Cadillac shows vision of EV future with Celestiq electric super limo
Cadillac has a new high-tech flagship in the form of the Celestiq – and it’s powered purely by electricity.
Officially a concept car for now, the sleek uber limousine is set for production by 2024 to take on the big guns of the luxury world, Rolls-Royce and Bentley.
Cadillac overnight revealed the sleek Celestiq, which is a bold vision of the brand’s EV-only future and a car designed to send an electric shock to luxury car rivals.
The American brand that has long wished to become a global luxury brand rather than one mostly confined to North America describes the Celestiq concept car as “the purest expression of Cadillac”.
“It brings to life the most integrated expressions of design and innovation in the brand’s history, coalescing in a defining statement of a true Cadillac flagship,” said Magalie Debellis, manager of Cadillac Advanced Design.
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The Celestiq is the pinnacle of the Cadillac brand, a car designed to fight with the likes of the upcoming Rolls-Royce Spectre and Bentley limousine, but one that could also compete with the Mercedes-Benz EQS.
Like the Bentley and Rolls-Royce, the Cadillac will be partly hand assembled to allow for a high level of customisation.
It will also have an appropriately stratospheric price tag.
US media is reporting the production version of the Celestiq that is due in dealerships by 2024 will cost around US$300,000, which is about the same price as a Rolls-Royce Ghost, a car that sells in Australia for about $650,000.
The Celestiq also returns innovation to a brand once known for forging ahead with new technologies and bold designs.
It has a “smart glass roof” with “Suspended Particle Device (SPD) technology”, which apparently allows occupants to adjust the lighting independently in their corner of the cabin.
There are also five digital displays, the pinnacle of which is a vast 55-inch digital screen that allows passengers to view video or other content while “electronic digital blinds” block the view from the driver (Land Rover and Jaguar have had similar technology for years).
The Celestiq also incorporates the next iteration of parent company General Motors’ semi-autonomous drive systems. Known as Ultra Cruise, it allows for partial hands-free driving.
No word on what’s beneath the sleek Celstiq skin, other than that it involves batteries and electric motors.
As with all new GM electric cars – including the Chevrolet Blazer, Hummer EV, Chevrolet Silverado EV and Cadillac Lyriq – the Celestiq rides on the automotive giant’s Ultium architecture.
However, despite the modernity beneath the skin, Cadillac has retained an old-school long bonnet, one reminiscent of enormous V16 Cadillacs of the past.
“The Celestiq show car — also a sedan, because the configuration offers the very best luxury experience — builds on that pedigree and captures the spirt of arrival they expressed,” said chief engineer Tony Roma when comparing the concept with those classic big-engined Cadillacs.
GM is spending US$81 million to revive the Global Technical Center site to produce the Celestiq from late 2023.
While Cadillac has built its reputation on big engines, it’s fast shifting away from petrol altogether.
The quintessentially American brand plans to only sell EVs by 2030.
Cadillac is also expected to eventually make it back to Australia.
The brand had planned to relaunch here in 2009 before the GFC sent parent company General Motors into bankruptcy.
But Cadillac is believed to be working on a plan to explore more international markets with its future EV range, something that should include Australia.
