Does Cadillac need a Mini-fighter?



ulc 450x300 Does Cadillac need a Mini fighter?

According to Autocar, Cadillac may have a burning desire to lock horns with Mini. The site quotes designer Niki Smart as saying that the time is right for The Wreath and Crest to build a model akin to the company’sUrban Luxury Concept that we saw at this month’s LA Auto Show. His reasoning? The company needs metal that’s more appealing to European buyers than what’s available in the current lineup. That means a heavier focus on small, hatchback designs that still retain the premium Cadillac aesthetic. Smart seems to think that translates into a Mini Cooper fighter.
With its scissor doors and 78 mpg hybrid drivetrain, the Urban Luxury Concept isn’t any closer to production than the now-iconic Sixteen Concept of years past. Even so, Smart told Autocar that GM’s Advanced Design Studio has looked into ways to make the vehicle production ready, funky doors and all. While we aren’t exactly wild about the design of the ULC, the thought of a flingable Cadillac with a V on its hatch is certainly a notion worth mulling.