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Junkyard Gem: 1981 Cadillac Eldorado with V8-6-4 engine

Skyrocketing fuel prices caused by geopolitical events in 1973 and 1979 led to gas lines, federal fuel economy requirements, and an increasing reluctance on the part of American car shoppers to buy big, thirsty Detroit luxury machines. General Motors had pulled off some amazing technological feats in the past — the small-block Chevrolet V8 engine and Hydramatic transmission being two extraordinarily successful ones — and so Cadillac's bosses figured that a combination of computer wizardry and clever mechanical engineering would give the 368-cubic-inch Cadillac V8 a cylinder-deactivation system and resulting superior fuel economy. Here's a very rare example of one of those 1981 Cadillacs, found in a California self-service wrecking yard. The idea behind the V8-6-4 was that computer-controlled solenoids would physically disengage the rocker arms for one or two cylinders on each engine bank under low-load conditions, converting the engine from a 368-cube V8 to a 276ci V6 or 184ci V4 (that's 6.0, 4.5 or 3.0 liters, respectively, for the metric-system aficionados among us). This sort of variable-displacement magic is commonplace today, but it was science-fiction stuff in 1981. An "MPG Sentinel" display on the dash would let the driver know how many cylinders were active at the moment, and the car would get Chevy Citation fuel economy with Cadillac luxury. The V8-6-4 was the standard engine in all 1981 Cadillacs (except for the Seville, which had the troubled Oldsmobile diesel engine as the base powerplant and the V8-6-4 as an option). Unfortunately, the V8-6-4 worked about as well as the Oldsmobile diesel: very poorly. Within a few years, most owners of these engines had disconnected the rocker-deactivation solenoids and just drove their cars as regular full-time V8s. This one has the snazzy "Cabriolet Roof Treatment" option, which boasted "textured elk grain" vinyl and could be had in one of 17 available colors. Front-wheel drive gave the early-1980s Eldorado plenty of interior space, despite its more proletarian Olds Toronado origins, and these velour-covered seats made for very comfortable road trips. The price tag started at $17,550, or about $51,650 in 2019 dollars. The 1981 Imperial went for $18,311, and that car was based on the same platform as the lowly Plymouth Volare. Meanwhile, A BMW 733i cost $28,945 and a new Toyota Cressida a mere $11,599. The 1981 Cadillacs were just a little too much ahead of their time, it turned out.

Cadillac ATS-V Coupe caught undisguised ahead of LA reveal

Vsport versions of the CTS and XTS sedans are all well and good, but what Cadillac enthusiasts have really been looking forward to is the arrival of the next full-on V model. And here we have it.
Spied in the nude during an apparent photo shoot ahead of its anticipated debut at the fast-approaching Los Angeles Auto Show, the upcoming new Cadillac ATS-V Coupe is set to pick up where the old CTS-V left off, only in a more compact form. Unlike previous spy shots of heavily disguised prototypes, this final version is showing a chrome-framed mesh grille, along with a deep lower air dam with what looks to be a carbon-fiber front splitter. That bulging hood with heat extractor vents is tipped to be packing a twin-turbo V6 engine, breathing out of quad exhaust tips.
The aggressive aero kit also encompasses side skirts, a reshaped rear bumper and a lip spoiler on the truck, while the upgraded rolling stock wears serious low-profile rubber and the brakes appear to be carbon-ceramic units. Peer through the window and you can even see the sport bucket seats with slots for racing harnesses. All of which suggests a serious American challenger to the BMW M4 and its ilk, and we're looking forward to seeing the vehicle in the metal in LA next month.

Cadillac Lyriq infotainment system will be 33 inches of something totally new

It’s screen day! Mercedes was first up with the EQS screen. Now, Cadillac just dropped more information on the massive infotainment screen going in its upcoming Lyriq EV, and the details are intriguing.  GM asked for some rather nontraditional help when designing and developing the LyriqÂ’s infotainment system. Both Territory Studio and Rightpoint were brought in to help Cadillac put something together that is hopefully nothing like the disaster that CUE was. The 33-inch LED screen spanning the width of the dash gave them plenty of real estate to get creative. Territory Studios is a global (originated in London) creative agency known for its expertise in user interface design, and itÂ’s worked on a number of video games, too. Rightpoint is a digital consultancy company that does a whole lot of everything in the digital world. Cadillac says the two companies were “focused on artfully integrating aesthetics, purpose and technology.” We wonÂ’t know how successful they were until we give it a shot, but Cadillac emphasizes that itÂ’s trying a fresh perspective for what an infotainment systemÂ’s user interface should be. Customizability and flexibility are two elements Cadillac is highlighting. There will supposedly be display themes “to fit the driverÂ’s mood and personality.”  The short 25-second video clip above preview shows a scaled-back and simple interface with a bottom row of essential function buttons. A menu list appears above this, and while there are likely many color themes available, the one shown is mostly dark with blues and blacks dominating the screen. One icon weÂ’ll point out is the colorful Google Maps icon in the menu list. Will Cadillac actually use Google Maps as the navigation system from the factory in the Lyriq? Perhaps. It tends to be exponentially better than any manufacturer-designed navigation system. Cadillac says more in-depth info will be available on January 12, so check back for a deeper dive then. You can peruse photos of the car getting this infotainment system below. Cadillac Lyriq View 8 Photos