Re: Cadillac plans three high-performance models – The Globe and Mail

The Globe and Mail section Globe Drive has a good summary of upcoming Cadillacs:

The highlight is a reported production version of the hot-looking Converj plug-in hybrid electric vehicle that wowed onlookers at the Detroit auto show early this year. The others will be CTS-V variants of the Sport Wagon and upcoming CTS Coupe.

All three will offer versions of the 556-horsepower, supercharged V-8 currently in the Cadillac CTS-V sedan. This 6.2-litre monster engine is based on the one in the 638-hp Corvette ZR1.

GM’s outspoken vice chairman Bob Lutz told Car and Driver magazine that you’ll be able to get a CTS-V wagon after the CTS-V coupe’s debut next summer, and that the CTS-V wagon is expected to help make wagons cool again in North America.

Only one correction — the upcoming Cadillac Converj will of course use the Voltec extended range electric powertrain, and will not be available in a V series model with a 6.2L supercharged V8.  That would kind of defeat the point of the new Electric Eldorado, as I like to call it.

Full Article: Cadillac plans three high-performance models – The Globe and Mail.

Cadillac Converj Catch-Up

Lots of excitement about the updated rumor that GM has green-lighted the Cadillac Converj concept for production.  Let’s review some Converj info:

Cadillac Converj Concept Introduction at 2009 NAIAS

(Photo by John F. Martin for General Motors) (United States)

The Converj is a 4-seat, Cadillac Coupe with the Voltec powertrain similar to the upcoming Chevrolet Volt.  In the Converj the powertrain and battery capacity may be adjusted for Cadillac performance.

In production the Converj will likely be called something else, such as the ETS, for Extended-range Touring Sedan? in keeping with the current Cadillac naming convention.  This would also play to loyal Cadillac fans, who fondly recall the Eldorado ETC as a performance coupe.

General Motors Vice Chairman Bob Lutz introduced the Cadillac Converj electric luxury coupe concept at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan Sunday, January 11, 2009. The four-passenger vehicle will provide up to 40 miles of gas-and-emissions-free electric driving with extended-range capability of hundreds of miles.  The Converj will be an extended range electric vehicle, which means that it is primarily an electric car, driven by batteries.  For longer ranges, it also has a gas engine that can be used to drive the electric motor when the battery is low.

Bob Lutz said the Converj concept has production substance. “It’s a logical extension of our plan to reinvent the automobile,” he said. “It clearly shows what a Cadillac electric vehicle could look like, and clearly indicates that global luxury customers can have a car that has both strong design and electric propulsion with a total range of hundreds of anxiety-free miles”.

2009 Cadillac Converj Concept Computer Generated Image

This computer-generated image shows the internal power storage unit in the Cadillac Converj.  One of the features of the new Voltec power train is that it is so compact it leaves the rest of the vehicle design almost unlimited.

New GM Facility in Brownstown Township

Denise Gray, Director, Global Battery Systems Engineering, right, and Bill Wallace, Engineering Group Manager – Voltec Batteries, arrive at the new GM Subsystem Manufacturing facility in Brownstown Township Thursday, August 13, 2009. The facility will be the first high-volume automotive lithium-ion battery manufacturing site in the U.S. General Motors will invest $43 million in the site to produce battery packs for the Cadillac Converj, Chevrolet Volt and other extended range electric vehicles. Production will begin in the fourth quarter of 2010 to support the launch of the Chevrolet Volt. (Photo: Jeffrey Sauger/General Motors).

The Converj is probably a few years away from production.  The sooner the better I say!

Also see: Previous Converj coverage here at Caddyinfo.

CONVERJ: THE “CADILLAC” OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Luxury coupe concept continues GM’s leadership in the electrification of the automobile

Cadillac ConverjDETROIT General Motors unveiled a further glimpse at the potential of electric propulsion today, this time in the form of luxury transportation, with the Cadillac Converj Concept. The Cadillac Converj was developed as a well-appointed grand touring coupe with a bold design and a host of interactive technology.

The four-passenger Converj concept is intended to show how GM’s revolutionary electric propulsion technology – called Voltec – can power a luxury coupe with a typically Cadillac “no compromises” design. The technology enables up to 40 miles of gas- and emissions-free electric driving with extended-range capability of hundreds of miles.

Bob Lutz, GM’s vice chairman of Global Product Development, said the Converj concept has production substance. “It’s a logical extension of our plan to reinvent the automobile,” he said. “It clearly shows what a Cadillac electric vehicle could look like, and clearly indicates that global luxury customers can have a car that has both strong design and electric propulsion with a total range of hundreds of anxiety-free miles.”

Cadillac’s extended-range electric vehicle (E-REV) concept has a new body style that is an evolution of the brand’s traditional Art and Science design theme. An aggressive, forward-leaning arc profile is the foundation for the sporting stance. And more than a Cadillac in form, Converj is also intended to be a Cadillac in substance, with the premium materials, technology and driving dynamics that are hallmarks of the brand.

Voltec – innovative propulsion technology

The Cadillac Converj’s Voltec electric propulsion system is made up of a 16-kWh, T-shaped battery, an electric drive unit, and a four-cylinder engine-generator. It uses electricity as its primary source to drive the car.

A thermally managed battery pack contains more than 220 lithium-ion cells that provide the primary power to drive the Converj electrically up to 40 miles without using fuel or producing tailpipe emissions. The battery is integrated into the Converj’s chassis and stores electricity from the grid when the vehicle is plugged in. It takes less than three hours to recharge the battery at 240V, or about eight hours from a 120V outlet.

When the battery’s energy is low, the Converj seamlessly switches to extended-range mode. During this secondary level of operation, electricity needed to power the vehicle is created on-board by a flex-fuel-powered engine that operates much like a home generator to create electricity. The engine-generator ensures a constant supply of power for hundreds of miles until the car is refueled or plugged in to recharge the battery. This extended-range mode eliminates the range anxiety that comes with driving pure electric vehicles that offer no backup power when the battery charge is low.

Whether in electric or extended-range mode, the Converj is propelled all the time by an electric drive unit. It converts electrical energy from the battery or the engine-generator into mechanical energy to drive the front wheels. It also delivers 273 lb.-ft. (370 Nm) of instant torque, for a quick launch, and 120 kW of power. The top speed is 100 mph.

There is no compromise in vehicle performance in either mode of operation. To enhance the ride feel, the Converj also features GM’s Magnetic Ride Control; and for even greater efficiency, energy during braking is captured and stored in the battery.

Pure Cadillac design

There’s no mistaking the Converj for anything but a Cadillac, according to Lutz. “An aggressive, forward-leaning profile hints at a new, progressive theme and proportion in Cadillac’s design evolution,” he says. “The new proportion showcases a uniquely shaped, modern vision of a personal luxury 2+2.”

The overall shape is reinforced by a prominent, sweeping body line with large, 21-inch (front) and 22-inch (rear) wheels pushed to the edges of the body. The Converj exterior is painted a dark silver tri-coat that GM designers dubbed “Reaction.”

An all-glass roof incorporates solar panels that help offset power drain from the vehicle’s accessories. Additionally, several aerodynamic and design efficiencies were incorporated to enhance the driving range, including:

  • A full under-vehicle cover (belly pan)
  • Minimal grille openings that reduce drag at the front of the vehicle
  • Low-profile rearview cameras replace conventional outside mirrors to reduce drag
  • Wheels are shaped to push air outward for smoother body side airflow

The Converj also incorporates vertical headlamp and taillamp elements, with light pipe technology.

“Vertical lamps are Cadillac signatures and the Converj builds on the brand’s light pipe technology with bolder light emitting diode (LED) and high-intensity discharge elements front and rear,” said Clay Dean, global design director for Cadillac. “There is also a unique daylight light ‘spear’ at the top of the headlamps.”

Luxury meets technology inside

The Converj’s interior has advanced features and luxurious appointments blending efficiency and environmental consciousness. The 2+2 configuration is trimmed in contrasting Winter White synthetic suede – including the top of the instrument panel – and Midnight Black leather, with polished aluminum and wood grain accents. Renewable materials are used throughout such as wool-blend carpeting, a headliner made from silk, suede made from post-industrial content and more.

A technologically advanced driver center increases efficiency and reduces the draw on the battery. Features include:

  • New, organic light-emitting diode technology used on reconfigurable instrument cluster
  • Touch-screen navigation, climate, center-stack controls and audio systems
  • Adjustable, overhead white ambient lighting
  • Unique “power on” sequence featuring blue-lit console graphics
  • Screen displays for features including regenerative braking, battery charge level and power output
  • No inside rearview or outside mirrors; cameras provide surrounding images on a screen placed high on the instrument panel for a full, panoramic view
  • Push-button ignition and power-folding front seats

General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world’s largest automaker, has been the annual global industry sales leader for 77 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 252,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 34 countries. In 2007, nearly 9.37 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Vauxhall and Wuling. GM’s OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com.