Cadillac Sports Cars Aera lightweight Concept Car

Cadillac Sports Cars Aera lightweight Concept Car

This is the Cadillac Aera (Aero + Era) launches Cadillac's philosophy of "Art and Science" into new territory by taking an innovative and stylistic approach to ultra-light weight vehicle design. LOS ANGELES – The Cadillac Aera concept vehicle won the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge, tying with Smart and besting entries from seven other automakers including Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Nissan, Toyota and Maybach. GM Advanced Design has now won the honor more times than any other design team.

General Motors advanced design California has come up with a concept cars zero-emission vehicle as part of this year’s LA Auto Show Design Challenge. Cadillac Sports Cars Aera lightweight Concept Car is a 1000 lb, 2+2 touring coupe, with a range of 1000 miles before refueling; attributes achieved without compromising size, capacity and safety. With an ability to seat four, the vehicle uses a body structure made from mono-formed 3D lattice that is extremely sturdy.

Cadillac Sports Cars Aera lightweight Concept Car

This marks the third time that the group from General Motors has won this challenge, giving them the most wins out of all automakers that enter. The Cadillac Aera Concept hit on all areas that the judges were looking for and, despite the futuristic styling, still carries some recognizable lines from Cadillacs of today.

Jussi Timonen, lead designer for the project shared: „The Cadillac Sports Cars Aera concept was designed to continue the forward-thinking imagination of Cadillac’s ‘art and science’ philosophy. It’s designed as a small city urban vehicle, but we approached this 2+2 touring coupe very much from the brand’s luxury perspective. Every detail of the Aera was conceived to minimize the vehicle’s environmental impact without sacrificing the style, comfort and attention to detail that are hallmarks of the Cadillac cars brand.”

Cadillac Sports Cars Aera lightweight Concept Car

The Aera is powered by compressed air via a highly efficient Pneumatic Drive System that has a 10,000-psi composite air storage tank with capacity for a 1,000-mile range. Flexible, pressurized air cells in the exterior skin, similar to material developed for the NASA Mars Rover airbags, enhance passive safety and interior comfort. The flexible polymer skin optimizes aerodynamics and functions as an ultra-lightweight alternative to conventional body panels and glass.

Additional technologies include an All-In-One (AIO) wheel system, combining rotary actuator propulsion, steering and suspension functions. A drive by wireless system decreases the mass of electrical components. Vehicle to vehicle communication (V2V) promotes active safety. The Cadillac Aera embodies a stylistic, lightweight, minimalist approach to long distance luxury touring.

Cadillac Sports Cars Aera lightweight Concept Car

The Design Challenge is part of the Design Los Angeles automobile designers’ conference and has evolved into an integral element of the Los Angeles Auto Show. Design Los Angeles connects those working in the design industry with well-known automotive design industry leaders. Los Angeles is home to the world’s largest concentration of manufacturer design studios, representing automakers from North America, Europe and Asia. It is also the home of Art Center College of Design, one of the world’s foremost transportation design institutions where many of today’s leading automotive designers began their careers.

Cadillac Sports Cars Aera lightweight Concept Car

Cadillac Sports Cars Aera lightweight Concept Car

This is the Cadillac Aera (Aero + Era) launches Cadillac's philosophy of "Art and Science" into new territory by taking an innovative and stylistic approach to ultra-light weight vehicle design. LOS ANGELES – The Cadillac Aera concept vehicle won the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge, tying with Smart and besting entries from seven other automakers including Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Nissan, Toyota and Maybach. GM Advanced Design has now won the honor more times than any other design team.

General Motors advanced design California has come up with a concept cars zero-emission vehicle as part of this year’s LA Auto Show Design Challenge. Cadillac Sports Cars Aera lightweight Concept Car is a 1000 lb, 2+2 touring coupe, with a range of 1000 miles before refueling; attributes achieved without compromising size, capacity and safety. With an ability to seat four, the vehicle uses a body structure made from mono-formed 3D lattice that is extremely sturdy.

Cadillac Sports Cars Aera lightweight Concept Car

This marks the third time that the group from General Motors has won this challenge, giving them the most wins out of all automakers that enter. The Cadillac Aera Concept hit on all areas that the judges were looking for and, despite the futuristic styling, still carries some recognizable lines from Cadillacs of today.

Jussi Timonen, lead designer for the project shared: „The Cadillac Sports Cars Aera concept was designed to continue the forward-thinking imagination of Cadillac’s ‘art and science’ philosophy. It’s designed as a small city urban vehicle, but we approached this 2+2 touring coupe very much from the brand’s luxury perspective. Every detail of the Aera was conceived to minimize the vehicle’s environmental impact without sacrificing the style, comfort and attention to detail that are hallmarks of the Cadillac cars brand.”

Cadillac Sports Cars Aera lightweight Concept Car

The Aera is powered by compressed air via a highly efficient Pneumatic Drive System that has a 10,000-psi composite air storage tank with capacity for a 1,000-mile range. Flexible, pressurized air cells in the exterior skin, similar to material developed for the NASA Mars Rover airbags, enhance passive safety and interior comfort. The flexible polymer skin optimizes aerodynamics and functions as an ultra-lightweight alternative to conventional body panels and glass.

Additional technologies include an All-In-One (AIO) wheel system, combining rotary actuator propulsion, steering and suspension functions. A drive by wireless system decreases the mass of electrical components. Vehicle to vehicle communication (V2V) promotes active safety. The Cadillac Aera embodies a stylistic, lightweight, minimalist approach to long distance luxury touring.

Cadillac Sports Cars Aera lightweight Concept Car

The Design Challenge is part of the Design Los Angeles automobile designers’ conference and has evolved into an integral element of the Los Angeles Auto Show. Design Los Angeles connects those working in the design industry with well-known automotive design industry leaders. Los Angeles is home to the world’s largest concentration of manufacturer design studios, representing automakers from North America, Europe and Asia. It is also the home of Art Center College of Design, one of the world’s foremost transportation design institutions where many of today’s leading automotive designers began their careers.

Cadillac Sports Cars Aera lightweight Concept Car

Cadillac Sports Cars Aera lightweight Concept Car

This is the Cadillac Aera (Aero + Era) launches Cadillac's philosophy of "Art and Science" into new territory by taking an innovative and stylistic approach to ultra-light weight vehicle design. LOS ANGELES – The Cadillac Aera concept vehicle won the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge, tying with Smart and besting entries from seven other automakers including Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Nissan, Toyota and Maybach. GM Advanced Design has now won the honor more times than any other design team.

General Motors advanced design California has come up with a concept cars zero-emission vehicle as part of this year’s LA Auto Show Design Challenge. Cadillac Sports Cars Aera lightweight Concept Car is a 1000 lb, 2+2 touring coupe, with a range of 1000 miles before refueling; attributes achieved without compromising size, capacity and safety. With an ability to seat four, the vehicle uses a body structure made from mono-formed 3D lattice that is extremely sturdy.

Cadillac Sports Cars Aera lightweight Concept Car

This marks the third time that the group from General Motors has won this challenge, giving them the most wins out of all automakers that enter. The Cadillac Aera Concept hit on all areas that the judges were looking for and, despite the futuristic styling, still carries some recognizable lines from Cadillacs of today.

Jussi Timonen, lead designer for the project shared: „The Cadillac Sports Cars Aera concept was designed to continue the forward-thinking imagination of Cadillac’s ‘art and science’ philosophy. It’s designed as a small city urban vehicle, but we approached this 2+2 touring coupe very much from the brand’s luxury perspective. Every detail of the Aera was conceived to minimize the vehicle’s environmental impact without sacrificing the style, comfort and attention to detail that are hallmarks of the Cadillac cars brand.”

Cadillac Sports Cars Aera lightweight Concept Car

The Aera is powered by compressed air via a highly efficient Pneumatic Drive System that has a 10,000-psi composite air storage tank with capacity for a 1,000-mile range. Flexible, pressurized air cells in the exterior skin, similar to material developed for the NASA Mars Rover airbags, enhance passive safety and interior comfort. The flexible polymer skin optimizes aerodynamics and functions as an ultra-lightweight alternative to conventional body panels and glass.

Additional technologies include an All-In-One (AIO) wheel system, combining rotary actuator propulsion, steering and suspension functions. A drive by wireless system decreases the mass of electrical components. Vehicle to vehicle communication (V2V) promotes active safety. The Cadillac Aera embodies a stylistic, lightweight, minimalist approach to long distance luxury touring.

Cadillac Sports Cars Aera lightweight Concept Car

The Design Challenge is part of the Design Los Angeles automobile designers’ conference and has evolved into an integral element of the Los Angeles Auto Show. Design Los Angeles connects those working in the design industry with well-known automotive design industry leaders. Los Angeles is home to the world’s largest concentration of manufacturer design studios, representing automakers from North America, Europe and Asia. It is also the home of Art Center College of Design, one of the world’s foremost transportation design institutions where many of today’s leading automotive designers began their careers.

Cadillac Sports Cars Aera lightweight Concept Car

Cadillac Sports Cars Aera lightweight Concept Car

This is the Cadillac Aera (Aero + Era) launches Cadillac's philosophy of "Art and Science" into new territory by taking an innovative and stylistic approach to ultra-light weight vehicle design. LOS ANGELES – The Cadillac Aera concept vehicle won the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge, tying with Smart and besting entries from seven other automakers including Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Nissan, Toyota and Maybach. GM Advanced Design has now won the honor more times than any other design team.

General Motors advanced design California has come up with a concept cars zero-emission vehicle as part of this year’s LA Auto Show Design Challenge. Cadillac Sports Cars Aera lightweight Concept Car is a 1000 lb, 2+2 touring coupe, with a range of 1000 miles before refueling; attributes achieved without compromising size, capacity and safety. With an ability to seat four, the vehicle uses a body structure made from mono-formed 3D lattice that is extremely sturdy.

Cadillac Sports Cars Aera lightweight Concept Car

This marks the third time that the group from General Motors has won this challenge, giving them the most wins out of all automakers that enter. The Cadillac Aera Concept hit on all areas that the judges were looking for and, despite the futuristic styling, still carries some recognizable lines from Cadillacs of today.

Jussi Timonen, lead designer for the project shared: „The Cadillac Sports Cars Aera concept was designed to continue the forward-thinking imagination of Cadillac’s ‘art and science’ philosophy. It’s designed as a small city urban vehicle, but we approached this 2+2 touring coupe very much from the brand’s luxury perspective. Every detail of the Aera was conceived to minimize the vehicle’s environmental impact without sacrificing the style, comfort and attention to detail that are hallmarks of the Cadillac cars brand.”

Cadillac Sports Cars Aera lightweight Concept Car

The Aera is powered by compressed air via a highly efficient Pneumatic Drive System that has a 10,000-psi composite air storage tank with capacity for a 1,000-mile range. Flexible, pressurized air cells in the exterior skin, similar to material developed for the NASA Mars Rover airbags, enhance passive safety and interior comfort. The flexible polymer skin optimizes aerodynamics and functions as an ultra-lightweight alternative to conventional body panels and glass.

Additional technologies include an All-In-One (AIO) wheel system, combining rotary actuator propulsion, steering and suspension functions. A drive by wireless system decreases the mass of electrical components. Vehicle to vehicle communication (V2V) promotes active safety. The Cadillac Aera embodies a stylistic, lightweight, minimalist approach to long distance luxury touring.

Cadillac Sports Cars Aera lightweight Concept Car

The Design Challenge is part of the Design Los Angeles automobile designers’ conference and has evolved into an integral element of the Los Angeles Auto Show. Design Los Angeles connects those working in the design industry with well-known automotive design industry leaders. Los Angeles is home to the world’s largest concentration of manufacturer design studios, representing automakers from North America, Europe and Asia. It is also the home of Art Center College of Design, one of the world’s foremost transportation design institutions where many of today’s leading automotive designers began their careers.

Cadillac Escalade Platinum Edition Docks in Europe

Catering to the needs of soccer players, singers and business men of all sorts (including of course the shady type) who want to stand out from the crowd of Porsche Cayenne, Range Rover and BMW X5 SUVs, GM of Europe is launching a new and exclusive edition of its larger-than-life Escalade.

The Escalade Platinum Edition includes nearly every option of the regular Escalade and offers numerous unique additional features made available only on this version. The only option offered to buyers is the exterior color.

Along with the special Tehama aniline leather that covers the seats, instrument panel and center console, the top-of-the-line Caddy SUV adds genuine olive ash and burled walnut woods with wood inlays and aluminum trimmed instrument panel and console.

Rear passengers are treated to a separate entertainment system with DVD player, while heated and cooled front cup holders are included as well as a modified instrument panel, all set in a unique interior color combination of cocoa/light line.

Other standard features include hard drive-based navigation, keyless entry, electrically adjustable leather seats with memory function and xenon adaptive forward lighting.

A set of unique 22-inch multi-spoke chrome wheels completes the package.

_______________________________GALLERY_______________________________

Meet Louie Mattar and his Fabulous, Record-Setting 1947 Cadillac [with Video]

Some of you may have noticed a special, one-off car among the beauties showcased in our San Diego Automotive Museum gallery piece. It's Louie Mattar's $75,000 1947 custom Cadillac. In 1952, Mattar and two other men drove this one-of-a-kind Caddy from San Diego to New York and back, without a single stop. Their trip totaled 6,320 miles!

To be able to do this, Mr. Mattar worked 5 years on modifying his 1947 Cadillac, which, by the time it was completed, turned into quite a unique car. For examples, the Caddy automatically refills the radiator and changes the oil. Having drilled axles, the wheels could be inflated while turning and, also, hydraulic jacks could raise the car to allow the wheels to be changed while moving.

Driving more than 6,000 miles non-stop can take its toll on a car, so, for more complicated repairs and adjustments, the hood featured clear panels, which allowed the driver to keep on going, while the other two passengers fiddled under the bonnet, standing on movable platforms attached to the side of the car.

Aside from setting the aforementioned cross-country endurance record, Louie's Cadillac is considered to be the first motorhome ever built. The three men who completed the grueling journey had a rolling home at their disposal. The modified Cadillac featured many luxuries such as an electric stove, refrigerator, TV, washing machine, chemical toilet, shower, medicine cabinet and kitchen sink. They even had an ironing board, all integrated into the back seat.

Up front, the car had a nationwide mobile telephone, PA system, tape recorder and a Turkish pipe. Not many modern cars feature such a varied equipment list, let alone a complete bar for those moments when monotony and homesickness struck.

The shiny trailer held a 30-gallon reserve of water (50 gallons were in a tank mounted in the car), 230 gallons of gas and 15 gallons of oil, meaning that it needed refueling only three times during the week-long trip (September 20-27, 1952), done of course while moving, on airfields located in Kansas City, Camden and Omaha.

Two years later, the same car was also driven non-stop from Anchorage to Mexico City, over a distance of 7,482 miles.

Check the videos below for more information on this one-of-a-kind car and his creator.

By Csaba Daradics

_______________________________GALLERY_______________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________VIDEOS_______________________________

2010 LA Design Challenge ends with a Tie: Cadillac and Smart Declared Winners

This year's Los Angeles Design Challenge ended with a tie, as judges, after much deliberation, declared two winners: the Cadillac Aera and smart 454 WWT. The challenge was to envision a four passenger car tipping the scales under 1,000 lbs (454 kg).

"Deciding this year's Design Challenge winner was a tremendously difficult decision as the quality of entries has increased throughout the years", agreed the Design Los Angeles judges. "This year's winners - the Cadillac Aera and the smart 454 WWT - offer two very different visions of the 1,000 lb. Car, yet are equally as amazing. They are both very expressive of their brand; GM is art and science and smart is playful and fun".

As with the Mercedes BIOME design study, the "science" behind the two winning concepts is equally off the charts.

According to GM's designers:

Cadillac Aera

"The Cadillac Aera (Aero + Era) launches Cadillac's philosophy of "Art and Science" into new territory by taking an innovative and stylistic approach to ultra-light weight vehicle design. Aera is a 1000 lb, 2+2 touring coupe, with a range of 1000 miles before refueling; attributes achieved without compromising size, capacity and safety.

Optimum efficiency, minimum parts

Aera's highly advanced body structure utilizes a 3D lattice, mono-formed frame. This polyhedral structure is similar to configurations found consistently in nature, e.g., inside the grouping of bubbles. The structure is formed from unique, alloy-utilizing, semi-solid freeform manufacturing, creating a naturally strong, extremely lightweight frame. All major body parts, including interior components, are essentially "grown" into a single part lattice structure.

Renowned Cadillac smoothness and quietness are accomplished using the harnessed power of compressed air via a highly efficient Pneumatic Drive System (PDS). Its 10,000 psi composite air storage tank has ample capacity for a 1000 mile range. Flexible, pressurized air cells in the exterior skin, similar to material developed for the NASA Mars Rover airbags, enhance passive safety and interior comfort. The flexible polymer skin optimizes aerodynamics and functions as an ultra-lightweight alternative to conventional body panels and glass.

Additional technologies include an All-In-One (AIO) wheel system, combining rotary actuator propulsion, steering and suspension functions. A drive by wireless system decreases the mass of electrical components. Vehicle to vehicle communication (V2V) promotes active safety.

The Cadillac Aera embodies a stylistic, lightweight, minimalist approach to long distance luxury touring."

The concept behind the smart 454 WWT is "out there", too. Here's how Smart describes the concept:

Smart 454 WWT

"The Smart 454 by Weight Watch Technologies from Germany.
(454kg is about 1000lb)

West coast fun and innovation meets German technology, design and grannies' hand knit socks.

Manufactured by incredibly high-tech robots that look as friendly and cuddly as our grandmothers, the Tridion-frame (chassis) is knit by our "Smart Granny Robots" (otherwise know as SGRs) out of carbon fibre. The knitting can create complex shapes and forms, enabling the geometry to be optimized in strength and weight.

We use different materials for each individual part to give every piece of the car its own specific properties and look. Each part is manufactured with the exact material necessary for an optimal balance between weight and function. Windows, fenders and bumpers are all made of recyclable plastics with ingrained colors. The roof is a thin, but highly durable recycled textile that comes with different prints and weavings.

Construction of the WWT carbon fibre wheels with integrated suspension are very lightweight and make it also impossible to run a flat tire. Our unique SGR technology allows for truly unique looking rims and the best lightweight technology in a rim.

The modular "clip-on" construction principal allows easy and endless customizing: a typical WWT of Sindelfingen and smart signature. The doors, roof, engine and drive-train are also very easy to remove or exchange, allowing for perfect functionality, looks, fun and the best tuning for any occasion.

Lightweight, fun and clever: Smart, the WWT from Germany.

Hand knit socks and grannies have never been so much fun…"

Besides the weight limit, all participating cars had to fulfill a number of criteria, such as beauty, comfort, uniqueness of design, sustainability and performance. You can see the rest of the pipe-dream contestants in our two part story here and here.

By Csaba Daradics

___________________________CADILLAC AERA___________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_____________________________SMART 454_____________________________