The Cadillac Ciel Concept (pronounced Cee-El) is like nothing else in the company’s lineup, with this cutting edge 4-door convertible offe...
The Cadillac Ciel Concept (pronounced Cee-El) is like nothing else in the company’s lineup, with this cutting edge 4-door convertible offering room for four adults with luxurious amenities even greater than what we have come to expect from the Cadillac brand. The Cadillac Ciel Concept wears a striking exterior design with sharply angular LED headlights flowing from the front face of the car up onto the top of the fenders, flanking an exaggerated take on the modern Cadillac grille design. Along the sides of the Cadillac Ciel Concept, the door handles are flush to the body with the front and rear door handles mounted side by side thanks to the “suicide” rear door motion. Speaking of the wheels, the Ciel wears a set of unique 22” aluminum wheels tucked cleanly into the wheel openings that barely flare away from the body.
The rear end of the Ciel is even more angular than the front with the chrome trim that runs the length of the vehicle dipping down across the rear face of the car, trimming the trunk opening.
Inside, the Cadillac Ciel Concept raises the bar for luxury car interiors with leather and wood trim looking more like something that you would expect in a Maybach or Rolls Royce. A wood trimmed center console runs from the dashboard all the way back to the rear of the passenger compartment, offering access to the Ciel’s advanced navigation system for all four passengers.
Cadillac is really shaking things up this week. With barely any time to digest that news, here comes the Cadillac Ciel concept.
The Ciel, pronounced “C-L,” is a four-door convertible that shows off Cadillac’s next iteration of its “Art & Science” design language made popular by the original 2002 CTS sedan. The concept packs a hybrid, twin-turbocharged V-6 powertrain, the same that was shown on the XTS concept.
Up front, there are large vertical LED headlights integrated into the front wheel arches, and a high-waisted shield-shaped grille.
Out back, Cadillac is getting a little more aggressive with its tailfin rear lamps (you can see nymph versions of this on the SRX and XTS concept). The Ciel is certainly unmistakable.
It must be concept season at Cadillac as the luxury car builder will show off the Ciel Concept at Pebble Beach along with the previously announced debut of the Converj Concept.
Large, expressive luxury is innate to Cadillac and the Ciel recalls that heritage, while suggesting where the brand can go in the future,” said Clay Dean, global design director for Cadillac. The doors are French-style, with the rear doors hinged at the rear and there is no B-pillar.
Ciel’s exterior flows seamlessly into the cabin, with the body color rolling over on top of the interior door panels. Like the exterior, the passenger space is accented with sweeping nickel-plated trim. It divides the body-color upper sections from a complementing beige lower color. Italian Olive wood, machined aluminum and hand-tipped leather are elements that flow through the interior, complementing the primary colors with warm, rich tones.
The car rides on large finished wheels that feature brushed nickel plating over milled billet aluminum, matching the materials and appearance of other trim. Carbon ceramic brake rotors are visible behind the 22-inch rims, a visual clue to the Ciel’s foundation of performance. The headlamps and taillamps feature LED lighting elements – including a unique daytime running light graphic on the front of the vehicle that is generated with gradated LED lighting.
The Ciel’s instrument panel features a minimalist gauge cluster that doesn’t impede or distract from the outward view. The defining element of the Ciel’s cabin is the incorporation of Italian Olive wood on the doors, instrument panel, console and the front seatbacks. The rear seating area is detailed with elegant flourishes. The rear seat passengers can pull a leather tab, which reveals a cashmere blanket that stretches across the seating area to ward off a chill. The Ciel was developed at GM Design’s North Hollywood Design Center, which is managed by Frank Saucedo.
