Cadillac to Bring Urban Luxury Concept at LA 2010

While one might think the interpretation of luxury is the Cadillac Escalade, General Motors had a group of enlightened minds working out on the next big thing in terms of automotive fashion. You may be surprised to find out they think exactly the opposite of the Escalade. At least that's what they lead us to believe with their new Urban Luxury Concept that's about to be unveiled at the 2010 LA Auto Show.

To make this new concept suitable for urban environments, its size is rather small. However, the automaker claims that four adults can be seated properly in the small Caddy, with room to spare. The car has a wheelbase of just over 97 inches (2.46 m) and an overall length of 151 inches (3.83 m). Width is listed at 68 inches (1.72 m) and height at barely under 57 inches (1.44 m).

Access to all four seats is provided by a pair of scissor-type doors that extend outward and rotate forward when opened. The interior is trimmed in refined materials and is cleverly integrated with next-generation interactive technology. Traditional gauges are replaced by touch-pad screens and projected readouts and serve as the climate and audio system controls.

"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," said Don Butler, vice president for Cadillac marketing.

The engine powering this small vehicle is a 1.0-liter turbocharged three cylinder engine, perhaps originally intended for use in the Volt, that makes up part of a hybrid drivetrain. GM claims that the Urban Luxury Concept would achieve an estimate of 56 mpg (4.2 liters per 100 km) in the city and 65 mpg (3.62 l/100 km) on the highway.