Cadillac Ciel Concept Debuts At Pebble Beach

Six years ago, Holden took the popular FJ-based hot rod concept and turned it on its head, revealing the cartoonish and astonishing Efijy at the 2005 Australian International Motor Show. 

This week, GM stablemate Cadillac looks back at its own colourful history of yacht-sized droptops, with the unveiling of the Cadillac Ciel at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

Fit for presidential cavalcades and mob bosses, the giant Ciel (pronounced see-ell) is a four-seater four-door convertible sitting on independent suspension and equally enormous 22-inch alloy wheels. 

Despite appearances, the Ciel is "only" 300mm longer than the Cadillac CTS sedan - but that extra 30 centimetres puts it smack-bang in Holden Caprice territory.

Power is provided by a twin-turbo version of GM's 3.6 litre SIDI V6 petrol engine, developing an LS3-rivalling 317kW and 583Nm of torque.

This engine was revealed back in 2009, but in this case, the petrol engine is mated to a hybrid system using lithium-ion batteries - although numbers for this system weren't offered.

Among the Ciel concept's features in the cabin are Italian Olive milled wood inserts, pull-out blankets, aromatherapy controls in the armrests and a drawer dedicated to sun screen, sunglasses and a beach towel.

The Ciel was designed  at GM's North Hollywood Design Centre, led by design boss Frank Saucedo, exterior design Niki Smart and interior designer Gael Buzyn.