The recent GM EV Day event was overflowing with new info on the automaker’s upcoming line of all-electric offerings, including the announcement of a new flagship luxury sedan from Cadillac called the Celestiq. Now, according to media in attendance at the event, the upcoming Cadillac Celestiq will cost at least $200,000.
If true, that price tag will make the Cadillac Celestiq the most-expensive production vehicle ever sold with a Caddy badge, catapulting the sedan into the realm of European heavy-hitters from the likes of Bentley, Rolls-Royce, and Mercedes-Maybach.
Granted, that’s probably where a flagship model should be – at the top of the pile, waving the brand banner and raining down premium, aspirational associations across the make’s entire stable. The question, though, is this – what will the Cadillac Celestiq offer to justify the eye-watering price tag?
For now, Caddy is keeping its cards close to its chest on that front, merely stating that the upcoming sedan will be the “ultimate expression of Cadillac design and technology, with a bold, dramatic presence, and unparalleled refinement and innovation.” Sounds promising, but how about something a little more concrete?
Well, we know that the Celestiq will most likely adopt GM’s next-gen BEV3 electric platform for underpinnings, and could offer both RWD and AWD drivetrain configurations. We also know that the sedan will likely take styling cues from the gorgeous Cadillac Escala concept that debuted in 2016 at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Finally, we expect the four-door to arrive sometime between 2023 and 2024, following the launch of the Cadillac Lyriq crossover slated for 2022.
Furthermore, it’s entirely possible the Cadillac Celestiq will offer some hugely impressive output figures. We already know that GM isn’t shy when it comes to making high-powered all-electrics, as evidenced by the 1,000-horsepower claims of the upcoming GMC Hummer EV, and given the Celestiq’s price tag, we think something near four-figures for motivation would be entirely justified. In addition, the Celestiq will be hand-built in the United States.
Then, of course, we have the tech offerings. Perhaps the Cadillac Celestiq will offer the highly advanced next-gen version of the Super Cruise semi-autonomous driving system called Ultra Cruise, something which will get closer to full autonomy than the systems currently in use with the Cadillac CT6, CT5, CT4, and next-gen 2021 Cadillac Escalade.
We’ll follow this story as it develops, so make sure to subscribe to GM Authority for more Cadillac Celestiq news, Cadillac news, and 24/7 GM news coverage.
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I hope that GM is approaching this from the direction of building the absolute no compromises AT ALL totally best car ever built! They can if they want to, only thing in the way is the bureaucratic penny pinchers and autocratic unimaginative management that will keep this from happening. The great challenge is NOT building the car thats the easy part!!!!!
Second thought is at 200k or close to, this car will be everything the CT6 was claimed to be, {insert official reason for canceling it ] Now a more expensive lower volume car is coming. I am not objecting to it just wondering how to make the pieces fit in a way that makes scene. Seems to me Cadillac needs a car in that can move into the low 100K CT6 Blackwings, to fill the price gap between CT4-CT5 60K to 200K...............
What Cadillac needs to do is come back down to earth, they have forgotten the
Buyer that brought her to the dance. $100,000 for a Cadillac is redicilous and will
Never fly. Americans don’t want electric ,self driving cars but they do want a good transportation value that is priced right, fun to drive and a realistic vehicle !
And has range to match the rwd CT6
Tom Robinson
“Good transportation value that is priced right”
Are you suggesting Cadillac build a Camry fighter?
The CT5 is there for you today!...
Tom Robinson, you do realize the article is about a Cadillac flagship sedan that they haven’t truly had in a VERY long time? This isn’t the car for value, but they’ll have cars for that in the CT4 and CT5. Your comment goes against the very nature of a true flagship, as it is supposed to be a vehicle that someone would aspire to own, and bring people into the showroom, not provide value.
Tom, Thats not Cadillac's job... Sadly some inside GM see it just as you do. Perfect examples would be CIMARON AND CATERA!
YES it IS Cadillacs job.... to provide a vehicle wher the buyer can justify the expense. They created the Allante and priced it at the same $$ as the well established Mercedes SL.. it failed. The Catera priced at/near a BMW 3 Series = failed. The XLR priced at SL levels again and the XLR-V was over $100K = Failed, then the ELR, a Volt with a great looking body priced at $75K = FAIL.... THIS is GM's legacy.
A $200K vehicle by GM has got to be so incredible with so much going for it OR it will fail and I think miserable. GM will then say no one wants a coach build custom Lux Sedan.
Also if they launch it after all their other EV's using the same platform as the Chevy Astriq it will also fail. You'd think these idiots would learn from their mistakes... I predict this will be an Electric Escala and they'll price it poorly and gorgeous as it might be, it'll fail and they'll say no one wants a gorgeous EV...
Thats not Cadillac's job. Sadly some in GM see it just as you do, CIMARON and CATERA are perfect examples.
"Seems to me Cadillac needs a car in that can move into the low 100K CT6 Blackwings, to fill the price gap between CT4-CT5 60K to 200K…"
I've been thinking the same thing. We've curiously heard basically nothing about the VSS-R RWD platform for a long time...maybe that's the answer? Doubtful, but there's a chance. Or they may just throw a 5 Series-sized EV sedan in there to cover, who knows.
Cadriver
The CT6 is still sold in China. The Celestiq will be exported to China.
In the U.S. GM will have the Escalade, Corvette & Hummer EV. HD pickup trucks, Electrics & Cadillac Vs.
They will be well represented in the ~$100K market.
Out of the three vehicles you mentioned, only one is a Cadillac. None are Cadillac sedans.
As someone who wants to see Cadillac become a serious full-line performance-luxury brand, a Corvette and a Hummer are no replacements for a Cadillac sedan in the $65-100k price range.
GM doens't know how to build a $100K vehicle... they only know how to price one at $100K...
Well so much for that then. While I think a halo car is needed at Cadillac and a big sedan is needed, I don’t see this as the right portfolio mix. Even the respected German luxury brands don’t price their big sedans like that and they have a hierarchy of products that graduate into the upper echelon price points. GM will have the $50,000 smallish CT5 sedan and then a gigantic electric sedan at $200,000?
Cadillac is a brand selling a ton of rebadged and rebodied Chevrolet’s and then they’re thinking folks will buy a $200,000 sedan with the same name? I’d be all for this, I’ve often said Cadillac once competed with Rolls Royce and should be aiming higher today but they’re going to need better entry level and mid-tier products to go with a $200K car.
If this represents their new top-end and they’ll be elevating the brand in general then I’m happy but they canceled CT6 so there’s a huge gap between CT5 and this.
Ci2eye
Bentley & Rolls Royce haven’t made money in a long time. It’s how they ended up being owned by the Germans.
The Germans have divided up the highend market between too many models and too many brands. Facing stiff competition from Tesla & Land Rover, none of those models make money anymore. With Europe & China going heavy on electric. The Germans will need to focus all their resources on the high volume models at the lower end of the luxury spectrum to stay in business.
Nobody sane claims that Tesla competes with Bentley and Rolls.
Peter G,
I didn't say anything about Rolls Royce in context of today. I didn't say anything about Bentley at all.
What I was suggesting was that in their heyday, Cadillac competed with Rolls Royce so I think they should be aiming higher today than the near-luxury market they compete in with all those FWD crossovers (XT4, XT5, XT6). I for sure think competing with Rolls Royce would be much too giant of a leap for Cadillac today. They'd be doing well with competent models to match Genesis at this point. They aren't even a legit competitor with Korea and for sure aren't on par with the German brands. Rolls is in an entirely different league. All Cadillac has left is the name that still has a lot of residual prestige but the products don't live up to the name.
Having said all that, I know Bentley doesn't make money and VW has established a profitability goal for them in the next few years. I'm pretty sure Rolls Royce does though although BMW AG doesn't release those numbers.
So this thing is going to have to completely be a leader on all fronts showcasing future technologies and styles that will eventually cascade down to $20,000 vehicles. This task has historically been dominated by the S Class.
I agree Andrew. I personally think this is a genius idea. Cadillac going electric provides the brand with a completely new slate to reestablish themselves on the market. Not only that, but you can afford to charge a huge sum of money for a flagship luxury sedan because of how new the tech is. If Cadillac tried to make a Maybach-fighting sedan, people would laugh them out of the room. But an electric sedan, full-size, with zero compromises (as Reuss has said)...that could work. But it HAS to be NO COMPROMISES, none. This is a segment no one has even come close to touching. If Cadillac was the first, they could establish themselves as king of that segment. And what better image-booster for Cadillac then being king of the full-size high-class electric sedans? Plays to their heritage perfectly.
As a side note, one automotive journalist said that, besides being stunning outside, he said the attention to detail and materials used was not only Mercedes-esque, but Maybach-esque. This is likely the flagship JDN endlessly teased before he got canned.
I don't think that's 100% true.
Who had the first factory remote start? GM (Chevy)
Who had the first night vision? GM (Cadillac)
who had the first electric starter? GM (Cadillac)
Who was one of the earliest adopters of the panoramic moonroof? GM (Cadillac)
I'm not saying that the S-class is not the top of the line, but you can't say that the it was historically a tech leader.
Another stupid idea. If they couldn’t sell the C6, they won’t sell enough of these to make it worth doing. Take a page from the new Corvette. Build a car equal to the best of Mercedes and sell it for half the price.
Where do you think the Corvette got its interior from?
They have already stated that this is not going to be a mass produced car. I see maybe 250 to 750 over the course of its lifespan. Which is achievable, especially considering they follow through with it being almost completely hand made. The majority if it's sales more than likely being in China. I'm with the few that feels that Cadillac needs a Lexus LFA or a Ford GT or a more relatable MB Maybach. They need something to give them a better image than what they have. No V series is going to do that. The V gives them the performance aspect, but not the luxury aspect that they need.
Hopefully they do follow up with the no compromise statement. Cadillac may have decent sales currently. That will only go so far with the current portfolio that they have though.
Just waiting for the GM brass to begin their mass exits(retirement packages in hand) just as this and the other EV’s start to stream unto the market with the damage already done.
So the old American coach-build approach, I like it.
The last Cadillac IMO was 1957 when you can get a unique Cadillac that shared little with the rest of GM, the party was over in 58' when an Impala looked and can be nearly optioned as a Caddy (Lincoln died in 69-70' when the Continental became a T-bird and Mercury with style and Imperial in the same time became a loaded Plymouth).
As someone else said there's a huge gap between CT5 and the Celestiq, hopefully Caddy is working a tween sedan a division counterpart..
"hopefully Caddy is working a tween sedan a division counterpart"
A between sedan with a divisional counterpart (Chevy, Buick). I hate autocorrect
good luck with that one.
gm has cancelled the april debut of the lyriq due to corona.
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/2020/03/06/automakers-coronavirus-parts-disruptions/4977019002/
The car is beautiful but I'm not interested in an electric car at any price.
It’s ridiculous to put all that money into a car that only a few can afford. Mercedes would never have dropped the S Class and just offer an E Class or Maybach. I don’t think I’ve ever see a Maybach on the road but I see plenty of S Classes.
Steve
I see a lot more Escalades than S-classes on the road. The reason you never see a Maybach is because Mercedes only sold 3,000 worldwide in the 10 years the brand was on the market.
Its not about sales, Steve. If you're Cadillac, you need an image car to set the tone for the brand, to reestablish yourself with consumers. Cadillac needs this desperately.