Thinkmidway Dodge: Cadillac Ciel Concept

Cadillac has chosen the backdrop of this week's classic car festivities in Monterey, California to debut a new concept convertible called the Ciel, which means "sky" in French. The four-seat, four-door drop top was designed to be the ultimate carriage for a drive up the coast, as well as hints at Cadillac's aspirations to offer flagship luxury products in the future.

The Ciel is powered by a 425-horsepower, twin-turbocharged version of GM's 3.6-liter V6 engine with direct injection that's augmented by a hybrid system using lithium-ion batteries. Those massive 22-inch wheels may not look that large because the Ciel itself is a big boat with a wheelbase 12 inches longer than a CTS sedan and overall length cresting 200 inches. Cadillac says the car's shape is more natural and organic than its current design language, perhaps expressing more Art than Science with smoother lines and softer curves than we're used to seeing. We particularly like the slightly rising chrome accent line along the rocker panels that stretches the length of the Ciel.

Exterior aside, inside the Ciel is where we want to be. Passengers are absolutely coddled in their individual bucket seats with unique niceties like pull-out blankets to ward off an evening's chill, aromatherapy controls in the armrests and a drawer containing sun screen, sun glasses and a towel. Of course, technology is ever-present in the cabin with each seat having its own suite of connectivity options and the center dashboard being topped with an inductive charging surface.