fielding for the last few years. It is one area we feel Cadillac is lagging behind its competition.

Read any of our many reviews for a flavor of things not working right, being clunky or inefficient to operate, etc.

Well, Cadillac hasn’t been plugging ahead and letting this lose them customers forever.

Now we have a peak of the new interior electronics suite dubbed the Cadillac User Experience (CUE).

It includes a new, completely virtual gauge cluster in front of the driver, 8” capacitive touch screen at center stage, and touch sensitive center stack (physical buttons are so pre-2007, apparently.)

Bluetooth connectivity for phone and media are part of the package (with a slick pop-open section of the center stack to put your devices in). Pinch and swipe gestures, a la iPhone/iPad, are now part of the experience along with haptic feedback (a slight buzz upon touching a control to confirm that your input has been received).

The system will appear first in the new XTS, ATS, and in an SRX interior refresh that are all coming in 2012.

Expect this to make its way into the CTS line and the Escalade as they are refreshed in the coming few years.

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Categories: News, SRX, Video, ATS, XTS
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Rumors have colored the upcoming Alpha-chassis based ATS and its ability to compete against the BMW 3-series and other volume sports sedans from the rest of the luxury field.

As a means of combating these doubts, Cadillac has released this video showing some mules undergoing testing and engineering staff (headed by GM NA President Mark Reuss) talking about what they are aiming to accomplish with the ‘ATS’ (still not the official name).

We’re hopeful about the new car, but will have to reserve judgement until we get a chance behind the wheel next year.

See the video below:

More in the press release below:

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Categories: News, Video, ATS
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Jay Leno (of Tonight Show fame) spent some time interviewing Ed Welburn about the new Cadillac Ciel concept convertible.

This is a great opporunity to see the car from many angels and get a feel for the scale and design of this preview of the upcoming Cadillac flagship.

Enjoy.

Categories: Concepts, News, Video
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Cadillac Concept Ciel Image Gallery

We’ve heard lately that Cadillac has approved the development of a true flagship model (not to be confused with the neo-DTS that is next year’s XTS sedan). The new car will gun for luxury heavyweights such as the S-Class Mercedes, 7-series BMW, and Audi A8.

While we might have thought that a flagship Cadillac would try to ape the proportions, feel, and Teutonic mission of these cars, Cadillac has thrown us for a loop with today’s unveiling of the Ciel concept convertible. While the Ciel (French for sky) is a nod back at the 4-door convertibles of the past, if you squint a bit you can see what is really being shown off here. This is a statement by Cadillac that their future product offensive will not shy away from what made a Cadillac a uniquely American expression of luxury.

Additionally, this is also a preview of some of the styling elements that will make their way into a future flagship sedan. Interestingly, this design seems to marry the current Art & Science design motif with the classic lines of Cadillacs of the 1960’s – we see more than a hint of the 60’s Eldorado convertibles in the lines of this new car – suggesting a slight change in Cadillac’s styling direction that more faithfully recreates some of the glory day look.

Truth be told, we’d like to see this toned down a bit and sticking a bit closer to the look Cadillac has captured with the current CTS line – but the truth of the new styling direction likely lives between these two extremes.

Powered by a twin-turbo 3.6l V-6 with direct injection and 425hp, this likely not only previews the top engine of the upcoming flagship, but may also be showing us what power might be under the hood of the upcoming ATS-V competitor to the BMW M3 as well.

Riding on a 125” wheelbase on 22” wheels – the 203” long convertible is a grand Cadillac like we have not seen in a while and is within spitting distance of the size of the long-wheelbase versions of the current Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7-Series. Tone down the front styling and put a sedan roof on this car and you might have a pretty good impression of where Cadillac is headed.

We’re excited to see where Cadillac is going with this car and expect we’ll see something along these lines in a few years.

Check out these videos, the first talking to the design team that brought this car to life and the second giving lots of beauty shots of the car on the California coast that inspired the 4-door/4-seat convertible’s design.

Enjoy.

Categories: Concepts, News, Video
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