Three months ago, Cadillac revealed the “show car” version of the brand’s ultra-luxury electric sedan, the Celestiq. The Verge reporter brings us more details about the production version of the car. It is reported that the car is priced at $300,000. But Cadillac will provide customization services for the 2024 Celestiq, which goes beyond the services of ultra-luxury brands such as Bentley and even Rolls-Royce.
As with other hand-built vehicles, customers can choose custom paint, leather and wheel colors, plus GM is taking personalization to a whole new level. Thanks to a large number of 3D printed parts – 115 to be exact – the company can offer even more options for personal style. Want to sign your steering wheel? — no problem. Want a special crosshatch pattern tattooed on the interior? — yes. With 3D printed metal trim, all of this is easily available.
One thing that customers may not want to change is the powertrain. Each axle has its own motor, and together they produce an estimated 600 horsepower and 640 lb-ft of torque. In addition, the company says the car can accelerate to 100 miles in 3.8 seconds. That’s quite an accomplishment for a car that’s longer than the Escalade.
The 111 kWh Ultium battery stores enough electrons to support an estimated 300 miles of driving, and the Celestiq can accept up to 200 kW of charging. Drivers can get 78 miles in 10 minutes, provided they can find a high-speed charger. Owners can use Ultium Charge 360 – a partnership of more than 110,000 public charging stations in the U.S. and Canada.
Customers will be able to find these charging stations on the Google Maps navigation system, which is built into the center section of the massive 55-inch diagonal HD display. In front of the driver is a customizable digital dashboard, while passengers have their own slice of the digital pie.
Streaming content for passengers is possible, but the screen is obscured in front of the driver to reduce distractions. There is also an 11-inch front command center touchscreen as well as an 8-inch screen for rear-seat passengers and two 12.6-inch rear-seat entertainment screens.
The interior of the show car is covered in blue leather and features flattering blue floor mats that feel like they are made of the softest lamb’s wool. Anything that looks like metal inside the car is metal. It may be 3D printed, but it’s hand-brushed and polished and has a gorgeous touch.
The glass roof panel allows light to enter through the roof in four different areas. When set to the darkest level, only 1% of the exterior light enters the car. While this dials up to 20% of the available sunlight, it does not affect the interior temperature. The pattern on the glass itself is cool, and it evokes a futuristic, Tron-like aesthetic that matches the sophisticated luxury of the car’s interior.
All of the usually advanced driver assistance systems will be present in the Celestiq, in addition to Ultra Cruise, which is expected to debut in 2023. The system uses mapped roads and integrated LIDAR to accelerate, brake and steer on nearly 2 million miles of roads in Canada and the U.S. OTA will bring the technology up to date.
From the outside, the Celestiq strikes a unique pose. The doors open and close with the push of a button and, like the Lyriq, drivers are treated to a choreographed dance of lights as they approach the vehicle.
While the front end features typical Cadillac styling, the long wheelbase ratio and low roof exaggerate the car’s extended wheelbase. The sleek fastback profile gives it an edgy look that Cadillac has not seen in years past. Angular taillights extend down to the wheel arcs, a design element found on the Lyriq electric SUV. These wheel arcs are filled with massive 23-inch rollers wrapped in summer-only Michelin Pilot Sport EV tires.
The first Cadillac Celestiq will be built in December 2023 at the company’s Global Technology Center in Warren, Michigan. While Cadillac plans to keep the Celestiq in its portfolio for many years, don’t expect to see too many on the road. In addition to its $300,000-plus price tag, Cadillac estimates it can only build two cars per day or only about 500 per year. Interested customers can now pay a deposit for one at the official Cadillac.
