2010 Cadillac SRX

Frank Markus: I am here with Cadillac 2010 SRX. Totally changing direction from the old SRX which was essentially a kind of a CTS Station Wagon, rear wheel-drive based, had three rows of seats though, much larger kind of vehicle. This one is much more tightly targeting the Lexus RX as its main competitor. So it gives up the third row seat idea, it's shorter overall, little bit taller this way and much more, like I said, tightly focused on their RX design. One of the most important parts the 2010 SRX is that it really starts to reinterpret the Cadillac design language going forward. I am here with the chief designer Clay Dean. Why don't you take us through some of what you have done on the styling of the new SRX? Clay Dean: You bet. I think overall every time when we do into new Cadillac reviewing the language. For this vehicle, the whole proportion of the car change is number one. And I think as you stand back and you look at the car you see the profile that's the first that's the first thing that really hits you, and it's not a traditional SUV nor a traditional Crossover, it really is, almost has an aerial inspired sweeping art and what you see in the roof language is really great. Frank Markus: Plus like Coupe like almost the way it cuts back. Clay Dean: Kind it is especially when you look around the seat pillow area it really talks about and then watch your identity the day light opening, if you will, which really is very Coupe like, very personal, very dynamic. We like the think that the customer who wants to buy this vehicle, he is looking for something that is not tradition SUV, not traditional Crossover, he is looking for something that has personality, something very unique, that's really what a luxury buyer wants something as well, something very specific for him. Frank Markus: And then naturally the headlights and tail lights are a big design demand on Cadillac these days. Clay Dean: You bet. The face of Cadillac for us is so important, shield grille feel that you get through there and the dynamics and the dihedral that's in the bottom and then the lamps which have a very vertical narrow feel, some thing very different in the market place. We want Cadillacs to be distinctive in the day and Cadillac distinctive in the night. So you see almost a light pipe that's within the lamp so when that's lit exaggerates this vertical light feel and you get in the front of the car you see at this light signature as well. We see this in the current CTS and so for that should - continue to see it evolve, it's in our show car that we have all across the way, it's a huge queue for us as we go forward. Frank Markus: How about the interior. Clay Dean: Interior really starts some of the elements that the CTS has begin. Beautiful craftsmanship, cut and self stitching, a sense of personalization however in this vehicle we want it really take it up and nice peak, have a little more rugged nature, little more rugged quality, this is going to used and so you see a little bit more bright metal work that's around there and specially around the center stack. It's a little more rugged, a little more masculine, a little unique personality. We still have the pop up map screen which is great in the CTS is the same hard drive it's in that. A little more unique cluster story with a LED read out for the DAC in the middle. So that becomes a little more unique. A lot of function inside the car. You are buying a Crossover vehicle, you want function. Both the front and rear doors have two tiered storage with inside the doors. You walk a little back of the car, lot of great storage we have this U channel frame. It's in the floor for lots of opportunity to store and put things around. Rear seat entertainment that folds up and flips down. You can adjust it. You kind of move it wherever you want it to be. Lot of great features but craftsmanship overall which we see in the CTS same story here as well. Frank Markus: It been a real popular with the CTS and I'm sure the SRX will bring that same thing to the crossovers. Thanks Clay. Good luck.