Among the best elements of being at Monterey Automotive Week is simply driving across the peninsula and carspotting. You’ll see the whole lot from Ferrari 250 GTOs and unrestored pre-war Bugattis to model new hypercars and one-off ideas casually sitting in site visitors or in parking heaps. It’s actually unimaginable. However this 12 months, the automobile I noticed that had me probably the most excited was a metallic yellow electrical Cadillac.
I used to be driving by means of Pebble Seashore with a pal once we handed by a parking zone hooked up to some sports activities fields, the place this Cyber Yellow Celestiq was sitting within the shade beneath some bushes. I yelped and pulled a completely authorized U-turn so I may park and test it out, and fortuitously the motive force, a member of the Normal Motors design crew, graciously opened the automobile up and chatted with us about it.
I’ve been obsessive about the Celestiq since the near-production prototype was unveiled in 2022. I simply assume it’s an exceptional piece of design, particularly after recognizing a brilliant purple one (with a white and blue inside!) in my lodge valet at Automotive Week final 12 months, the primary time I had seen one in individual. Many individuals say the Celestiq simply seems to be like a stretched Lyriq — that’s simply how a design language works, guys — however in individual you’d by no means mistake one for the opposite. The Celestiq is large, about half a foot longer than an Escalade, and it has dramatic proportions and exaggerated lights and particulars. I like that lengthy rear overhang, fastback form and glass hatch; the entire thing has whole French vibes. The drama is enhanced by an outrageous colour like this metallic yellow, although the Celestiq additionally seems to be nice in darker, classier shades.
Sadly, this Celestiq had a really tame inside, with black leather-based and accents of aluminum and heat matte-finish wooden. I believe the cabin nonetheless seems to be fairly particular even on this fundamental spec, nevertheless it’s significantly better suited to a brighter colour scheme with extra distinction. You actually need the screens to be on to get the complete impact, too. However whilst a prototype in a less-than-ideal spec and setting, all of it seems to be very nicely completed.
The Celestiq additionally sounds very cool. I’m all for EVs getting synthetic noises, whether or not they be aping an inner combustion motor or a sci-fi spaceship, and at low speeds the Celestiq emits a pedestrian-warning sound that’s distinct and recognizable. It’s sort of like a sound tub, or a frequency made by a theremin, and I believe it fits the design ethos of the automobile nicely.
Sadly, I’ve solely seen this yellow one and that purple one final 12 months, regardless of Cadillac having almost half a dozen driving round Monterey this 12 months and others getting proven off at numerous occasions over the previous few years. Earlier in the summertime I missed a neon inexperienced check automobile in downtown Detroit by 5 minutes, and that information almost ruined my journey. It’s arduous to consider the final new automobile that I’ve yearned to identify this a lot.
As soon as deliveries of the $340,000 Celestiq start later this 12 months, it’ll stay a uncommon sight, although hopefully dwelling near Beverly Hills I’ll see greater than most individuals. Cadillac says it will probably solely hand-build a pair Celestiqs per day at its Technical Heart in Warren, Michigan, understanding to only a few hundred every year. Every one will likely be completely bespoke when it comes to spec, too. For instance of the customization potential, one buyer, an expert athlete, had their participant quantity engraved all through the automobile, in accordance with Automotive and Driver. And earlier than you say “who’s gonna spend that a lot on an costly electrical Cadillac,” the primary 18 months of manufacturing have been already offered out by the top of 2022.
Again within the Nineteen Fifties by means of the ‘70s, Cadillac was recognized for gigantic, ostentatious automobiles like the long-lasting Eldorado Biarritz, which was slathered in chrome and wild design components like tail fins and rocket-esque bumpers. The 1959 Biarritz price $7,401 when new, virtually 4 occasions the typical price of a brand new automobile that 12 months. I see the Celestiq as being in the identical vein as these classics. It’s huge, it’s controversial, it’s costly, it’s showy, it’s unimaginable to mistake for anything — therefore why Cadillac introduced again its Goddess mascot for the automobile. Certain, I want Cadillac would have made automobiles like the Sixteen and Ciel, however we ought to be blissful the Celestiq exists. It’s an idea made actual, precisely the kind of flagship that I believe Cadillac wants.
The Celestiq isn’t the one such flagship automobile that Cadillac is engaged on, both. At Automotive Week it unveiled the Sollei, a two-door convertible primarily based on the Celestiq with an inside produced from mushrooms. Whereas billed as only a idea, it seems to be like Cadillac may simply put it into manufacturing — one of many advantages of utilizing a skateboard EV platform. Past simply having the ability to, it looks like Cadillac desires to start out promoting limited-run automobiles just like the Sollei, as evidenced by it being introduced across the peninsula to impress potential consumers. One morning, it was proudly parked in my lodge’s valet, getting simply as a lot consideration because the Bugattis throughout from it.
