PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. -- When General Motors Co.'s design bosses decided to celebrate a golden era of American autos by creating a brash Cadillac convertible concept, they turned to two young Frenchmen.
The result is the Ciel, French for "sky," which glamorizes American styling as only someone with an outsider's perspective might.
"This, to me, is the true American dream," says Gael Buzyn, 38, the Ciel's French interior designer. "To get the chance to work in America is a great privilege. But to get the chance to help re-establish the grandeur of this brand is an unbelievable opportunity."
The Ciel, unveiled at this year's Concours d'Elegance here, features an almost exaggerated full-sized interior that evokes an image of the late 1950s and early 1960s. That was an era when the world seemed full of Cadillac convertibles rolling up with Hollywood starlets in sunglasses behind the wheel.
The cockpit features long, flowing armrests, a space-age instrument panel, a rear-seat cigar humidor, wine-colored leather seats and light wood finishes.