Cadillac Sixteen

Last updated
Cadillac Sixteen
Eyes on Design 001.jpg
Overview
Manufacturer Cadillac (General Motors)
Designer Wayne Cherry, Brian Smith, Tom Stephens, [1] Michael Torpey [2]
Body and chassis
Class Concept car
Body style 4-door sedan
Layout Front-mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Powertrain
Engine 13.6 L (13,584 cc) 32-valve V16
Transmission 4 speed GM 4L85-E automatic (modified)
Dimensions
Wheelbase 3,556 mm (140.0 in) [3]
Length5,672 mm (223.3 in) [3]
Width2,029 mm (79.9 in) [3]
Height1,392 mm (54.8 in) [3]
Curb weight 5,005 lb (2,270 kg) [3]

The Cadillac Sixteen is a concept car first developed and presented by Cadillac in 2003.

Contents

The vehicle is equipped with a Cadillac proprietary-developed aluminum 32-valve V16 engine displacing 13.6 liters (829 cu. in; 13,584 cc), which was exclusive to the Sixteen and based on the GM Generation IV LS architecture. [4] It is mated to a four-speed, electronically controlled, automatic transmission driving the rear wheels. The engine features fuel-saving Active Fuel Management "Displacement on Demand" technology, [5] which could shut down either twelve or eight of the cylinders when the full output was not needed. [6] The V16 was capable of 16.65 mpg under normal conditions. The engine was said to produce a minimum of 1,000 bhp (746 kW; 1,014 PS) and at least 1,000 lb⋅ft (1,356 N⋅m) of torque [5] using no form of forced induction. The car itself weighs about 5,005 lb (2,270 kg).

The car referenced the Cadillac V-16 of the 1930s. The actual design of the car was a combination of Cadillac's current "Art and Science" design theme and 1967 Cadillac Eldorado cues. Additional original design elements were provided by an in-house design competition led by GM Vice President Bob Lutz. The Sixteen has the Cadillac logo carved out of solid crystal on the steering wheel and a Bulgari clock on the dashboard.

Eyes on Design 002.jpg
The Sixteen's interior
2003 Cadillac Sixteen concept.png
Rear view
2003 Detroit Auto Show Cadillac Concept.jpg
Side view with doors open

Although the Sixteen remained a concept car, its design language was implemented in Cadillac's subsequent vehicles, most noticeably on the 2008 Cadillac CTS. Since its unveiling there have been resurfacing rumors about a possible very limited production of an exclusive Cadillac halo model. A scaled-down version of the car, referred to as the ULS (Ultra Luxury Sedan) or XLS, with a standard V8 and an optional V12 (the latter was to be called the Cadillac Twelve), had been rumored for production since 2005, [7] but was eventually shelved in favor of the Cadillac XTS.

View of the V16 engine Eyes on Design 005.jpg
View of the V16 engine

Ever since the Sixteen was first unveiled there have been resurfacing rumors, speculation and high hopes of automotive journalists and aficionados about a possible limited production of an exclusive Cadillac halo model, such as the Sixteen, to be the "ultimate flagship" of the brand and sit atop of the upcoming flagship, as previewed by the Ciel concept of late 2011. [5] [8] [9] An exclusive Cadillac halo model descended from the Sixteen concept lineage was finally confirmed in March 2020 with the Cadillac Celestiq, an ultra luxury, 4 door electric flagship sedan set to begin production in 2023.

In media

In 2003, Top Gear reviewed the Cadillac 16 with its presenter James May in Series 2, Episode 10. May praised the Sixteen as "exactly what a Cadillac should be" and said it should be put into production.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lincoln Motor Company</span> Luxury division of Ford Motor Company

Lincoln Motor Company, or simply Lincoln, is the luxury vehicle division of American automobile manufacturer Ford Motor Company. Marketed among the top luxury vehicle brands in the United States, until 2020, Lincoln was positioned closely against its General Motors counterpart Cadillac; however, beginning with the 2021 model year, they only offer SUV and crossover vehicles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadillac</span> Luxury car manufacturing division of General Motors

Cadillac Motor Car Division, or simply Cadillac, is a division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM) that designs and builds luxury vehicles. Its major markets are the United States, Canada and China. Cadillac models are distributed in 34 additional markets worldwide. Historically, Cadillac automobiles were at the top of the luxury field within the United States, but have been outsold by European luxury brands including BMW and Mercedes since the 2000s. In 2019, Cadillac sold 390,458 vehicles worldwide, a record for the brand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadillac Seville</span> American mid-size luxury sedan

The Cadillac Seville is a mid-size luxury car manufactured by Cadillac from the 1976 to 2004 model years as a smaller-sized, premium model. It was replaced by the STS in 2004 for the 2005 model year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LaSalle (automobile)</span> Defunct American motor vehicle manufacturer

LaSalle was an American brand of luxury automobiles manufactured and marketed, as a separate brand, by General Motors' Cadillac division from 1927 through 1940. Alfred P. Sloan, GM's Chairman of the Board, developed the concept for four new GM marques - LaSalle, Marquette, Viking and Pontiac - paired with already established brands to fill price gaps he perceived in the General Motors product portfolio. Sloan created LaSalle as a companion marque for Cadillac. LaSalle automobiles were manufactured by Cadillac, but were priced lower than Cadillac-branded automobiles, were shorter, and were marketed as the second-most prestigious marque in the General Motors portfolio. LaSalles were titled as LaSalles, and not as Cadillacs. Like Cadillac — named after Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac — the LaSalle brand name was based on that of another French explorer, René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadillac Cimarron</span> 1982-1988 U.S. motor vehicle from General Motors

The Cadillac Cimarron is an entry-level luxury car manufactured and marketed by the Cadillac division of General Motors for model years 1982–1988 over a single generation, with a mild facelift in 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadillac V-16</span> Motor vehicle

The Cadillac V-16 was Cadillac's top-of-the-line model from its January 1930 launch until 1940. The V16 powered car was a first in the United States, both extremely expensive and exclusive, with every chassis being custom-finished to order. Only 4,076 were constructed in its 11-year run, with the majority built in its debut year before the Great Depression took strong hold. The onset of World War II reduced the sales, resulting in its demise. It was, however, at least three times cheaper than Bugatti Royale.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rebadging</span> Changing badges of the same car

In the automotive industry, rebadging is a form of market segmentation used by automobile manufacturers around the world. To allow for product differentiation without designing or engineering a new model or brand, a manufacturer creates a distinct automobile by applying a new "badge" or trademark to an existing product line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buick LaCrosse</span> Motor vehicle

The Buick LaCrosse is a four-door, front-wheel-drive sedan manufactured by Buick since model year 2005, and marketed variously across four generations for the North American and Chinese markets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadillac STS</span> American full-size sedan

The Cadillac STS is a mid-sized luxury 4-door sedan manufactured and marketed by General Motors from 2004 to 2011 for the 2005 to 2011 model years. A version of the STS was marketed in China as the SLS through 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadillac V16 engine</span> Reciprocating internal combustion engine

The Cadillac V16 engine is a term that applies to two different Cadillac-designed V-16 automobile engines, an overhead valve 45-degree 452 cu in (7.4 L) model produced between 1930 and 1937, and a 135-degree side valve 431 cu in (7.1 L) between 1938 and 1940. Both were used in its most luxurious model line, the Cadillac V-16.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buick Park Avenue</span> Motor vehicle

The Buick Park Avenue is a full-size car built by Buick. The nameplate was first used in 1975 for an appearance option package on the Electra 225 Limited. It became an Electra trim level in 1978 and its own model starting in the 1991 model year after the Electra was discontinued.

The Cadillac V series is a line of high-performance vehicles tuned by the General Motors Performance Division for the Cadillac division of General Motors. Models in the V series tend to vary from one generation to the other. It was introduced in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadillac ELR</span> Motor vehicle

The Cadillac ELR is a two-door, four-passenger luxury plug-in hybrid compact coupé manufactured and marketed by Cadillac for model years (MY) 2014 and 2016 – with a hiatus for MY 2015. Using a retuned version of the Chevrolet Volt's Voltec EREV drivetrain, the ELR's lithium-ion battery pack delivered an all-electric range of 37–39 miles (60–63 km) and a top speed of 106 mph (171 km/h).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadillac XTS</span> Full-size luxury sedan from Cadillac

The Cadillac XTS is a full-size car built by the American company Cadillac from 2013 until 2019. It is a four-door sedan with seating for up to five passengers. Based on an enlarged version of the Epsilon II platform, it has a front-mounted engine that either drives the front wheels or drives all four wheels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buick Master Six</span> 1920s American automobile

The Buick Master Six, also denoted Series 40 and Series 50 based on the wheelbase used, was an automobile built by Buick from 1925 to 1928 and shared the GM B platform with the Oldsmobile Model 30. Previously, the company manufactured the Buick Six that used the overhead valve six-cylinder 242 cu in (4.0 L) engine in their high-end cars, and the Buick Four for smaller, less-expensive cars. After 1924, they dropped the four-cylinder engine and designed a small six, which they called the Buick Standard Six, to replace that end of the market. They coined the name "Master Six" for the high-end cars, now powered by the 255 cu in (4.2 L) engine released the year before. The yearly changes were a result of a new business philosophy called planned obsolescence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buick Avenir</span> Motor vehicle

The Buick Avenir is a concept car manufactured by Buick. The name of the vehicle Avenir means 'future' in French. In October 2017, Buick made Avenir a premium top-of-the-line sub-brand, similar to GMC’s Denali and Chevrolet’s Signature series. The Buick LaCrosse and Enclave were the first vehicles to receive this upgrade for the 2018 model year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadillac CT6</span> Full-size luxury car manufactured by Cadillac

The Cadillac CT6 is a full-size luxury car manufactured by Cadillac between 2016 and 2020 over two generations. The first generation CT6 was introduced at the 2015 New York International Auto Show and went on sale in the U.S. in March 2016. It is the first car to adopt the brand's revised naming strategy, as well as the first rear-wheel drive full-size Cadillac sedan since the Fleetwood was discontinued in 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadillac Escala</span> Motor vehicle

The Cadillac Escala is a concept car built by Cadillac for the 2016 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. The last of a trifecta of concept cars initially conceived in 2007, it is preceded by the Ciel and Elmiraj, which had debuted back in 2011 and 2013 respectively. The Escala previews Cadillac's future design language, being an evolution of the Art and Science design philosophy that has been used on its cars for over a decade.

The Cadillac Blackwing V8 is a twin-turbo DOHC V8 engine that was produced by the Cadillac Division of General Motors for use in its CT6-V and CT6-Platinum between 2018 and early 2020. It is a clean sheet engine design, as well as the Division's first ever twin-turbo V8 engine. The engine was branded as the "Blackwing V8" by GM technicians, and is the first Cadillac-exclusive dual overhead cam V8 engine since the Northstar V8 was dropped in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadillac Celestiq</span> Motor vehicle

The Cadillac Celestiq is an electric car made by the Cadillac division of General Motors. It is the flagship sedan, replacing the Cadillac CT6, Production commenced in January 2024.

References

  1. "2003 Cadillac Sixteen Concept". Audrain Automotive Museum. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
  2. "Cadillac by Michael Torpey". Coroflot. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "2003 Cadillac V Sixteen Technical specifications". www.carfolio.com. Archived from the original on 2013-10-04. Retrieved 2013-10-04.
  4. "Cadillac Sixteen Concept V-16 Engine - Tech Stuff". www.caranddriver.com. May 2003. Retrieved 2016-05-26.
  5. 1 2 3 Keebler, Jack (August 3, 2003). "Cadillac Sixteen - Concept Car". Motor Trend. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
  6. "Series 2 - Episode 10". Top Gear. Season 2. Episode 10. July 20, 2003. BBC. Archived from the original on February 2, 2007. Retrieved December 2, 2017. [...] sixteen cylinders, but if you're just cruising along you only use four cylinders, if you go to overtake someone you get eight cylinders, and its only when you flatten it, as the Americans would say, that you get all sixteen. Now, that means that this two-and-half tonne twenty-foot-long car will do 20 mpg, which is actually very impressive.
  7. walter j keegan jr. (18 January 2005). "Cadillac shores up Ultra Luxury Sedan". Autoblog.
  8. "Cadillac Sixteen Concept". www.seriouswheels.com. Archived from the original on 20 March 2015. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  9. "Cadillac keeps breaking my heart". 30 August 2011.