Cadillac Celestiq EV flagship revealed

Cadillac has revealed the next model to power its transformation to an EV-only brand by 2030, showcasing the new Celestiq flagship in ‘concept’ form.

Leaning on its once famous “Standard of The World” motto, Cadillac’s big new Celestiq looks to deliver a new level of luxury and style for a brand that has suffered Lexus-like “Chevy with leather” derision for decades.

"With Cadillac reimagining the future of American luxury, we are entering an era of limitless possibilities and the future of design.”

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The Celestiq we see here may only be a show car, but Cadillac claims it is close to its final design and specification.

When it goes on sale in early 2024, the big electric flagship is expected to start at around AU$400,000 – putting it in the neighbourhood of a Bentley Flying Spur or a high-grade Porsche Panamera, but still a couple-hundred-grand short of a Rolls-Royce Ghost. Of course, none of those are currently offered with a pure-EV powertrain.

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In conceiving the Celestiq, Cadillac says its designers immersed themselves in the brand’s history, looking to icons like the Eldorado for inspiration.

Inside, the Celestiq epitomises luxury and excess, indulging passengers with a huge 55-inch digital dash display, while the rear occupants get integrated screens in the front seatbacks.

Of course, BMW’s new 7 Series already outdoes this with a massive 31.3-inch widescreen for the rear row.

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A special quad-zone ‘smart glass’ sunroof is also featured, with new Suspended Particle Device (SPD) technology allowing occupants to set the level of glare-blocking polarisation to their personal comfort preferences.

Power details are still to be revealed, but Cadillac’s new Lyriq electric SUV starts with a 250kW single electric motor while a dual-motor AWD version bumps output to 370kW.

As a low-set flagship model, we can likely expect the Celestiq to boost power numbers even further. For example, the most powerful Silverado EV offers a mighty 488kW.

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Driving range doesn’t look to be breaking new ground, however, with Cadillac suggesting a range of “at least” 483 kilometres will be offered.

It remains to be seen how much further the American luxury brand will take that number, although 800V ultra-fast charging will likely be included.

Watch for the Celestiq to make its proper production debut in the coming year.