Cadillac names new global design chief, elation ensues
Cadillac's much ballyhooed design revival just got a bit more compelling with the addition of Clay Dean, a GM designer whose work we've seen, and enjoyed, for the last two decades.Heading the newly formed Cadillac global design team, Dean will be heading up the styling direction for a number of new products over the next few years. Dean's past endeavors have centered on small and mid-sized vehicles since 2004, primarily the Pontiac Solstice and its sibling, the Saturn Sky. In addition to the two roadsters, Dean has had his hands in three different GM platforms and led the design teams that developed the Chevy Cobalt, HHR, the new Malibu and the Saturn Aura, recent winner of the North American Car of the Year award.
What's on the horizon for Mr. D? Two new vehicles from Caddy, specifically a sedan priced below the CTS and a small crossover. Our interest is piqued, and we can't wait to see what he brings to the table.
[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
comon 6:17AM (8/20/2007)
Forget about designing new cars.....just make the Cadillac Sixteen.......Please!!
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Mike 7:27AM (8/20/2007)
Your interest is a waffled shirt? Hmm, cool I like "pique".
Anyway, I don't think think this is that exciting. I like Caddy's current designs and I think the Cobalt, HHR and Malibu are ugly. The sky is okay, the Solstice...not so much.
This could be bad news...and I agree with COMON, make the Sixteeen will you? Wasn't that concept completely functional? What's the hold up? That thing would be a Bentley GT killer...people would be offering their first born for that car worldwide. Not building a concept like that is what I like to call, "pulling a Jaguar". Just make it!
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policyvote 8:51AM (8/20/2007)
Nice. Spend a decade reclaiming the Cadillac brand, and taking the Euro premium brands head-on . . . then go downmarket.
Well hell, the Euro premium brands are doing it, so I guess why not?
Peace
policy
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the marais 9:44AM (8/20/2007)
I disagree with the above comments.
(1) Lutz is right when he said that the Cadillac 16 would be a PR disaster in the age of high gas prices and increasing public sentiment against oil companies and oil-producing nations. It is a sweet design, and it would sell, however.
(2) Cadillac NEEDS a Audi A4 / BMW 3 series competitor. The CTS competes against the 5 series. A smaller and chic RWD ALPHA platform car would be a great intro-Cadillac. Buick needs one, too.
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zack 11:38AM (8/20/2007)
Agreed. Give me a CTS-V in Avant form... I'd be interested. Yakima doesn't even make roof racks for the CTS. That should shed some insight in missing a key demographic... 30yo men that are into sports. Huge out here in California.
Nellydesign 10:14AM (8/20/2007)
Anyone know what school this guy graduated from?
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Ivan 2:36PM (8/20/2007)
He graduated from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.
why not the LS2/LS7? 12:18PM (8/20/2007)
Does this mean the art & science designs like the XLR are dead? That'd be a huge shame.
I like the Solstice and Sky, but if this means the end to Cadillac's current designs, I'm against it.
As to the Sixteen being a PR nightmare: selling a 16 cylinder car seemed to go okay for Bugatti. I think they shouldn't build it because they couldn't possibly sell enough to make it profitable.
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Viv 12:37PM (8/20/2007)
Bugatti makes 100 cars a year (Ok a little more) and there somewhere in the middle of europe. Cadillac is right smack dab in the middle of tree huggers and in the auto capital of the world. The average joe never heard of Bugatti but they sure heard about Cadillac.
why not the LS2/LS7? 2:07PM (8/20/2007)
Viv, you seem to forget there are people in Europe too. They had a green party before we did.
Don 2:45PM (8/20/2007)
Oh, thank God...get rid of that God awful "Art & Science" crap!
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Devin 3:38PM (8/20/2007)
No, the Art and Science is now what makes a cadillac a cadillac. The new CTS is B.E.A.Utiful.
As far as the article goes, I am sort of scared about this new guy. I love the Solstice and Sky, and even the new Malibu looks better than everything in its class except maybe the next gen. Mazda 6. However, I don't want to see Cadillacs starting to look like every other euro/jap luxury car on the market.