CELESTIQ: New Luxury Transcending GM’s DNA

Just a few years ago, many consumers were either doubtful or hesitant about EVs. Now, they’re actively adapting to and accepting electrification. A host of automakers are doing everything they can across segments – including ultra-luxury – to embrace the latest changes in a fast-evolving and extremely competitive EV market.

The Durant Guild is a premium lifestyle platform presented by General Motors.

In September 2022, General Motors introduced into China a premium lifestyle platform, The Durant Guild, under the namesake of GM founder, William Durant. It is dedicated to building a customer-exclusive community, on the one hand, and plans to introduce into China an iconic collection of vehicles representative of the heights of GM’s offerings including the HUMMER EV, TAHOE, CORVETTE and CELESTIQ. Of them, CELESTIQ is most noteworthy as an ultra-luxury flagship sedan shaping the future of the ultra-luxury EV alongside the Rolls-Royce Spectre.

(CELESTIQ ultra-luxury flagship sedan)

General Motors is preparing for projected December 2023 production of CELESTIQ with new equipment and new teams of select designers and engineers. No more than six vehicles will be assembled at any time. Recently, General Motors Global Technical Center campus in Warren, Michigan quietly unveiled the vehicle, which has more than 81 million dollars of investment and represents Cadillac’s innovation in electrification and intelligence amid new mobility trends. An estimated starting price of 300,000 dollars in the U.S., leading-edge design, craftsmanship and technology, deep individualization and handcrafting and other elements highlight CELESTIQ’s status as a work of art. CELESTIQ is much more than an EV. It’s an unrivaled experience through which customers can create and own a timeless work of art. This is at the core of competition between the leading premium brands such as Cadillac and Rolls-Royce.

The experience begins by encouraging customers to imagine exactly what they want. The CELESTIQ team will show the greatest respect for each unique customer idea no matter how challenging. “We’ve baked a mantra – never tell a customer ‘no’ – into how we make the car and the material choices,” said chief engineer Tony Roma. “We just want to tell them how much and how long.”

The Cadillac brand boasts a rich heritage of bespoke craftsmanship having brought many customized paragons of luxury into the world. In 1927, for example, the designer Harley Jarvis Earl was invited to create the La Salle Series 303 for Cadillac. Its stylish, graceful styling changed people’s understanding of what automotive beauty could be. Thirty years later, Cadillac introduced a handcrafted bespoke saloon even more expensive than a Rolls-Royce -- the Series 70 Eldorado Brougham, which offered different colors and upholstery choices as well as a stainless-steel roof available on demand.

(CELESTIQ-unique emblem)

While carrying on the brand’s bespoke heritage, CELESTIQ takes customization to new heights. Though engine and battery specs are constants, the exterior can be painted any color a customer desires, and almost all the interior surfaces such as those of the dashboard, door paneling and center console can be customized and configured with any of the currently available upholstery and floor mats. CELESTIQ also offers options like wood, brushed metals, leather and fabric.

Each CELESTIQ is one of a kind. Each embodies the unique personal taste and values of global owners. CELESTIQ will first be available for ordering in markets such as the U.S. and the Middle East. Chinese customers will also soon be on an exclusive customization journey with The Durant Guild, including 1-to-1 white glove service from designers at Cadillac’s Headquarters in North America.

(The center console on CELESTIQ ultra-luxury flagship sedan)

Ideation precedes creation, and the brand has a solid track record of bringing to life its vision. From the first production V8 engine to the first production V16 engine model; from the La Salle to concept cars; from Night Vision to Super Cruise, Cadillac has proven its creativity over the past 120 years. Today, Cadillac has once again included all its heritage and innovations in CELESTIQ, putting the vehicle on the bleeding edge of automotive technology.

Visually, CELESTIQ was inspired by medieval architecture, Eldorado Brougham and Cadillac’s first luxury electric SUV, LYRIQ. The CELESTIQ’s powerful flowing lines showcase a bold new design language. With a forward-leaning body, a low roof, 23” wheels and fastback profile, CELESTIQ was designed to let customers experience more as they’re driven into the future.

This sense of “more” is enhanced by the front and rear ends. On the one hand, the front end features a black crystal shield grille including dozens of LEDs that cascade light across the front fascia. The straight, flat front fenders integrate into the shoulder lines which run through the body. CELESTIQ features L-shaped taillights that put a 90° twist on traditional ones. CELESTIQ also interprets the classic rear spoiler through a lens of futurism.

The carefully crafted CELESTIQ epitomizes Cadillac’s sincerity and pursuit, leveraging technology to ensure excellence both inside and out. Once they enter the cockpit, customers are welcomed with an immersive experience fusing technology and art. The high-quality 55” HD display fully engages the senses while the 8K driver-side screen shows vehicular and shared information. The passenger display, meanwhile, supports various applications. CELESTIQ features front and rear center consoles with a touchscreen, which allows the occupants to adjust seating and interior temperatures, open and close doors and the all-glass roof panel colors among other functions. Additionally, there are over 450 LED lights in the interior and a 38-speaker AKG Studio Reference Audio System for truly immersive in-vehicle infotainment.

CELESTIQ also features the Gentherm ClimateSense™ four-zone microclimate system and a Fixed Smart Glass Roof. ClimateSense™ allow each occupant to tailor their seat heating and cooling including a neck scarf, heated armrests as well as heated, cooled and ventilated seats. Smart glass panoramic sunroof features Suspended Particle Device (SPD) technology which allows customers to change the opacity of the four individual zones from less than 1% (dark tint) to up to 20% (standard tint). The roof comes with special infrared reflective and low-emissivity coatings to assist in maintaining the interior temperature at comfortable levels.

(The cockpit of CELESTIQ ultra-luxury flagship sedan)

These are just a small sampling of what the CELESTIQ has to offer. CELESTIQ was built upon an all-electric propulsion architecture combining a 111-kWh battery pack with twin-motor all-wheel drive, delivering up to 600 hp and 640 pound feet as well as a range up to 483 km. CELESTIQ comes with 114 3D-printed parts and more than 300 flexible components throughout the body, chassis and interior that allows for parts which would be impossible to create with typical metal castings and CNC milling. .

A pioneer in the area of ultra-luxury EVs, CELESTIQ shows Cadillac is raising the bar and reestablishing itself as the “Standard of the World” when it comes to luxury after more than six decades. It has also triggered high expectations, as people want to see the brand continue to push the limits of exceptional experience. While Rolls-Royce has long been one of the leading representatives of luxury on wheels, CELESTIQ is now pulling up beside it. Cadillac is looking to redefine the luxury standard with this distinctive Goddess.

* All videos and images in this article are from General Motors (China) Investment Co., Ltd.

* All the images, parameters, configurations and other technical details of the models in this article are subject to those of the vehicles which will be sold in China.