CaddyInfo Cadillac Chat 2013-08-15 Cadillac Elmiraj

[Bruce Nunnally]

It's Thursday, so it's time for another CaddyInfo Cadillac Chat!

Tonight's topic(s):

• New Cadillac Concept Premiere
• How to select the right mechanic
• The Cadillac XLR: Success?
• Does Cadillac need a larger car than the XTS?

[Bruce Nunnally]

Tonight's show will be live here during, or pre-recorded after:

 

[Bruce Nunnally]

CARMEL, Calif. – Cadillac today revealed the Elmiraj Concept, a grand coupe expressing the pure enjoyment of driving and exploring new dimensions for Cadillac’s ongoing expansion. The Elmiraj Concept showcases a new vision for luxury driving and the top of the brand’s expanding range.

“Cadillac is fueled by the creativity of our designers, led by Ed Welburn,” said Bob Ferguson, senior vice president, Global Cadillac. “Elmiraj provides a look inside the Cadillac Studio on how we envision performance and luxury for the next generation of luxury drivers.”

A modern update to the classic format of a two-door grand coupe, Elmiraj is a pure expression of streamlined design and engaging rear-wheel drive performance.

At 205 inches (5207mm) in overall length, Elmiraj is four-seat coupe with presence and poise. Taking up from where the memorable Ciel Concept left off, Elmiraj is a statement of pure luxury and performance with a purposeful character and proportion.

The concept advances Cadillac’s philosophy of dramatic design and performance, and its commitment to lightweight, agile cars. Elmiraj is constructed with chassis and structural elements of an ongoing Cadillac vehicle development project slated for future production. This new vehicle architecture expands the brand’s commitment to lightweight RWD performance, exemplified in the ATS sport sedan and the all-new and elevated 2014 CTS launching this fall in the U.S.

“Elmiraj advances Cadillac’s provocative modern design and performance, contrasted with bespoke craftsmanship and luxury,” said Mark Adams, Cadillac design director. “It explores performance driving, as well as how we’re approaching elevating the Cadillac range and new dimensions of Art & Science philosophy.”

Elmiraj is powered by a 4.5-liter twin turbocharged V8 delivering an estimated 500 hp. The engine takes the baseline technology from the new Cadillac Twin Turbo V6 featured in the upcoming 420-hp 2014 CTS Vsport edition, and expands it to the classic performance format of a V8 engine.

Dramatic Exterior Proportion

With a heritage of imaginative designs, Cadillac approaches concept cars as a method for projecting design forward rather than simply exaggerating or “teasing” future production models. Elmiraj was created from this mindset, and therefore suggests new territory for Cadillac Art & Science.

“This concept is the second chapter, following the Ciel Concept, of our exploration of the personas of true luxury,” said Clay Dean, executive director of advanced design. “This project originated around the simple persona of “the drive,” or the visceral experience of driving a great luxury coupe. It’s an expression of the confidence and poise you feel driving a high-performance car, which we feel is an essential element of top-level luxury.”

The dramatic proportion communicates power and performance. A long dash-to-axle front profile, a Cadillac signature, gives the coupe a performance-oriented form. The long wheelbase and clean body side characterizes the car’s spacious dimensions and elevated status.

The fast cabin sits within a fuselage where taut fender lines spline through the full sectioned body, literally blending art and science. Cadillac’s vertical light signature is represented in both the headlamp graphic and tail lamp. A gently applied feature line in the sheet metal extends the full length of the body side, connecting those vertical front and rear elements.

“Elmiraj is about poise and proportion,” said Niki Smart, lead exterior designer. “We wanted a mature statement for Cadillac, where simplicity and subtle adornments create a purposeful presence.”

Elmiraj contains design elements emphasizing Cadillac’s capabilities for engaging driving performance in its production portfolio. Two vents in the car’s long hood are functional, acting as hot air outlets for the twin turbo engine. Elmiraj has 22-x-9-in. aluminum wheels are backed by large ceramic brakes with Cadillac monoblock calipers. The car’s rich blue exterior finish wears the brand’s Vsport designation, Cadillac’s new level slotting directly under the high-performance V-Series.

The face of Elmiraj experiments with new visual elements, yet is unmistakably Cadillac. The grille emphasizes the car’s substantial road presence. The Cadillac Crest appears in a conceptual form, streamlined and tailored to the car’s overall design. This design idea for a revised crest reflects the fact that Cadillac’s unmistakable symbol has evolved dozens of times through history to mark new eras or design achievements.

Exquisitely Crafted Interior

The interior of Elmiraj blends elegantly crafted luxury and generous space with driver-focused performance elements. The upper section of the instrument panel is a single piece extending across the full width of the car, while the lower forms a cockpit space tailored for performance.

“A concept provides not only an opportunity to explore new design ideas, but to pursue new techniques for elegant craftsmanship and materials,” said Gael Buzyn, lead interior designer.

Backlit titanium trim curves from the cowl to the doors, dividing the rich upper camel leather from the wood trim. Cadillac Studio craftsmen handpicked fallen Brazilian Rosewood, a wood veneer prized for its use for hundreds of years in home furnishings and musical instruments. The wood is hand-cut into three dimensional sections for perfect control of the grain flow.

The car’s instrumentation features an analog tachometer and speedometer that are transparent. Directly behind the analog gauges sits a wide screen, high resolution display which projects driver information and the output of a front-mounted camera. A 10-inch touchscreen for navigation and connectivity can be concealed inside the instrument panel when not in use.

The 2+2 layout features high-performance seats, designed to support spirited driving while also delivering luxury accommodation. Elmiraj passengers might actually lobby to sit in the back. The rear bucket seats each contain a valet feature to ease entry and exit. The front bucket seat slides 10 inches forward while the rear bucket seat slides 4 inches forward to meet the passenger, then slides him or her back into position once seated. The rear bucket seats recline for additional comfort.

Many of the most celebrated automotive designs through history have been luxury coupes

“We were influenced in particular by the 1967 Eldorado, both its actual design and the fact that in its time that car was a very stark contrast and a new direction. More recent design like the CTS-V Coupe and the ELR are provocative,” said Dean, the advanced design director. “Both of these cars were major statements of performance and luxury and drove Cadillac forward into new territory.”

Designers at General Motors’ advanced design studio in North Hollywood, Calif., under the direction of Frank Saucedo, led the development of the car’s interior and exterior. Elmiraj was hand-built by in-house craftsmen in Michigan.

###

Cadillac Elmiraj Specifications

Model	Elmiraj Concept
Body Style	4-passenger, 2-door grand coupe
Dimensions
Height	55 in / 1397 mm
Width	76 in / 1930 mm
Length	205 in / 5207 mm
Curb Weight	Approx. 4000 lb / 1814 kg
Powertrain
Engine	4.5-liter Twin Turbo V8
Power	500 hp / 373 kW
Torque	500 lb-ft / 678 Nm

 

[Bruce Nunnally]

[Bruce Nunnally]

[Göran W]

Time to move on to production!!!!!

[Bruce Nunnally]

Cadillac took a step closer to producing a new large flagship vehicle for Cadillac with the introduction of the Elmiraj grand coupe concept.

The vehicle, which was shown today in Ann Arbor after debuting earlier this month at a classic car event in Pebble Beach, Calif., exudes the "mid-century modern" feel Cadillac is embracing, advanced design director Clay Dean said.

Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2013/08/26/cadillac-elmiraj-big-luxury-car/2701861/

The car's name comes from El Mirage Dry Lake, home of land speed record racing.

[Cadillac Jim]

One of the things that strikes me about this car every time I see a picture of it is the fine, orange-peel free paint job. The only other recent cars that I have seen that are totally orange-peel free are the later Devilles. These have the flat back trunk lid that reflects the road, exhibiting this increasingly unusual mark of quality. You can see it all over the Elmiraj.

[cdgrinci]

The Elmiraj has great presence IMO. Cadillac style is of 'it's own' and is leading (rather than following); just the way it used to be (and should be).

[JohnnyG]

One of the things that strikes me about this car every time I see a picture of it is the fine, orange-peel free paint job. The only other recent cars that I have seen that are totally orange-peel free are the later Devilles. These have the flat back trunk lid that reflects the road, exhibiting this increasingly unusual mark of quality. You can see it all over the Elmiraj.

If you would like to know how that came about, read Bob Lutz's book, Car Guys vs. Bean Counters. This book is an excellent read that covers just about every aspect of GM from the days of Harley Earl to the bankruptcy and recovery.

In fact I am going to start a new topic just to recommend this book to all the members of this group.

[Bruce Nunnally]

 

Ed Welburn joins Jay at Pebble Beach for an up-close look at Cadillac's groundbreaking lightweight grand coupe.

[cdgrinci]

Great link Bruce; love Jay and Ed (always great info and insight.)

[Cadillac Jim]

After seeing the car up close and all over, it is looking a little like a truly suitable Eldorado revival, in concept. It's not the mid-size 1992-2002 size, it's more like the full-size 1957-1970 era in particular, when luxury and performance were the hallmarks of the Eldorado. The 1992-2002 Eldorado is a smaller version tuned for the times, with excellent fuel economy and emissions combined with world-class performance, which the El Miraj features along with 21st Century technology, environment, and room, making it a better revival of the heyday of the 1957-1970 Eldorado era than the smaller 1992-2002 Eldoado.

The clock did not have power, unless the red hand is not a second hand or sweep hand, indicating that this may not be a fully operational prototype. And, although the cad did look drivable, they did not invite Jay to start it. The wheels had been turned for the photo shoot so that the Cadillac crests on the hubs were perfectly horizontal. The overall effect was that this particular car is a visual and photo model, not a fully operational prototype, and may be a few months from production-ready drawings and such. I suspect that tooling for a new model nowadays is more of a matter of CNC programming and waiting for long-lead items in the supply chain, like body panels, but with its reception, we might see this car in less than a year.

I saw an XTS on the road yesterday and it had a gloss black paint job that had that same quality that I spoke of earlier in this Topic.

[JohnnyG]

I saw an XTS on the road yesterday and it had a gloss black paint job that had that same quality that I spoke of earlier in this Topic.

Next time you're out and near a Chevy dealer, take a look at a Volt roof, (also black) as well as the rest of the paint. Flawless is the best term I can come up with to describe it. I actually thought it was plastic (Lexan) for about a month after I purchased mine. Without going into a lot of detail, when Mr. Lutz asked paint and body why they couldn't previously do a paint finish like this, the answer came back "Nobody ever asked for it before!" Prior to this question, paint production reveled in the status quo as being "Highest in initial quality" (i.e. fewest complaints!).

[Cadillac Jim]

Actually, form my remembrance of my youth, it was simply compounding between coats and after the final clearcoat. Perhaps an extra pigment coat to add thickness taken away by the compounding, and an extra clearcoat to give full thickness there after two correspondings.

[JohnnyG]

Actually, form my remembrance of my youth, it was simply compounding between coats and after the final clearcoat. Perhaps an extra pigment coat to add thickness taken away by the compounding, and an extra clearcoat to give full thickness there after two correspondings.

Well, yes, that was then,and I have done a few laquer and clear jobs myself over the years. You also must realize that things are VERY different today. First of all, robots do the painting. Robots do not hand sand or wet sand anything. Additionally, there are the EPA VOC emmisions to contend with, you won't find laquer paint anywhere near a production line. So in the end, due to advancements in latex chemistry, you have water based paints that look EVEN BETTER than the old hand polished stuff, and more durable too. Even though a prototype may not have the "correct" drive train (if it even runs at all) or a powerd dash clock, the panels can still be run through the paint booths using production paint materials, so what you SEE is what you get.

C'mon Jim, you didn't even have epoxy, high fill, self surfacing primers back then!

[Cadillac Jim]

I wasn't involved with body work back in the day, and in fact and challenged with body and interior work even today. You may recall a Topic last year when it took me over a week to become informed on how to remove the rearview mirror of the Eldorado, even though, once prompted, I found it in the FSM - and recalled seeing it there several years ago. And, I solved the looseness problems simply by shoving it firmly into its holder, with an ice cream stick to tighten the hold of the retaining spring as a backup that I never needed.

My first car, a 1941 Chevrolet, had a gloss black paint job that had no trace of orange peel, as did most cars at least until the 1960's. The anonymous commodity jelly-bean cars of the 1980's that persist even today all have the orange peel.

The legacy paint procedure was one or two coats of primer, one to seal the body and provide rust prevention, the second primer to seal the paint and prevent cracking and peeling. Later primers were formulated to do both jobs. These primers were often wet-compounded to reveal body imperfections. A wet first primer coat could reveal through reflections off a water-wet surface dings not visible on a dry matte surface, which could then be filled, compounded over, and a second primer coat (unless the filler didn't need a primer coat).

Compounding was wet compounding, with big fluffy wet slowly rotating brushes that you don't see anymore. The water-wet surface was used to evaluate smoothness and judge when compounding was complete for that coat.

In the late 1950's the Earl Scheib inexpensive paint job, that just used thin coats and painted the second layer over the mildly reticulated first layer was accepted, and became the norm during the 1980's. Manufacturers stopped the wet compounding steps about then, and the cars simply did not have breaks between the painting tents for compounding anymore, saving time, space and money in manufacturing. As you say, nobody complained because the paint didn't have cracks, dry spots, or flake or peel. Cleaning after compounding is an important step that, if not done properly, causes flaking and peeling after the car is out in the world for a time, so this may have been perceived in the J.D.Power ratings as a quality improvement. Since most car finishes used metallic finishes that did not show mild reticulation, compounding for finish quality became pretty much unimportant.

In the early 1990's, concern about air quality motivated research into paint compositions that resulted in water-based paints, and eventually paints that could seal the body and adhere to it, making primers unnecessary. Fewer coats of paint also makes a quality finish easier to accomplish. But that didn't change the role of compounding in removing mild reticulation to provide a quality final finish. And, you can always look at that first coat to provide filler for minor blemishes; as JohnnyG says, this will be a different filler than the Bondo used in the old days to do everything from fill dents and bridge rust gaps to minor fill for blemishes, because the new fillers must adhere to paint, not body or primer, and must work with paint as the next layer and not need a primer coat. Bondo and many others make modern fillers now, of course.

Rolls Royce, Jaguar, Mercedes, and some other manufacturers never stopped special care for the final quality of the finish, particularly with the non-metallic flat colors (even white!), and nobody really lost the recipe. Since Cadillac revived the practice with the Deville about 2000, I've seen it occasionally on upscale models from Europe and Japan. I believe that the Ford 500 has this type of care in the finish. I don't see many Lincolns and don't recall one with a dark non-metallic paint job so I don't know but I would wager that at least some have compounded finish. I don't recall many late mode Chrysler products with flat color finishes, just metallic to my immediate recollection, so I can't say.

[Bruce Nunnally]

Sometimes, getting at the essence of something involves taking a step back, approaching from a fresh angle. Perhaps that’s what happened at Cadillac when the sleek Elmiraj concept was created. Its designers are an Englishman and a Frenchman, but they seem to have been very focused on the best facets of American design.

“We both like midcentury modern,” said Gael Buzyn, lead interior designer for the Cadillac Elmiraj concept. Mr. Buzyn, the Frenchman, showed off the interior he had designed at an event in Chelsea last week following the car’s Pebble Beach premiere. Niki Smart, the Englishman, was the lead exterior designer.

Read more:

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/30/the-cadillac-elmiraj-concept-a-little-british-a-little-french-a-lot-american/?_r=1&

[Bruce Nunnally]

Vanity Fair:

Two years ago, at a private event held during the weeklong summer bacchanal known as Monterey Car Week, Cadillac introduced its Ciel concept car: a reddish-brown, leather-lined, four-door, gasoline-electric hybrid convertible. We called it audacious and burgundelicious and begged our beloved Wreath and Crest brand to produce it, to no avail. This year, at Cadillac’s now annual event at the same golf-clubhouse location, high in the hills above Carmel, the marque hit its mark (and ours) a second time with its latest future-casting vehicle, the stunning Elmiraj coupe. And this one, finally, seems more like a go-er than simply a show-er.

Read more: http://www.vanityfair.com/style/stick-shift/2013/09/cadillac-elmiraj-review

[Bruce Nunnally]

Despite the fact that most everyone who has laid eyes on the Cadillac Elmiraj concept coupe loves it, General Motors insiders are still trying to prove the business case to build the car. And it's certainly not a guarantee.

Read more: http://www.autoblog.com/2013/11/20/cadillac-may-not-build-elmiraj-coupe/

[Göran W]

Sad. The time to do it is NOW!