The Cadillac Celestiq electric flagship sedan will be revealed this summer, GM Authority has learned from sources familiar with the matter.
The reveal was initially supposed to take place in April, but will now take place in either July or August.
Unlike its delayed reveal, the Cadillac Celestiq is expected to go on sale considerably earlier than originally planned. Until recently, the assumption was that it would be one of (if not the) last of six all-electric vehicles introduced by GM’s luxury brand before the end of 2025. But as GM Authority revealed in January of this year, the Cadillac Celestiq is now expected to arrive during 2023 as a 2024 model year vehicle.
Cadillac Lyriq show car
The others Cadillac EVs will include the midsize Cadillac Lyriq crossover, which will arrive nine months ahead of schedule in the first quarter of 2022, two more crossovers called Optiq and Symboliq, a sedan/coupe as yet known only as the “low-roof” EV and an electric version of the Cadillac Escalade.
Cadillac Escala concept
In February, we published a rendering of the Cadillac Celestiq based on two assumptions. One is that it will look similar to the Cadillac Escala concept presented at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2016. Cadillac’s design language has evolved since then, so the second assumption is that it will share some design details with the aforementioned Lyriq.
The closest that GM has come to showing the car publicly was the release of a teaser video produced in January. Only a very small part of the exterior was shown in the teaser, but the video featured a birds-eye view of the vehicle, another of the cockpit (which featured a display spanning the width of the dash), and one of the four-quadrant panoramic sunroof.
The glass in the sunroof contains suspended particles which alter its transparency in each segment under control of the occupant sitting directly underneath it.
The Cadillac Celestiq will ride on GM’s flexible electric vehicle platform, called BEV3
Other aspects of the Cadillac Celestiq are already known. It will be full-sized, feature all-wheel drive and four-wheel steering, and will be based on GM’s EV-specific BEV3 platform, using Ultium lithium-ion battery technology and Ultium Drive electric motors.
GM has said that the “highly flexible qualities of the Ultium system” and “engineering advances in battery technology, use of virtual development tools and lesson learned during the Hummer EV development process” made it possible to bring forward the launch of the Lyriq. It may very well be that this is also the reason that the Celestiq will now arrive much earlier than previously expected.
Cadillac Celestiq rendering by GM Authority
Other than the platform, the battery and the electric motors, the Cadillac Celestiq will be built by hand. Though the assembly site has yet to be announced, the facility that will be responsible for building the vehicle will likely be GM Factory ZERO, formerly known as GM Detroit-Hamtramck plant. The model is expected to be priced at around $200,000, thereby serving as the flagship for the Cadillac marque.
We’ll be following GM’s electric revolution closely in the coming months and years, so be sure to subscribe to GM Authority for more Cadillac Celestiq news, Cadillac news and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Comments
I love the renders but this is ‘sell-my-kidney’ level pricing.
Cadillac “ Standard of the World “ is back, we welcome your return even at a premium price. I have always admired Fleetwood”s, El Dorado’s and Seville’s these great looking rendering and the return to names means, there might be a Cadillac in my future after all American luxury at its best
With cheap plastic all over the interior to remind you it’s a Cadillac.
Back? Ha!
That’s why we have two.
I like the look of it, stealthy
I absolutely cannot wait for everyone to see this thing. It’s going to turn the industry on its head.
Words simply won’t do this girl justice…the proportions are absolutely ridiculous, in a good way. The sloping, massive C pillar, the long, flat hood, the muscular lines, and maybe most notably, the incredible size. And the interior is laden with futuristic tech and luxury features.
We’ve all been clamoring for Cadillac to shoot for the moon one last time, to reclaim the “Standard of the World” mantra…and that time has finally arrived.
A Cadillac Renaissance begins this summer, and what you see will define the entire brand in very short time.
Hey G8, beyond the looks and interior, will we be just as surprised with the range and performance of the Celestiq?
Neither are finalized now from what I know GMC Fan, but I’d expect similar numbers to the Lyriq in range. HP will be very high – 600 hp give or take will be the base number.
Also, she comes standard with AWD and four wheel steering, similar to the Hummer setup. Don’t expect a sports sedan, though…this car is being tuned exclusively for luxury, like the old days. Think a sexier, far more futuristic Maybach-type luxury sedan with styling very similar to the Lyriq on an Escala body with a semi-sportback rear end, and you’re 90% of the way there. The silhouette will be unlike any car on the road.
G8Burnout
I hope ure right. This is a last chance. I hope we won’t see cheap plastic buttons from xt5 lol
Can u tell me this gonna be a car that should be driven strictly with a personal driver like RR Phantom or not? I hope not.
@Italian
Don’t you worry about plastic buttons, my friend. For all intents and purposes, this car is coachbuilt. EVERY interior touch point is 100% customized to the customer’s tastes. A sweet detail is that the passenger side of the dash includes a modern take of the Rolls Royce “Gallery.”
As far as whether this is a car that should be driven as opposed to being driven in? Both. You’d want to drive it just like you’d want to drive a ’59 Eldorado Biarritz…for the feeling of riding on air and the overall experience. But you’ll have so many ridiculous features out back that you won’t be able to help riding back there on occasion.
It won’t be a sports sedan, but trust me, if only to prove that the real Cadillac has returned…you’ll want to drive this thing.
Its an EV so driving will be the same as other EVs. It will be a matter of who has the best software to emulate a good driving experience. At this price point folks are more concerned about how the car feels to them on the inside. I reckon people will not drive this vehicle themselves just like typical Bentley or Rolls-Royce customers.
There are more aspects to driving than the powertrain experience. And even so, these motors will be very, very powerful.
I was more referring to the engineering in chassis and suspension tuning. It’s the same experience that makes Maybach, Bentley and Rolls Royce unlike any other experience on 4 wheels. The Celestiq will be a similar experience and ride, while even quieter via the electric motors and extensive sound deadening.
Really have to agree with the plastics issue. I held onto the ’08 CTS far longer than i normally would because all the newer CT models were sporting black plastic crap for dashboards.
Even a brushed-aluminum LOOK on plastic was better than shiny cheap junk plastic in a Cadillac. Thankfully the CT6 helped make up for that…and appears to be the very last “BIG” gas-powered Cadillac. Was even interested in the CT series hybrid and GM gave those up fast. Followed shortly after by Lincoln.
for $200K this had better be special.
all the pressure is on gm and cadillac to deliver.
cadillac is running out of excuses.
We shall see about it turning the industry on its head. Sure they will surprise Tesla with the amount of screens that they have. One can make “luxury” and ask for any price they want. Cadillac has a lot to make up for in its lost prestige. With the present state of Cadillac, brands like Bentley, have nothing to worry about. 200K for 20th century motors, on top of some new “battery” pack with a IMAX interior, okay. Or 200k plus Bentley with a W12 and a highly custom interior that will look eloquent regardless of the era.
For them to charge that type of price, a FWD XT4 should not exist if they want to be so upmarket now.
This car will surpass Bentley in prestige and desirability, and you can take that to the bank.
Remember, Bentley as a brand is in some major hot water right now. Once advanced, modern competition like the Celestiq shows up, its circumstances will get even worse. I love the Bentley W12, but it’s days are severely numbered, and the brand desperately needs to start making money while falling behind. Super-luxury buyers love to be on the cutting edge of society…which right now, is electric vehicles.
And for what its worth, that FWD XT4 (and other volume sellers) is the reason why Cadillac has the profit margins to build the Celestiq in the first place, and why Bentley is current;y being commanded to make a profit, or die. They have no volume sellers to subsidize the low volume, extremely expensive to produce vehicles they market in the first place. Careful what you mock.
The cutting ‘edge of society’ is “EVs” only due to mandates. So one can hardly say that is organic. As outside of the artificial government forced demand, the public was not demanding EVs. So hardly a point to praise.
Prestige will not be built over night. Prestige and Cadillac have not been used in the same sentence for a few decades now. I know the commies still see the brand as Prestigious. So I have no doubt it will sell well there.
My point is that Prestigious ultra luxury brands do not make cheap volume vehicles with the same badge. As clients who actually buy these vehicles want exclusivity. I am very well aware of the profits that Cadillac makes off of its FWD offerings.
Bentley will be fine, they are a part of the VW automotive group. Like GM, VW has spent a lot of money on next “generation” platforms. They are only in hot water because the EU changes their standards every few months it seems and it takes time for companies to react.
well it’s now late august and still no reveal…what’s going on? you seem to have deep knowledge on the matter
Also, the car is being built at the GM Tech Center in Warren, not Factory Zero. The first year of production will be about 500 or so cars, but may increase for the next model year.
@G8:
Thank you for all your posts! This is very exciting.
If you can say, is the July/August reveal of the showcar correct as far as you know?
@Megeebee
You bet, I’m as excited as you! I’m excited mostly for the Cadillac diehards to finally be rewarded for their steadfast love of the brand.
As far as I know (which admittedly isn’t definite), yes, late Summer is the decided date. Also worth noting: even though, like the Lyriq, the Celestiq will be shown as a pre-production “show car,” 97% of what you see this summer is what you’ll get. It’s the real deal. In fact, the car was designed before the Lyriq…it was the Godfather, if you will.
The Escala was coming to production. When that project got cancelled, the team wasn’t disbanded…they just went back to the drawing board with more freedom to go even bolder. The car you’ll see this summer is the fruit of not only their work, but the work of years of concepts going all the way back to the Sixteen. Ciel, Elmiraj, Escala, it’s all led to this.
If only….if only this were true, if only this actually happens. If only it stays around longer than six months. If only Finance doesn’t kill it like all the other flagships that were supposedly coming. I am among the many long-suffering Cadillac fans that waited and waited and allowed myself to be teased again and again and finally just gave up all hope. I refuse to be duped again but if only….
I get the frustration, 100%. The people at Cadillac are fully aware of this.
I’d take hours to fully explain and unpack, but long story short, going electric on such a modular platform made this car finally possible. No corners cut, no short production run. This car will make GM good money…it won’t be killed off.
Also, it’s definitely not vaporware. There’s not even a chance it doesn’t get produced. Cadillac is committed, and it’s absolutely coming.
G8Burnout,
Thank you for your post of this car. Is this car between the size of the Ghost and Phantom? Also, you stated that this is not a sporty sedan but will it more than likely have air suspension w/ Magna ride? How majestic will this car be compared to the Ghost & Phantom? Will the styling be more of a departure from RR and Bentley?
With four-wheel steering and AWD the car of its size sounds like it will have excellent composure on the road and around the curves.
Hey John,
So I’ll tell you everything I know, but it’s not the 100% complete picture yet. For size, it’s hard to compare to the Rolls siblings…those are very upright and blocky, while the Celestiq is very low, long and especially wide. That’s why I say it’ll be truly like nothing on the road. But it’ll massive, so I’d say Phantom-sized.
For the ride, I again don’t have the specifics, but from everything I do know, air ride is virtually a certainty. MagRide should be included as well. The Escalade already uses this setup, so I expect it for the Celestiq as well.
Lastly, styling. Styling will be a total departure from RR and Bentley, and I can’t stress that enough. WAY more attention-grabbing, you can’t take your eyes off it. Just stunning. Like I said earlier, it’s very low and wide, and muscular. Think of the most beautiful classic Cadillac from the early 1960’s, and modernize it. It’s unquestionably Cadillac.
I hope it looks better than the above GMA rendering. While that speculative image looks okay as a sort of mix of Escala and Lyriq, I’d like to see something more imaginative and unforgettable.
“Unforgettable” is the perfect term to describe the Celestiq. Believe me, you won’t be disappointed.
I can’t wait to see the Cadillac Celestiq, it’s the flagship that the Cadillac brand has always needed. The Celestiq is “Designed to set a new standard for luxury EVs, the Celestiq embodies Cadillac’s commitment to reimagine what’s possible in design and technology.” Cadillac said. I’d expect the Celestiq to have a range of over 450 miles. The Celestiq will be hand built at the GM Tech Center in Warren, not Factory Zero.
I wonder if Cadillac will show the finalized production Lyriq as well considering it is due to be in dealerships by early next year.
“Other than the platform, the battery and the electric motors, the Cadillac Celestiq will be built by hand. Though the assembly site has yet to be announced, the facility that will be responsible for building the vehicle will likely be GM Factory ZERO”
This vehicle will be built at the Warren pilot plant at the GM Tech Center.
If it makes the snarl popping sounds of my ct6v blackwing… I may have to grab one… if it’s silent we’ll maybe not
What happened to the $9,000 Caddy’s? Have I been asleep for the past 50 years?
Who the heck can afford $200K for a car?
Even dTrump won’t be able to scrounge up that amount of cash when SDNY is finished with him.
trump isn’t going to run out of money. he has an army of gullible fools ready to fall for his next con.
Not trying to bring politics into this thread but Trump’s net worth had not grown much since ’88. He may not run out of money but his net worth will not increase either since it is sitting idle due to careless spending and mismanagement.
and who cares what you or trump is worth? and how do you know anyway. I only worry about my own buisness
Well, work your own business then. Also, stop acting a fool and post like you got some sense instead of being a hater.
You can do research on anyone if you are capable of using a search engine and it will give you answers on anything just about. Are you capable using a search engine in Bing?
go do a search on the big guys worth since you are concerned about other people I will bet it is quite high for someone has spent his life as a lowly public servant most politicians that I bet are as well off as the big guy have made there millions in the private sector
You need to learn how to use proper grammar with sentences properly with the right punctuation. I can’t figure out what you are trying to get at. I’m shocked if a so-called businessman like yourself struggle to form proper sentences, grammar and punctuation. It is either you are nothing more than a miserable unhappy mark and your business is not rewarding you like it should due to your ugly attitude or you are full of s*#% and don’t have a business to begin with.
Considering how much is charged for a S CLASS/MAYBACH, that is a fair price.
Sure we can complain about the price of anything but are any of us willing to not take a salary?
What happened to the $9,000 Caddy’s? Have I been asleep for the past 50 years?
Who the heck can afford $200K for a car?
Even dTrump ZERO won’t be able to scrounge up that amount of cash when SDNY is finished with him.
So your post was so good you had to do it twice?
$9k Cadillacs? You’ve been asleep quite a while, Mr. Van Winkle.
A lot of people can afford $200k. Just ask Rolls Royce, Bentley, Ferrari, Masserati…….
stfu, you libturd, another TDS.
The $200k target seems excessive for the Cadillac brand. The volume will be tiny. Give the market a $80-$100k car (which I still can’t afford) and show the market all that Cadillac is capable of.
It’s been stated the car will be built at a rate of 1- 1.5 per day. 500 (+/-) a year. All built in the US. I suspect China alone will buy half that number. The public love Cadillacs there more than here.
You’ve apparently forgotten, but there was a $80-100k Cadillac. Recently. The CT6.
The Escalade can go over $100k.
Yes, but the Tahoe and the Yukon push it up higher and higher by polishing the turd a bit more. Can the Bolt be polished that much?
People can afford 200k. People buys Rolls Royce, and Bentley’s, they would buy a 200k Cadillac. The Celestiq isn’t even aiming for traditional buyers.
I think I’m the only one concerned here but why does gm (FKA GM) think it’s okay to build gigantic vehicles like the Hummer and Cellustiq just because they’re EVs? They’re still very inefficient and use more than their fair share of energy which is still being produced by burning fossil fuels. It seems that the fact that they don’t produce energy on-board but rather must acquire it externally is giving gm an excuse to build grossly oversized products again.
I’m all for a Cadillac flagship product again but from what I’m hearing it’s going to be a massive, inefficient land yacht like the days of old. How does that save the planet from impending doom.
Sound like you are reading more into this. Those electric vehicles will recharge itself thru the paddle shifters that will recharge the battery at a small percentage and other advanced technical features will make them a little more efficient. Also, GM is working on the next generation batteries as well.
Also, you are not comprehending that the Hummer and Celestiq are halo products for GMC and Cadillac. If you want efficiency, their will be smaller less powerful models coming from Cadillac, GMC, Buick and Chevy.
Ci2Eye:
Electricity is not generated by the burning of fossil fuels EVERYWHERE. I live in Washington State and like most of the West Coast we’re Hydro.
I do understand your point though. But there is a big difference in the energy consumed to create electricity opposed to gasoline. Electricity is generated and transferred via the grid fairly directly to the consumer.
To create gasoline:
1. Extraction of crude oil.
2. Transport of that crude to a refinery. This uses huge amounts of fuel itself, especially if it involves an enormous ocean going tanker ship burning fuel 24-7 for days and/or weeks to reach that refinery.
3. Refining of crude into specific fuels requires huge amounts of electricity, to say nothing of all the other ingredients and compounds that are required.
4. Tranportation of refined fuels, by train and truck to distribution points.
5. Local delivery.
6. Electricity to transfer to a vehicle.
So even if electricity is generated by coal/oil (which is standard in many places), there is very little standing between it and an EVs batteries.
IMO if an article has nothing political in it do not play the political card but since someone started it the only reason trump lost was the virus even one of the big guys staffer said it, it is a possibility xi unleashed it on purpose,you do not think he is not that low to do something like that to get rid of trump he was a pain in his a**. If trump won you would nothing to say but blame him for the problem of the day
Like every other Cadillac rendering, you will never see this xar because people may actually buy it. Typical GM, not like Chrysler that shows it and builds it. Cadillac lost its way years ago trying too chase everyone else, Standard of the World, Not !!!!!
I wonder if this car will have any unique autonomous features from cruise.
You’ll have to wait and see 😉
100K price is more realistic
It would also be more reasonable to consider this car once a few conditions are met:
300 mile range in the midwest in winter
If you can charge it at virtually any gas station
If you can charge it to 100% within 20 minutes
If you can’t do the above then this is nothing more than a very expensive commuter car
There’s a reason why Electric’s are less than 2% of the total car Market in the United States today
I’m afraid that GM is getting ahead of itself
How many $100k+ do you see on the interstate let alone driving cross country? If you can afford a $100k+ vehicle you’re going to fly beyond that 300 mile range in your $100k+ car.
theflew:
I see Teslas on the interstate far from a large city all the time.
You will be charging at any “gas station”. They already have electricity for their pumps, so just swap each pump for a charger and seal off the tanks. The brillant station owners know that their customer will visit the store and buy stuff while the EV charges. More money makes more reason to switch!
Frankly I wouldn’t mind that at all
Neither would I because I have a Level 2 EVSE at home up and ready now. I will only charge overnight. I will never visit a gas station again.
600 horsepower sounds like a lot, but may not be if this is a heavy car…I’m guessing this car will weigh over 5,000 lb
What are the torque numbers? That’s what will determine acceleration
The greater the weight, the less lively will be the handling characteristics
The weight will make the car more stable. Drive a real Cadillac and feel it for yourself. I drove an Eldorado once.
Imagine buyer’s remorse for someone who gets GM’s first generation batteries and then finds out that six months later GM will be coming out with second generation (maybe solid state) batteries that may weigh less and have a longer range and shorter charge time
There will be no buyer’s remorse. The engineers at GM are already WELL underway with the next-gen batteries which will easily get 500 miles of range on a charge, with even faster charge times…and those new modules will swap right into the existing Ultium battery compartments with ease and efficiency.
If you have any other near-term reservations, lease. This tech is coming much sooner than most believe.
SURE THEY WILL, and you can get a great deal on all of the Fuel Cell vehicles GM got produced in time for their deadline of 2012!
Can’t wait to see it next time they have an auto show. Too bad FORD/LINCOLN couldn’t get it’s crap together and come up with a similar sedan hence the CONTINENTAL. Can you imagine how quiet this car will be? Take it for a ride in the country with no particular place to go. Perhaps this platform or at least the concept of the whole thing will bring a new generation of BUICK and CHEVROLET sedan.
Well this is looking to be unlikely, what are they waiting for at this point.
Makes me nervous, if they can’t even unveil the car on time, what else are they gonna backtrack on? Is this typical Cadillac dropping the ball nonsense?
Late august and still no reveal. Calling bullshit on this “insider info”
That or Cadillac is dropping the ball once again and already backtracking. And if they backtrack on the reveal date, what else will they blunder? Cancel the car entirely?
GM is definitely not late to the EV market, they’re ahead of all the automakers (except Tesla) with its EV plans. GM will be the first automaker to have an EV truck on the market, the GMC Hummer EV.