The 2024 Cadillac Celestiq made its big debut last October, dropping in as the luxury marque’s all-new, all-electric halo sedan. Now, the Celestiq has been spotted out and about undergoing testing with bare carbon fiber body panels.
As we can see from these spy photos, this Cadillac Celestiq prototype was spotted with a white-and-black camo wrap hiding the front bumper, while various body panels show a myriad of different shades of matte black. The hood and the doors also appear to be covered in a plastic wrap. Critically, the rear quarter panels show us the sedan’s carbon fiber weave with an unpainted finish, providing us with a peek at the ultra-premium sedan’s composite body bits.
Per the photos, the rear carbon fiber panel wraps into the rear hatch and up into the roof, with a subtle styling line indent framing the rear vertical lighting. Closer images reveal the carbon fiber weave.
According to automaker, carbon fiber was used in “several areas of the exterior” of the Cadillac Celestiq, thus allowing designers to “create distinctive forms not possible with traditional metal body panels.” That said, visible metal is still used for the grille, header, rockers, taillamp trim, headlamp trim, bodyside trim, and the trunk liner, as well as for the liftgate body openings. Other interesting material technologies include the use of 3D printing, which Cadillac leveraged for the Celestiq’s steering wheel decor.
Interestingly, these photos suggest that Celestiq buyers can choose between painted or exposed carbon fiber body panels. All in all, we would certainly like to see the new Cadillac Celestiq dressed in full bare carbon fiber, a look which could lend the ultra-premium sedan an assertive, sporty, high-tech aesthetic.
The sedan certainly has the specs to back it, what with 600 horsepower and 640 pound-feet of torque thanks to a 111 kWh battery GM Ultium battery pack and GM Ultium two-motor all-wheel drive system. Properly motivated, the Cadillac Celestiq will sprint to 60 mph in an estimated 3.8 seconds.
As a reminder, the Cadillac Celestiq rides on the GM BEV3 platform, while each unit is built by hand at the GM Global Technical Center in Michigan.
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Comments
I wonder why they felt they had to cover (hide) the grille but not the rest of the car?
Design change or hiding some of the Radar/Lidar equipment?
The ugliest vehicle since the Pontiac Aztec.
Sad but true! The rear 1/3 really hurts the eyes.
Bd… nothing but nothing is ugly as the Pontiac Aztec that thing should have never been built and I think this Caddy is beautiful it’s the best looking EV from Caddy so far although I also like the Lyric.
To the contrary, the most ugly cars are the Toyota’s. There is nothing as ugly as the front end (Grill) on all of the Toyotas produced in the last 5 or so years…
Not at all attractive
1980’s Porche 944 from the A pillar back.
It wasn’t attractive then, and the look hasn’t improved with time.
My opinion is that Cadillac has missed the marque! This design is obtrusive and reminds me of the initial crew cab trucks where manufacturers just took another front door and added it to an extended truck cab. It doesn’t flow, the design looks like an assortment of add-ons that have been patched together to try to make something unique and special.
My prediction is the targeted customer will not see this albatross the same way Cadillac envisions it. The brand deserves much better.
make a nice looking s/w
Looks like a modern Jensen interceptor
Hate to say but, that rear does not belong to a 300k car.
C8’s rear, this, Lyriq. Gm’s weak part. Theyou need to improve their design in that part.
The rear looks fine on all of them. They attract attention, I guess some don’t like that and rather be nondescript.
I suppose it’s brash, as Cadillacs of the heyday were, and therefore this design remains true to Cadillac heritage in that sense. But it sure as hell ain’t sexy/classy/admirable. I really wish it was because I want Caddy to do great. Also, when is someone going to call them out on that trunk lift-over height? Geeeeshhh!!
I love the design…. but that back end doesn’t belong on this car. If it’s a sedan, let it have sedan proportions. Why does a godd@mn 300,000 thousand plus car need to cater toward people who want everything SUvied???
This shape also helps with aero and range.
M
Not a good looking car at all! Bring back the XTS! You could buy four of them for the price of this new unattractive automobile! Cadillac will loose a lot of money if they build it.