If he had been told years ago that European luxury companies could prepare for some things coming out of the USA, his listeners would have laughed. But electromobility is shaking up well-known and well-established things. Even high-end manufacturers such as Bentley or Rolls-Royce can no longer rest on their cherished eight and twelve-cylinder engines, thick Connolly leather or sparkling radiator mascots. Bentley, Maybach, Rolls-Royce want to go electric as quickly as possible – with strong support from the Volkswagen, Mercedes and BMW groups behind them. Hardly anyone in Crewe, Sindelfingen or Goodwood will be pleased that Cadillac spits in the champagne, at least in the USA.
The new miracle weapon from Detroit is called the Cadillac Celestiq and the luxury battleship itself is just as unwieldy as its model name. “Celestiq is the purest expression of Cadillac. It celebrates our incredible history and propels us into a bold and bright future," says Rory Harvey, Cadillac's global vice president. "It's a completely bespoke work of art, built on the most advanced and innovative technology we've ever put into an automobile The world premiere in the fall saw an impressive first serve from the electronic giants and musician Lenny Kravitz testified on stage that he would be one of the first customers.
The Celestiq combines yesterday and today, Europe and America, vision and reality - sometimes for a very unusual amount of time. The proportions are expansive, the dimensions gigantic and General Motors has detached itself from the classic limousine style, as it did with its little brother, the Lyriq. Opening the electric doors reveals a plaque with the inscription "Cadillac - Hand Built - Detroit". You know something like that from Bentley or Rolls-Royce, and that's exactly what the new Celestiq wants to do. The Giganto-Mobil wants to revive an era that hasn't existed in the United States for a few decades. The Celestiq should be mentioned in a line with spectacular Cadillac luxury models such as the 1933 V16 Aerodynamic Coupe or a 1957 Eldorado Brougham.
There will never be an off-the-shelf Celestiq, because every vehicle is truly a one-off – created in close cooperation between consultant and buyer. The desired package goes far beyond paintwork, leather colors or applications on the inside. Rory Harvey: “The Celestiq is unlike any Cadillac before it and the customer experience is just as exceptional. Each vehicle is a unique expression of its owner and uses state-of-the-art technologies that make the driving experience personal and rewarding.” For all its exclusive individuality, the new luxury model from Michigan is based on the electric platform with which General Motors maps large parts of its electric portfolio. Ultium. This specially developed and extremely widely scalable drive architecture combines a 111 kWh battery pack and all-wheel drive system that delivers around 441 kW / 600 hp and a maximum torque of 867 Nm. The powerful battery pack should enable electric ranges of 480 kilometers despite the lush dimensions and an empty weight of over 2.5 tons. If it is absolutely necessary, it goes from a standing start to 100 km/h in under four seconds. Reloading is not quite as fast. Since the 800-volt charging technology is missing, a hypercharger with a maximum of 200 kilowatts can be refueled. In ten minutes, however, around 100 fresh kilometers are fed into the battery pack.
Not only air suspension but also electronic dampers, all-wheel steering and roll stabilization ensure maximum comfort for the five-door car, which ensures that the body with its mighty 23-inch wheels is unruffled. But despite the maximum comfort requirement, the approximately 5.50 meter long American should be able to move dynamically. "The Celestiq offers a level of responsiveness and sportiness otherwise only found in smaller, high-performance vehicles," said Chief Engineer Tony Roma. "We took Cadillac's expertise in developing advanced chassis and suspension systems into a whole new experience for the Customers let it flow in.” To keep the weight from becoming even heavier, not only are numerous components of the Celestiq made of aluminum, but various modules were also made of carbon and 3D printed parts.
The interior sets new standards in terms of quality of stay. The air-conditioned massage seats at the front and rear are only part of the feel-good program. In addition to the gigantic 55-inch screen in the front with 8K resolution, there are four other display areas for the occupants. The convenience functions are operated via an 11-inch vertical display in the center console and the two rear passengers each look at a 12.6-inch display. As with the new BMW 7 Series, the doors of the American can be opened and closed electrically. In addition, the new figurehead of the General Motors Group is also obligatorily equipped with a glass roof - the largest in the automotive industry. Passengers can separately shade the area above their own head or let in sunlight. In addition to automatic air conditioning with 33 individual sensors inside for a perfect feel-good climate, an AKG sound system with 38 loudspeakers ensures the best possible sound inside. Spectacular: depending on the configuration, more than 1,600 LEDs are installed on the vehicle. There are more than 450 in the interior alone.
But not only the passengers in the rear can enjoy the comfort of the Celestiq, because the well-known Super Cruise driver assistance system has not only been raised from the name to the next driving level. Ultra Cruise wants to offer level three driver assistance and can be refreshed at any time by radio. The start of production in the newly created Cadillac Manufactory in Warren's Technology Center will start in December 2023. The price of the Celestiq should start at over 300,000 US dollars and should hardly know any upper limits due to the numerous customization options.
