2008 Cadillac Dts 4dr Sdn W/1sc on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Cadillac explains origins of Lyriq EV name

We feel for Cadillac, a brand we're inclined to dub the Alex Rodriguez of the automotive world — so much obvious talent, its gifts warped by repeated questionable moves and an inability to conclusively close the deal on The Big Stage. And as with Rodriguez, the expectations are so high at the same time the disappointment is so entrenched that Cadillac gets no benefits of any doubts, the commentariat ruthless with criticism for anything less than an out-of-the-park home run. This latest news, like the Newton-meter torque-based naming scheme initiated earlier this year, likely won't help. GM Authority asked Cadillac about the origin of the Lyriq name for the coming battery-electric crossover. Global head of brand strategy Phil Dauchy explained three threads that went into the new moniker. In no particular order, one thread is that "Cadillac," according to Dauchy, gets more mentions in song lyrics than any other brand, including non-automotive brands. The Music Lyrics Database, while not exhaustive, supports the case: Cadillac has 31 pages of lyric mentions among bands from Rancid to Weird Al Yankovic, beating every other brand we could think of. So ... lyrics into Lyriq. The second thread is rolled up with Cadillac's move to proper names instead of alphanumerics for the sedan and crossover lines, all of those names to end in "iq," as well as the push into electric vehicles. Dauchy told GMA the nomenclature overhaul and the two-letter suffix "[signal] that Cadillac is bringing a different type of vehicle to market, one that works in concert with man, nature, and machine." He's bullish on swaying the public with the product, adding, "When you see [the Cadillac Celestiq], its size, presence and scale all connote the emotion associated with the name." The final thread that went into the Lyriq name the alliteration of brand and model names. As GMA phrased it, perhaps unsettlingly, "With Cadillac and the model name both ending in an 'ick' sound, these names roll off the tongue quite well." This brings up a question raised in a number of comments about the Lyriq, which asks whether the last syllable is pronounced "ick" or "eek." Until now, I've pronounced the coming crossover with an "eek" at the end. "Lyr-eek" strikes me as more luxurious, and "Celest-eek" sounds better to me than "Celest-ick," that latter model being the flagship EV that follows the Lyriq. Of course, it also makes me wonder if I've been pronouncing "Cadillac" correctly.

2019 Cadillac Escalade Sport Edition goes dark for the L.A. Auto Show

Cadillac is taking a shallow swing at the L.A. Auto Show, which might have something to do with the churn and burn happening at the brand and at parent General Motors. The Escalade Sport Edition brings its dark hue to the West Coast shindig, a touch of anti-flash that's actually a pinstripe job. For $2,700, it installs Gloss Black Ice chrome on the grille, rear fascia, window surrounds, and body side moldings, and the otherwise optional 22-inch Midnight Silver wheels. That's the whole show. Available on three of the Escalade's four trims — Luxury, Premium Luxury, and Platinum — brand president Steve Carlisle said the Sport Edition comes "in response to customer and dealer demand for a dark and aggressive look." The least expensive 2WD Luxury model starts at $84,790, including destination, with orders commencing at the beginning of next year. For all that the package isn't, it is still a better deal than buyers got ten years ago, when the 2007 Escalade offered a similarly thin Sport Edition for $4,890. There are a few small changes for the Escalade line overall for 2019. The exterior colors Midnight Sky Metallic and Dark Granite Metallic leave the palette list, making room for Manhattan Noir Metallic and Shadow Metallic to join the list. In back, there's a hands-free tailgate with a logo light, standard on all trims. The Escalade Sport Edition represents both a beginning and an end for the model. The fourth-generation Escalade went on sale in 2014 as a 2015 model, and this is the first special edition it gets. This could be the last, too, since the fourth-gen money machine we called "Old, but not antiquated" in our Driver's Notes last month is expected to give way to a fifth-generation for the 2020 model year. Related Video:

Cadillac's Super Cruise — look, Elon, no hands!

Cadillac is about to start selling vehicles with an autonomous driving mode and TechCrunch got an early look at the technology in a production car. "Wait for the green light and let go," the Cadillac engineer instructed. That's it. The car was driving itself. I, the person behind the steering wheel, was no longer the driver. Cadillac's Super Cruise system was driving. The 2018 Cadillac CT6 sped along U.S. 23 under the direction of Super Cruise. Traffic was light and the weather was perfect. The system held the Cadillac sedan in lane and responded appropriately to traffic. I spent an hour on the expressway and touched the steering wheel and pedals only a few times. Super Cruise made the drive boring. I think that's the point. Here's how it works Super Cruise is available once the driver navigates the vehicle onto an expressway. When ready, a little icon is displayed by the speedometer and the driver hits a button on the steering wheel to switch it on. Once the light bar on top of the steering wheel turns green, the driver can let go. Super Cruise is driving.This steering wheel light bar is key to the operation. When green, the driver knows Super Cruise is in control. Blue means the driver interrupted the system to change lanes and red means Super Cruise needs the driver to confirm they're paying attention and not checking Twitter. When active, Super Cruise controls the steering and speed, but again, only on an expressway. This is done through onboard sensors and using GPS and mapping data. GM employed GeoDigital, a startup in GM Venture's portfolio, to map 160,000 miles of expressways in the U.S. and Canada. The car company then used Super Cruise-equipped vehicles to test each mile. This combination of onboard systems combined with map data makes the system feel polished and sophisticated. During my admittedly limited time in the vehicle, the CT6 precisely held its position in the lane and confidently handled sweeping curves at speed. There was no wiggling or squirming — from the Cadillac or myself. The car was in control, and I felt safe. Although the driving conditions were perfect for my test ride, during adverse weather, the system will work normally until one of the key systems is unable to operate.