Cadillac unveils its Urban Luxury Concept in LA

Cadillac Urban Luxury Concept 1

It’s not exactly the type of Caddy you’d be familar with, especially size-wise, but the design hints at what may be to come from the iconic brand. Cadillac showcased its Urban Luxury Concept, a design study exploring a new type of vehicle that offers luxury in a diminutive size, ahead of the start of the LA show.

The ULC was conceived and designed for the urban environment, where metropolitan needs should mean a car with as much usable space sans the bulk. The car seats four, with easy access to all seats available via a pair of scissor-type doors that extend outward and rotate forward when opened. The 3.85m-long design has virtually no overhangs, with the 19-inch wheels it sits pushed to the edges.

Cadillac Urban Luxury Concept 2

It’s powered by a concept hybrid propulsion system based around a turbocharged 1.0 litre three-cylinder engine employing electric assist technology, engine start-stop function, brake energy regeneration and a dry dual-clutch transmission. Cadillac says a combination of these technologies could offer projected fuel economy of 56 mpg in the city and 65 mpg on the highway.

The minimalist interior is finished with carbon-coloured wood inlays, brushed aluminum accents and ceramic materials, as well as blue and grey leather and contrasting fabric selected for its high-tech look and feel. There’s plenty of next-generation interactive technology too – touch-pad screens and projected readouts take the place of most traditional gauges and serve as the audio and climate system controls.

Cadillac Urban Luxury Concept 3

The conventional center stack is replaced by a divided interface that creates more space at the forward section of the interior. A pair of projected readouts flanks a large, prominent analogue speedometer, assisted by a high-def head-up display.

The technology behind the unique touch pad controls is ergonomically tucked around the steering wheel to deliver real-time feedback for an efficient commute. The right-hand touch pad is hidden until deployed or detached by the passenger, who can interact online without compromising the driver’s control.

Gallery after the jump.

[zenphotopress number=999 album=1710]

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Anthony Lim

Anthony Lim believes that nothing is better than a good smoke and a car with character, with good handling aspects being top of the prize heap. Having spent more than a decade and a half with an English tabloid daily never being able to grasp the meaning of brevity or being succinct, he wags his tail furiously at the idea of waffling - in greater detail - about cars and all their intrinsic peculiarities here.

 

Comments

  • Ronaldo on Nov 19, 2010 at 1:34 pm

    what happen if u open the door when your steering wheel is not straight? will the door hit the tyre?? nice design thou…..

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    • haha, agree with you, a fail door design.

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    • Ash Menon on Nov 19, 2010 at 3:50 pm

      Lol I assume that the system will have some sort of auto-straighten-tyre before it unlocks the door? But I agree la, it seems unnecessarily complex. Should’ve just put the hinge higher so you wouldn’t arc into the tyre well.

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  • Fence Sitter on Nov 19, 2010 at 1:49 pm

    First!

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    • please go back to kindergarden and learn to count correctly!!!

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  • with the doors closed, it shares the same silhouette as perodua viva. =)

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  • the juke on Nov 19, 2010 at 2:39 pm

    interior’s pretty bland though..

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    • reading glasses on Nov 19, 2010 at 3:20 pm

      Its a CONCEPT lah brother! Did you not read the title first?! I bet you didn’t even read the article too…

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  • what the heck is tis??? @.@

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  • m4xspeed on Nov 20, 2010 at 12:08 pm

    Compact yet very musculin looks. I love it!

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  • Gino Borghessa on Nov 26, 2010 at 1:26 pm

    The ULC was actually finished and presented to GM management for production approval almost three years ago where it was strongly vetoed by “Maximum Bob” Lutz. A Senior GM designer said Lutz “just didn’t get it” when the idea was pitched to the company’s board.

    With Lutz now in retirement, the new GM management decided to listen to Cadillac’s planners and go public with the car. Word is that other than the steering wheel and dash design the car is pretty much as the proposed production variant, even down to the 19-inch wheels.

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