Skip to main content

Cadillac Converj

The CTS Coupe's styling is based on the sedan model

At first the Cadillac Converj concept which was revealed at the 2009 Detroit Motor Show appears to be an even more stylish version of the Cadillac CTS Coupe concept. However it's much more than that. Under the striking, angular bodywork is the a hybrid drivetrain developed from the Chevrolet Volt concept. This hybrid technology which GM calls "Voltec" offers up to 40 miles of emission-free electric driving with extended-range capability of hundreds of miles thanks to a small displacement internal combustion engine which can top up the batteries.

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."

The Cadillac Converj's Voltec electric propulsion system is made up of a 16-kWh, T-shaped battery, a electric motor which produces 160 hp and 273 lb-ft (370 Nm) of torque, 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.

Features of the Cadillac Converj designed to maximize the all-electric range include a roof with integrated solar panels which help top up the vehicles batteries, a full belly pan which helps the car be more aerodynamic and low drag rear view cameras. The wheels have also been designed for optimum aerodynamic efficiency.

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 onboard 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.

In the styling department the Converj concept is unmistakably Cadillac from almost every angle. The angular lines and vertical headlights and taillights immediately stand out as belonging to a Cadillac model. Bob Lutz said of the design. "An aggressive, forward-leaning profile hints at a new, progressive theme and proportion in Cadillac's design evolution," he continued. "The new proportion showcases a uniquely shaped, modern vision of a personal luxury 2+2."

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

McLaren 650S Sprint

McLaren’s new 650S model now comes in three flavors, the standard road going 650S, the competition-spec 650S GT3 for serious racers, and now there’s the 650S Sprint which is aimed at track enthusiasts who still want a little bit of comfort. The 650S Sprint also replaces the MP4-12C-based 12C Sprint as McLaren’s track toy for the super-rich. Compared to the road model, the 650S Sprint features increased downforce and better cooling airflow to the 3.8 litre twin-turbocharged V8. It also features a competition-spec fuel tank and quick-fill cap, a larger radiator borrowed from the GT3 car, a new hood with additional cooling ducts for the radiator, front wing louvres for improved airflow, reduced ride height and recalibrated damping and spring rates, 19-inch center-locking race wheels with either Pirelli slicks or wet tires, onboard air jack system, and an upgraded braking system. On the inside the McLaren 650S Sprint features a stripped-out design with a FIA-approved rol...
Read more

Peugeot RC

The RC concept was designed at the Peugeot Style Centre. Intended as a true enthusiasts car, the real innovation lay in the fact that the car was designed as an "affordable" sports car. The Peugeot RC was the concept car that paved the way for the 2008 Peugeot RC HYmotion4 concept. Peugeot used the 2002 RC concept to compare performance and economy differences between comparable petrol and diesel engines. As an affordable sports car the RC had to deliver not only in terms of price, but there was the engine, the size and running costs, as well as driver comforts to consider. A wide panoramic windscreen and the cab forward seating helps the driver see all around the car and compensates for the effect caused by the length of the car. In the Petrol vs. Diesel experiment, Peugeot aimed to prove that an HDi engine could match the performance levels achieved from a petrol engine. And to demonstrate that it was not unreasonable to put an HDi engine in a sports car. The 2 resulti...
Read more

Maserati Ghibli vs BMW 6 Series : Which Will You Buy?

When considering vehicles like Maserati Ghibli and the BWM 6 Series Gran Coupe, both reflect an effort toward blending dignified luxury with exhilarating performance. Though beholding vehicles of this caliber is always an exercise most fruitfully left to the natural eye, the image above serves as a simple example of each sedan’s inherent dignity. In lieu of experiencing each vehicle’s performance profile from behind the wheel, the table provided similarly works to demonstrate what both Ghibli and BMW’s 6 series have been engineered to accomplish. Comparing the Maserati Ghibli vs. BMW 6 Series in this regard yields a number of important emphases. Local clients will notice that both vehicles develop their identity around six-cylinder engines with a pair of strategic turbochargers. Yet regardless of identical displacement and analogous induction technology, Maserati serves its Ghibli clients with significantly greater quantities of horsepower and torque. In addition to t...
Read more