Chronic chip shortages and distribution headaches notwithstanding, the auto industry is moving ahead secure in the knowledge that there’s still going to be a market for new cars in the future, which is right now. A relevant piece of evidence comes from Cadillac, which this week unveiled its newest design study, the CELESTIQ, which will be making appearances at high-end automotive salons and providing a glimpse of what Cadillac will likely produce in some form in coming years as a flagship sedan, with electric power centrally designed into the concept.
With four doors and an obviously broad stance, the CELESTIQ is intended to evoke past Cadillacs such as the V-16 leviathans of the 1930s and the later, handbuilt Eldorado Brougham of 1957 and 1958 with its signature brushed stainless-steel roof treatment. And is it just us, or is there a strong hint of the Porsche Panamera in there someplace? Riding on a modified version of the General Motors Ultium EV platform, the CELESTIQ also reportedly draws inspiration from the architecture of Eero Saarinen, who designed the current GM Global Technical Center campus where a lot of work on this concept is taking place. One such advance is its smart glass roof, which makes use of suspended particle technology to constantly adjust the roof’s tinting level.
Jim Donnelly On Wheels 