Cadillac is gearing up for what’s expected to be the most significant transformation in the automaker’s 120-year history. For its flagship EV, Cadillac will bring back one of its most iconic symbols, first reserved for its most prestigious models, leading the brand into an all-electric future.
The Cadillac Goddess reemerges in the EV era
The Cadillac Goddess first appeared in 1930 alongside the automaker’s Heron mascot. The original Goddess design was touted as “the very spirit of unsurpassed swiftness and power,” with long sweeping lines representing the brand’s “modern beauty and fleetness.”
At first, the Goddess was only available on the most powerful and prestigious Cadillac vehicles, but in 1933 became a staple across its lineup.
As the auto industry evolved, the Goddess received several variations, and then marking the end of an era, the symbol was “retired” in 1956 despite making a few appearances since.
Cadillac is now gearing up for a new, all-electric era. The company is reintroducing the Goddess to pay homage to the performance and craftsmanship behind Cadillac’s flagship EV, the CELESTIQ.
Executive director of Cadillac Design, Bryan Nesbitt, explains:
CELESTIQ is the beginning of the future for Cadillac, conveying the artistic innovation the brand is bringing to luxury electric vehicles. We wanted this flagship EV to embody the significant heritage of the brand in a truly meaningful way, with the Goddess representing the absolute pinnacle of bespoke craftsmanship from Cadillac.
Since hood ornaments have largely been phased out for a more modern, aerodynamic look, the new Cadillac Goddess will appear on the CELESTIQ’s front quarter panel on a “hand built in Detroit” plaque. The plaque is elegantly milled from billet aluminum as its polished, brushed, tinted, and then encased in glass.
The new Cadillac Goddess can also be found within the CELESTIQ EV’s multi-function controller on the center console, which is backlit and encased in glass.
General Motors design sculptor Richard Wiquist was tasked with resurrecting Cadillac’s new Goddess for the company’s next generation of vehicles, “leading the brand into its all-electric future.”
Today’s Goddess is entirely sculpted by hand. She appears only on the CELESTIQ, representing the hand-built quality of each vehicle and pointing to a better future, showcasing her head held high and torso projected forward with confidence.
The Cadillac CELESTIQ is already seeing significant interest despite a price tag of upwards of $300,000. Production of the CELESTIQ is expected to begin in December 2023 and is only available by waitlist.
City Dwellers’s Take
Cadillac’s flagship electric vehicle will be the first production car built by hand at the GM Global Tech Center in Michigan, sparking a new era for Cadillac.
As Cadillac prepares for an all-electric future, bringing back an iconic symbol like the Goddess is exciting to see, fusing together its old legacy and the company’s new direction. We are seeing several Legacy automakers infusing past symbols as they gear up to compete in the new era of electric vehicles.
Ford converted its best-selling F-150 to electric with the Lightning pickup while carrying the Mustang legacy in the Mach-E. Hyundai incorporated elements of its first unique model, the Pony, to design the IONIQ 5.
As new electric vehicles hit the market over the next several years, you can expect to see more of this, with automakers tapping into their past to try to get a leg up on the competition. However, seeing Cadillac reintroduce one of its most iconic symbols for its flagship EV highlights the auto industry’s direction and how automakers are reimaging themselves in the EV era.
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