"At this point, it's still just a concept vehicle," says John Manoogian II, Cadillac exterior design director, unable to conceal his excitement. "It's a polarizing design, and I see passion. Nobody needs this; it's not food or shelter."
We're standing on the shadowy edge of a suburban Detroit photography studio, watching technicians prep the Cadillac CTS Coupe Concept for its close-up. Just a couple weeks ago it debuted at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show.
Manoogian's eyes remain fixed on the CTS Coupe while the photographer adjusts lighting fixtures in fractal increments, melding a little art and science of his own, just like Cadillac's advertising slogan. "As it sits, the vehicle is almost identical to the original sketch," he says. "This project represents clarity of vision; no committees or consumer studies diluted the design. There's nothing else out there like it."
And while GM still won't go on record with a firm acknowledgement that the Cadillac CTS Coupe Concept will reach production, those of you who reside on a farm might want to place your bets now. We think the 2010 Cadillac CTS Coupe (code-named GMX226) will begin rolling off the assembly line in June of 2009.
Revenge of the Eldorado
The Cadillac CTS Coupe is a far riskier proposition than the Chevrolet Camaro Concept that debuted to an audience of rabid bow-tie enthusiasts in 2006.
Fans of Chevrolet's iconic pony car have maintained a vocal presence ever since GM pulled the plug on the previous Camaro back in 2002. No such constituency exists for a Cadillac coupe, and there was hardly a whimper when the Eldorado silently disappeared beneath the waves of history, also in 2002. True, the Gilded One had devolved from a two-door sedan into a trim level for the DTS, but there were no signs that anyone cared.
The CTS Coupe will also have to compete for attention against some of the most serious cars on the street. The CTS has been able to avoid direct comparisons with cars like the BMW M3 and Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG, but the CTS Coupe makes a pretty bold statement of purpose. Like no other Cadillac before it, the CTS Coupe has to be international caliber, no excuses allowed.
And since there aren't too many buyers in this segment of the marketplace to begin with, Cadillac will have to steal every CTS Coupe buyer from someone else.
Hit It or Quit It
When Ed Welburn, GM's Global design vice president, drove the CTS Coupe Concept onstage during the Cadillac press conference at the 2008 North American Auto Show in Detroit, it was the surprise of the show. Rumors of its existence had been flying fast and somewhat furiously for months, but the press was kept in the dark.
"We decided if ever there was a time to outright lie to journalists and ask for forgiveness later, this was it," says Kevin Smith, Cadillac's communications manager.
Lucky for Cadillac, we've decided not to hold a grudge.
More surprising, however, is the last-minute decision that led to the addition of the CTS Coupe to Cadillac's plan for Detroit. According to Manoogian, the team was over three-quarters done redesigning the CTS sedan before work on the CTS Coupe Concept even started in earnest. Manoogian says, "The Coupe was not part of the original CTS plan; inspired by, yes — but nothing official by any means. There were a bunch of proposal sketches making the rounds, and one of them was Bob Munson's coupe. We liked it, but were a bit unsure of the market potential."
Regardless, the team moved forward, enlisting Paul Scicluna to produce a scale model that caught the eye of Ed Welburn, GM's overall design director, who in turn signed off on a clay mock-up.
"Once we showed it to Bob Lutz and senior management," Manoogian continues, "they said we can't afford not to do this car. We upset a lot of people on this one because we worked outside the system. In fact, the CTS Coupe Concept wouldn't be sitting here today if not for Ed Welburn, Bob Lutz and even Rick Wagoner for that matter. They said do it as is, so we did."
Shapes of Things To Come
As you may expect, the sheet metal that's forward of the A-pillar is shared with the '08 CTS sedan save for a few details. The power bulge in the concept's hood stands a bit more proud, the air extractors on the front fenders are punched out a few sizes and — for the Coupe concept, at least — the windshield rake is more extreme.
If the front-end treatment of the original CTS seemed radical when it debuted, time has softened its impact. All of the current CTS models feature a refined version of this theme, updated to lean toward the art side of Cadillac's "Art and Science" mantra. The vertical headlamps on the CTS Coupe are bejeweled with numerous LEDs, although the number will probably be pared down for the production model.
Aft of the A-pillar, all of the bodywork is unique to the Coupe. In fact, the rear fenders have been painstakingly formed by hand until they pleased the eyes of the designers. "Our goal was to start bringing surface development back to Cadillac, and the play between the soft and edgy undiluted forms of the bodywork illustrates this," says Manoogian. "It's something that GM used to do so well."
The rear bumper features a center exhaust that had been part of Munson's original sketches. Rumors are that it won't make production, replaced most likely by a dual exhaust setup once the bumper is retooled for federal certification. When asked about the possibility of aluminum or other exotic materials being utilized in the CTS Coupe's bodywork, Mangoonian vaguely offers, "We're always looking at alternative materials."
Due in part to design liberties granted by the coupe body style, this CTS measures 187.0 inches overall and 54.7 inches high, some 4.6 inches and 3.4 inches less than the respective measurements of the CTS sedan. Its wheelbase is unchanged at 113.4 inches. Dimensionally, the sharp-edged CTS Coupe resides in the same neighborhood as the Audi A5, BMW 335i and Infiniti G37.
Headroom and Taillights
Although it's a cliché, the CTS Coupe is smaller in person than the official photographs suggest. And when taking in the front three-quarter view, there is a vague, slightly engorged resemblance in profile to the first-generation Volkswagen Scirocco. The VW was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, so Welburn and the gang are in good company on that account.
We wondered aloud if the steeply raked rear window created any controversy due to limited rear seating space or cost concerns, and both Dean and Manoogian chuckled, relating an anecdote emblematic of the project's rogue attitude from Day One: "We got Lutz back there, and he said, 'Don't change it.' Getting him out of the rear seat was a bit more difficult, however." And you can rest assured, the Coupe has a real trunk; a hatchback was never considered.
"No one else can get away with the vertical taillamp; Cadillac owns it," says Manoogian. "But don't call them retro. These are a contemporary design that pays tribute to the tail fin and are unmistakably Cadillac."
"The vertical headlamps play into it, too," adds Clay Dean, Cadillac's global design director. "Luxury consumers like to be seen, celebrate success and achievements in life. Why be recognized only in the daytime?" In the concept vehicle, the two vertical light bars in the taillamp are made of neon, but in production they will incorporate light tubes illuminated by LEDs on both ends.
Diamond Cut
If a single design cue can be said to run through the exterior design of the CTS Coupe, it's the "diamond cut," and this theme plays into almost every crease and corner of the bodywork. "It only works because there are no extraneous moldings, spoilers or unneeded trim to complicate the design," says Manoogian.
"Watching it evolve was stunning even for those of us in the design studio," says Clay Dean. "The shapes and angles seemed so brutal. I don't think they would have the same effect on a bigger vehicle."
The task of building the Coupe fell squarely on the shoulders of GM's shop in Detroit, the very place where all the Motorama cars were created back in the day.
Choosing the color silver for the CTS Coupe Concept was easier than you might imagine: "We use a lot of silver at Cadillac because it shows the forms and nuance needed to make the surfaces read, unlike black, which makes them disappear," says Manoogian. "Deciding on the value and tone of silver, however, was an agonizing process. The design center came up with a custom mix that has a warm hue, but under certain lighting conditions it has a cool flop to it.
"Likewise, the wheels were a topic of great internal debate. There's a faction — myself included — that think bright wheels make the scale of the car look accurate. And the bigger the wheel, the better the car looks." As it sits, the Coupe Concept sports polished cast-aluminum wheels measuring 20 inches in front and 21 inches in back. Painted wheels will be available, too. "We even considered a blackout wheel treatment at one point, but we settled on a special silverlike finish," Manoogian says. Apparently he's forgetting that "It's just a concept vehicle."
Questions regarding the rumors of a sport wagon or convertible to accompany the Coupe are met with knowing smiles. Dean offers this tidbit: "We want to bend, twist and shape this any way we can, and where we'll end up we don't really know."
Interior Motive
Aside from the dashboard and center stack, the entire interior is unique to the coupe. A true 2+2 design, the suede-upholstered seats are custom built for Cadillac by Recaro, and contemporary materials and design mingle with touches of conventional luxury throughout the interior.
Dean says, "Traditional guys will say, 'Where's the wood? Where's leather?' But new luxury and sport buyers perceive materials like artificial suede, carbon fiber and alloys as more premium than wood and leather. You gotta know the customer you want to speak to."
When seated in the supportively snug driver seat, headroom is a bit tight, but apparently the power driver seat is permanently set in its highest position. In unison, Cadillac's PR people remind us again: "It's just a concept vehicle." Oh yeah, right. Just a concept vehicle.
The console runs the length of the interior, and carbon-fiber trim inserts dot the cabin. Ambient interior lighting is employed extensively to impart the feeling of being in a special place like an expensive restaurant, museum or nightclub. And that's no advertising hyperbole; the entire cabin is bathed in light, completely devoid of the harsh, clinical atmosphere that single-point light sources can produce.
You've Got the Power. Stand up and Shout
To saddle a vehicle as unique and evocative as the CTS Coupe with a less than adequate power plant would virtually guarantee failure in the marketplace, so the 304-horsepower, 3.6-liter direct-injection V6 available in the CTS is a must for production versions.
Reportedly, GM will offer a 2.9-liter turbodiesel for the European market, and possibly the U.S. as well. "You just cannot realize your whole potential without a diesel in Europe," Dean says. "It takes awhile to build credibility, but you must have the right tools," says Dean, "And we're ready to make that investment."
Ideally, buyers will be able to choose either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission regardless of engine choice. And both Manoogian and Dean confirm that a high-performance V-spec model will happen when and if the coupe makes production.
It's (Not) Hip To Be Square
When Cadillac inadvertently reentered the lexicon of popular youth culture both on the strength of its luxury SUVs and a renewed appreciation of its swingers-era models by a whole new generation, the easy play would've been to turn its collective back and focus on maintaining the status quo.
But Cadillac has embraced its new identity and put a lot of thought into where the brand must head before its current popularity wanes.
Clay Dean makes a final observation: "The great thing is, the guys who love the CTS Coupe are the leaders and opinion shapers: the guideposts that set trends and make bold statements in their lives. We want to be bold and recapture that pioneering American spirit. We want to get back to that sense of anticipation in the marketplace.
"So stay tuned. There's another part to this story."
We're standing on the shadowy edge of a suburban Detroit photography studio, watching technicians prep the Cadillac CTS Coupe Concept for its close-up. Just a couple weeks ago it debuted at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show.
Manoogian's eyes remain fixed on the CTS Coupe while the photographer adjusts lighting fixtures in fractal increments, melding a little art and science of his own, just like Cadillac's advertising slogan. "As it sits, the vehicle is almost identical to the original sketch," he says. "This project represents clarity of vision; no committees or consumer studies diluted the design. There's nothing else out there like it."
And while GM still won't go on record with a firm acknowledgement that the Cadillac CTS Coupe Concept will reach production, those of you who reside on a farm might want to place your bets now. We think the 2010 Cadillac CTS Coupe (code-named GMX226) will begin rolling off the assembly line in June of 2009.
Revenge of the Eldorado
The Cadillac CTS Coupe is a far riskier proposition than the Chevrolet Camaro Concept that debuted to an audience of rabid bow-tie enthusiasts in 2006.
Fans of Chevrolet's iconic pony car have maintained a vocal presence ever since GM pulled the plug on the previous Camaro back in 2002. No such constituency exists for a Cadillac coupe, and there was hardly a whimper when the Eldorado silently disappeared beneath the waves of history, also in 2002. True, the Gilded One had devolved from a two-door sedan into a trim level for the DTS, but there were no signs that anyone cared.
The CTS Coupe will also have to compete for attention against some of the most serious cars on the street. The CTS has been able to avoid direct comparisons with cars like the BMW M3 and Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG, but the CTS Coupe makes a pretty bold statement of purpose. Like no other Cadillac before it, the CTS Coupe has to be international caliber, no excuses allowed.
And since there aren't too many buyers in this segment of the marketplace to begin with, Cadillac will have to steal every CTS Coupe buyer from someone else.
Hit It or Quit It
When Ed Welburn, GM's Global design vice president, drove the CTS Coupe Concept onstage during the Cadillac press conference at the 2008 North American Auto Show in Detroit, it was the surprise of the show. Rumors of its existence had been flying fast and somewhat furiously for months, but the press was kept in the dark.
"We decided if ever there was a time to outright lie to journalists and ask for forgiveness later, this was it," says Kevin Smith, Cadillac's communications manager.
Lucky for Cadillac, we've decided not to hold a grudge.
More surprising, however, is the last-minute decision that led to the addition of the CTS Coupe to Cadillac's plan for Detroit. According to Manoogian, the team was over three-quarters done redesigning the CTS sedan before work on the CTS Coupe Concept even started in earnest. Manoogian says, "The Coupe was not part of the original CTS plan; inspired by, yes — but nothing official by any means. There were a bunch of proposal sketches making the rounds, and one of them was Bob Munson's coupe. We liked it, but were a bit unsure of the market potential."
Regardless, the team moved forward, enlisting Paul Scicluna to produce a scale model that caught the eye of Ed Welburn, GM's overall design director, who in turn signed off on a clay mock-up.
"Once we showed it to Bob Lutz and senior management," Manoogian continues, "they said we can't afford not to do this car. We upset a lot of people on this one because we worked outside the system. In fact, the CTS Coupe Concept wouldn't be sitting here today if not for Ed Welburn, Bob Lutz and even Rick Wagoner for that matter. They said do it as is, so we did."
Shapes of Things To Come
As you may expect, the sheet metal that's forward of the A-pillar is shared with the '08 CTS sedan save for a few details. The power bulge in the concept's hood stands a bit more proud, the air extractors on the front fenders are punched out a few sizes and — for the Coupe concept, at least — the windshield rake is more extreme.
If the front-end treatment of the original CTS seemed radical when it debuted, time has softened its impact. All of the current CTS models feature a refined version of this theme, updated to lean toward the art side of Cadillac's "Art and Science" mantra. The vertical headlamps on the CTS Coupe are bejeweled with numerous LEDs, although the number will probably be pared down for the production model.
Aft of the A-pillar, all of the bodywork is unique to the Coupe. In fact, the rear fenders have been painstakingly formed by hand until they pleased the eyes of the designers. "Our goal was to start bringing surface development back to Cadillac, and the play between the soft and edgy undiluted forms of the bodywork illustrates this," says Manoogian. "It's something that GM used to do so well."
The rear bumper features a center exhaust that had been part of Munson's original sketches. Rumors are that it won't make production, replaced most likely by a dual exhaust setup once the bumper is retooled for federal certification. When asked about the possibility of aluminum or other exotic materials being utilized in the CTS Coupe's bodywork, Mangoonian vaguely offers, "We're always looking at alternative materials."
Due in part to design liberties granted by the coupe body style, this CTS measures 187.0 inches overall and 54.7 inches high, some 4.6 inches and 3.4 inches less than the respective measurements of the CTS sedan. Its wheelbase is unchanged at 113.4 inches. Dimensionally, the sharp-edged CTS Coupe resides in the same neighborhood as the Audi A5, BMW 335i and Infiniti G37.
Headroom and Taillights
Although it's a cliché, the CTS Coupe is smaller in person than the official photographs suggest. And when taking in the front three-quarter view, there is a vague, slightly engorged resemblance in profile to the first-generation Volkswagen Scirocco. The VW was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, so Welburn and the gang are in good company on that account.
We wondered aloud if the steeply raked rear window created any controversy due to limited rear seating space or cost concerns, and both Dean and Manoogian chuckled, relating an anecdote emblematic of the project's rogue attitude from Day One: "We got Lutz back there, and he said, 'Don't change it.' Getting him out of the rear seat was a bit more difficult, however." And you can rest assured, the Coupe has a real trunk; a hatchback was never considered.
"No one else can get away with the vertical taillamp; Cadillac owns it," says Manoogian. "But don't call them retro. These are a contemporary design that pays tribute to the tail fin and are unmistakably Cadillac."
"The vertical headlamps play into it, too," adds Clay Dean, Cadillac's global design director. "Luxury consumers like to be seen, celebrate success and achievements in life. Why be recognized only in the daytime?" In the concept vehicle, the two vertical light bars in the taillamp are made of neon, but in production they will incorporate light tubes illuminated by LEDs on both ends.
Diamond Cut
If a single design cue can be said to run through the exterior design of the CTS Coupe, it's the "diamond cut," and this theme plays into almost every crease and corner of the bodywork. "It only works because there are no extraneous moldings, spoilers or unneeded trim to complicate the design," says Manoogian.
"Watching it evolve was stunning even for those of us in the design studio," says Clay Dean. "The shapes and angles seemed so brutal. I don't think they would have the same effect on a bigger vehicle."
The task of building the Coupe fell squarely on the shoulders of GM's shop in Detroit, the very place where all the Motorama cars were created back in the day.
Choosing the color silver for the CTS Coupe Concept was easier than you might imagine: "We use a lot of silver at Cadillac because it shows the forms and nuance needed to make the surfaces read, unlike black, which makes them disappear," says Manoogian. "Deciding on the value and tone of silver, however, was an agonizing process. The design center came up with a custom mix that has a warm hue, but under certain lighting conditions it has a cool flop to it.
"Likewise, the wheels were a topic of great internal debate. There's a faction — myself included — that think bright wheels make the scale of the car look accurate. And the bigger the wheel, the better the car looks." As it sits, the Coupe Concept sports polished cast-aluminum wheels measuring 20 inches in front and 21 inches in back. Painted wheels will be available, too. "We even considered a blackout wheel treatment at one point, but we settled on a special silverlike finish," Manoogian says. Apparently he's forgetting that "It's just a concept vehicle."
Questions regarding the rumors of a sport wagon or convertible to accompany the Coupe are met with knowing smiles. Dean offers this tidbit: "We want to bend, twist and shape this any way we can, and where we'll end up we don't really know."
Interior Motive
Aside from the dashboard and center stack, the entire interior is unique to the coupe. A true 2+2 design, the suede-upholstered seats are custom built for Cadillac by Recaro, and contemporary materials and design mingle with touches of conventional luxury throughout the interior.
Dean says, "Traditional guys will say, 'Where's the wood? Where's leather?' But new luxury and sport buyers perceive materials like artificial suede, carbon fiber and alloys as more premium than wood and leather. You gotta know the customer you want to speak to."
When seated in the supportively snug driver seat, headroom is a bit tight, but apparently the power driver seat is permanently set in its highest position. In unison, Cadillac's PR people remind us again: "It's just a concept vehicle." Oh yeah, right. Just a concept vehicle.
The console runs the length of the interior, and carbon-fiber trim inserts dot the cabin. Ambient interior lighting is employed extensively to impart the feeling of being in a special place like an expensive restaurant, museum or nightclub. And that's no advertising hyperbole; the entire cabin is bathed in light, completely devoid of the harsh, clinical atmosphere that single-point light sources can produce.
You've Got the Power. Stand up and Shout
To saddle a vehicle as unique and evocative as the CTS Coupe with a less than adequate power plant would virtually guarantee failure in the marketplace, so the 304-horsepower, 3.6-liter direct-injection V6 available in the CTS is a must for production versions.
Reportedly, GM will offer a 2.9-liter turbodiesel for the European market, and possibly the U.S. as well. "You just cannot realize your whole potential without a diesel in Europe," Dean says. "It takes awhile to build credibility, but you must have the right tools," says Dean, "And we're ready to make that investment."
Ideally, buyers will be able to choose either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission regardless of engine choice. And both Manoogian and Dean confirm that a high-performance V-spec model will happen when and if the coupe makes production.
It's (Not) Hip To Be Square
When Cadillac inadvertently reentered the lexicon of popular youth culture both on the strength of its luxury SUVs and a renewed appreciation of its swingers-era models by a whole new generation, the easy play would've been to turn its collective back and focus on maintaining the status quo.
But Cadillac has embraced its new identity and put a lot of thought into where the brand must head before its current popularity wanes.
Clay Dean makes a final observation: "The great thing is, the guys who love the CTS Coupe are the leaders and opinion shapers: the guideposts that set trends and make bold statements in their lives. We want to be bold and recapture that pioneering American spirit. We want to get back to that sense of anticipation in the marketplace.
"So stay tuned. There's another part to this story."
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