Cadillac's Design Boss Says the Interior is His Favorite Part of the Escala Concept

When Cadillac pulled the sheet off the Escala concept car in Monterey just more than a week ago, we knew it would showcase the future design direction for the brand, but we didn’t know in exactly what way.

Andrew Smith, executive director of Cadillac Global Design, may have answered that question in an offhand conversation on the Concept Lawn during the Concours d’Elegance.

When we asked about his favorite part of the Escala, Smith responded somewhat surprisingly, saying it was the interior he fancied the most.

ALSO SEE: Cadillac Escala Concept Previews the Future of American Luxury

The reason for this is because the Escala features an interior design cue not seen since the Golden Age of the automobile: bespoke fabric on the door trim and seating surfaces. Once upon a time, leather upholstery wasn’t the only standard of the luxury interior – materials such as broadcloth, velour, and tweed were featured regularly in luxury American and European cars of a certain vintage. Leather wouldn’t become the standard until the Germans and the Japanese entered the higher end of the market.

When Smith approached his interior design team about the possibility of using suiting fabric to upholster the inside of the Escala, the team came back and said no bueno, because they didn’t know how to assemble it. Smith then suggested not to assemble it, but to tailor it.

And that’s when the lightbulb went off; why not tailor the interior like a hand-crafted, bespoke suit? It would certainly be unique in the automotive marketplace and give off an air of luxury and craftsmanship.

Based on Smith’s comments, it would seem the Escala’s interior holds the largest significance in terms of production intent.

This article originally appeared on GM Inside News