The Goddess is Back at Cadillac

Representing the brand's grace and spirt of unsurpassed swiftness and power, the Cadillac Goddess adorned the hoods of most models from 1930 through 1956 and appeared on the 1959 Eldorado Brougham.

William N. Schnell of Ternstedt Manufacturing Company, a subsidiary of General Motors is the person responsible for the GM brightwork. He designed the Cadillac Goddess between 1928 and 1929. Cadillac introduced the Goddess as a work of art that embodied “the very spirit of unsurpassed swiftness and power, coupled with grace and perfect balance.”

According to Cadillac, the sculpture's long, sweeping lines were meant to convey "Modern Beauty and Fleetness" of the brand and was put on every Cadillac V-8, V-12 and V-16 models.

Chris J. Klein and John R. Morgan crafted an updated version that was used on the V-8 and V-12 models from 1934 to 1940, but the "Sixteens" carried on with the original exclusive version of the Goddess. After WWII Cadillac further evolved the goddess and updated designs were inspired by the aircraft influences that sparked the tail fins and jet-engine cues of the models of that time.

The Cadillac Goddess returns on the all-new CELESTIQ as a homage to Cadillac's illustrious design history and the new symbol of the brand's personalized, handcrafted artistry. To quote the press release:

“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.”

Today’s Goddess can be found on the front quarter panel and within the multi-function controller on the center console of the CELESTIQ. The front quarter panel trim piece is milled from billet aluminum, polished, brushed and tinted,  encasing the Goddess molded in glass. The Goddess in the infotainment controller is positioned center stage within the interior and is backlit and also encased in glass. The aluminum dial turns independent of the glass Goddess, ensuring she always remains upright.

The CELESTIQ charge port is surrounded by a ring of light that responds when the vehicle is plugged in. As the client initiates and ends the charging process, they will receive visual cues that their vehicle is charged. Clients will notice a lit Goddess emblem above the charge port — a visual representation of how electrification is the soul of CELESTIQ and Cadillac as a whole.

“The Goddess has always been a symbol of progress and aspiration throughout the history of Cadillac,” said Crossley. “Her return on CELESTIQ showcases our forward motion, as we enter a new era of craftsmanship and design.”