Cadillac unveiled the Escala concept, a vision for its new flagship sedan, at a private estate during Monterey Car Week. In it, Cadillac has shed its hard lines and opted for a more fluid form language on the exterior that looks less conceptual and closer to actual real-world product. The body shape is sculptural, finessed, and longer than the current CT6 flagship — 210.5 versus 204.1 inches — offset by glass and vivid LED nuances.

Cadillac CEO Johan de Nysschen introduced the vehicle at a private multi-million dollar estate billed as the Monterey version of its New York-based Cadillac House and the newly retired GM head of design Ed Welburn attended to witness the fin de siècle of his imprint on the brand.

Escala is not just a clever play on an Escalade derivative — Cadillac designer Andrew Smith says that Escala is "Spanish for scale." It’s powered by GM’s new 4.2-liter twin-turbo V8 and can cut off half its cylinders to save on fuel. Its clear that Cadillac placed emphasis on the interior features including OLED screens in the rear quarters and driver’s system for gesture controls. The seat design suggests the influence of mid-century design and are clad in cloth and leather.

The Escala is the third redesign in recent times for GM’s primo-luxury brand and shows that sometimes it pays to go back to the drawing board.

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