Not that long ago manufacturers started to embrace once again personal luxury cars and one of the first to make the step was Mercedes. In order not to lag behind, Cadillac is expected to get on the market two different cars, both of them aimed at the S-Class Coupe and at the SL. The upcoming 2017 Cadillac Ciel has been rumored ever since the concept has been released to the public more than three years ago. The concept of the car was a four-door convertible sporting a rather interesting engine and one of the most striking designs in the industry.
2017 CADILLAC CIEL RELEASE DATE AND PRICE
Unfortunately, the car was not going to be built and instead Cadillac launched another concept with the Elmiraj which was going to become the basis of the CT6 sedan. The interesting part is that the upcoming Ciel is expected to become the two-door convertible based on the large CT6 sedan. This will have quite a bit in common with its coupe counterpart but it should boast a unique roof opening mechanism. There are no official details about when the car will be released or even its price. However, it is safe to assume that a concept will be released by the end of 2017 while a production version could hit the market after 2023. The price could get as high as $100,000 for a base model.
At this price tag, the 2017 Cadillac Ciel would have to compete with cars like the future Mercedes SL and even the upcoming Lexus LS. Unlike these two, the Ciel is expected to be quite a bit larger thanks to its long wheelbase Alpha platform which it will share with the CT6. Unlike the CT6 though which is quite light, the convertible is expected to add around 300 to 400 pounds to its total weight. This is because it would need extra braces in order to keep the structural rigidity of the car unchanged.
DESIGN
Unlike the concept which used a four-door design, the production version is highly likely going to get just two doors. A soft-top has been rumored by many but considering its intended purpose, we really expect Cadillac to offer a hard-top. This would allow them to keep the proportions in check and a hard-top would really benefit a car like a luxury convertible.
Four individual seats are going to be offered on the base model and all of them should feature all the usual commodities of a luxury sedan. We don’t really expect anything special when it comes to its actual interior design. In fact, we expect it, the CT6 and its coupe counterpart to all share the same dashboard and very similar features.
ENGINE
The concept of the Ciel used a 3.6 liter twin-turbocharged V6 and it would not be all that unusual for the production 2017 Cadillac Ciel to receive such an engine. However, the one on the Elmiraj would be more likely. This is a 4.5 liter twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine which has been rumored to make 500 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque. There are some that suggest that GM will be in fact offering either a 4.2 or a 4.8 liter unit of the same V8. This would be easier to make than the 4.5-liter unit and it should allow for similar power levels as well.
A hybrid might also be offered at a later date but GM hasn’t said anything about this so far. Rear wheel drive is likely going to be offered as standard while GM’s new 10 speed automatic will make an appearance for sure. An all wheel drive system hasn’t been talked all that much but it would allow the car to compete with some of its competitors on a more even level.
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