A hand-built Cadillac Celestiq will cost around $300,000

GM’s elite brand Cadillac shared a slew of new details related to the upcoming Celestiq sedan, which he’s been teasing for over a year and a half now. Cadillac describes the Celestiq as its most technologically advanced and most luxurious vehicle ever, and it may be its most expensive. Here is the last one.

When deliveries eventually begin in 2024, the Cadillac Celestiq will be the second BEV to arrive under the Cadillac brand. A lyricist, which is just starting to attract its first customers. Cadillac first shared news of this ultra-luxury electric sedan back in early 2021 with an image showing a unique “smart glass” roof. From the beginning, Cadillac promoted its second BEV model as a flagship vehicle dressed in handcrafted materials.

Cadillac barely mentioned the Celestiq after that. At least until last June, when it unveiled new images of the EV with a description its design as “avant-garde”, built to challenge the ultra-luxury segment. A few days later, we learned that the Celestiq won’t just have handcrafted components, it will completely hand built EV – contains over 100 3D printed items.

The American automaker said the EV itself is designed for low-volume production, typical of hand-built ultra-luxury vehicles. We still don’t know what level of production “low volume” implies for Cadillac, but based on its design and hand-built technology, we’d expect it to cost a bit more than the average EV.

If we have seen the full images for the Celestiq in July, it was rumored to cost around $300,000, but we haven’t been able to verify that. After today’s news, we can confirm that $300,000 is just the starting price, and it could increase depending on the customer’s “level of personalization,” according to Cadillac.

The Cadillac Celestiq could be a work of art… for the very rich

As more and more automakers use advances in electric vehicle platform and battery technology to help produce lower-cost electric vehicles, GM’s premium brand is going in the opposite direction, creating an electric vehicle that could serve as the epitome of cutting-edge technology and ultra-luxury. .

Unfortunately, most people won’t be able to afford it, so we’ll provide as many details and images as possible as we learn more about this upcoming electric vehicle. That way we can all experience everything it has to offer. Based on Cadillac’s 5,000+ word press release today, there’s a lot to talk about the Celestiq, but here are some of the key features.

First, each Celestiq will be personally commissioned, giving customers the opportunity to work directly with the dealer of their choice and Cadillac designers to create their own, one-of-a-kind version. This is a similar design approach to Carmen from Hispano Suiza, in which no two electric cars are alike. Per Cadillac Global Vice President Rory Harvey:

The Celestiq is unlike any Cadillac before it, and the customer experience is no less exceptional. Each vehicle is a unique expression of its owner, utilizing advanced technologies that make the driving experience personal and rewarding. With a very small volume of hand-built cars to be offered worldwide each year and an exclusive declaration process, the Celestiq will truly be a one-of-a-kind custom car. Each customer will receive an individual journey to make their car exactly as they wish.

Ok, let’s dive into the actual design and performance. The Celestiq will ride on GM’s Ultium platform, powered by a 111 kWh battery pack and dual-motor AWD drivetrain. GM estimates the EV will offer 600 horsepower and 640 lb.-ft. of torque, as well as an estimated range of 300 miles (483 km) on a full charge.

Cadillac shared that while the Celestiq isn’t the first (and won’t be the last) electric car on the Ultium platform, it will still be a unique implementation due to the 11.59:1 front and 11.63:1 rear gear ratios that were specially calibrated to optimize range and performance. The Celestiq is expected to accelerate from 0-60 mph in 3.8 seconds.

In addition to the platform, Cadillac says the Celestiq is equipped with the automaker’s most advanced suspension and performance systems, including features like magnetic ride control and an active rear spoiler to improve aerodynamics at various speeds.

GM’s Ultium platform allows the luxury sedan to charge up to 200 kW and travel approximately 78 miles in 10 minutes on a DC fast charger. There is still so much to uncover here, especially in terms of the Celestiq’s “avant-garde” design.

Other unique design features

We could write another 1,000 words about all the design elements Cadillac shared tonight, but it’s probably easier to read the full press release, or better yet, check out all the featured features we’ve rounded up for you.

• Fixed smart glass roof
  • Features: Particulate device technology is an industry first feature. Multicolored ambient lighting and choreography create an interplay between the exterior and the amount of light that enters the cabin through four distinct zones.
  • Shade levels for zones range from less than 1% for the darkest opacity level to 20%, which is the standard shade level of a traditional hatch.
• materials:
  • Carbon fiber is present in several areas of the exterior. Visible metal surfaces are real metal, including the aluminum grille, headliner, rocker arm, taillight and headlight surrounds, brushed aluminum body side trim, aluminum eTrunk trim, and brushed metal liftgate openings.
• External lighting:
  • Each point of light in the Celestiq animation is its own source, not a group of lights like other cars. Each electric vehicle will have more than 1,600 individual LEDs (depending on the market). Cadillac’s first Digital Micro-mirror Device headlights have 1.3 million pixels per side.
• Light choreography:
  • The car greets its owner when it is 15 feet away with an illuminated Cadillac front emblem. The light then moves from the middle of the black crystal grille to the headlights, giving the impression that the car is turning on.
• Immersive indoor lighting:
  • With more than 450 different LEDs, drivers can personalize the color selection for each area of ​​the cabin or let the car choose lighting combinations to harmonize. Celestiq includes 18 different lighting animations.
• Metal construction by hand and leather by hand
  • Many of the metal elements throughout the Cadillac Celestiq require detailing and finishing, such as fine milling, anodizing and final polishing by hand. The leather is hand-wrapped by craftsmen.
• Unique color:
  • The customer is involved in every color decision as it relates to materials and finishes, and will have the opportunity to develop new colors or paint according to Cadillac’s design team. It also allows for an endless choice of exterior and interior colours, materials and finishes to create a truly bespoke vehicle.
• Infotainment program:
  • The centerpiece of the Cadillac Celestiq’s interior is a 55-inch pillar-to-pillar HD display. It contains two separate screens under one glass. The driver’s side has a pixel density comparable to an 8K screen, while the passenger’s side allows you to play multimedia, use the Internet or connect your smartphones.
  • Rear passengers have their own 12.6-inch displays diagonally in front of them, mounted on the backs of the front seats.
• Sound experience:
  • Celestiq offers 41 speakers, including three external speakers. The 38-speaker AKG Studio Reference in-cabin audio system is custom-tuned by professional audio engineers and uses three separate amplifiers to power 30 channels for total audio immersion. The system features 3D surround, vehicle noise compensation, conversation enhancement and phone zones.
  • The EV will also feature Cadillac’s first vehicle exterior sound system that emits special Cadillac sounds while driving.
• Ultra Cruise:
  • The Celestiq will arrive with the latest in advanced hands-free driver assistance technology with Ultra Cruise. It will be equipped with all the necessary Ultra Cruise equipment to allow for incremental growth in the future with wireless upgrades in 2024.

Celestiqs will be manufactured at GM’s Global Technical Center in Warren, Michigan. It is the first car produced at the site since it opened 66 years ago, and the automaker has invested $81 million in it.

Again, the Cadillac Celestiq will start at an MSRP of over $300,000 and is currently only available on a waitlist.

Production is expected to begin in December 2023, and while Cadillac won’t share the total number of vehicles it has planned, its team told us it only plans to produce two electric vehicles per day when assembly begins. Really low volume.

It is undoubtedly an experience when we can see one of these unique electric vehicles up close. We may be able to travel to Warren, Michigan and share some footage of their hand build. In the meantime, here’s a little Celestiq teaser video courtesy of Cadillac.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Anv1gq3KzJs