Your Opinions Please Another Cadillac Flagship Chop

[CrunkedRL]

I've been chopping up some photos once again and I completed a design for what I think a full sized Zeta based rear wheel drive, ultra luxury Cadillac should look like. I did borrow some cues from the Benz S Class and couple other European competitors to come up this concept using the XTS as the base for the design. Let me know your thoughts.

Original Photo of the XTS Concept


Modified flagship concept


Original Photo of the XTS Concept


Modified flagship concept

[johnstarnes]

Looks nice, like a tweaked XTS. But I still worship at the altar of Monaro...sorry!

[CrunkedRL]

Looks nice, like a tweaked XTS. But I still worship at the altar of Monaro...sorry!

I know I've been trying to give Monaro some healthy competition.

[johnstarnes]

I know I've been trying to give Monaro some healthy competition.

If I ever meet him I will drop to my knees like that scene in 'Wayne's World'...."I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy".

[Rumblebuffin]

I like how the front wheels are pushed forward.

I'm probably wrong about this, but a lot of rwd cars have longer front ends than fwd cars, don't they? Or, is it just the front wheels are pushed forward to make it seem that way?

I like how your design has the front wheels pushed forward, making for less front overhang (I didn't like how the XTS had such a huge front overhang with its front tires placed so far back).

[megeebee]

I like how the front wheels are pushed forward.

I'm probably wrong about this, but a lot of rwd cars have longer front ends than fwd cars, don't they? Or, is it just the front wheels are pushed forward to make it seem that way?

I like how your design has the front wheels pushed forward, making for less front overhang (I didn't like how the XTS had such a huge front overhang with its front tires placed so far back).

You are right. A RWD car has an engine placed lengthwise in the engine bay, with transmission and driveline following. The front wheels are placed slightly ahead of the engine. This gives a car what's called a "dash-to-axle" ratio. This is the Cadillac "Evoq" concept from nearly 12 years ago. This is an extreme example, but a good way to illustrate.



The distance from the base of the windshield to the center of the front wheels is, as you can see, pretty long.

On the other hand, here's a FWD Cadillac from the same time period, a 1998 Seville:



Notice how the front wheels are tucked up under the windshield, close to the leading edge of the front door. Then there is the mass ahead of the front wheels called the overhang. This is necessary because the engine in a FWD car is placed transversely, or across the engine bay. The combination transmission/front axle is placed below and behind the engine which is why the front wheels are so far back and there is so much length ahead of the front wheels.

I prefer the stance and longer dash-to-axle of a RWD car, personally. A FWD layout has many advantages though. Since the entire drivetrain is placed compactly under the hood, a car of a given overall size can have a larger trunk and interior. Traction in crappy weather is another advantage of FWD. I've had both. In fact, I had a 1998 Seville exactly like the one pictured. I now have a 2005 STS which is as you know RWD. I'm not a rabid "RWD OR NOTHING" kinda guy like many here, but I do prefer it both for handling and design. The more even front to rear weight distribution of RWD yields a better handling car in my opinion. Though I'm told that a FWD chassis with an AWD system goes along way in leveling the field between the two in the handling department.

[mbukukanyau]

we need a sixteen like c pillar