Cadillac reaches for the stars with an extraordinary “hyperluxury electric car”
Cadillac’s ambition knows no bounds.
Nor should it. A brand like Cadillac, regardless of its past stumbles, has no reason to exist unless it reaches for the stars and keeps raising the bar for performance, luxury and innovation.
Cadillac’s Opulent Velocity concept car, unveiled alongside historic luxury and high-performance cars on California’s Monterey Peninsula, offers all of this.
There are no plans to build the Opulent Velocity. It is based on technologies that do not yet exist, although Cadillac sees an opportunity to develop them.
That’s the point.
The concept is intended to put Cadillac on the path to “hyperluxury and the future of high-speed driving,” said Cadillac design chief Bryan Nesbitt.
Cadillac may not be able to fulfill all the promises of the concept, but the brand must move beyond the formula that has relegated it to second place despite the excellence of some of the vehicles built this century.
What we know about the Cadillac Opulent Velocity
- It is a concept car. There are no plans to build it.
- Debut on September 16th at the Quail Motorsports Gathering in Carmel, California.
- A 2+2 interior; the rear seats are not suitable for long journeys.
- It is electric and uses planned future versions of GM’s Ultium batteries and motors.
- Butterfly doors with recesses in the roof for easy entry and exit despite the low seating position.
- Designed to redefine Cadillac performance and technology for the electric vehicle era.
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Performance is no longer just acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h
Long, low and wide, with upward-opening butterfly doors that fold into the roof for easy entry and exit, the Opulent Velocity aims to highlight the defining characteristics of Cadillac’s 20-year-old V-Series high-performance line: racetrack performance in a luxury car suitable for everyday use.
“The V-Series is the purest expression of Cadillac’s brand values,” said Brandon Vivian, the brand’s chief engineer.
It’s also stunningly beautiful, blending current Cadillac styling elements like vertical light slats and illuminated pinstripes with a sleek new shape and futuristic details like multi-spoke wheels with illuminated hubs and tips. Dramatically flared rear fenders and a fastback rear window and cargo cover enhance the performance look.
The opulent Velocity is also equipped with a wealth of forward-looking technical features that Cadillac plans to offer in the future, from multiple displays integrated into the windshield to biometric sensors that adapt ambient light and noise to the driver’s mental and physical state.
The steering wheel will also provide information by sight and touch.
The V-Series restored Cadillac’s reputation for world-class performance, but using 0-60 mph as a benchmark for exclusive performance is downright ridiculous in a world where every other electric vehicle seems to achieve that time in 3 seconds or less.
“Performance is determined by many metrics,” Vivian said. “Zero-to-100 acceleration time is no longer a differentiator,” she said. “The entire driving experience is.”
Opulent Velocity is exploring “where we can go with the next generation of technology, performance and computing power,” he added.
Opulent Velocity – Key Features
- Information display across the entire windshield
- Additional displays on the steering wheel
- Ambient light and sound
- Biometric scanning
- Floating seats and center console
- Lightweight construction
- Radiator grille in body color
- Illuminated Lyriq-style pinstripes front and rear
A goal, not a dream
The car will have the familiar V-Mode button to activate its high-performance features, but an “Opulent” mode is new. It will include advanced autonomous features to “give time back to the driver” during commuting and other situations where the driving experience veers between routine and agony, said Experience Design Manager Rebecca Waldmeir.
The idea is to give the driver “the right information at the right time” rather than an overwhelming flow of data, Brandon said.
“Imagine the difference between driving the right line on the track and having the car teach you the right line,” Brandon said.
The goal is to prevail against the toughest competition and win, he said.
No one will confuse “Opulent Velocity” with the impressive names that adorned other recent Cadillac concepts: Sollei, Ciel, Escala.
That may be appropriate. They dream in pictures and poems.
Cars and SUVs are built from metal and data, kilowatts and torque.
People will call the Opulent Velocity a dream car, but it’s a goal on the horizon, not a cookie-cutter sedan or a thinly disguised SUV of 2028.
Bravo. It’s been too long since Cadillac exceeded its ambitions.
Contact Mark Phelan: 313-222-6731 or [email protected]Follow him on Twitter @mark_phelanRead more on Cars and sign up for our cars newsletter. Become a subscriber.
