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Cadillac applies to trademark Symboliq, Optiq and Celestiq names

GM Authority found a General Motors trademark filing with the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property for the phrase "Cadillac Symboliq" and the name "Symboliq." The documents submitted on July 22 were for the category of "Motorized land vehicles, namely automobiles.” It appears the Swiss action was GM following up on what it had done the day before in the U.S. On July 21, GM filed paperwork with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to secure three words and three phrases: Symboliq and Cadillac Symboliq, Optiq and Cadillac Optiq, and Celestiq and Cadillac Celestiq. Every name is listed for application to "Motor land vehicles, namely, automobiles." Cadillac recently explained its switch to model names that end in "iq," pronounced "ick," and the fact that the Celestiq name is among the recent trio leads us to believe the automaker has strong intent to use the other two on future products. We know the Celestiq — a large, hand-built, flagship sedan that will follow the Lyriq to market, predicted to retail for close to $200,000 whenever it goes on sale. We also know Cadillac has three more battery-electric products in the works after the XT5-sized Lyriq and "massive" Celestiq. As laid out in a 2019 GM Sustainability Report pitching 20 new electric vehicles across all brands by 2023, from Cadillac we're anticipating an XT4-sized crossover, an XT6-sized three-row crossover, and an electric take on the Escalade. Two of those three could get the Symboliq and Optiq names. The lineup, and more important, Cadillac's vision, will make more sense on August 6 when we finally get to see the Lyriq concept, with its single pane of 33-inch glass forming the instrument and infotainment display across the dash, tall taillights, and 22-inch wheels.   Related Video:

All-new 2019 Cadillac XT4 crossover debuts in New York

Cadillac spent years and years improving its mainline sedans, the CTS and ATS, turning them into awfully good impressions of BMWs from a few years before. The thing is, great sedans aren't selling, and crossovers sure are. Cadillac's XT5 is the only crossover in the lineup, something that's had American Cadillac dealers gnashing their teeth and wailing — although anyone they can upsell into an Escalade can staunch the bleeding. That brings us to the new XT4, which is smaller than the XT5 but even sharper than its bigger sibling. Let's take a closer look at this new two-row luxury crossover. For one, it's based on what Cadillac calls a unique platform. That may be true, technically, although it's likely related to the Equinox/Terrain on some level. Platforms are becoming quite flexible: Look at Volkswagen's MQB, under everything from Euro hatches smaller than our Golf to the three-row Atlas. Whatever else it is underneath the skin, all XT4s will share one powertrain: the corporate 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four, paired to a nine-speed automatic transmission. View 14 Photos The engine puts out a healthy 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, putting it just a hair underneath its closest domestic rival, the Lincoln MKC with the 2.0-liter EcoBoost. Of course, the 2.3-liter MKC beats the XT4 handily, but that's another story. Power is produced with the help of a twin-scroll turbocharger. All-wheel drive is available, with a driver-selectable rear axle disconnect to save a small amount of rolling friction. Cadillac estimates it'll be good for 30 MPG on the freeway, but we haven't seen official results to confirm that. A few other changes that'll affect driving: electro-hydraulic brake assist, a first for Cadillac and mainly a fuel-saving measure; and Continuous Damping Control, which alters the damper's valve continuously based on a number of parameters. It's almost certainly used here because it's lighter and less expensive than air suspension or MagneRide, and it is optional on XT4. CDC or no, all XT4s utilize a front strut and five-link rear suspension. All XT4s also ride on 18-inch wheels in various designs. The trim strategy is mildly interesting. The base model is the Luxury, and then you can choose a Sport (black exterior trim, unique wheels) or a Premium Luxury (bright trim and satin-brushed accents). The interior options are suitably upscale and premium, and we'll have more to say about them a little later when we can see this car up close.

Cadillac Celestiq flagship EV shows off its tint-shifting smart roof

GM has high hopes for its upcoming Cadillac Celestiq sedan, slated for release in 2023. The flagship EV is being built to help the brand recapture its reign as “the Standard of the World.” As such, itÂ’s expected to arrive packed to the gills with cutting edge, futuristic technology including an all-glass roof that can adjust its opacity anywhere between crystal clear and completely opaque with the mere flick of a switch. These roofs, dubbed SPD-Smartglass, have been designed and manufactured by Research Frontiers of Woodbury, New York, and are based on Suspended Particle Device technology that was originally created as a replacement for the manual sliding window shades aboard commercial aircraft, Research Frontiers CEO Joe Harary told Engadget. Some of the earliest examples of SPD window treatments can be seen on the 2011 Mercedes Benz SLK roadster and in the 2012 Mercedes S Class coupe, which were used to increase headspace while eliminating the physical window shade screens, as well as various McLaren models over the past decade. As the YouTube video below explains, Research Frontiers SPD tech relies on polyiodide nanoparticles to generate its tint effect. Magic Sky Control Using SPD-SmartGlass Technology “SPD technology is smart glass that allows you to change the tint of the glass,” Harary explained. “There's this film that we invented that has little nanoparticles in it, which you can control with a small electrical voltage. So, basically this film... that allows you to dial in whatever tint level you'd like.”  “The crystals are about three to five tenths of a micron in length and they act as induced dipoles so when you apply an electric field to conductive coatings in the film,” Harary continued, “ the particles will line up, and allow light to pass through. Then, when you remove the voltage, their natural tendency is to be in the dark state due to Brownian movement and that causes the glass to tint.”  As the tint partially blocks incoming photons, it also reduces the amount of glare experienced by the driver and the heat trapped within the vehicle — over 99.5 percent of light and 95 percent of heat, per a January press release from the company. The claim is, this allows vehicle occupants to stay comfortable for longer without having to turn on the A/C, as well as keep the interior up to 18 degrees Fahrenheit cooler overall, Harary said.