2003 Cadillac Sixteen
Corporate schizophrenia can clearly be seen in the fact that ex-GM design chief Wayne Cherry was responsible for both the production Pontiac Aztek and the Cadillac Sixteen luxury-sedan concept seen here.
Designed to spearhead Cadillac's phoenixlike rise from the design and sales abyss, the Sixteen evokes Cadillac's heritage in a modern manner with 24-inch tires, a super-luxurious cabin for four, an all-glass roof, invisible B-pillars, and extensive use of real crystal for both interior and exterior decor. Under its gullwing hood purrs a V-16 engine displacing 13.6 liters and producing an incredible 1000 horsepower and 1000 lb-ft of torque.
Caddy never produced the bombastic Sixteen, but much like the 1938 Buick Y-Job inspired vehicles that followed it, you can see the Sixteen's influence all over the current crop of Cadillacs. Maybe we'll see such a car from Cadillac someday, though in the current fuel-conscious climate that engine would come down in size dramatically.
