Back in the day – and we mean way back, during the '30s – hood ornaments became a symbol of style and luxury after radiator-mounted temperature gauges became obsolete. The Cadillac Goddess were one of them, which was present on the automaker's vehicles from 1933 to 1956.
While it also made a brief appearance on a limited-run Eldorado Brougham in 1959, the Cadillac Goddess didn't exist afterward – at least not until the American marque introduced the production version of the Celestiq flagship EV. The all-new model hosted the return of the Goddess – remodeled for the 21st century and now stands as an inspiration for the next generation of Cadillac vehicles, leading the brand into its all-electric future.
Gallery: The Return Of The Cadillac Goddess
GM Design sculptor Richard Wiquist was the man behind the new Cadillac Goddess. With the 1933 Goddess serving as a benchmark, it's completely sculpted by hand and creates an impression of "wings" with its complex and flowing drapery. It's an element of design that represents the future of Cadillac.
Since hood ornaments aren't a thing these days (at least with Cadillac), the return of the Goddess comes in modernized forms. One is found on the front quarter panel – a trim piece milled from billet aluminum, encasing the Goddess molded in glass.
The Goddess also appears when charging the Celestiq EV. It will be visual cue when initiating and ending the charging process.
Inside, the Cadillac Goddess is found on the infotainment controller. It's also encased in glass and stands as a backlit center piece of the interior that remains upright (the aluminum dial turns independently).
"Celestiq is the beginning of the future for Cadillac, conveying the artistic innovation the brand is bringing to luxury electric vehicles," said Bryan Nesbitt, executive director of Cadillac Design. "We wanted this flagship EV to embody the significant heritage of the brand in a truly meaningful way, with the Goddess representing the absolute pinnacle of bespoke craftsmanship from Cadillac."
