RE: Caddy Converj Becomes ELR
RE: Caddy Converj Becomes ELR
Thursday 18th August 2011

Caddy Converj Becomes ELR

'Range-extender' coupe concept gets the nod for production


Caddy ELR - a Volt in wolf's clothing?
Caddy ELR - a Volt in wolf's clothing?
The next step in Cadillac's self-proclaimed "historic renaissance" (Did we miss something? Ed) will be a production version of the Converj coupe concept, powered by technology pinched from the Chevy Volt.

That means "an electric propulsion system made up of a T-shaped lithium ion battery, an electric drive unit, and a four-cylinder engine-generator. It uses electricity as its primary source to drive the car without using gasoline or producing tailpipe emissions," the company says. "When the battery's energy is low, the ELR seamlessly switches to extended-range mode to enable driving for hundreds of additional miles."

Unusually the press release doesn't mention saving the planet, so we're not quite sure what the point is... Oh, hang on:

If flares can come back, why not fins..?
If flares can come back, why not fins..?
"The concept generated instant enthusiasm," says Don Butler, VP of Cadillac Marketing. "Like other milestone Cadillac models of the past, the ELR will offer something not otherwise present - the combination of electric propulsion with striking design and the fun of luxury coupe driving."

Right you are then!

Cadillac says it selected the name ELR to indicate the car's electric propulsion technology, in keeping with the brand's 3-letter international model naming convention. Yawn. Somehow none of the above sounds much like the road to 'El Dorado'... (Geddit?)

Author
Discussion

kbee540

Original Poster:

218 posts

238 months

Thursday 18th August 2011
quotequote all
Pleeaase, junk that electro-nonsense and drop a Vette v-8 in that thing. Then put me on the waiting list. Finally, a nice looking Caddy.

wab172uk

2,005 posts

257 months

Thursday 18th August 2011
quotequote all
Car looks nice.

Just give it a proper engine.

annodomini2

6,971 posts

281 months

Thursday 18th August 2011
quotequote all
kbee540 said:
Pleeaase, junk that electro-nonsense and drop a Vette v-8 in that thing. Then put me on the waiting list. Finally, a nice looking Caddy.
http://www.cadillac.com/2011-cts-v-sports-coupe.ht...

Ali_T

3,379 posts

287 months

Thursday 18th August 2011
quotequote all
Great looking car. I'd buy one if they dropped the stupid mobility scooter power and gave it a V6 or V8.

theJT

333 posts

215 months

Thursday 18th August 2011
quotequote all
Cant say I love the idea of hybrid/electric/range exteded whatever, but given it's short nose would there actually be room for a traditional yank V8 in there? Lovely looking thing tho.

Gorbyrev

1,171 posts

184 months

Thursday 18th August 2011
quotequote all
Agreed - that body with an LS9 - classy hoonage!

soad

34,663 posts

206 months

Thursday 18th August 2011
quotequote all
A "green" car then. Not impressed

kbee540

Original Poster:

218 posts

238 months

Thursday 18th August 2011
quotequote all
annodomini2 said:
Mmmmmm....yummy. Never would have considered a Caddy before, but this pushes my buttons. The usual Euro-crowd that I gravitate towards (have owned E39 540 and C55 AMG, still have E92 335d, and Merc C63) are starting to look more and more dull. Not sure if the Cadillac is really good looking or just different from the usual BM/Audi/Merc designs.

Dear GM, if I promise to be a really good boy, will you please make one of these in RHD?

Many Thanks, kbee

bobberz

1,832 posts

229 months

Thursday 18th August 2011
quotequote all
Looks too similar to the CTS coupe, IMO.

Would've rather them build the Cien concept from what seems like forever ago:



750bhp 7.5litre V12, anyone?

FEZ550

39 posts

194 months

Thursday 18th August 2011
quotequote all
I just love the fact that this has been up since Midday and it has 10 comments. hehe

Bore off green/eco/electric/hybrid cars, please just go away.

Major T

1,046 posts

225 months

Friday 19th August 2011
quotequote all
good on 'em, it's about time someone came up with a decent electric car, without the limited range hang-ups.

article said:
Unusually the press release doesn't mention saving the planet, so we're not quite sure what the point is
well I thought the main point of leccy cars was to help wean us off our unsustainable addiction to fossil fuels?
With a car like this you can commute off the national grid yet go further if you want to. I'd quite enjoy gliding around in milk-float waftiness too.

LuS1fer

43,517 posts

275 months

Friday 19th August 2011
quotequote all
It looks very nice so why can't they do that for a regular petrol-engined car? I won't be buying an electrical appliance any time soon but like that styling.

Mr Gear

9,416 posts

220 months

Friday 19th August 2011
quotequote all
FEZ550 said:
I just love the fact that this has been up since Midday and it has 10 comments. hehe

Bore off green/eco/electric/hybrid cars, please just go away.
I'll tell you why it gets so little comment:

The majority of the posts will be from people saying "stick a V8 in it" or "WHERE DOES THE ELECTRICITY COME FROM??? OMFG!!" and it all gets a bit boring.

For this sort of vehicle, the sensible discussion exists outside of Pistonheads.

Major T

1,046 posts

225 months

Friday 19th August 2011
quotequote all
LuS1fer said:
It looks very nice so why can't they do that for a regular petrol-engined car? I won't be buying an electrical appliance any time soon but like that styling.
If they've designed it properly around an EV architecture, there probably isn't room for a big enough IC engine and its transmission. batteries are probably mid-mounted with only a small IC generator up front

VPower

3,598 posts

224 months

Friday 19th August 2011
quotequote all
Mr Gear said:
I'll tell you why it gets so little comment:

The majority of the posts will be from people saying "stick a V8 in it" or "WHERE DOES THE ELECTRICITY COME FROM??? OMFG!!" and it all gets a bit boring.

For this sort of vehicle, the sensible discussion exists outside of Pistonheads.
It was the same when the dreaded diesel first found it's way into everyday cars.
IIRC it was the diesel golf that started it over here? Been in many cars on mainland Europe for years before it reached our shores.
Clarkson still calls them "Oil Burners" in derogatory terms.


I think once the next generation of extended EV's arrives, a lot of people will jump on the band wagon.


Clarkson's little jaunt to the seaside was obviously to show the limited range in the worst light and of course he was correct, but he could equally have taken any estate car and tried to use it to deliver 6 Tons of gravel for his driveway! 250kg max, that's 24 trips to the yard and back instead of 1 for a truck.
But JC admits he talk bks a lot of the time.

Those who can use existing EV's daily, within their design criteria will be successful.

With his Honorary Engineering Doctorate, he will eventually have to face up to the fact we are moving from a net exporter of oil/gas to a net importer.

Wind is currently providing only 1.2% of a very low summer load at this very minute!
That is only 12.9% of current wind generation capacity!
Max wind generation is forecast today to peak at midnight! Excellent car charging time though!

French Nuclear overspill means they are currently providing 3% of our British demand!


I am seriously looking at the Vauxhall Ampere next year!

FEZ550

39 posts

194 months

Friday 19th August 2011
quotequote all
Mr Gear said:
I'll tell you why it gets so little comment:

The majority of the posts will be from people saying "stick a V8 in it" or "WHERE DOES THE ELECTRICITY COME FROM??? OMFG!!" and it all gets a bit boring.

For this sort of vehicle, the sensible discussion exists outside of Pistonheads.
I think the "Piston" in Pistonheads speaks volume.

annodomini2

6,971 posts

281 months

Saturday 20th August 2011
quotequote all
FEZ550 said:
I think the "Piston" in Pistonheads speaks volume.
Then why have a Boats, planes and trains forum where we regularly talk about jets?! wink