The Cien was a Cadillac concept model which was initially unveiled to the public for the first time at the 2002 Detroit Auto Show. Its goal was to demonstrate, from a new angle, Cadillac's continued passion for the Le Mans Challenge.
With a visage that resembles a Cadillac LMP race car restyled for the street, it raised hopes and expectations that the technology from the LMP had been transferred directly into the concept. And the actual specifications placed it neck and neck against virtually any of the world-class supercars.
The engine is a 7.5-liter DOHC V12 with 4 valves per cylinder, producing 750 HP, and is known as the Northstar XC12. There weren't very many large displacement street car engines which could actually produce over 100 PS (99 HP) per liter in its day, and with this vehicle's high power and reduced friction loss, the advantages of the XV12 were made perfectly clear to all. In addition the XV12 was blessed with the "green" feature of being able to run on fewer cylinders and become a V8 under light loads.
The racing-inherited chassis and body were formed from a carbon composite unibody and body panels. It was equipped with a high performance suspension and powerful brakes coupled to its massive 19 inch front and 21 inch rear wheels.
In addition to its premium image, the Cadillac of the 21st century also strongly stresses a high-performance image with a high-tech background. Moreover, this was the first Cadillac ever with racing car motifs, and in this respect it was an epoch-making concept.