Great luxury with deafening silence

Historically, Cadillac has never been a truly conscientious brand about its ecological footprint. Cantor of an American excess which has become the worldwide calling card ofAmerican Dream, the luxury brand has long relied on large engines roaring in the background to move huge flashy objects. All that is shattered with the arrival of the Celestiq, a large electric sedan unveiled last week.

The latest creation from the luxury brand of General Motors (GM), the Celestiq inaugurates a paradigm shift in the interpretation of American luxury. Cadillac, however, refuses to avoid glancing at its rear view mirror, using the famous slogan “Standard of the World” used since 1908 to establish its supremacy.

Its huge wheelbase and long rear overhang are there to testify to its belonging to Cadillac. The presence of a “fastback” type rear roof line conveys a modern image and ensures practicality. However, a degree of opulence and sophistication unequaled by the manufacturer can be detected in the design approach to the lighting, finely integrated into the front grille and at the rear using scarlet boomerangs.

An opulent vault

The cabin takes Cadillac back to basics while incorporating essential digital advances. The 55” screen is the most striking example. La Celestiq also relies on fully customizable combinations of materials to satisfy the demanding clientele it targets. Many parts made of aluminum are shaped by 3D printers. It is neither more nor less than Rolls-Royce or Bentley which are here in the line of sight with an approach with discontinuous lines “giving an impression of movement around the passengers”, we say. Everything is assembled by hand, status requires.

Comfort and grip

As is standard in electric luxury sedans, the Celestiq will be entitled to a duo of electric motors producing 600 and 640 lb-ft in total. The idea here, however, is not to cultivate an exceptional level of performance. Cadillac has instead focused on comfort by employing electromagnetic shock absorbers and air springs. Variable-reduction front steering coupled with rear steering increases its degree of agility.

The Celestiq also employs its large 111 kWh battery as a structural element of the chassis. It provides a range of 483 km and a charging power of up to 200 kW.

The sedan will go into production as early as December 2023, and Cadillac is targeting a starting price of US$300,000, or about C$413,000 at the current exchange rate. This makes it by far the most expensive model ever marketed by the brand. The run will also be very limited by its artisanal assembly process which restricts the production volume to only six vehicles at a time.