Practically three years after unveiling the idea model of its flagship Celestiq EV, Cadillac has lastly launched the true factor: a $360,000 electrical car that oozes luxurious and a come-gawk-at-me exterior designed to lure in passersby.
However is that this bespoke EV sufficient for Cadillac to regain its place because the “Standard of the World?” I spent a day navigating this behemoth round Los Angeles in a bid to seek out out.
Sliding behind the steering wheel of the brand new flagship fastback is an effective begin.
I’m surrounded by buttery leather-based — my rear finish comforted by the comfortable seat, which is adjustable in each approach after which some. The match and end is exact and elevated like a Richard Mille watch and all the pieces I contact has that distinct honed by hand aesthetic. And but in 115 instances, these elements have been 3D printed, together with the middle of the steering wheel, window switches, elements of the console decor and even some structural items.
Cadillac clearly wished to construct an EV with zero compromises. The battery pack structure, nonetheless, offered sure design challenges.
The modules within the Celestiq’s battery pack aren’t uniform. In contrast to the Lyriq, which has a flat battery pack, the Celestiq has completely different configurations of modules within the battery pack which can be completely different heights. The modules beneath the entrance seats are about 9 inches tall, however the ones beneath the rear passenger footwell are solely six inches in peak. The rear seats are introduced up with modules which can be 12 inches tall.
Engineers wanted to position some modules beneath the middle console to get to a 111 kWh battery with 303 miles of vary. The result’s a shallow storage compartment that’s hardly sufficiently big to suit my pockets and glasses.
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June 5
Cadillac Celestiq EV: the drive
The appears to be like I acquired whereas piloting the Celestiq, made up for that teeny middle console storage. There’s nothing on the highway that appears this swish, with its dancing LED mild signature within the entrance, lengthy nostril and sculpted rear finish. In a city stuffed with manufactured magnificence, the real-deal Celestiq stands out.
I begin off on the tough streets of Hollywood, the place I deliberately intention for damaged pavement and manhole covers. My tester is shod with 22-inch wheels — though 23-inch wheels can be found — and Michelin Pilot Sport EV tires with little or no sidewall.
Having this little rubber between the automotive and the pavement typically ends in a harsh journey, however the Celestiq sports activities a compliant air suspension that retains all of it in examine. Greater occasions like potholes actually make their presence recognized, however metropolis driving is quiet and easy.
Make no mistake, this automotive is a bigun. The Cadillac Celestiq has a bigger footprint than a two-door Chevrolet Silverado, made barely extra nimble with rear steering. Certain, it’s a bit onerous to seek out road parking on this unhealthy boy, however this automotive is extra prone to discover itself on the valet.
Leaving Hollywood, I head to the hills to see simply what 655 horsepower and 646 pound-feet of torque can do on a curvy highway. Right here the Magnetic Trip Management shines, reacting shortly to the highway in addition to the automotive’s weight switch to supply a assured feeling of management. Aided by lively roll management, the automotive feels flat via the turns regardless of its zaftig proportions.
The steering here’s a bit numb, however it’s weighted properly and the brake regen offers a brand new talent to overcome. I discover that at max regen, if I can time my throttle lifts proper, I by no means need to hit the mechanical brakes earlier than heading right into a nook. The burden nonetheless transfers to the entrance so I’ve the grip to show, however I’m additionally getting free electrons on the similar time.
I find it irresistible.
I crank up the Dolby Atmos sound system pouring out of 38 inside AKG audio system– there are 4 exterior the automotive that produce cool EV sounds for these unfortunate sufficient to be strolling – and head out to the freeway. In fact, GM’s Tremendous Cruise superior driver help system is right here, so I take my arms off the wheel and let the automotive take over for some time in site visitors.
Cadillac Celestiq’s huge drawback
And therein lies the largest drawback with the Celestiq. I’m not essentially mad that every one GM electrical automobiles run Google Constructed-In over Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Google Maps is nice on this car, precisely predicting my vary after I arrive at a location, providing up charging stations and pre-conditioning the batteries if wanted. It’s simply that I can’t reliably get the system to hook up with my cellphone for hands-free texts and cellphone calls.
And it’s not simply within the Celestiq. In each the Optiq and the Escalade IQ the method was persnickety. There are a number of settings on my iPhone that need to be right, generally I’ve to reconnect if I flip off the automotive and some instances it simply refuses to inform me I’ve an incoming textual content.
Excessive-end prospects demand simplicity and ease of use. This sensible cellphone integration system is neither.
Cadillac Celestiq inside
However a minimum of the screens look nice.
Stretching throughout the width of the sprint, there are 55 inches of high-resolution goodness. The passenger will get their very own display screen for streaming media and web shopping and all local weather controls are on a smaller display screen under the sprint.
I’d give my kingdom for some bodily HVAC buttons, however on a automotive like this I’ll accept a separate display screen the place a minimum of I don’t need to scroll via a bunch of menus simply to activate the air con.
Massaging seats are right here, in fact, they usually appear to remain on a bit longer than in different luxurious automobiles I’ve pushed. There is no such thing as a heated and cooled cup holder, an omission I feel is tantamount to forgetting to serve creme fraîche along with your caviar, however Cadillac advised me it may add the function if somebody actually wished it.
I dig the glass roof that may dim as much as 20% opacity in any of the 4 zones. Every particular person within the automotive can customise how a lot mild they wish to let into their a part of the car.
I’m not 100% bought on the facility doorways as my thoughts simply goes to the worst-case state of affairs of being caught contained in the automotive within the Entire Meals parking zone or one thing. Nonetheless, it’s sort of cool to only press the brake pedal and have my door shut robotically. There’s additionally an icon on the decrease display screen that can shut the doorways, so passengers can get in on the high-tech, low-effort bandwagon.
Bespoke EV expertise
Every Celestiq shall be made by hand at Common Motors’ International Technical Heart in Michigan.
I obtained a bit of style of what prospects will expertise as I labored with a designer to pick out my favourite colours and supplies. Selecting from what might need been fifty shades of all the pieces was a bit overwhelming, however I walked out with my dream Celestiq in Kingfisher Tricoat, an excellent blue that I feel goes properly with the lengthy wheelbase and fastback profile, and an inside of Sheer Grey and Bahia Orange with Phantom Blue Accents. What can I say? I dig blue and orange.
Because the day progressed I used to be handled to the Cadillac concierge service that prospects will expertise as they undergo the shopping for course of. Somebody made positive I all the time had a chilly Eating regimen Dr Pepper in my hand and lunch choices have been tailor-made to my immature culinary tastes. In different phrases, I had tater tots for lunch and I’m not even embarrassed about it.
Whereas Celestiq prospects will doubtless use their concierge to discipline logistics requests and never request copious quantities of carbs and caffeine, the purpose is that they are going to have somebody to cater to their each car-buying whim.
There isn’t an excessive amount of on the market within the uber-luxury EV market. The Cadillac Celestiq’s main competitors may be the Rolls-Royce Spectre EV with its cool starry-night headliner. Nonetheless, the Celestiq principally sits alone within the extremely luxurious, battery-electric sector.
Bentley doesn’t have a full battery-electric providing but, simply hybrids and even Mercedes hasn’t absolutely electrified the Maybach S Class sedan, though you may get a Maybach EQS SUV.
If you would like one in your storage, properly, good luck. Cadillac will produce a restricted run of 25 automobiles for 2025 and almost all are spoken for. The corporate gained’t give particular numbers for 2026, solely saying that manufacturing shall be capped at lower than two Celestiqs a day.
