Welcome back to Monterey car week, where every manufacturer — even those far from California — is legally mandated to reveal something incredibly expensive. Cadillac, never one to be left behind, is joining the club with this: Opulent Velocity.
Unlike the Sollei concept, which seems more or less road-ready, the Opulent Velocity is a look into the far future of Cadillac styling. It’s not an incredible departure from current Caddies — the vertical lighting elements, reuse of the badge shape, and wheel design all point to the company’s current design language — but the new concept brings some novelty into the Cadillac design offices.
The Opulent Velocity is notably curvier than most modern angular Cadillacs, with the overall body shape rounded off in a way that’s distinctly unlike your average CT5. There are still hard edges for accents, but the general style is one of smooth curves — a refreshing evolution.
The interior, accessed through automatic gullwing doors, is unlike anything you’ll see in a modern Cadillac. Thin seats with tall bolsters, a screen dead center of the steering yoke, this is far from an Escalade. The Opulent Velocity is even more tech-centric than the company’s production cars, relying on “Level 4 autonomous capability” and an “Augmented Reality Head-Up Display” to get around. These are very easy claims to make when your car isn’t real, but it points to where Cadillac wants to go: More tech, more automation, but perhaps not more screens.
Overall, especially in this bronze-and-blue combo, the Opulent Velocity is a gorgeous car. Hopefully it points to more of these styling elements in production vehicles, especially the gullwing doors. Cadillac, please, start making those.