What Happened With the 2002 Cadillac Cien Supercar Concept?
Hannah DeWitt
· 4 min read
Cadillac
has cemented itself as one of the most well-known luxury American auto brands. The redesigned Escalade is packed with high-end technology, and the Lyriq EV boasts impressive range and power. On the other hand, Cadillacs typically have higher maintenance costs than other luxury cars.Cadillac can also break your heart by creating tantalizing concept cars, only to have them disappear without a proper run. The 2002 Cadillac Cien was one such car, according to
Motor1
. What made this car so powerful and what sort of legacy did it create?
The Cadillac Cien's notable media appearances
The Cadillac Cien made its on-screen debut in the 2005 action flick The Island. Its unconventional appearance made it a great pick for the movie's futuristic setting, plus it had a thrilling car chase scene. The film's director, Michael Bay, apparently loved the car so much that he gave it another cameo in Transformers: Age of Extinction.
The Cadillac Cien also lives on in racing video games, including Midnight Club 3 and multiple versions of Gran Turismo. In the latter title, the Cien gets a top speed of 231 mph.
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Specs on the 2002 Cadillac Cien
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The 2002 Cadillac Cien might have been the inspiration for the massively popular Chevy Corvette C8. The Corvette at the time wasn't a mid-engine sports car and only had a 490-horsepower V-8. To be fair, that's still a lot of power on tap, but the Cien was gifted with a beastly 7.5-liter V-12.
The Cien’s engine is capable of producing 750 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque and was paired with a six-speed automatic and paddle shifters. According to
Jalopnik
, the engine was equipped with direct-injection technology, making it quicker compared to similar sports cars. Its mid-engine layout also makes it more balanced, so it can turn even the tightest corners with minimal body roll.The Cadillac Cien is also relatively light thanks to the engine's carbon composite construction. The Cien's body was also largely constructed with carbon fiber. It can reportedly reach the 60 mph mark in just 3.5 seconds and has a top speed of 217 mph. Even the most powerful production Cadillac, the CT5-Blackwing, is still 0.2 seconds slower in terms of straight-line acceleration.
It was also the first car produced by Cadillac to have true
race car-inspired
elements. The Cien has an inboard suspension, big brakes, and aggressive air vents on both sides of the body. These inlets and outlets aren't just for show; they can open and close automatically depending on how much cooling the engine needs.Although its current counterparts aren't as dynamically styled, the Cien's curvature definitely set the precedent for future Cadillac models. Its exterior was reportedly based on the F-22 fighter jet.
On the inside, it features a luscious maroon leather dashboard and quite a futuristic center stack for the early 2000s. Driver diagnostic information would have been displayed through a screen, replacing the physical gauges. It also had some impressive voice-activated infotainment technology and Night Vision.
Can anyone buy a Cien?
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Only one Cadillac Cien was ever produced, unveiled at the 2002 Detroit Auto Show. It was made to celebrate Cadillac's 100th birthday; the moniker Cien means "one hundred" in Spanish.
Sadly, only a few celebrities and other notable people have ever been given the privilege of sitting behind the Cien's wheel. If you're itching to see it in person, it currently resides at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California.
Although it's virtually impossible to obtain a Cadillac Cien, you can still purchase another sporty and reliable Cadillac sedan. When you do, sign up with
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