Just last week, Cadillac’s parent company, General Motors, held an event it called “EV Day,” wherein a cornucopia of news on impending all-electric products came to light, including the announcement of the up-and-coming full-size Cadillac flagship sedan known as the Celestiq. Now, new details on the Celestiq have surfaced, including the news that it will be hand-built in the United States, and that it will cost at least $200,000.
Let’s tackle these bits of info one by one, as they are both pretty important. First off, the hand-built part. Cadillac dropped this little tidbit without much detail, but it does seem to suggest that the new Cadillac flagship will offer greater customization than the average mass-produced model. By contrast, the upcoming Cadillac Lyriq electric crossover was not described as “hand built.”
The Cadillac Escala concept, which provides styling inspiration for the Celestiq
The new Celestiq Cadillac flagship was shown in concept form to select media during the recent GM EV Day event, and while cameras were not permitted, the sedan is described as a full-size model with a fastback body style and four-seater interior, with no side mirrors or door handles, plus a glass roof. By all accounts, the Celestiq certainly sounds like a unique offering from the Cadillac brand, and it’s framing as “hand-built” should help to underline that special, halo vehicle presentation.
Which brings us to the second tidbit of info – the price. According to media in attendance at the event, the new Cadillac flagship Celestiq sedan will cost at least $200,000, making it the most-expensive production vehicle Caddy has ever made.
Two-hundred grand is no small potatoes, and while the sedan’s “hand-built” nature will help to justify that number, it’s gonna need a lot more added on top.
Cadillac says the Celestiq will be the “ultimate expression of Cadillac design and technology, with a bolt, dramatic presence, and unparalleled refinement and innovation.” Specifics are so far under wraps, but we do know that the Cadillac flagship will likely ride on GM’s next-generation BEV3 electric architecture, with either RWD or AWD on deck for motivation. The styling will take after the 2016 Cadillac Escala concept that dropped at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, while output could very well reach into the four-figure range, as evidenced by another up-and-coming GM product, the 1,000-horsepower GMC Hummer EV.
Furthermore, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the new Cadillac flagship pioneer an advanced form of the Super Cruise semi-autonomous driving system called Ultra Cruise, which could very well be much closer to full-autonomy than the system currently on offer.
Either way, the new Cadillac flagship Celestiq sedan is set to arrive sometime between 2023 and 2024. Stay tuned, as we’ll have more info on this four-door posted soon. In the meantime, subscribe to Cadillac Society for more Cadillac Celestiq news and around-the-clock Cadillac news coverage.
Greg
The Cadillac lover in me is excited and a little nervous.
First, at $200K +/-, this car is NOT a replacement for the CT6. I’m not sure Cadillac actually needs a $60-90K large sedan anyway. Judging from sales, the CT6 was not the right one. Just sayin’.
But, I wonder if the Cadillac BRAND can support a car of this nature. I hope it can, of course. I suspect there are many Uber-Wealthy around the globe that will jump at it. But how many are there, and how long could demand last?
There’s the dealer question too. I like the dealer I use. They treat me very, very well. But it’s not the kind of place you go to order $200K worth of ANYTHING.
Jess
I must agree that Cadillac does not have the credentials to sell a $200K car and that the Celestiq is most certainly not a CT6 replacement. I feel fairly certain that the vast majority of current CT6 drivers will not step up to the Celestiq at $200K no matter how fine it may be. I, for one, am out. I have enjoyed my 2019 CT6 and received countless compliments on it as well as the 2016 before it. I have enjoyed 10 Cadillacs to date (including my wife’s 2017 XT5 which is okay at best), but I’m likely done with Cadillac (never thought I’d say this).
I was looking forward to the next flagship Cadillac, thinking it would pick up where the CT6 left off and that it would be realistically priced. Not sure that Cadillac needs to build a hand made anything at this point. To me the CT6 is what a modern Cadillac flagship sedan should be and I thought Cadillac would build on this great foundation. Instead, sounds like Cadillac is attempting to catapult to super car status….GOOD LUCK!
What Cadillac really needs to work on is letting the goodness and refinement of the CT6 trickle down to the rest of the line. As mentioned, my wife’s XT5 is noisy and unrefined; I drove a loaner XT6 that was okay but nowhere near as nice as it needs to be in this segment and after seeing a CT5 in person must say it’s not particularly impressive. I worry for this iconic brand.
Tracy Mattison
GM should’ve never canceled the Ct6 in the US , Its A Great Car JUST A lil over priced , because they are trying to compete with BMW And Mercedes Benz , Witch is out of our League And I Say Our Because What Anyone Says Its true , And Then To Add to insult their continuing the ct6 in china , so what do you us to buy Foreign Large Luxury Vehicles, Remember Americans Made GM What it Is , And We Deserve A Large Beautiful True Sedan Like the Ct6 , Car Are Still Cool , the Hell With Crossovers
Greg
For the Kabillionth time, the CT6 didn’t sell well enough to justify continuing it. GM needed the factory to build the new electrics. The cost of moving CT6 production was too high for such a slow seller.
It’s built in China because it sells so well there. It’s as simple as that.
Gary
There is something to be said for offering a loss-leader that will contribute to overall brand profitability and perception. It doesn’t help that GM did a 360 on the CT6; it’s going away, wait it was premature to say so, it’ll still be sold, it went away.
I wouldn’t drop coin on a $200k car from a company that is prone to change course within a blink of an eye.
How is it that MB, BMW and Audi can develop, import at expense and sell niche vehicles (MB sells at least 5 coupes) but Cadillac can’t?
Or for that matter, the aforementioned brands have entered into market segments – BMW 2 series, Audi A3, MB A Class – that GM is abandoning.
Alex Luft
Agreed on all accounts. The difference is that Cadillac/GM are self-funding the EV and AV efforts, while others are either not pushing those vehicles as much or otherwise are partnering with others. GM is bullish on EV and AV/robo-taxi services, but that stuff is expensive to develop and bring to market. Therefore, it has set a profitability cutoff for its current products, which are funding the EV and AV initiatives.
If something isn’t contributing x percent in return, then it’s gone. It’s a black-or-white approach that doesn’t take into account things like brand perception. Every product lives or dies on its own merit and success (or lack thereof).
PS: the CT4 is the direct rival to the 1 Series sedan (not available in the U.S. yet), as well as to the A3 and A-Class Sedan. It’s the 2 Series Gran Coupe and CLA-Class to which Cadillac doesn’t have a CT4-derived “coupe rival.
Derrick
I agree with you. However, the CT6 did not receive much advertisement, if any. All Cadillac of the ads for Cadillac are SUV’s. I refuse to believe that the CT6 would not sell with proper and direct marketing. I have a 2018 CT6, which is a remarkable car. I do not think I would step up to a 200K car by Cadillac. This is not a replacement… hopefully. GM is not thinking right. Cadillac made a BIG mistake stopping production of the CT6.
Alvin Rhodes
Build the Cadillac Celestiq,but lest than $200 grand.I think it will be a hit.motor Blacking with 10 speed trans.Add tech pkg etc.
Alvin Rhodes
Forget crossovers
Anthony Byas
I agree 👍💯 looking forward to seeing and driving the Celestiq! One of the best Caddy’s ever!
Greg
….Come to think about it, the Escalade and its Electric version will be available by then, and the Lyriq too. So maybe there will be a decent “foundation” for the existence of the Celestiq after all…..
The Car Hound
My 2019 CT6 Platinum is a great car, Super Cruise and all of the comfort and power. And, comparing what I paid for a XT5 Platinum the CT6 gave me a lot more for the money.
Routinely, people would stop me to say my CT6 was a great looking car. They were surprised to see a such a stylish “big” Cadillac. Many added that they never saw any ads on the CT6, (the last time this happened was February 2020 when in a mall parking lot someone kept honking his horn til I pulled over.
The CT6 was subject to false starts, delays, restarts, repeated paint color cancellations, hit with ongoing delays in shipping after a build and little advertising. It was terrible to have a car be built, vin # and all, and to have to have customers wait 6 weeks after a car was built and still not have their car. Cadillac did all they could to kill the CT6. It was like all the inept brother-in-laws were responsible for the CT6.
By comparison foreign competition were building some cutting edge cars and really had their act together. It is a travesty to see what GM did to a great car.
$220k, statistically not many buyers for that price level car. I really hate to say this but Cadillac does not have the proven image for a $200 car.
Greg
When was the last time you saw an ad for a BMW 7? Or an Audi A8? Or a Lexus LS? Mercedes CS or S?
Gary
Save for perhaps the LS, those vehicles and brands have earned the cachet to be able to sell without having to advertise. Cadillac doesn’t have that to fall back on.
Greg
Agreed. My point is that advertising as such does not help cars in that price range.
Advertising is very expensive. Why would Cadillac spend the millions necessary for decent Nation wide advertising to attempt a sales increase of a few hundred CT6s? Sounds like a money-loss to me.
As you say, the competition has the upper hand. All the pretty pictures of the CT6 that Cadillac spews over the airwaves won’t have an effect on the target market. That market is small and getting smaller.
John Engelman
Greg, you are wrong! A $60-$90K car was exactly what Cadillac needed and continues to need it. The CT6 outsold the S Class, 7 Series, and A7. The CT5 is a step down, or more, from the CTS. I have a 2018 CT6 Platinum, and I love it. The best Cadillac I’ve had, and I’ve had 41 of them over the years. Cadillac has nothing for me to get after this CT 6 has run its time. The gap from a CT5 to …………a Celestiq, is way to much of a reach. I don’t do trucks, so the Escalade is out. Cadillac needs a few gap fillers and the 2nd generation CT6 would be a great one…
I’ve always said, people should never criticize what they have never owned. The CT6 is an outstanding car, but many stayed away because it said “CADILLAC” on the badge.
Do you really think people are going to jump at the chance to spend $200,000 on a ……”CADILLAC” when they could have a ……….Bentley, or Rolls Royce, or Mercedes Maybach, or BMW 8 Series….
If they avoided the CT6, like you did, and criticized it, like you did. Then they are certainly not waiting, with cash in hand, for it. After all, it’s only a ………………CADILLAC!
Johnls_39
You should not included the 8 Series. That car is not $200K.
Also, the CT6 outsold everyone in the segment except for the S Class.
Greg
The S is a segment unto itself. The S has a base price of over $90k. It’s not accurate to compare to the CT6.
Johnls_39
Everyone else compares the CT6 to the S Class. The CT6 is not a true S Class competitor but journalists and critics seem to think otherwise.
Greg
It’s true.
Alex Luft
Greg and Johnls_39 – that’s not entirely accurate..
The CT6 was initially planned to be an F-Segment car, a rival to the S-Class, 7 Series, LS, Quattroporte, etc. In fact, its original name was planned to be LTS, where it would slot above the ATS and CTS, both of which were to get direct successors. But about a year before the introduction of the LTS, the direction changed significantly to make it a tweener – a car that is the size of the F-Segment vehicles, but priced in the vicinity of E-segment sedans (E-Class, 5 Series). Hence, the vehicle is called CT6 to be “higher” than the 5 Series and give it the perception like it’s better (much like A6 from Audi), instead of CT8 (which would have made it a more direct 7 Series rival).
The CT6 actually did sell well and surpassed internal targets and projections that were initially set out for the model. The problem was that the DHAM where it was made became a political bullet for both GM and the UAW. During the recent negotiations, GM made concessions to keep the plant open. The only way to do so viably was to consolidate the overwhelming majority of its electric vehicle production at the facility. Hence, the CT6 had to go.
Internally, they explored moving CT6 production to Lansing Grand River, but to do so would have been extremely expensive. The cost would have made sense if the market were friendly to sedans, but it is anything but that at the moment, and is not projected to be going forward. In fact, the very E segment in which the CT6 competed is projected to show 25 percent contraction in the next 24 months. Given that the CT6 was already nearing the end of its lifecycle, the decision was made to discontinue it. It was NOT because it was a slow seller, but that the equation simply did not line up, and the outlook for success was bleak.
Greg
John:
If Cadillac needs this so badly then why didn’t more people buy? I know the CT6 outsold most of the cars you list.
And by the way, Cadillac already has a highly successful flagship. It’s called Escalade.
Why do you take this all so personally? A person doesn’t need to own a thing to see why it didn’t succeed in the market. Do you think all the excellent Engineers and Designers of the CT6 all own one?
I share your concern about Celestiq.
John
A $200K+ Caddy? I had a 2017 CT6 and then traded it for a 2020 CT6 Premium. Loved both of the cars and they were and are the flagship of the sedan market for Cadillac. I put the CTS and the CT6 side by side on the option list and the CT6 was a bargain AND we could get 2 adults in the back seat of the CT6 in comfort. Not so on the CTS and don’t even think about it on the baby Caddy. Remember no everyone wants an SUV/CUV or what ever they are calling them today. We like our BIG comfortable sedans. We have another Caddy and a Corvette in the stable now and will continue, unless we can get Caddy back on track with a full-sized sedan and I do mean full-size, not a wanna-be full size.
Get with it Cadillac, continue a priced right full-size sedan or we will have to buy a rice burner or a Mercedes. I’ll just drive my fully loaded, special order Caddy into the ground if I have too.
BlogZilla
Why are they showing pictures of the Escala if they are talking about the Celestiq? And why does the Celestiq look just lkke the Escala? Things that make you say,”hmmmm.”
Alex Luft
Because there are no pictures of the Celestiq. But the Celestiq will be influenced by the Escala.