I was on hand last Thursday evening as Cadillac unveiled the new Elmiraj Concept at Tehàma Golf Club in beautiful hills of Carmel, California. The setting was perfect for the introduction of this coupe concept car which gives us an exciting preview of Cadillac’s future. As you can see from the photos I took in the slideshow above, the Elmiraj is a beautiful vehicle that boldly moves Cadillac forward while also drawing inspiration from the iconic large coupes from its past.

The design of the vehicle grabs your attention from every angle, and the Elmiraj looks unlike anything you’ll find on the road today. The long wheelbase and the long dash-to-axle front profile give it a distinctive Cadillac look. I was very happy to see the large, vertical headlights that we first saw in the Ciel concept along with the vertical taillights as well. The Elmiraj also introduced a new Cadillac badge in the front grille with the iconic wreath removed.

Cadillac describes the Elmiraj as a “modern update to the classic format of a two-door grand coupe.” In a prepared statement, Clay Dean, executive director of advanced design, explained, “We were influenced in particular by the 1967 Eldorado, both its actual design and the fact that in its time that car was a very stark contrast and a new direction.” Cadillac included one of these classic Eldorados in its display for the Elmiraj at the Concours d’Elegance at Pebble Beach.

“Elmiraj advances Cadillac’s provocative modern design and performance, contrasted with bespoke craftsmanship and luxury,” said Mark Adams, Cadillac design director. “It explores performance driving, as well as how we’re approaching elevating the Cadillac range and new dimensions of Art & Science philosophy.”

Cadillac has been making an impression on consumers as sales are up 30% this year. We’re not surprised as we’ve been very impressed with Cadillac lately, as you’ll see in our upcoming review of the 2013 Cadillac ATS 3.6L Premium. Cadillac’s designers deserve credit along with the commitment to rear-wheel drive performance luxury vehicles.

With Elmiraj we’re seeing the brand continue that commitment. Elmiraj sports a 4.5-liter twin turbocharged V8 delivering an estimated 500 horsepower. We’ll see what exactly ends up in a production version of this vehicle, but Cadillac is making a statement by equipping the Elmiraj with a powerful engine like this. Elmiraj also sports 22-x-9-in. aluminum wheels along with large ceramic brakes with Cadillac monoblock calipers.

It’s refreshing to see an iconic brand like Cadillac draw inspiration from its past with a completely modern take. A grand coupe inspired by the Elmiraj would be a fantastic addition to Cadillac’s lineup.

I’ve seen tons of beautiful cars, old and new, this weekend at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. It’s an amazing celebration of the automobile, and this morning we found ourselves on the 18th hole at Pebble Beach as Infiniti introduced its Etherea Concept for the first time in North America. It was a little cloudy and chilly as you can see from the photos, but the view was spectacular. Tomorrow morning we’ll be back for the Concours as some amazing classic automobiles will be on display on the same spot.

The Etherea Concept is very impressive and is worthy of such a prestigious location for its introduction. I love the lines on this car, and the suicide doors punctuate the bold design. It’s clear from this vehicle and the JX Concept introduced yesterday that Infiniti will continue to be aggressive in its styling. The Etherea is an “exploration” of a future model so it will be interesting to see the final product, but they’re definitely headed in the right direction.

You can learn more about the Etherea Concept and the JX Concept at the Infiniti Facebook page.