Cadillac Escala Concept Previews the Future of American Luxury
Cadillac has unveiled a new concept at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
Called the Escala Concept, it previews the next evolution of Cadillac design while showing the craftsmanship and technology being developed for future models. The name comes from the Spanish word for “scale,” and the vehicle is a concept for a larger, more elite and expressive companion to the new Cadillac CT6. It is also the third in a series of concepts the American automaker has debuted at Pebble Beach in recent years, joining the Ciel convertible and Elmiraj coupe.
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Designed to be both a driver’s car and an indulgent flagship sedan, the large four-door concept has an expansive liftback design that emphasizes the car’s considerable scale and versatility. Its overall length measures at 210.5 inches, making it roughly six inches longer than the CT6.
Up front, there’s a three-dimensional precision pattern in the grille design, while 22-inch wheels with two layers of spokes have been bolted on each corner. Under the hood is a new 4.2-liter twin-turbo V8 engine, which is a prototype of a new system currently in development for future models.
On the inside, the Cadillac has a “dual personality” interior with the front focused on modern technology, while the rear delivers relaxation for the passengers. There are three curved OLED screens prominently featured in the front of the cabin, with very thin and curved displays layered in front of the driver. The array of screens consolidate the traditional driving gauge cluster with the center stack into one integrated unit.
Also previewing new designs for connectivity and control, the Escala Concept has a system that features a central control module that enables the driver to use tactile commands in addition to voice and gesture control. Inside the controller is Cadillac’s “flying Goddess” icon, a nod to the brand’s illustrious heritage.
“Escala is a concept with two clear objectives,” said Johan de Nysschen, president of Global Cadillac. “First, Escala is a statement of intent for the next iteration of the Cadillac design language, and also technical concepts in development for future Cadillac models. Secondly, Escala builds Cadillac’s aspirational character, signaling the brand’s return to the pinnacle of premium.”
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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I like the continuity in the design, even the minimalist headlights, which fit in nicely but I'm not sure would serve the purpose.
Put the standard Corvette V8 in there, do a Coupe and Sedan version and go all out on interior, the platform is there, use the new 10 speed transmission and cylinder deactivation and voila! A hybrid or complete electric would not be out of the question this new platform is so full of possibilities and finally Cadillac would have two flagships, at least competitive with the Germans but way better styled. Cadillac has proven it can design better styled cars than the Germans (roughly no big evolution for 20 years and the Japanese all their cars look the same and those that do not are almost all ugly) now let's stop producing SUVS, 2 is enough in the line-up and when gas prices start to rise again their sales will tank. People with money still love big luxury vehicles, so give them something nice that is not based on a darn truck, the CT6 has proven that a near full sized cars can be less heavy and ride better than what the competition offers, just make them as efficient as possible. Stop only making show cars and put inspired cars like the Buick Avenir, Cadillac El Mirage and Escala in PRODUCTION, have some bal... be bold and bring those people in the showrooms, show them that we can build flagships above 6 figures as well as the premium brands with everything standard unlike those pesky competitors that sell you a flagship but have the audacity to charge 30, 50 thousands in options, there is a difference between bespoke and robbing people blind (even the rich ones!) Don't forget that GM has enormous technical and hardware resources, even better or equal to Europeans and Japanese (they learned how to build volume cars from the US) their drivetrains and platforms are second to none. We don't need cookie-cutters cars like Impala is LaCrosse is XTS or Chevrolet Cruise is Buick verano etc, build fewer models with further identity. The old formula of GM from their formation at the start of the previous century based on numerous divisions to compete in different markets, basically selling the same cars with only different skins can't work in today's market with all present competition, I would say keep 4 divisions, Chevrolet base, Buick middle, GMC and Cadillac as flagship, that's all they need to compete in every niche. In addition Cadillac should put emphasis on distancing themselves from other divisions and create specialized concessions like Tesla that deal with premium products and offer bespoke services to plant themselves strictly in the upmarket segment, that's where the money is. How much do you think Mercedes makes on an S class plus all their stupid options? Cadillac has to rebuild it's market share and GM organize their divisions to respect their own niches, building fewer models or versions of the same cars and ONLY cars of the highest quality at the best price.Get rid of the pork fat like Opel, Holden and Vauxhall (???) and concentrate on quality, style and price. I think GM has currently the best styling of all the automakers, they just need to put more emphasis on the materials and quality of their interiors, but they are very close to being the best there also. If they focus on doing that with all the resources they have, GM can be the greatest car company again and Cadillac be the standard of the world again. Now is that so complicated? Just do it!