Cadillac has been meticulously stoking the fires of the hype train of the Celestiq to ensure the model has a full head of steam before its debut on July 22nd. The forthcoming flagship model is rumored to become the most expensive product in the luxury brand’s 120-year history and will bring back a level of opulence not seen on American cars since the golden era of the 1950s.
Frankly, it sounds like General Motors may be setting expectations a little high — especially since the last handful of Cadillacs haven’t exactly been able to check the luxury box with the kind of gusto necessary for a nameplate that’s supposed to specialize in providing exactly that. The brand’s best offerings now tend to be focused more on performance than comfort and are accompanied by sporting names that include terms like “Blackwing” and “V.” But that may soon change if the latest teasers of the Cadillac Celestiq are anything to go buy, as the company seems to be returning to its roots.
As an American, it’s not really my place to decide what constitutes good taste. We’re the guys that decided oversized tailfins were the pinnacle of automotive fashion and continued incorporating aeronautical designs into cars until jet aircraft became commonplace and the trend became played out. We like excess, going for broke, mixing concepts, and the kind of outside-the-box thinking that can easily result in abominations when it fails to produce an instant classic. We’re mongrels, often ignoring what others think should be to explore what could be.
In that sense, the Celestiq seems to be decidedly American. Cadillac seems to have thrown in everything but the kitchen sink into the long and impressively low-slung fastback. And who cares whether or not it looks good when there’s so much here to distract you?
Clearly designed to best models like the Tesla Model S and forthcoming Mercedes-Benz EQS, the Celestiq’s interior shares more than a few design cues from both. However, the automaker seems to have continued working on the space until it felt confident it had something better to offer. Cadillac isn’t offering interior features and materials on par with high-end rivals, it’s promising to deliver an interior space that would make super-premium brands like Bugatti envious. Cars will be bespoke, with oodles of customization designed to cater to a clientele with particularly deep pockets.
However, Americans also love a bargain and unless the Celestiq offers Rolls-Royce levels of opulence, it’s unlikely to be a stellar value. Rumor has it that the car will start at an eye-watering $300,000, with each being made to order for individual clients and (at least partially) hand-built at GM’s tech center in Warren, Michigan.
Cadillac is trying to recapture the magic that allowed its namesake to become a proxy for describing engineering excellence in all fields. Considering how good the latest round of teasers look, it may even be putting itself in a good position to accomplish that goal. However, there are a few things working against the brand. For starters, the Lyric EV which foreshadowed the Celestiq has become better known for being an adequate EV with a pleasing design rather than the undeniable champion of the battery-electric crossover segment.
Range is another issue. Cadillac has said that the Celestiq’s range will be “at least” 300 miles per charge, whereas Tesla has examples of the Model S that can surpass 400 miles on a good day. Now, GM could elect to increase that number using a larger battery pack. But we’ve heard the model is already using the 100 kWh pack found on the Lyric — so we’re not expecting it to exceed 312 miles between charging breaks until something larger is available.
Flop or float, it’s going to be very interesting to see the vehicle’s official debut later this month. Cadillac is really going out on a limb to deliver something it believes will be truly special as it preps itself for going entirely electric. Whether that means the brand will begin delivering the kind of ultra-luxury vehicles it was famous for in the 1930s (which sold rather poorly during the Great Depression), replicates the understated beauty and swift technological development of the 1940s, or leans into the over-the-top styling witnessed in the 1950s remains to be seen. But it’s going big with this one and its success (or lack thereof) is likely to influence the marque’s direction for the next few years.
[Images: General Motors]
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Good thing Cadillac has never under-delivered on anything ever before.
Think about the wisdom and timing of this “Hail Mary” (spoiler, not a CEO pun). America is desperate for an innovative, stylish, lovable, durable, reliable, worry free EV. And GM pulls out all the stops to trumpet what?
These folks may mean well, but for some reason, GM suffers from congenital tone deafness. Add to that their consistent self back slapping “foot of the bed” chronic over promising, and they’re the neighbor you hate, try as they might to ingratiate themselves to their “public” hamhandedly, “like no other” (a euphemism for “Standard of the World”….. at 50% off retail (see Rolls Royce pricing).
Interested to see what this looks like but these are going to be very scarce.
If they can pull it off, it’ll be the brightest jewel in Mary Barra’s crown.
They gotta go for broke here. And be PATIENT. They’re rebuilding the top end of a still-storied brand. C’mon, everyone understands “the Cadillac of…” whether it’s home appliances or toilet paper.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DK2cZssgJzc
Remember that as late as 1965, there were Caddies that could be credibly compared with Rolls-Royce.
But 1965 was about the time that the division decided to go for volume profits moving forward…and we all know how THAT turned out – AND HOW QUICKLY THEY DEBASED THE CADILLAC BRAND to where you could get into a 1971 base model Caddy at only a 25% premium over a Caprice.
That ’71 Caddy was a POS but even if it had been an outstanding example of engineering and quality, the volume proposition by itself would have sent much of Cadillac’s clientele running into the arms of the Three-Pointed Star.
Has it been too long? Maybe.
But if Ms. Barra’s true believers could pull off the 50-years-in-the-making Corvette C8, then they can do this. Now is the time. I wish them well.
So true. For reason I can no longer understand, the first car I bought was a 1966 Cadillac Fleetwood 75 limousine. While decidedly uncomfortable to drive due to its bolt upright, pinched front bench seat, it was well made. From the jacquard covered rear compartment and the real wood layers to the sold metal trim on the dash it seemed, at the time, opulent. That car also provided an in road to working for a livery company at my first year at university and they used 70’s vintage Fleetwood 75 limousines. The jacquard had given way to mouse fur and all the metal and wood was replaced with plastic. However, to compensate, the swathes of plastic wood and metal was much grander and more elaborate. The decline in tactile, visible quality was overwhelming in just those 6 or 7 short years.
Now the the Three-Pointed Star is a POS. Mercedes build quality has taken a nose dive. 300k is a significant price but at that price Cadillac doesn’t have to sell a lot but it needs to be great and not just good enough. Mechanically the 71 thru 76 Cadillacs were good but the interiors were cheap with plastic wood trim which were not good enough for a luxury car but then Lincoln and Imperial were the same but the Lincoln at least had narrower gaps in the body panels. Having driven many of the Cadillacs from the 70s the drive trains were solid but the door straps and interior pieces would break and fall off which is not something luxury car buyers will tolerate. Cadillacs also drank gas like a drunker sailor. My mother had a 72 Cadillac Sedan Deville and I worked for a guy that had a 76 Sedan Deville. Great driving and riding cars on a long drive on the interstate.
@Jeff: Did you notice if that 72 De Ville had an ‘offset’ steering wheel/column. Somewhat common in Cadillacs of that era.
In my experience the Lincolns offered far more of what was considered to be ‘luxury’ circa the early to late 1970’s. Which may be one reason why Lincoln sales increased so much during that period.
Just watch any of the movies/tv shows of that era, or set in that era and Lincolns are plentiful.
As for customers moving from domestic luxury to European luxury. Due to the demographics (Greatest Generation/etc) who could afford luxury, the domestic marques still maintained their cachet with the majority of those who could afford luxury vehicles, with perhaps the exception of British autos.
The British autos were still quite unreliable and in regards to driving/etc a Rolls-Royce of that era was comparable to a Buick. The R-R of the era was still very much a car to be driven in.
BMW was still regarded as more of a competitor to Saab than to Cadillac/Lincoln.
It was only in the late 1970s when ‘Boomers’ started to become affluent, that German vehicles became the ‘go to’.
As for the Celestiq, in theory I very much agree with this. However why not a ‘hybrid’ rather than a full electric?
@Arthur–Yes my mother’s 72 Sedan Deville had a slightly offset steering wheel. I liked the car itself especially the smoothness and good acceleration from the 472 and the ride was very comfortable. What I didn’t like was the door straps that came loose, the door panels with the power switches puffed up and cracked, radio knobs that came loose and fell off, and not that crazy about the fake wood (plastic) inside. The car itself was smooth and comfortable on a trip. One of my bosses had a 75 Sedan Deville black on black with the 500 cu in and it was smooth and comfortable. Probably say Lincolns were a little nicer. If you listen to Adam on Rare Classic cars he just bought a beautiful black on black 72 Lincoln Continental coupe and he has a couple of Lincoln Marks. The Greatest Generation aspired to Cadillacs and Lincolns and the Boomers went to Mercedes, Audi, and BMWs but when Lexus came along it got both the Greatest Generation and Boomers. You are correct about the 70s and even 80s TV shows like Cannon, Barnaby Jones, Streets of San Francisco, Charlies Angels, Harry O, Matlock, and a few others that usually featured Fords and Lincolns. Who can ever forget Frank Cannon’s Lincoln Mark.
As for EVs it seems Cadillac and GM are going all in on EVs. My 2012 Buick Lacrosse E-Assist although not as efficient as my current ride managed to get 30 to 37 mpgs but it had a small trunk. The Lacrosse was smooth. Still miss that car but I did make 4k out of it and 2 vehicles are enough.
I have been a drunken sailor at many points in my life. Never during any of those times did I drink any gas.
Bwahahahaha!
My mother’s Cadillac use to burp when it passed a gas station.
Are these new Cadillac model names inspired by rap-music or it is just my imagination and these names are rather inspired by French haute couture.
Yoh Inside:
It be the rat music. LOOK AT THEIR COMMERCIALS BRO.
“As an American, it’s not really my place to decide what constitutes good taste.”
Well actually it is my place to design standards for good taste, and some of the design cues aren’t too bad (aside from the sixty inch wheels).
I’ve had many Caddies over the years — the worst being a 1980 Coupe de Ville, the best a 1956 Sedan de Ville. The marque is dead. GM might as well be dead, or completely move to Beijing where it belongs.
Every year GM is moving closer to Beijing.
So it’s a long-wheelbase like five door liftback, but the load level is so high you’ll never want to bother using the cargo capacity (the purpose of the body style). Cadillac likes to pretend it has much more brand cachet than it actually does. And while I’d like to see a resurgence of the brand, this halo (like their other halos such as the XLR and Allante) won’t do it.
“Cadillac likes to pretend it has much more brand cachet than it actually does.”
They’re delusional if they think they have any. My well-to-do neighbor showed me her new Model X today, gull wings and all. The flashy top 1-3% who used to be Cadillac’s customers in its 50/60s heyday now buy Tesla or high end offerings of Zee Germans. GM can hope to snag the stealth wealth with ‘hoe sales.
28….
now buy Teslas > and Lexus < or high end offerings…
I haven’t seen the flashy types in Lexuses more recently. Years back I would have included Land Cruiser/LX470 but the newer ones are not common on the ground here in bougie land (though someone down the street has a clean looking J100 98-07 example).
Here in Rainy Money Land Lexuses are as thick on the ground as ever, but it is the modest types buying them, not the showoffs. There are a lot of RX and GX, many fewer LX.
The showoffs are mostly doing Range Rovers, high-trim Mercedes GLS, and X7s. The ones who like to drive fast all have AMG GLE63s or X5/X6 Ms.
Teslas are incredibly popular but the demographic is different: younger and a bit less moneyed.
Kind of with you on that I don’t think this halo will do it but I would like to see Cadillac make a resurgence. There are much higher standards for a vehicle with the price tag of 100k and more. Very few luxury buyers see Cadillac as the ultimate luxury vehicle and in my opinion Cadillac’s time has passed but I hope I am wrong. I am interested in the Lyriq but even then I would wait to see what it looks like in person, how it drives, and wait a few years to see how it holds up. The brand starting in the 70s was cheapened but in the 80s it had major issues with drive trains and lost many customers as a result. Cadillac also went to far into chasing the BMW buyers and the Arts and Science and basically lost its mojo. Cadillac has to make a vehicle with stellar quality both mechanically and fit and finish otherwise it will not cut it. The traditional Cadillac buyers like the Greatest Generation has for the most part passed and the few Baby Boomers that Cadillac had appeal are diminishing with many who have gone onto Lexus and similar brands and are aging out of the market. This is a steep mountain for Cadillac to climb and there is little room for error. We will wait to see what happens but I am more of a skeptic when it comes to Cadillac and GM.
Put a V-16 in this thing, and you’re talking! That long, low concept that they came out with—was it called the Sixteen?—should be what they’re going for, and make it a hybrid if you must! But a glorified golf cart? Hard fail!
Corey we all know the formula for success is no longer sedans but a jacked up 5 door lift back that we call an suv or crossover. These use to be lower and were called station wagons but that is just an unfitting name for a 300k Cadillac with lots of moxie.
If they can put in an interior that looks like nothing else on the market and as much swag as they managed to put into the second-gen Escalade, they could actually make this work.
Y’all pooh-pooh Cadillac brand equity but it’s stronger than you think. Even people who think the brand is ridiculous today realize that there was a time when it meant something, and it could recover more easily than other damaged brands with the right product.
But will they pull those two things off? Jury’s very much out.
Cadillac does not have a credible $300K vehicle in them.
That isn’t C8 Corvette or Escalade money. Expensive post war Cadillacs (good or bad) tend to top out around $100K adjusted. I think the V16 cars of the 30s was the only time they got to that lofty level.
‘and it could recover more easily than other damaged brands with the right product.’
That’s comical. You must be unaware of how many times we’ve been treated to that excuse over the last 30 years. Or even 40.
Do da name Catera strike a familiar note? Allante? XLR? ATS? ETC? STS? There’s one name I won’t mention, but we are all aware of what it is.
That’s like the old saw “Just wait until the giant [GM] wakes up” said by many on GM-centric sites over the years.
I’ll spoil the ending for you: GM never woke up. Even after BK.
A significant chunk of the people today wouldn’t know about the Cimarron! Unfortunately they aren’t going to be the ones handing over a chunk o’ change for this thing!
So can I spec a 6.2L V8 in my bespoke car?
Maybe GM should focus on doing a better job with the rest of their lineup instead of this waste of time and money.
“Maybe GM should focus on doing a better job with the rest of their lineup instead of this waste of time and money.”
Those who can, do a better job already.
Those who can’t, make BEVs.
Note to non manufacturing people – non engineering folk.
“the car will feature hand built ” blah blah.
Hand built is BAD. Humans inject massive amounts of variability in mfg. Machines and an ‘in control ‘ system provide near zero defects. You know 3 sigma – single digit PPM stuff.
Hand built is a CON.
+an awful lot.
For actual car assembly, the hand builders _can_ beat the machines. By meticulously hand weighing, sorting and matching parts which are already within the tolerances the assembly line robots are designed to work with.
Toyota is doing some of that at the GR “factory.” It allows them to build a limited set of cars designed to require tolerances which would be prohibitively expensive to build and maintain machines capable of doing. Porsche does the same for their GT2/GT3 model lines.
I suppose, in theory, Cadillac could be doing the same. Problem is: For decades on end, Toyota and Porsche have worked on advancing the state of manufacturing art. While Cadillac have moved headquarters, gotten bailouts and sold handbags……
Also, at least shy of NASA budgets (300 of something a lot bigger then thousand….), and a decade or more of testing, such hand tuning and blueprinting is only ever possible for a very narrow slice of assemblies and sub assemblies. The vast, vast majority of the assembly steps in between raw materials and the final car, will still be machine made. The hand tuners at P and Toy both start with those iputs “as good as they can get.” Cadillac????, perhaps not quite….
You hear that screeching sound as you’re blasting down the highway in your flagship Caddy? No, that’s not the fanbelt, or the tires, or the motors, nor is it your passenger expressing regret for riding with you: no, it’s the fat lady singing a sad, horrible operetta about a company that once had it all, and simply gave it away due to its own ineptitude, arrogance, and corruption. In the 1970s, GM should have forsaken leisurely luxury for spartan cleanliness and performance. It was obvious!
Frankly, the modern incarnation of the electric vehicle is a rouse for mass transit. Hopefully the miracles our government and its handlers are praying for are on the horizon, but it’s not looking good. Regardless, our ambitious handlers will be much happier seeing us as their codependents toting bus tokens, than inter-dependents sharpening each other through genuine toil and competition.
So is the fat lady warming up now and the Celestiq is Cadillac’s swan song?
When I first saw the name Celestiq my mind took me back to my 1986 Celebrity. Too many of the same letters. They should have considered another name. Perhaps Cimmaroniq?
As a teen a friend’s family had a ’65 Ninety Eight. It was beat up and ratty but I enjoyed riding around in such luxury. Another friend had a mid sixties 98 with a glass partition in it.
Right idea, wrong styling. That back end…oy.
As our society increasingly breaks down between Those We Need and That We Don’t, a $300K Cadillac will be a surefire indicator for the latter on the high end.
BTW, close to 500 examples now available on cars.com tells us the Mercedes EQS is no longer “forthcoming.”
“ bring back a level of opulence not seen on American cars since the golden era of the 1950s.”
I’d say we’d need to go back to the Packard, Peerless, Pierce Arrow glory days on the teens and 20s. Post WWII US automakers didn’t really do ultra-high end.
Those 20s and early 30s cars are indeed grander, catering to a much higher end clientele with DEEP pockets. However all those super-duper luxury cars that came ahead of the Great Depression also highlighted just how serious the wealth gap had become. Cadillac couldn’t sell those cars in any real number after the crash and only managed to avoid dying thanks to its ties to GM. Plenty of other fancy automakers went under during the time period, never to be seen again.
Based on how today’s economy looks, the sudden upward snap in wealth consolidation that has further broadened the income gap, and automakers trying to cater more product toward big-money clients, the whole industry may be seeing history repeat roughly 100 years later. Honestly, I’d rather see something akin to 50s and 60s Cadillac where the cars were still a cut above and anyone that worked hard enough could still afford one. Though I’d be buying Chrysler if you teleported me back in time.
If I were teleported back to the 50s and 60s I would probably be driving the higher trimmed Buicks which in many years were actually nicer than Cadillacs. Also some of those 65 to 66 Pontiac Bonneville’s loaded up were very luxurious.
This is not the halo vehicle you are looking for.
Dial down the ambition to under $200k.
I suspect the only way Cadillac will ever “succeed”, is by limiting themselves to market segments too small for the big guys to bother with. Just give up on beating Lexus and the mainline Germans; and focus on Rolls and Bentley instead. There just about may be _some_ market out there, for parade floats with builtin shoeshine machines and chandeliers. And at least you don’t have to fight Mercedes for those not-poor souls.
If Caddy wanted to be more serious; I feel they should simply embrace the fact that German roads are smooth and fast. While Japanese ones are too slow for suspension to matter at all. Then build a darned Caddy luxury _CAR_ with suspension componentry worthy of a full on trophy truck. Build a test track for emulating real world American roads. Meaning, 300 speedbumps and craterlike potholes per mile. Then build cars hammering around that track the way the rest of the world’s carmakers do around the ‘Ring.
Upside being, there isn’t actually any real difference in surface quality between the average US freeway, and what competitors face during the Baja 1000. If you want to comfortably commute in LA, you need a car which would also be comfortable at freeway speeds in the Baja. And that’s one area US automakers would have have a leg up on their German and Japanese competitors relating to.
Stuki, I like your take on it. “Luxury you can use”. :)
Cadillac will be stuck in a nightmarish no-man’s-land for the next 10 years (if it survives that long). They have improved their gas cars quite a bit in the last 10 years … but now they are supposed to discontinue them all because they all burn gas. Cadillac said they should be out of gas engines entirely by 2030. Likewise the gas-burning SUVs (the real cash cow) have no EV equivalent yet. Cadillac couldn’t manage to sell many examples of a stylish plug-in hybrid at $80k (the CT6). They are not likely to sell many $300k EVs, in my opinion. So where are the EVs?
I don’t care how badly GM manages their shareholder’s business so long as we don’t have to bail them out again.
I’m sure all 20 of their customers will love these things.