Cadillac quietly started the production of the Celestiq as per the brand's executives. The model will be built by hand in very low volumes at the beginning.
The company's luxury EV is going to drive through the gate of the GM Global Technical Center in Warren, Michigan. It will be the first production model to see the light of day there. Until now, the center only built concept cars and show cars.
With the production underway, the carmaker will soon start delivering the model to the first customers who ordered one. The announcement referring to the commencement of production was made by Cadillac's Vice President, John Roth, during a recent briefing. He also labeled the model as the "halo of Cadillac."
Cadillac debuted the Celestiq on October 18, 2022, as a 2024 model year. Designed by Magalie Debellis, who was also responsible for the design of the Lyriq, the car comes with several striking features.
One of them is the smart glass roof supplied by Research Fontiers. The massive faux grille and the sleek silhouette make it stand out in the crowd of electric sedans. It is flanked by digital micromirror devices with 1.3 million pixels each.
Photo: Cadillac
The Celestiq entered low-volume production, with the number of units to be built yet unknown. The carmaker is reportedly planning to roll out between 100 and 150 units per year, depending on how fast hand-building works. However, they will have to ramp up production to keep up with what Cadillac calls a "very high demand."
The car is underpinned by GM's BEV3 platform, which the Lyriq is also based on, and sports the Ultium technology. It features an aluminum space frame and carbon fiber body panels.
The model is powered by two GM Ultium Drive motors in an all-wheel drive setup, delivering 600 horsepower (608 metric horsepower) and 640 pound-feet (868 Newton meters) of torque.
It can battle the lower-trim Lucid Air and Tesla Model S, but stands no chance when it comes to the Air Sapphire with 1,234 horsepower (1,250 metric horsepower) and Model S Plaid with 1,006 horsepower (1,020 metric horsepower). It takes the car 3.8 seconds to hit 60 mph (97 kph) from a standstill.
The system integrates a 111-kWh Ultium battery pack, which stores enough energy for an EPA-estimated range of 260 miles (418 kilometers).
The model comes with all the bells and whistles of a luxury car. It sports a multilink adaptive air suspension, active rear steering, and an active rear spoiler, which raises at high speed to keep the car balanced and enhance aerodynamics.
The luxury sedan starts at $340,000, before any options and fees. And it seems that the price isn't scaring customers off as it already has a very long waiting list.
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