2000 Cadillac DeVille...Continued

Look for a more European feel and edgier style to new products. He hasn't forgotten that fifty years ago a nearly stock Cadillac sedan was able to complete the grueling 24 hours of LeMans and finish in 10th place. While the bar has been raised, Smith is confident enough of the powertrain in the current Cadillacs to make that the heart of a fiftieth anniversary return to the famous circuit.

This is where Kip Wasenko comes in. He took the classic themes from Cadillac history and shaped them to fit the aerodynamic needs of a modern endurance racing car. He also laid out the Corvette-based EVOQ that will likely replace the El Dorado and significantly lower the age of Cadillac buyers. Future models will be smaller, tighter and still full of the engineering and pampering that has defined the brand.

The completely redesigned and re-engineered 2000 DeVille made its debut at the Meadow Brook Hall Concours d'Elegance. The DeVille is available as the base DeVille, DeVille High Luxury Sedan (DHS) and a sporty, five-passenger DeVille Touring Sedan (DTS). The DTS will address newer buyers' expectations for more responsive ride and handling, and performance.

DeVille's clean, flowing exterior form strikes a balance between formal and sporty. The new DeVille is shorter and narrower than the car it replaces, giving it a trimmer, more athletic appearance. But its wheelbase is actually slightly longer, and its interior space is as roomy as before.

GM's recently-separated division Delco came up with the StabiliTrak stability-control system, and it was adapted to the DeVille by ex-Lotus Formula 1 engineer Scott Badenoch. The system was introduced on the Seville last year and is now enhanced with side-slip-rate control, and the second generation of continuously variable road-sensing suspension on the DTS. Not only does the new system help prevent skids, but it smoothes road ripples and enhances steering and handling.

The new DeVille is a showcase for other pioneering technology. One breakthrough is Night Vision, an automotive application of the infrared technology that enables the military forces to own the night battlefield. Night Vision can help drivers see objects ahead during low illumination driving. Complementing Night Vision on the 2000 DeVille is Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist, a technology that uses an array of four ultrasonic sensors to assist the driver in rear parking maneuvers.

Night Vision uses thermal-imaging technology to help drivers avoid collisions by enhancing their ability to detect objects well beyond the normal range of their headlights. A screen appears at the bottom of the windshield in a head's up display, providing the warning images.