Cadillac loves talking about their new sporty vehicles like Cadillac CTS-V Coupe - but the American auto maker is also feeling a bit nostalgic with their latest concept. The Ciel convertible, unveiled recently at Pebble Beach in California, harkens back to the finned-Caddy's of the 1950's and 60's.

Cadillac Ciel was displayed on a rooftop in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City, as part of its world tour that will (supposedly) end later this month at the Frankfurt Motor Show. You won't see the Ciel on sale at Capitol Chevrolet Cadillac - 2711 Mission St. SE in Salem, OR anytime soon. But you can check out the future classics from this American auto maker anytime.

The rear fins of Ciel seems to pay homage to the classic 1967 Cadillac line. "Yes, the graphic is in line," said Niki Smart, the Ciel's exterior design director, on Thursday.¹

Mr. Smart, a graduate of the Royal College of Art's transportation design program in London, helped design the Ariel Atom. "I grew up seeing all those great, long, low American cars in old magazines of my father's," he said. "We lived near Silverstone racetrack," he added, referencing the English circuit that is host of the British Grand Prix Formula One race. His father built exhaust systems. "We sought a sense of presence in this car," he added. "It is almost boatlike. We wanted the body to have the feel of a fuselage."²

Source: ^1,2http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/02/on-a-manhattan-rooftop-talking-tail-fins-with-the-designer-of-the-cadillac-ciel/