Welcome to 2010 because that's wrong on both counts. Shown at the LA Auto Show is Cadillac's Ultimate Luxury Concept.
Designed in California, the baby hybrid competes in size with the Toyota iQ and yet - says Cadillac - has a cabin with all the company's renown luxury and space parameters.
The four-seater ULC is 3835mm long, 1730mm wide and 1446 high and sits on a 2467mm wheelbase that really puts the wheels at each corner. It is shown with a pair of scissor doors which, if production becomes reality as is being mooted, would be replaced with conventionally-hinged doors.
The cabin's dash features computer LCD screens and projected readouts instead of conventional gauges. Cadillac cabin trim includes wood and leather.
"While small in size, this concept is an exploration of what Cadillac could be in the future, as the brand continues to focus on redefining industry standards for advanced vehicle design and integrated technology,” says Don Butler, vice president for Cadillac marketing.
The ULC has a hybrid powertrain with a 1-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine - with stop start - and an electric motor to assist propulsion in the same mannr as the Honda Insight/Civic/CR-Z model. It has a twin-clutch gearbox and is claimed to be capable of 3.6 litres/100km on the highway and 4.2 l/100km in the city.