--- title: "Cadillac Could Have Used a $2 Sticker on the Optiq. It Chose to Etch Glass Instead" date: "2026-09-01" modified: "2026-09-01" authors: - name: "Adam Ismail" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/adam-ismail" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/cadillac-could-have-used-a-2-sticker-on-the-optiq-it-chose-to-etch-glass-instead" categories: - "Cadillac News" - "News" - "News by Brand" tags: - "Cadillac" - "Electric Vehicle" - "luxury" - "suv/crossover" --- # Cadillac Could Have Used a $2 Sticker on the Optiq. It Chose to Etch Glass Instead ![]() *\Adam Ismail\* If you haven't been up close to one of Cadillac's electric SUVs anytime recently, you might not know that the brand does something pretty interesting with the rear-quarter glass near the D pillar of these models. What you see above isn't a decal; it's actually an etching, styled after the Mondrian pattern featured in the [Cadillac]() logo, with a pop of blue on the go-fast Optiq-V. It's a neat touch of flair, and, at least in the Optiq's case, it doesn't adversely impact visibility inside the car. That glass still functions as a window, and the strakes from the pattern are translucent and not too distracting. Cadillac, however, has opted to remove it from the [Vistiq]() for the 2027 model year. We got in touch with Cadillac to learn why and whether the change to the Vistiq foreshadows the elimination of the graphic across the lineup. According to Cadillac, it doesn't sound like that's the plan. ![]() ![]() ![]() "Cadillac updated the rear quarter-panel etched pattern on the VISTIQ in response to feedback from customers and dealers," a spokesperson told *The Drive*. "This change does not represent a broader removal of the design treatment across the lineup. "On the 2027 model-year Cadillac OPTIQ, the etched pattern will remain, with a subtle tint introduced as a mid-model-year update on all trims except the V-Series," the statement continued. "The OPTIQ-V will retain the current untinted pattern to preserve clear differentiation for the V-Series model." In other words, the Optiq will retain the etching, though it will look different depending on the model you buy. As the brand's configurator shows, it appears uniquely on the V-badged Optiq compared to the other trims. You get that stripe of blue along the top edge, which neatly corresponds to some interior surfaces and the bright blue Brembo calipers, and there's a different fade to the Mondrian pattern. ![]() *Note how the pattern presents on the normal, non-V 2027 Optiq. *Cadillac** Is this graphic likely to really be a deal-breaker—or car-seller—for a specific buyer? Probably not, though I can say it impressed me when I got an Optiq-V for loan a few weeks back, as an attention to detail that you'd figure [Cadillac]() should want to exercise, being the crown jewel of the GM family and all. *Got a news tip involving car design? Email the author: adam.ismail@thedrive.com* ## Author Adam is a Senior Editor at The Drive, concentrating on curating and developing the site's slate of daily journalism, from initial pitch to final copy edit. When he's not at his desk researching leads and working with writers, he's testing vehicles or reviewing racing games, new and old. He joined The Drive in 2023, following seven years of covering consumer technology and cars. A car lover and gamer since his earliest memories, Adam came to know the automotive world through video games. First it was Daytona USA, Sega Rally, and Ridge Racer; then came Need For Speed, which inspired an encyclopedic knowledge of '90s supercars, and, of course, Gran Turismo. If not for them, he'd assuredly be doing something else right now. Adam is based in the suburbs outside Philly, where there are ample roads for his hot hatch to stretch its legs. In his car, he's probably listening to indie rock, drum and bass, or Yankees baseball. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()