Cadillac shares new details of hand-built Celestiq, including a starting price tag ‘north of $300K’

GM’s luxurious model Cadillac has shared a large number of latest particulars surrounding the upcoming Celestiq sedan it has been teasing for over a 12 months and a half now. Cadillac is describing the Celestiq as its most technologically superior and most luxurious automobile ever, and it simply could also be its costliest as effectively. Right here’s the newest.

When it will definitely begins deliveries in 2024, the Cadillac Celestiq would be the second BEV to reach below the Cadillac marque behind the Lyriq, which is simply beginning to attain early prospects. Cadillac first shared information of this ultra-lux electrical sedan again in early 2021, alongside a picture showcasing a singular “good glass” roof. From the get-go, Cadillac has been touting its second BEV mannequin as a flagship automobile clad with hand-crafted supplies.

Cadillac didn’t actually point out the Celestiq a lot after that. Not less than not till this previous June when it unveiled new photos of the EV, describing its design as “avant-garde,” constructed to problem the ultra-luxury section. Days later, we realized the Celestiq wouldn’t simply characteristic handmade parts, however can be a completely hand-built EV – that includes over 100 3D-printed parts.

The American automaker stated the EV itself is designed for low-volume manufacturing typical with hand-built, ultra-luxurious automobiles. We’re nonetheless not sure what degree of output “low quantity” entails for Cadillac, however primarily based on the know-how in its design and its hand-built manufacturing, we had surmised that it was going to price fairly a bit greater than the common EV.

After we noticed the total photos of the Celestiq in July, there have been rumors it will price round $300,000, however we couldn’t confirm that. Following immediately’s information, we will affirm that $300K is merely the beginning value, and it might improve from there primarily based on the client’s “degree of personalization,” in line with Cadillac.

Cadillac Celestiq may very well be a murals… for the extremely rich

As an increasing number of automakers are using developments in EV platform and battery know-how to assist ship lower-priced EVs, GM’s premium model goes in the other way and constructing an EV that might function an archetype for superior know-how and ultra-luxury.

Sadly, most individuals gained’t have the ability to afford it, so we’ll present as many particulars and pictures as we will, as we be taught extra about this upcoming EV. That manner, we will all vicariously expertise all it has to supply. Based mostly upon the 5,000+ phrase press launch from Cadillac immediately, there’s so much to speak about surrounding the Celestiq, however listed here are a few of the top-line options.

First off, every Celestiq can be personally commissioned, permitting prospects the chance to work immediately with a vendor of their selecting and Cadillac designers to create their very own, one-of-a-kind model. It is a related design method to the Carmen from Hispano Suiza, during which no two EVs are alike. Per Cadillac’s world vice chairman Rory Harvey:

Celestiq is like no Cadillac earlier than it and the shopper expertise is equally distinctive. Every automobile is a singular expression of its proprietor, leveraging modern applied sciences that make the driving expertise private and rewarding. With an especially low quantity of hand-built automobiles to be supplied globally annually and an unique declaration course of, Celestiq will really be a custom-commissioned one-of-one. Every shopper will expertise a personalised journey to make their automobile precisely the way in which they need.

Alright, let’s dig into the precise design and efficiency. The Celestiq will arrive on GM’s Ultium platform powered by an 111 kWh battery pack and a dual-motor AWD propulsion system. GM estimates the EV will provide 600 horsepower and 640 lb.-ft. of torque, plus an estimated vary of 300 miles (483 km) on a full cost.

Cadillac shared that though the Celestiq is just not the primary (or final) EV on the Ultium platform, it is going to nonetheless be a singular implementation resulting from its 11.59:1 entrance and 11.63:1 rear gear ratios, which have been particularly calibrated to optimize vary and efficiency. The Celestiq is predicted to speed up 0-60 mph in 3.8 seconds.

Along with the platform, Cadillac states the Celestiq comes outfitted with the automaker’s most superior suspension and efficiency techniques ever, together with options like magnetic experience management and an energetic rear spoiler to enhance aerodynamics at various speeds.

GM’s Ultium platform permits the posh sedan to cost at charge as much as 200 kW and garner an estimated 78 miles of vary in 10 minutes on a DC quick charger. There may be nonetheless a lot to unfold right here, particularly by way of the Celestiq’s “avant-garde” design.

Different distinctive design options

We are able to write one other 1,000 phrases about all of the design parts Cadillac shared this night, nevertheless it’s most likely simply simpler to learn the total press launch, or higher but, try all of the highlighted options we’ve compiled for you.

Fastened good glass roof
- Options Suspended Particle System Know-how – an industry-first characteristic. Multi-color ambient lighting and choreography create an interaction between the outside and the quantity of sunshine allowed into the cabin by 4 separate zones.
- Tint ranges for the zones vary from lower than 1% for the darkest degree of opacity, to twenty%, which is the usual tint degree of a conventional sunroof.
Supplies:
- Carbon fiber is current in a number of areas of the outside. The seen metallic surfaces are genuine steel, together with the aluminum grille, header, rocker, taillamp and headlamp trim, brushed aluminum bodyside trim, aluminum eTrunk lining, and brushed steel carry gate openings.
Exterior lighting:
- Each single level of sunshine within the Celestiq’s animation is its personal supply fairly than banks of lights like in different automobiles. There can be over 1,600 particular person LEDs per EV (relying on the gross sales market). The Cadillac-first Digital Micro-mirror System headlamps characteristic 1.3 million pixels per aspect.
Lighting choreography:
- The automobile welcomes its proprietor when they’re 15 toes away by illuminating the entrance Cadillac Crest. Mild then strikes from the center of the black crystal defend grill to the headlamps, creating an impression the automobile is powering up.
Immersive inside lighting:
- That includes greater than 450 distinct LEDs, drivers can personalize their shade choices for every inside zone or let the automobile curate the lighting combos to harmonize all through. The Celestiq contains 18 completely different lighting animations.
Hand-finished metalwork and hand-wrapped leather-based
- Lots of the steel parts all through Cadillac Celestiq require element and end work comparable to high-quality milling, anodization, and a remaining sharpening by hand. The leather-based is hand-wrapped by artisans.
Distinctive shade:
- The client is concerned in each shade determination pertaining to supplies and finishes, and may have the chance to develop new colours or paint to match with the Cadillac design group. This additionally permits an infinite vary of exterior and inside colours, supplies, and finishes to design a really bespoke automobile.
Infotainment:
- The centerpiece of the Cadillac Celestiq inside is a pillar-to-pillar, 55-inch diagonal HD show. It accommodates two separate screens below a single pane of glass. The driving force’s aspect has pixel density corresponding to an 8K display screen, whereas the passenger aspect permits occupants to play media, use the web, or join their smartphones.
- Rear passengers have their very own 12.6-inch diagonal shows in entrance of them, mounted on the entrance seat backs.
Sound expertise:
- Celestiq provides 41-speakers, together with three exterior audio system. A 38-speaker AKG Studio Reference Audio System within the cabin is {custom} tuned by skilled audio engineers and makes use of three separate amplifiers to energy 30 channels for full audio immersion. The system options 3D encompass, automobile noise compensation, dialog enhancement, and cellphone zones.
- The EV may even introduce a Cadillac-first Automobile Exterior Sound System, which supplies Cadillac curated propulsion sounds whereas driving.
Extremely Cruise:
- Celestiq will arrive with the newest hands-free superior driver help applied sciences with Extremely Cruise. Will probably be outfitted with all the vital Extremely Cruise {hardware} to allow incremental progress sooner or later through over-the-air updates in 2024.

The Celestiqs can be constructed at GM’s World Technical Middle, in Warren, Michigan – the primary automobile to be constructed at that web site because it opened 66 years in the past and the automaker has invested $81 million to make it occur.

As soon as once more, the Cadillac Celestiq will begin at an MSRP over $300,000 and is at the moment out there by waitlist solely.

Manufacturing is anticipated to start in December of 2023, and though Cadillac wouldn’t share the overall automobile output it has deliberate, its group did inform us that it expects to be producing solely two EVs per day when meeting will get going. Low quantity certainly.

It’s certain to be an expertise once we can see certainly one of these distinctive EVs up shut. Maybe we will make our option to Warren, Michigan, and share some footage of them being hand-built. Till then, right here’s a bit of teaser video of the Celestiq offered by Cadillac.

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