Cadillac on Friday pulled the wraps off its Celestiq show car, confirming the look of a future hand-built electric flagship sedan.
The concept car, GM says, is inspired by GM’s 120-year heritage and will continue to be developed toward production.
First teased last month, the design has stayed a sedan, GM says, rather than an SUV or crossover. But it’s evolved significantly since Green Car Reports got an early preview of the concept more than two years ago, and its shooting-brake and bubble-window look appear a little toned-down in the evolution toward production.
The swoopy, long-hood fastback sedan—GM still hasn’t shown how the trunklid opens—looked to the brand’s Eldorado Brougham of the 1950s for inspiration, as well as prewar V-16-powered coaches. It also appears to fit right in after the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq crossover that's now arriving at dealerships.
As Cadillac has confirmed previously, the Celestiq will be hand-built, so expect a very small production volume. The company plans to build the Celestiq at its Global Technical Center in Warren, Michigan, although a time frame has not been announced. The model will include the highest volume of 3D-printed components of any GM product yet. Expect just a few hundred vehicles a year, and Celestiq’s price could land in the vicinity of $300,000.
The reveal follows a tease of the interior last week, when Cadillac showed four throne-like lounge chairs, a flat floor, and what appears to be a red-leather cabin trimmed in metal. Screen space—including 55 inches of it—appears to span all the way across the dash, and it includes privacy tech that allows the passenger to watch entertainment without disturbing the driver.
That said, it will draw heavily from GM’s existing suites of technology. It’s set to be built on GM’s Ultium propulsion pieces, including large-format battery cells and modules, GM’s own motor design, and a proprietary battery management system. The Celestiq might also be the first GM vehicle to be equipped with an Ultra Cruise autonomous driver-assist mode for hands-free driving in a majority of situations.
As Cadillac continues its evolution to an all-electric brand, and Celestiq sets the tone at the top of the lineup, the question now becomes: What’s next?
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