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The Cadillac Escala concept auto shows the brand's desire to become the Cadillac of motorcars once again. The Escala debuted Thursday night on a hilltop manor as role of Monterey Motorcar Week. Of interest to the technically inclined is the instrument console and dashboard displays: They're big (every bit is the residuum of the auto) and they're made of curved OLED panels.

The reward of OLED (organic light emitted diode) displays is that they're thin, don't take to exist flat, and they are bright, brilliant, bright. That's of import for cars when the early morning or late afternoon sun comes in a side window and shines direct on the dashboard'south flat console displays.

Smoothing the Cadillac design language

Mercedes-Benz CLS

Mercedes-Benz CLS

The OLED brandish was only one part of Cadillac'due south unveiling. The Escala is Cadillac'due south latest and best effort to develop a halo car for the brand. Johan de Nysschen, caput of Cadillac and formerly of Audi, said, "Cadillac has to accept its rightful place at the pinnacle of premium."

This is a depression-slung, four-person, four-door coupe. Information technology is the Mercedes-Benz CLS (inset right), Audi A7, or BMW Gran Coupe stretched more than a foot, to 211 inches. While "Escala" (Spanish for "scale") is shorter than "Escalade" in characters, it is six inches longer than the base SUV beloved by rock stars, diplomats who convoy, and soccer moms who long ago gave up minivans. It is big. Fortunately, America'due south nicer shopping malls have valet parking.

The Escala Concept introduces the next evolution of Cadillac desEscala softens the abrupt creases that take defined Cadillac'due south expect for more than a decade and made a Cadillac distinctive from whatever other car or SUV. According to Cadillac, "Escala features a new and evolved face of Cadillac design that volition begin appearing on production models soon." The massive grille comprises a "iii-dimensional precision pattern," the 22-inch wheels have two layers of spokes, and the front lighting has narrow elements arrayed both vertically and horizontally.

The running gear is traditional front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, with a 4.ii-liter twin-turbo V8 engine for power and active fuel management technology that falls dorsum to four-cylinder operation at steady speeds. The body derives from the new Cadillac CT6 sedan and is described as mixed-material structure, meaning steel and possibly aluminum or perchance some carbon fiber.

Cadillac's Escala concept previews craftsmanship and technical

Inside: tech upwardly front, comfort in back

Cadillac describes the cockpit every bit "dual personality: The front is about intensely focused modern applied science, while the rear delivers relaxation." The commuter looks at an assortment of three sparse, curved OLED screens "layered in front of the driver, with the back sides wrapped in paw-stitched leather embossed with the Cadillac script," consolidating the musical instrument panel and heart stack display. In a product motorcar, Cadillac may need to think about a display the forepart passenger can meliorate run across and dispense. On the console is a "central control module," apparently like BMW iDrive or Audi MMI, plus vocalization and gesture control. Since this is a GM car, at that place would be 4G LTE connectivity and on-board WiFi.

At 211 inches, even with a low roofline, there should be enough of room in back for relaxation, probably with private flat panel displays of at least 10 inches inset into the backs of the front seats, and AV controls inside the rear center armrest.

Cadillac's Escala concept previews craftsmanship and technical ideas in development for future models.

Volition they build it?

Whenever a concept car debuts, at that place's wide speculation virtually whether the motorcar will be congenital. The automaker generally says it'south feasible, in role because that's what fans of the brand desire to hear. As for the Escala, Cadillac'southward de Nysschen told Automotive News, "Depending on the evolution of market place segment for large luxury sedans, Escala is a potential improver to our existing product plan."

At the to the lowest degree, the Escala's softer blueprint language represents what we'll see on other production Cadillacs soon. If Cadillac is truly to regain its postal service-Earth War II reputation as the pinnacle of motorcars — back when people called a well-built product "the Cadillac of televisions [or toasters or motorboats]" — it needs a halo motorcar, one that could start at $70,000 (base model) and fully equipped command a price of $100,000 and higher up.

The fact that Mercedes ($70,000 and up, mode up), then BMW ($80,000) and Audi ($70,000), accept washed well with large iv-door coupes suggests Escala could be a real auto in this decade. OLEDs are not inexpensive compared with even the best LCD displays, but in a auto selling for twice the price of the boilerplate automobile, at that place's room for useful technology that carries a premium.