During almost all of Cadillac’s early history it called its cars by numbers, before giving way to the 1950s and the Coupe DeVille and Eldorado, and after that the Calais, Seville, Cimmaron, and Allanté, among others. It got rid of the names in the aughts to be more like the Germans, but now, as it goes electric, Cadillac says names are coming back.
The brand’s chief Steve Carlisle confirmed as much speaking to motojournalists on Thursday in Detroit, according to Automotive News. Carlisle also claimed that Cadillac could be fully electric by 2030, which is over 10 years from now.
Per Automotive News:
GM is using Cadillac to lead its electrification efforts, which include 20 new all-electric vehicles globally by 2023. By 2030, Carlisle said, the majority — if not all — Cadillacs sold will be battery-electric.
“We’re entering the decade as an internal-combustion-engine brand,” he said. “We’ll exit the decade as a battery-electric brand. It’s the end of the ICE age for Cadillac.”
Alphanumeric naming is a scourge, so this is good news to my ears, but I understand those who might become sentimental about a name like CT4. Carlisle didn’t say what these names might be, but given its history, it has plenty to choose from if it wants to go the Lincoln route and bring back the classics.
I might suggest looking at its concept and prototype history for some inspiration. You’ve got Cyclone, Solitaire, Starlight, Director, and, my favorite, NART. Whatever it does, I hope it doesn’t resort (like it has) to intentionally misspelled names like El Miraj or Evoq. I’m a simple man with simple demands.
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