Cadillac's new $300,000 electric saloon moves the luxury brand into the new era of motoring. With the EV sneaking up on manufacturers soon rather than later, all the historic marques now decide what parts of their brand they will take forward into the new era of motoring. The badge Cadillac denotes two key features, a large engine, and stellar luxury. In the new era of motoring, Cadillac can only bring forth one of these, luxury. Although by no means are the performance-oriented Blackwing models dead, Cadillacs EVs will surely open up a new realm of performance. Cadillac's Celestiq doubles down on the brand's luxury heritage with a mighty $300,000 price tag. Cadillac's previous EV to this, the Lyriq, will arrive in the next model year and with a $62,990 starting price.

With a major increase in asking price from their previous models, Cadillac takes aim at the hyper-luxury marques like Rolls-Royce and Bentley. In doing so the American marque promise near-endless customization and luxury. The Celestiq carves a new space in the market for Cadillac, not only by competing with more prestigious manufacturers but also by targeting the EV space and its inherently younger demographic.

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This Is Why The Cadillac Celestiq Costs $300,000

A quick glance at the latest Cadillac and you can see why the Celestiq costs so much, at least on the outside. To say the Celestiq takes the form of a large sedan comes as a mild understatement. The revised bodywide, perhaps even gaping front grille that Cadillacs now use, partnered with a clamshell bonnet, there's a minimalistic approach to the design. You'd expect this car in a science fiction film, driven by a member of the 0.1%. As a sedan, there are four doors, but very little remains of a traditional design. Take for example the door handles, long gone. The Celestiq uses a conventional 3 box design, but with a twist. The trunk uses a sloping coupe-like design as found on an Audi A5 Sportback, giving a shooting brake aesthetic.

Cadillac refers to the exterior lights of the car as acting in choreography, peculiar, but a glimpse into the future. Along with the creases of the body, the Celestiq incorporates LEDs that move in a futuristic shimmer.

But the opulence continues on the inside. According to Cadillac, the Celestiq offers "bespoke luxury at its most transcendent". The marque continues to write the car take on the form of "the ultimate manifestation of ultra-luxury redefined through the spirit of futurism and the avant-garde". Bold claims for a Cadillac, a brand with a more elderly demographic, a symbol of stability and tradition.

How Cadillac Take On The Luxury EV Competition

cadillac celestiq side
Cadillac

Somewhat interestingly, Cadillac doesn't speak in definites for the Celestiq. Cadillac refers to its Ultra Cruise technology, an autonomous driving mode, as an "expected offering". Importantly, this means Cadillac currently can't compete with the driving modes offered by Tesla. Another potential technology is a smart glass roof, while the details on this go unconfirmed, it's safe to assume that it's a digitally enhanced sunroof. However, Cadillac continues to claim that their car comes as innovation "forged through true artistry". Effectively, the Cadillac Celestiq propels itself away from competing brands like Lincoln, BMW, and Jaguar and more into the realm of Rolls-Royce and Bentley. These brands focus on bespoke cars, built around the buyer. Catering to their requests, such as incorporating roses into the cabin. If you can afford to pay for it, these brands will do what you want to your car.

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Cadillac writes the car "One of a kind and custom commissioned, every CELESTIQ is a work of art as singular as its owner". All of a sudden, a comparison to Rolls-Royce no longer seems ludicrous. After all, every Rolls-Royce incorporates a gallery in the dashboard, for the owner's choice of art. With customization at the heart of these cars, a list price is somewhat elusive. However, at the time of writing, Rolls-Royce of Orange County have two used Ghosts for sale. According to the Rolls-Royce dealership, $370,000 and another for $460,000. As a result, for $300,000 the Cadillac Celetstiq looks like an excellent value proposition.

Cadillac's Celestiq Is The Brand's Take On Hyper-Luxury

Cadillac Celestiq Rear Quarter View
via Cadillac

Cadillac aims to compete with these more traditional hyper-luxury cars. With spacious seating for four, the Celestiq evokes business class air travel. Four-zone climate control promises comfort for all four occupants of the Celestiq, a feature not yet in production with any brand. With a high level of technical equipment, but one that appears unintrusive through only a presence in the center console and digital dashboard, Cadillac proposes a hyper luxury car that just so happens to use battery power. With the brand's Adaptive Air Ride, an evolution of their current magnetic adjustive damping system, the Celestiq promises a more luxurious ride. Coupled with the tranquility of electric power, Cadillac presents what could become the greatest hyper-luxury car of all time.