Cadillac Imaj

March 2002

Cadillacs represent all that is American: big, brash and not quite to UK tastes. But could this car change our minds? The Imaj is the first of a new breed of Caddys designed by British stylist Simon Cox to appeal to UK buyers - and Auto Express was first behind the wheel to see if he's got it right.

Based on the Evoq show car, the Imaj clearly indicates how General Motors intends to push its premium brand further upmarket. Inside, it's clear the designers had chauffeur-driven luxury firmly in mind. The rear seats, inspired by a first class airline cabin, give occupants access to flip-down computer screens, while a display for the front passenger slides out of the glovebox. There's also a 16-speaker Bose stereo. Each passenger can individually operate louvres in the glass roof, even giving them a darker tint if desired.

Settle into the luxurious leather driver's seat and it takes time to work out the controls. The automatic gearbox is operated via buttons on the steering wheel, while in front of you is a plain brushed aluminium and leather dash. Press a switch and an elegant maple panel slides back to reveal the instruments.

The Imaj - which is still a concept of course - is powered by an updated version of the 425bhp

4.2-litre supercharged V8 from the Evoq, and it certainly proved refined with plenty of torque. We were surprised to find that, despite its huge length, the Imaj felt as small as a family saloon. We soon got used to the rear view camera which projects an image of the road behind on to a screen in the dash. Other hi-tech features include an infotainment centre with E-mail and DVD player, while a fingerprint entry system, night vision and head-up display will feature on the finished car.

The Imaj boasts an aluminium spaceframe chassis to help performance and fuel economy. It is due to replace the Seville in 2002 and cost from

Tell us about your car in our Driver Power survey.