This weekend at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California, Cadillac will be showcasing its new Escala concept.
Designers were given two objectives in creating the lift-back one-off:
1.) Show the future of Cadillac design and technology
and
2.) Build what president of Global Cadillac Johan de Nysschen calls Cadillac’s “aspirational character” and show the world that the automaker is returning to the top of the premium vehicle market
The Escala’s vertical lighting elements will influence the lighting design on Cadillacs to come. However, we’ll have to wait to see when production Cadillacs will use organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), which can shine brighter and use less power than regular LEDs, up front. Other exterior features include 22-inch wheels whose spokes are arranged in two layers and a 3D grille pattern. Behind that is a prototype twin-turbo 4.2-liter V8, which is being developed for future Cadillacs. (Perhaps we’ll see it in a future ATS- or CTS-V?)
Inside the hand-cut-and-sewn cabin, three thin, curved OLED screens sit in front of the driver, their back sides wrapped in hand-stitched leather. They combine and integrate the driving gauges with the center stack. The center control module responds to tactile and voice commands as well as gestures, which can be used to operate the Escala’s various connectivity functions. According to Cadillac, “Inside the controller sits a new edition of Cadillac’s ‘flying Goddess’ icon, a nod to the brand’s illustrious heritage.” The hand-tailored fabric on the doors and seats was inspired by Cadillac’s fashion industry partners.
At 210.5 inches long, the Escala (Spanish for “scale”) is about half a foot longer than Cadillac’s current flagship, the recently launched 2016 CT6. Both cars ride on similar underpinnings. Currently, the Escala is only a theoretical “companion” to the CT6, but if demand for a production version of the Escala proves strong enough, it might become the new top Caddy sedan.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
