Cadillac’s debut entry to the Formula 1 grid in 2026 got an official reveal with a Superbowl commercial and live Times Square unveiling. The model was then transported a few blocks away to Cadillac’s recently opened Manhattan showroom to spend a couple days on display. This short stay meant the display conditions weren’t the best for photography. The car was surrounded by post office stanchions and wedged in front of a customer lounge. However it did offer an opportunity to take in the graphic detail of the livery and get a first hand look at the asymmetrical design.
Overall, the monochromatic and metallic design looks very clean. The layout and color scheme draws influence from the crest logo featured on the nosecone and airbox. The transitions between black and white occur with the use of tiny chevron shaped elements that vary in thickness to create a gradient. The accents of reflective metal link to the brand’s glorious chrome days of the 50s and 60s.
Formula 1 teams get a few opportunities to run special liveries over the course of a season. I mean it’s pretty obvious that both Cadillac cars should be pink for Miami.
I had a wander around the rest of the showroom and took in examples of Cadillac’s past and present grandeur. On one end was a 1957-’58 Eldorado Brougham, once the pinnacle of handbuilt American luxury and the most expensive car in the world at the time.
Book ending the F1 car is Cadillac’s current line topping Celestiq aka the American Rolls-Royce. It’s just as long at the Eldorado at 18 feet. The car has presence but I was never sure of the aggressive angular shapes on the exterior. It’s a styling crutch of contemporary car design and I think a more elegant and flowing approach to shape and surface would have better suited the Celestiq and signaled a stronger level of refinement and care.
Photos and Text: Dave Pinter
