The Cadillac Opulent Velocity is a concept car for electric high-performance cars of the future. The design includes a steering wheel and pedals, even though it can drive itself at Level 4. The idea is to show a “ghost car” on the driver’s head-up display while they’re on the track, which would allow them to improve their lap times. Cadillac became famous in the 1900s for its luxurious upscale cars. But in the 21st century, its V-series cars, especially its sports sedans with manual transmissions and the Blackwing badge, have made the brand a leader in the performance car market. Today, Cadillac showed off its Opulent Velocity concept at the Quail, it shows what high-end performance might look like in the future and what V-series cars might become in the electric age. Opulent Velocity is there. The shape is sleek and fast back, and it’s long, low, and wide, the Gilded Pearl paint job looks nice, too. In an effort to look like Cadillac’s logo, the hood lowers to show a metal shield-shaped piece surrounded by a bunch of complicated LED lights. You can see the same “crystal fluting” pattern on the back, where the LEDs are arranged in a U shape over the chin. Huge butterfly doors that open up and give off a sense of understated beauty lead to the bedroom. The back bench seat fits in with the door panels, and there are thin strips of lighting that go from the dashboard to the doors. Along with the widescreen display on top of the dashboard, there is a second screen in the middle of the yoke-shaped steering wheel. Cadillac says that voice control is possible with “an intuitive infotainment system.” The trim on the inside is made with 3D printing, and the outside of the house is painted a deep shade of Selene Blue. The seats are made of flax fibers and have silver pearl flakes on them. Cadillac has not said anything about the engine other than that the idea uses a future version of the Ultium battery technology, but the company went into flowery language when they talked about the drive experience. The name “Opulent Velocity” comes from Cadillac’s view of the contradiction in high-performance electric cars. Cadillac calls this an “opulent experience” that focuses on peace and rest. This mode turns the idea into a hands-free Level 4 autonomous car. It uses light and music to give the driver “multisensory” experiences through an augmented reality head-up display. What these ingredients do to the world changes depending on the time of day and the weather. The “Velocity Experience” from Cadillac shows how fast a hypercar and a fastback can go. When the driver asks them to, the steering wheel and pedals come out from where they’ve been hiding and greet them. The mode is turned on with a multipurpose controller in the center panel. Due to the straight door attachment, the front seats protect the driver during sharp turns, they look like they are light and floating. The Velocity mode uses the head-up display and combines a “competitive driving course” with a “Ghost Car” that shows ahead of you to help you stay on track, this lets users cut down on lap times or race against other drivers. The head-up display not only shows the road conditions and route maps but also lets drivers change the active aerodynamics and suspension damping. Cadillac calls the Opulent Velocity a design study. This idea won’t come to life any time soon because of its low-slung design and strange lighting features. Cadillac thinks the plan is an attempt to find out what people think and improve the brand. Cadillac’s fancier EVs in the next ten years will have parts of the Opulent Velocity, even if some of the concept’s features don’t make sense.
