As Caddy makes the transition to all-electric power across the board, it’s going to need something aspirational, something jaw-dropping, something so good, it’ll carry the automaker’s banner without breaking a sweat. Enter the Cadillac Celestiq flagship sedan, the brand’s forthcoming four-door superstar. The Celestiq was recently shown to select media at a special event earlier this month alongside the Cadillac Lyriq EV crossover, and now, we’re bringing you what we know about the Celestiq based on intel gathered by an attendee at that special event.
Escala concept
Unfortunately, cameras were not allowed at the Celestiq debut, so we must instead rely on descriptions to get an idea of what it looks like. Word has it the four-door is similar to the Escala concept, so we have included pictures of the Escala throughout this post for reference.
“This car needs to be seen to be appreciated,” writes one attendee at the Cadillac Celestiq flagship sedan reveal. “Just could not take our eyes of it.”
The Celestiq is described as being simply enormous in terms of exterior dimensions, with very long and very wide proportions. The roof falls back at a fastback angle, creating a sleek profile, with an intricate, eye-catching design with tons of presence.
Escala concept
In addition to looking like the the Cadillac Escala concept from 2016, the Celestiq also mixes elements of the Audi A7 and Jaguar XJ. Behind the passenger compartment is a large C-pillar, possibly the biggest in Cadillac’s history.
The Cadillac Celestiq flagship sedan seen at the event was painted white, and was also equipped with 23-inch wheels that were pushed all the way to the corners of the vehicle thanks to a very long wheelbase. “If you thought the CT6 was big, think even bigger,” writes the attendee.
Cadillac EV concept
The front end is said to be similar to that of the Cadillac Lyriq, with an identical grille and both horizontal and vertical lighting elements similar to the unnamed Cadillac EV concept that debuted in Detroit early last year, plus illuminated Cadillac emblems. It should be noted that the Celestiq was actually designed before the Lyriq, even though the Lyriq will be the first to market.
Escala concept
Some of the lighting is integrated in the grille, without the typical mesh seen on a traditional internal-combustion car. The Cadillac Celestiq flagship sedan’s tail lamps are L-shaped, with the upper portion of the L wrapping into the C-pillar for the turn signals. The lower portion wraps into the rear bumper and house the brake light. “The new Escalade’s vertical lights look like Walmart toys by comparison,” write the attendee.
The Cadillac Celestiq flagship sedan also doesn’t come equipped with door handles or side view mirrors, while the roof is all glass, upping the four-door’s sleek look even further.
Escala concept
Although the interior below the belt line was hidden, a rendering showed what appears to be a 2+2 seating arrangement. That means four passengers, maximum. The trim included warm, luxurious wood, but the Cadillac Celestiq flagship sedan will offer a variety of choices for customers. The upholstery is high-quality leather.
The interior also comes with huge screens, as Cadillac Society was the first to report. The display stretches across the dash from pillar to pillar to serve as both the gauge cluster and infotainment system, and according to our attendee, “the large OLED screen in the 2021 Escalade would be jealous.”
Escala concept
The Cadillac Celestiq flagship sedan also has a touch screen between the two front seats with a few controls and a small storage area, and there are additional screens between the two rear seats and on the back of the front seats.
Escala concept
For now, there’s no indication when the Cadillac Celestiq flagship sedan will debut, or when it’ll hit the market. However, executives did indicate that the new four-door would launch by at least 2025.
As we covered previously, the new sedan will cost at least $200,000, and be mostly hand-built, outside of the battery packs and underlying platform, of course. That price tag and hand-built approach will also open up the possibility for high levels of personalization, hearkening back to the old days of coach-built Cadillacs. Production will be limited, taking place “very locally” according to Mark Reuss, president of Cadillac’s parent company, General Motors.
What do you think of the Cadillac Celestiq flagship sedan, dear reader? Let us know in the comments, and make sure to subscribe to Cadillac Society for ongoing Cadillac news coverage.
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