2008 Cadillac Marmalade Concept

[pow]

GM @ NYIAS

2008 Cadillac Marmalade Press Release

ALL-NEW 2008 CADILLAC MARMALADE DESIGN INTENDS TO INJECT DRAMATIC CHARACTER INTO THE COMPACT LUXURY SUV CATEGORY

NEW YORK – Encouraged by the success of Escalade, Cadillac has introduced the Marmalade Concept, sibling to the iconic full-size sport-utility, to judge popular opinion on such a vehicle. Marmalade adds both the expressive style of Escalade and the hand-stitched interior coverings of CTS to the emerging entry-level luxury crossover segment.

Global architecture: key to Marmalade success

The all-new Marmalade demonstrates GM’s efficient leveraging of global architectures. Based on the Opel Antara (known as the Saturn VUE in the United States), Marmalade easily delivers Cadillac-exclusive refinement and style to both North American and European consumers. Use of Theta architecture reduces cost and development time without compromise.

“Only the windshield, roof, front side windows, and rear tailgate glass are shared with the Antara," said Jim Taylor, Cadillac general manager. "Our global engineering team has already has put together a spectacular car that captures the essence of Cadillac refinement and performance. The addition of Cadillac cues, such as hand-stitched materials, will allow us to rival competitors costing more without costing us.”

"Judging by the success of the Escalade and DTS, and the relative failure of the SRX and STS, we believe this formula of style-over-substance will do well for North American consumers. A CTS-based Marmalade might have handled even better [than the Marmalade Concept], but nobody would have noticed the difference, especially with our exclusive hand-stitched materials."

Exterior: sporty sophistication meets bling

Aggressive and elegant, expressive and sophisticated, the 2008 Cadillac Marmalade exudes a dramatic design presence. This all-new luxury SUV not only pushes Cadillac’s acclaimed design theme higher, but it also pushes Cadillac's acclaimed design theme higher.

Marmalade offers sheetmetal exclusive to Cadillac, including distinctive 20-inch, seven-spoke chrome wheels, a tighter tire-to-fender relationship, and detailed chrome vents.

"We got an Antara and grafted on Escalade cues with some rudimentary Photoshopping," said Hoon Kim, Cadillac exterior designer. "We did the best we could while still retaining its essential greenhouse."

Dimensionally, the 2008 Marmalade measures the same as the Antara (even with the hand-stitched materials), and if Cadillac could have been bothered to put the dimensions here, they would have. But the key thing you should realize is that the Marmalade measures favorably to the BMW X3, Acura RDX, Land Rover Freelander, Infiniti EX concept, and Lexus RX.

Interior: performance and elegance combine

The 2008 Marmalade emphasizes technical precision with elegant, hand-crafted details.

Upper instrument panel and door trim surfaces are hand-cut, sewn and wrapped by expert craftspeople. Given the nasty interiors we've had in the past, we are quite proud of this, and we feel obligated to mention this several times. Hopefully by mentioning "hand-cut", "sewn", "wrapped", and "French-stitching", you will assume that it is leather we are covering the dashboard with.

Interior features are thoroughly competitive. They include:

** Heated and cooled front seats, available

** Real-time navigation system, available

** Dynamic front seats, available

** Rear-seat side window rollerblinds, available

** Sapelle Frites Pommes wood trim, available

** Rain-sensing wipers, available

** UltraView sunroof, available

** Rear seat DVD entertainment, available

** Heated steering wheel, available

** Power-folding, auto-dimming mirrors, available

** Rear view camera parking assist, available

** Ultrasonic rear parking assist, available

** Bang & Olufsen 800W sound system, available

** XM satellite radio, available

** Bluetooth integration, available

** Memory for seat, steering wheel, mirrors, available

** Keyless ignition, available

** Heated rear seats, available

** Adaptive cruise control, available

And:

** Hand-stitched leather, standard

All-wheel drive performance, direct-injection V-6, six-speed automatic

The all-new 2008 Cadillac Marmalade has been painstakingly designed and engineered to unite luxury sedan poise and sports car performance. Compared to the Antara, a redesigned chassis, an enhanced engine and transmission lineup and all-wheel drive combine to push the Marmalade further in all directions with more power and performance, enhanced ride quality, quietness and safety.

New 3.6L V-6 VVT, FlexFuel, six-speed automatic join powertrain lineup

The 2008 Cadillac Marmalade features GM’s new 3.6L direct-injection V-6 VVT engine, delivering an estimated 300 horsepower (223 kW) and 270 lb.-ft. (366 Nm) of torque. This new powerplant is a compelling mixture of power, smoothness, efficiency and technical sophistication. It is a considerable advance over the Antara/VUE's measly 250 horsepower.

To demonstrate GM's unending commitment to the environment, the Marmalade will be the first Cadillac to offer E85 FlexFuel technology. This package includes:

** Exclusive fuel tank

** Exclusive fuel pump

** Exclusive fuel rail

** Exclusive fuel lines

Our FlexFuel technology is the culmination of millions of investment dollars. Although producing ethanol currently uses more energy than it generates when burned, and although ethanol requires an entire new ethanol infrastructure, we believe that switching to an alternative fuel will reduce our nation's dependence on foreign oil.

A plug-in, lithion-ion, dual-mode hybrid, like the one announced for the VUE, will be available "once the battery technology is available," says GM product czar Bob Lutz.

EPA mileage estimates for the 2008 Marmalade will be a best-in-class 18/26 MPG. This is double the mileage of the Marmalade's key competitor, the Acura RDX, which averages 9 MPG under the new 2008 EPA city testing procedures.

Producing environmentally-conscious cars is a "business neccessity", as GM CEO Rick Wagoner has since stated in Los Angeles, Detroit, Geneva, and now New York.

The 2008 Marmalade will be available in both front and all-wheel-drive configurations. A Hydra-Matic six-speed automatic with TAPshift! ™ will be standard.

Chassis enhancements include all wheel drive, globally tested suspension

In spite of the Marmalade's Theta-derived chassis, exclusive suspension tuning, tire selections, and hand-stitched materials give Marmalade a premium sport sedan driving experience.

Magnetic Ride Control is available, while Stabilitrak and precise hydraulic power steering are standard. Large, uprated ventilated disc brakes with panic assist are standard as well. From famed tracks such as Germany’s Nürburgring to everyday roads in the U.S. and China, the Marmalade chassis was exhaustively tested and honed.

ALL-NEW 2008 CADILLAC MARMALADE DESIGN INTENDS TO INJECT DRAMATIC CHARACTER INTO THE COMPACT LUXURY SUV CATEGORY

Marmalade capitalizes on the success of the iconic Escalade by offering the Escalade's bold, expressive style in a smaller, more practical package. Marmalade offers a combination of acceptable driving dynamics, exceptional interior refinement, and competitive technology that is destined to be popular, all the while requiring a relatively minimal investment from GM.

"We got an Antara and grafted on Escalade cues with some rudimentary Photoshopping," said Hoon Kim, Cadillac exterior designer. "We did the best we could while still retaining its essential greenhouse."

I'd say build it, GM!

[griff7774]

Gitchi gitchi ya ya da da

[red]

Sadly enough, the real 'Marmalade' ain't that far off...BRX?

[CSpec]

Cut 'n sew makes any car a winner.

[C.H.U.D.]

HAHA! The chop is so bad!

[RJB]

Is this an April fools joke too? They named it after a jelly/jam or whatever marmalade is, if this is the case that has to be the worst name ever for a GM product.

[Sixty8panther]

Marmalade... kind of like "Pearl Jam"

[Mule Bakersdozen LS]

LOL!!!!

[SuperSport623]

i feel like a total idiot... i re

[ZL-1]

hehe. while we're in the food theme, could pontiac's new RWD V8 coupe be called "pork chop"?

Edited April 2, 2007 by ZL-1

[thegriffon]

Is this an April fools joke too? They named it after a jelly/jam or whatever marmalade is, if this is the case that has to be the worst name ever for a GM product.

"Marmalade" is another name for the quince (a fruit/tree related to the apple and pear), applied to a conserve/jelly made from the fruit and commonly to a similar conserve made from citrus fruit such as oranges and limes.

[loki]

i do expect this is an april fools joke, but the interior does kinda look cool, different.

powertrain would kick ass.

[emh]

Sapelle Frites Pommes wood trim

That's just classic!!

Unfortunately for us Cadillac fans, the Marmalade description is probably not that far off from the BRX we'll get in place of the SRX in a couple of years.

[Mr.Krinkle]

"Marmalade" is another name for the quince (a fruit/tree related to the apple and pear), applied to a conserve/jelly made from the fruit and commonly to a similar conserve made from citrus fruit such as oranges and limes.

Conserve = preserve? Means basically the same thing. mmmm someone say something about a pork chop.

[gm4life]

It was actually a pretty cool idea.

[ZL-1]

Conserve = preserve? Means basically the same thing. mmmm someone say something about a pork chop.

see my post above