Officially unveiled at the 2002 Detroit Auto Show, the Cadillac Cien is a breathtaking concept powered by a 7.5 L V12 Northstar XV12 engine, which produces 750 hp and 450 lb/ft of torque. The engine featured direct injection and Displacement on Demand, which would shut down up to 6 cylinders under lighter load for fuel economy’s sake. The Cien is fitted with an F-1 style semi-automatic transmission.

To say the least, the Cien is extraordinary looking, and the design is based on the F-22 Raptor Stealth Fighter Jet. Electronically controlled air inlets and outlets are integrated into the Cien’s body side. These active vents open and close as required for cooling, similar to the Lamborghini Murcielago’s vents. Air is directed to the V12 engine via intakes beneath the two sail panels. The blue glass covering the Cien was inspired by sport performance eye-wear, giving the vehicle a more high-tech look. The Cien also has an active spoiler that raises and lowers, depending on the speed on the vehicle. The wheels are 19 inches in the front and 21 inches in the rear, which look very good on the car without giving it the “Dubz” feeling. Continue on for the rest of the article…

The Cien has all of the technological advances you would expect from it, including Night Vision, using thermal imaging to display a view beyond the headlights via heads-up-display projected on the windshield. It also includes StabiliTrak, Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist and Communiport - which integrates the car’s audio, computing, navigation and wireless communication through hands-free voice activation.

The interior, lined with carbon fiber, features the gadgets you would expect, including a rear-view camera, a top-notch entertainment system, and a digital instrument display relaying all of the vehicle’s functions, including diagnostics and satellite navigation.

Dark anodized aluminum accents reflect the Cien’s cool, technical appearance. The interior has a strong vertical theme, revolving around the car’s center console, which houses Cien’s controls, and the modern, yet classical clock - designed by Bulgari and inspired by their Rettangolo wristwatch. The interior further complements the concept’s lightweight theme, utilizing carbon fiber and aluminum structural elements in a design that combines luxury and performance.

The Cien was also used in the excellent 2005 film The Island starring Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson. The car is featured in what my opinion is one of the coolest chase scenes in the history of movies, but I’m not going to ruin the movie for you. I highly recommend going out and renting it. Below is a screenshot:

Of course Cadillac will not make the Cien, just like they didn’t make the Cadillac Sixteen Concept, they are all about making awesome concepts to get people excited about their cars, then half-delivering on them. The overpriced XLR-V (the luxurious Corvette) is most likely the closest you will ever get to a Cien, but the thought of this making it to production makes me drool profusely. Frankly, this would be a decent move for Cadillac as it would get people more excited about them, moving their image up a few notches. Plus, I’m sure they wouldn’t have a problem selling a limited run of them. Who wouldn’t if they had the money?

That…is stunning.

CADILLAC should put this car into production. IT will blow the ferrari and Lambo out of the water. Isnt it time Detroit people wake up for a challenge? THis will be hottest producition car if ever built sure will be everyone dream about. WAKE UP USA!! Germans are already here so as JAPs.!!

I agree Alex,they should. In a limited edition, this would really help the brand name. Not to mention it’s just really cool, and I would love to see one or two on the street.

Yeah sure this would help the brand name, but what about tradition. A cadillac is supposed to be and has always been a huge car with a huge engine that is only fast in a strait line, handles like crap, and is meant for cruising around slowly in with seats that you would have in front of your big screen TV. Although the car looks fantastic, I just don’t think cadillac should change it’s image so much, especially in an era where such big cruisers like I was talking about are practically non existant. If they started making such cars again instead of the crappy Japanese-inspired soap boxes they make today they would have no competition, except maybe rolls royce and maybach. Think what would happen if they made a reasonably priced Cadillac Sixteen…

That’s the way most American cars are made today: half-assed.

Just to add a note that the car was engineered into a road-going (and therefore impressively chase-driveable) vehicle by Prodrive, a UK-based engineering and motorsport company best known for special versions of the Subaru Impreza, as well as running the Subaru World Rally Team. Prodrive worked alongside Cadillacs’s UK-based design centre throughout the creation of the vehicle.

A Mclaren F1 would blow that car out of the water and by the time the Mclaren F1 was done with the race, the cadillac would only be half down the drag strip because it has a low lb/ft torque.

THAT RIDE IS BADASS

this car is very sweet! i could see myself in it, if it was in production.i agree with the other comments on production ,they would not have a problem selling a limited additions of the cien, to those who have the money to drive in that kind of style!!!!

All Americans should buy American made cars not Japanese or German cars.

We would, if Americans made better cars

The Cadillac is not good car for you?

what cadillac lacs is the great imagination they have at hand,run with the ball boys.

p.s. happy new year!

Does anybody know of a kit car manufacturer producing this in some likeness?

If so, e-mail me at demetriosdesign@netzero.net please.

DISAPPOINTED IS RETARDED
THIS CAR IS AMAZINGLY AWESOME
the movie THE ISLAND is a really great movie by the way

Okay, I think 90% of us agree that this is a nice machine. I do agree that American designers have been dropping the ball lately, but they are doing well with models like the G6, Mustang, Sky, and new Tahoes.

But what I hate are the people that say Toyota is cheaper and buy a vehicle based on that and the media. Then, everyone gets upset at GM, Ford, and Daimler-Chrysler, when they shut down a plant. Wake up people, of coarse they have to downsize when people buy more foreign cars. (Most of the downsize was mainly people who got to retire early and the positions not refilled.) Then you have Toyota talking about building plants with that produce more cars with 1/2 the people.

In short, it hurts the American economy and puts more Americans out of jobs. Don’t get me misinterpret what I am saying, “I don’t want to go to a Chinese restaurant owned by a bunch of white people, or if Honda and Kia was the only manufacture that made trucks then yeah I would buy it from them.” So, if I got to pay a little more money, I think it is just smarter for me and other Americans to buy American cars made by Americans.

Thanks for the great comment Fidelus, you make a good point. However, it seems to me that the foreign car makers simply make better cars that do not depreciate as fast. I see what you’re saying about buying cars because they are popular, and I think too many people do that. But me personally, I actually like foreign cars (a lot) more. They’re more fun to drive, generally more fuel efficient, and like I said, do not depreciate as fast. And seem to be more reliable. The cars are popular with the media for a reason, and people see that. They also see Toyota employing the same American people that GM just laid-off. It wasn’t an accident, it’s happening because GM can’t come up with any more good ideas; it’s natural progression.

I really like how America is getting in the supercar game. All it used to be about was Germans and Italians but now we have a new contender : the USA. Corvette, Viper, GT, and especailly Ultimate Aero. Oh yeah, the Cien. I really like it…they should put it into production.

I love this car. Very nice. Very very nice. I like it. Yes I do/

i LOVE LOVE LOVE this car! and i think that people with money would most DEFINETELY buy it. especially with the lambo inspired doors!just like the escalade is big in pop culture right now i think the cien would too. and the ppl at GM probably have a good reason for not putting it on the market. but they definetely should because theres not too much of a selection right now at cadillac. i mean the XLR-V is amazing! but the cien is so much sleeker, much more modern! i LUV it!!!!!!!

and shut up jacob!we like cadillac not mclarenF1

first off cadillac is the best american lux car i think it’s better than some foriegn lux cars too. some of them not all. the car is great and so is the sixteen but they (gm) haven’t figured out that they need to take chances every now and then you might win. they should listen to feedback on there concept cars not just put them out there for us to drool over. oh yeah and could you please bring back the FLEETWOOD!!! some of us still like those big gas guzzlin land yachts.

The Cien is an awesome car. Yeah that right. I said it. Bam

i love this car is my favorite to the end

I love its “straight lines design”! Much better than most of the sport cars produced nowadays.
Would be awsome to see one of these Cein on the market.
I’m a south american [from Brasil] and I have to say, YOU northe amercians have the cheese and the knife in your hands, so go on and cut off the europe from the sports car production leadership.
The best car ever [you liking or not] is Buggati Veyron [VW 16.4 Engine, wich means 16 cilinders and 4 turbocompressors].
Good on ya for this cadillac design. Cheers and take a quick look: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugatti_Veyron

My bad, I called it “Cein” when I meant Cien. Sorry…

Cadillac says they don’t want to produce the Cien because it’s not their traditional style. Well, to me, traditions are like rules, and rules are meant to be broken. I say hang the “tradition” and produce the Cien.

Goiog point Wristband, and look where “tradition” has gotten GM recently. They need to do something like this to break the slump of “boring” they’ve been producing.

this deffinitly is the best car in america but they should really make somthing that blows the bugattiout of the water.

[…] -Looks a lot like a Cadillac Cien to me, doesn’t it? […]

iv been looking for the price how much is it? whos selling it? email me

Kenneth, unfortunately it’s just a concept and most likely won’t be put into production.

Boo! That car seems like a Lamborghini Murcielago and Audi R8 wannabe!

High revving and low torque is Un-GM-like.

It seems that this car is a Lamborghini Murcielago and Audi R8 copycat!

Thanks for the comment Randy. The Cien was introduced at almost exactly the same time as the Murcielago, and the R8 was only introduced recently, so Cadillac could not have copied either vehicle in design. I agree that this car doesn’t seem like a GM, but it would be great to see it go into production, however unlikely it is.

Hey Kenneth, the Cien is priced at 1/2 million, but sadly GM wont sell you one unless you hand over some serious paper

I personally would purchase the car. Cadillac has always been a luxury/sports car and the Cien should be label as the mothership of all Cadillacs, again the should realy put this car into production. You wuold be surprise how well they will sell…step up boys and take over the car industry!!!!!!!!

i’m one of many who had their eye on the Cien…so you should go full steam ahead on production. Especially in N.Y. N.J. Florida and California. Trust me,the Cien is a shoe in for setting the highest mark that Cadillac ever had.

[…] cadillac CIEN! A Look Back: Cadillac Cien Concept « AutomoBlog.net its a shame that they didn’t actually produce it….who wouldnt want that if they had the money???? […]

whoa…this cost as much as a house?! you need some serious papers to get this you say?! Awwwwww mannnnnn……. this car seems…only to be a dream in my lifetime…

THIS CAR IS AWESOME!!!!!

it is fabulouse, i love america and its cars too
it is great it shows cadillac to world again in cien and sixteen. in my country there is no american car i mean iran but there is the old cadillac and chevy,… but thy are fabuluose too (more than 30 years old)

Keith, CTS, Jake, RJA, Mack and all the others, I agree with you completely. You all have got the right idea. Now if only Cadillac would somehow develop the balls and get this thing into production, then America would truly once again be the boss of the car industry. As it is, Cadillac is taking this slowly, but with the CTS and CTS Coupe, it’s coming around.

Randy, I can’t even put into words how stupid I think you are. I try not to be a hater but it’s hard with all these retards around.

Oh, and Jacob? No one gives a damn anymore about the McLaren F1. And if this car was slated for production, I’m willing to bet that it could give the F1 a run for its money.

thank you america

Oh, and Randy?

You have got to be really retarded to think that this looks like the R8 or the Murcielago, which you obviously are.