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| 2003-09-08 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
September 2003
Frankfurt. With its 16 cylinders, 13.6-liter displacement and exactly 1000 hp, the Cadillac Sixteen sets new standards in the world of top-class automobiles. The striking luxury sedan study is celebrating its German premiere in Frankfurt. The prototype's dimensions alone make it clear that Cadillac is reestablishing itself at the top of international car design. With a wheelbase of 3,556 millimeters and a length of 5,673 millimeters, the Cadillac Sixteen is a mighty automobile whose appearance is dominated by its long hood and 24-inch wheels. A classic gull-wing hood, whose two halves are hinged along a center spine and are power-operated, ensures convenient access to the engine. The four-door aluminum body has an all-glass roof and no B-pillar. The innovative chassis tunnel is made of steel, with front and rear aluminum-extruded rail structures for the spaceframe. This unusual design ensures excellent stability, while also keeping the weight down to 2270 kilograms – extremely low for a car with these dimensions and engine specifications. The interior was also designed to capture the classic atmosphere of a 1930s luxury car with modern means. The gauges are protected by polished crystal, while the dashboard features a center-mounted Bvlgari clock. The light brown hand-stitched leather and finest walnut inlays ensure a warm mood. Hand-woven cream-colored silk carpets enhance the luxurious feel. Under the hood is an engine that is without parallel; its 16 cylinders, featuring a bore of 105 millimeters and a stroke of 98 millimeters, have a total capacity of no less than 13.6 liters. As a result, the naturally aspirated engine boasts around 1000 hp/745 kW at 6000 rpm, and a monstrous peak torque of 1355 Nm at 4300 rpm. The power plant is not Cadillac's first super-engine, however; the marque wrote automotive history back in 1930 with the first car in the world to feature a 16-cylinder engine. The engineers chose state-of-the-art technology for the all-aluminum giant engine, including dry sump lubrication to help reduce the overall height. Other key innovations include the "Displacement on Demand" two-step cylinder deactivation, allowing the 16-cylinder to run on eight or even four cylinders when less power is required. The system closes the intake and exhaust valves of selected cylinders in a fraction of a second, thereby lowering the average fuel consumption to the level of conventional eight-cylinder engines. Among further innovations are the camshafts, which can be adjusted by up to 40 degrees for greater engine power and lower emissions.
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