CES 2008: Cadillac Provoq concept debuts during Wagoner keynote!
Click on the Provoq concept for a high-res gallery from the reveal
On Tuesday at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, General Motors Chairman Rick Wagoner became the first auto executive to deliver a keynote address in the 41-year history of the show. After coming onto the stage in last year's Volt concept he began by running down some of the many innovations the auto industry has produced over the last century from the electric self-starter to the catalytic converter to electronic stability control. With all the electronic wizardry in modern cars, the automobile has essentially become the largest consumer electronics device in history. As such, Wagoner used this forum to publicly debut the Cadillac Provoq concept. We live-blogged the speech over on Autoblog and we got a chance to shoot a few pics of the vehicle although the CES security guards wouldn't let us on stage for our usual barrage. You can also read the full text of the speech here.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Bob 4:36PM (2/10/2008)
Hay Rick ! you could not lead a starving dog to meat. Just a thought but ask what we want. If you want our bucks.ASK us we will tell you.
It looks like you want to move your plants out of the US. Great but who will buy your cars.You got a reduction in labor cost. ?????? will you drop the price..?? NO.
>>>>Please be a rick and not a **dick**
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Bob 8:51AM (2/09/2008)
I had a 1962 ford with overdrive that got 33 mpg. Now I have a 2005 chevy with 18,5 mpg. Whats wrong with this pic >>?
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Tony Belding 8:35AM (1/09/2008)
Is anybody else as underwhelmed by this vehicle as I am? Half the battery range of the Volt. Half the total range of the Volt. Requires hydrogen fuel. Looks even more homely.
I guess it had to be introduced at CES because GM knew it wouldn't make much of an impact in the auto-show venue. Better roll it out someplace where there are no other cars for people to compare it with.
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Throwback 9:01AM (1/09/2008)
I not under whelmed, i am excited. This shows me that the E-Flex platform is scalable, I also like the design. The range extender could be a diesel, gas, E-85, hydrogen whatever fuel is available, wherever the E-Flex cars are sold. The lower electric only range makes sense since it is much heavier than the Volt or Flexstream. I personally can not use an electric only vehicle. My commute is 130 miles round trip and I live in a rural town with no mass transit. A range extending vehicle makes sense for me and a lot of people, the more variety the better. Bottom line, this vehicle if produced on E-Flex, will give GM premium vehicle that will probably exceed 35 mpg, what's not to like?
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Dave 9:23AM (1/09/2008)
Tony, I agree, this car at 20 miles EV range is a step backwards from the Volt which appeared LAST YEAR. What a crock.
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Tim 9:42AM (1/09/2008)
The E-flex system uses 1/2 the battery when in Fool Cell configuration. This would be a great vehicle with a 40 mile electric range and a biodiesel range-extender.
Fortunately, this Fool Cell version will never make it to mass market.
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Nils 10:01AM (1/09/2008)
Throwback: you on the GM payroll?
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Alric Lopez 10:08AM (1/09/2008)
Just make a freaking fuel efficient car with mass appeal. Stop it with the prototype vaporware!
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Throwback 11:29AM (1/09/2008)
No Nils, however I don't want to GM or any US automaker go out of business. I like competition and variety in cars. In fact I actually LIKE cars, and don't see them as the great Satan and destroyer of the planet. Whether you like or hate GM they are the largest private supplier of health care benefits in this country. I personally don't want to pick up the health care tab for all of their current and former employees if they go out of business. So feel free to call me a fanboy because I don't want to see people lose their jobs.
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Chris M 10:43PM (1/10/2008)
Throwback: While the other e-flex designs may be just right for your 130 mile commute, the H2 e-flex wouldn't do. With that short driving range, you'd have to fill up every other day at the H2 station, wherever that might be - and H2 stations will be scarce as hen's teeth in rural areas for a very very very long time.
I have no trouble cheering for the other E-flex versions, but I just don't see H2 fueled vehicles going anywhere for the general public.
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Throwback 4:14PM (1/11/2008)
Chris I agree, I don't think Hydrogen near term will work and probably never in the USA. But I don't think GM or Honda for that matter should totally eliminate H2 from the conversation. Working on multiple options makes sense to me since they sell cars world wide. H2 may not work for us but maybe some where else (China?). I personally am waiting for the Opel/Saturn Fexstream. I like the flexibility of a hatchback.
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