- Cadillac’s newest ultra-luxury EV idea bows this week in Monterey
- No specifics printed on its EV powertrain
- It joins the Celestiq and Sollei in Cadillac’s portfolio of super-expensive EVs
- Will a Blackwing be part of this mooted V-Collection?
The Cadillac Opulent Velocity idea, unveiled Friday at The Quail throughout Monterey Automotive Week, exhibits the place GM’s world luxurious model might take its V-Collection efficiency line because it transitions to battery-electric automobiles.
First teased again in March, the Opulent Velocity is a 2+2 coupe whose most placing characteristic is probably going the powered butterfly doorways. Cadillac has leaned right into a closely sculptured kind with a aspect graphic that drops sharply; execs mentioned that makes the rear wheels extra distinguished to convey a “energy message” with out having to be “brutal.” These wheels have lighted spokes, a novel contact impressed by Method 1 that will even draw consideration to the automobile.
Inside, it’s a conventional 2+2 efficiency coupe, with an inside that “cocoons, encapsulates, and hugs” the motive force and passengers. Not solely does it sport a future technology of infotainment and projection shows, however the automobile contains biosensors to regulate its inside setting to assuage or entertain occupants. Whereas the outside seems as if it could possibly be constructed immediately, lights and mirrors apart, the inside is clearly extra conceptual.
Cadillac Opulent Velocity Idea
Cadillac reaches for the ultra-luxury ambiance
The idea coupe is expounded each to the 2025 Cadillac Celestiq limited-production sedan (sure, the $340,000 one) and the Sollei EV idea unveiled in July. These automobiles are seemingly focused as a lot at China, the model’s largest marketplace for most of a decade, as they’re at North America.
GM’s Ultium battery structure underpins all of its new EVs, from the Celestiq right down to a coming replace of the standard Chevrolet Bolt EV. However the Celestiq platform might spawn quite a few high-end, very luxurious fashions. The intent is to “elevate the model” and “foreshadow” future automobiles, mentioned govt world design director Bryan Nesbitt throughout a media briefing earlier than the launch.
So whereas Celestiq is the primary ultra-luxury Cadillac in lots of many years, it’s seemingly not the final—simply because the Sollei EV idea demonstrated.
Cadillac Opulent Velocity Idea
Luxurious efficiency: greater than 0-60 mph
Cadillac execs talked at size in regards to the idea’s twin character, the “two dynamic extremes” mirrored in its identify. They replicate the “suave integration of expertise, luxurious, and exhilaration” in each driving modes they envision.
Opulent is the one for regular, day-to-day journey, wherein the automobile pampers each driver and passengers. Which means an “immersive expertise” in hands-free driving, with augmented actuality on a future technology of head-up shows and each sound and light-weight creating an atmosphere of rest. The aim is to ease driving effort in site visitors, assist drivers discover particular places, and different helpful info that will not distract drivers.
Cadillac mentioned its “autonomous drive” expertise can be a Degree 4 system that will permit drivers to look away from the highway offered they’re driving in a specified space, however they must take management when prompted. These prompts could possibly be straightforward to identify as a result of the yoke-style steering wheel and pedals would retract throughout autonomous driving and current themselves when wanted.
Then there’s the Velocity mode, for sheer efficiency and even observe use, of the type provided by the Tesla Mannequin S Plaid, the Lucid Air Sapphire, the longer term Polestar 5, and different dear EV efficiency sedans. Brandon Vivian, Cadillac’s govt chief engineer, mentioned the model even “aspires” to compete with the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Rimac. (Cadillac hypercar, anybody?)
Cadillac Opulent Velocity Idea
The V-Collection lives on in EVs
The V-Collection and Blackwing efficiency variants have given the previous luxury-only model a definite enhance, its execs mentioned. Its consumers are youthful, they purchase a number of V-Collection fashions, and absolutely 80% of them are conquests from different manufacturers—not one thing that could possibly be mentioned 20 years in the past within the days of the outdated Sedan de Ville.
Cadillac’s new racing efforts—its return to Le Mans, for instance—play into the high-performance picture of the model. Sturdy efficiency that has equaled and sometimes led a section, racier appearances backed up by correct dealing with, and snarling exhausts have outlined the V-Collection for the gasoline age.
The issue is that, even when Cadillac has backed off its all-EVs-by-2030 pledge, its largest market will more and more demand EVs in all segments. For a lot of the previous 10 years, China has been the model’s highest-volume market. In July, greater than half the brand new automobiles bought there had plugs, and that pattern is not going to reverse.
With homegrown Chinese language manufacturers now providing absolutely aggressive vehicles, gross sales of mass-market U.S. manufacturers within the nation are plummeting. So Cadillac will transfer considerably upmarket there, as GM CEO Mary Barra has mentioned a number of occasions of late. The Celestiq is the opening shot in that salvo, and there can be extra.
Cadillac Opulent Velocity Idea
A Blackwing within the wings, too?
In the meantime, the model will clearly cling onto the V-Collection to burnish Cadillac’s new efficiency credentials. However what is efficiency in EVs?
“Deltas in 0-60 occasions aren’t a differentiator” anymore in luxurious EVs, mentioned Vivian. As a substitute, the model feels it should surpass rivals in “the entire car expertise,” together with “when it’s driving itself as nicely,” to make its highest-end EVs stand other than the group.
Responding to a reporter’s query, Vivian mentioned Cadillac was learning “how greatest to ship the efficiency facets” of V-Collection in a “model of Ultium but to come back sooner or later.” He hinted at the opportunity of a devoted Blackwing entry in its EV lineup as nicely.
Ah, however are its youthful, extra performance-minded V-Collection consumers prepared to go EV? Vivian appeared unfazed. He responded, “Authenticity is absolutely important to the V-Collection prospects, and the efficiency (provided) can be great, excellent.” These prospects “look ahead to full electrical automobiles,” he mentioned, and what they will supply with each the ability of future onboard computing and the power to ship that efficiency.
In any other case, we all know just about nothing in regards to the powertrain or mechanicals of the Opulent Velocity idea. Press supplies didn’t include the phrases “battery” or “energy” or “kilowatts” or “horsepower.” As a substitute, they targeted on the automobile as a pointer to a brand new technology of Cadillac: a “pure expression of the longer term” displaying how “Cadillac’s revered sense of opulence” can evolve whereas “envisioning a zero-emission expression of efficiency and trendy luxurious.”
Extra is but to come back, clearly. Look ahead to future Cadillac EV ideas that transfer the model nicely upmarket from the Lyriq midsize SUV, which in July was, Vivian mentioned, the second best-selling luxurious EV within the U.S. As a result of GM now not releases month-to-month gross sales, we’ll have to attend till October to study simply how nicely Cadillac’s sole EV presently on sale is doing, V-Collection or not.
