Latest news with #Celestiq
NZ Autocar
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- NZ Autocar
Wealthy Aussie buys $1m Cadillac Celestiq EV
An Australian collector has bought one of the world's most exclusive cars, but there's a catch to ownership. They cannot drive the opulent electric Cadillac on Australian roads. The well-to-do enthusiast splashed out on a Cadillac Celestiq that starts from $US358,000. However, the price can virtually double depending on which option boxes are ticked. Crafted as an American alternative to Rolls-Royce, the Celestiq employs meticulous attention to detail in creating an American luxury car that's competitive at the highest echelon. Cadillac says it can customise just about any aspect of the Celestiq, apart from one. It can't build the vehicle in right-hand drive. Aletha Israels, a Celestiq Concierge employed by Cadillac to keep its special customers happy, said a collector flew from Australia to Detroit to customise their dream machine. 'The intention was for the vehicle to be delivered to the States for him, not to Australia,' she said. 'A lot of our clients fly in and out on the same day in private jets.' The 5.5m dual-motor large swoopy sedan weighs in at just under three tonnes, but with dual motors and AWD its 488kW and 877Nm output can propel it to 96km/h in 3.7sec. It has usable battery capacity of 111kWh and suggested range of 485km.
News.com.au
10-06-2025
- Automotive
- News.com.au
Mystery Aussie snaps up $1m Cadillac Celestiq EV
A mystery Aussie has spent as much as $1 million on an opulent electric Cadillac they can never drive on Australian roads. The wealthy enthusiast splashed out on an exotic Cadillac Celestiq that starts from $US358,000 ($549,000), but can double in price with optional extras. Crafted as an American alternative to Rolls-Royce, the Celestiq employs staggering attention to detail to make American luxury cars great again. Cadillac can customise just about every part of the Celestiq – but it can't build the vehicle in right-hand-drive. Aletha Israels, a Celestiq Concierge employed by Cadillac to keep its wealthiest customers happy, said a determined collector flew from Australia to Detroit to customise their dream Caddy. 'The intention was for the vehicle to be delivered to the States for him, not to Australia,' she said. 'A lot of our clients fly in and out in the same day in private jets. 'You're going to start hearing a lot more from our clients this summer, after they start taking delivery of the car.' The manufacturer's most expensive and exclusive machine attracts ultra-wealthy folk who personalise their vehicle at a special 'Cadillac House' in Michigan. Israel said customers can 'easily' double the price of the car with intricate touches fine-tuning its colour and trim. You can match the paint to a favourite nail polish, use timber from the family farm as interior trim, and engrave personal messages on metal elements such as the door sills. The default message on cabin elements is 'standard of the world', a message that reflects Cadillac's ambition to make the world's best cars. Israel said customers can tweak that to their own tastes. 'They could put their own motto, or live laugh love, whatever they want to do,' she said. 'The more bespoke you make it, the more the price point can increase … especially if you want customisations that explore some of the areas that may need some additional testing,' she said. 'Seat belts and steering wheels are the most expensive area of the car to touch. 'One of the requests that we had that was quite pricey was to change the perforation detail on the seats, and because this is the most technologically advanced Cadillac, to change the perforation detail on these seats with heating, cooling and massage, a lot of testing is required.' Israel's team works closely with the millionaire – or billionaire – clients, even working with their staff to make sure the customer's favourite snacks, drinks and flowers are on hand when they come to visit. Cadillac rarely says no to special requests from customers, but occasionally must say 'yes, but …' and explain the consequence of choices that drive up prices or delay delivery. 'I find this level of client wants transparency,' she said. 'So we clearly present to them the options and what their choice would be, but, you know, there's two motivators for them, time and price point. 'Only they can decide how they feel. 'Every client has a Cadillac story, whether it's their parents, their grandfather, someone that they have this connection to, or a classic Cadillac in their collection. 'We're finding ways to help them tell that person's story too, whether it's taking the original license plate number and building it into the sill plates or coming up with very unique ways to have the colour palette reproduced. 'You see a lot of appetite for that right now.'
Auto Blog
04-06-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Cadillac is Pulling EV Buyers Away from Tesla
A surprising turn of events Cadillac Escalade IQ — Source: Cadillac Just a decade ago, Cadillac was struggling and hired industry veteran Johan de Nysschen to turn things around. It moved to New York City in an effort to distinguish itself from GM's more mainstream brands. It was mostly challenged with figuring out who it wanted to be, and it was an uphill battle to remain competitive against entrenched luxury rivals like BMW, Lexus, and Mercedes. The big Escalade was really the only vehicle that drew customers in, but times have changed, and Cadillac bet big on EVs just as things were starting to get interesting in the industry. Previous Pause Next Unmute 0:00 / 0:09 Chevrolet says a next-gen Camaro is still possible. What could it look like? Watch More No one could've predicted that Caddy EVs would be hot 2026 Cadillac LYRIQ-V — Source: Cadillac In that context, EVs were easily the best thing that's happened to Cadillac in a very long time, decades even. Cadillac has made significant progress in a highly competitive EV landscape, one that's not simply about producing EVs and riding the wave. The segment had its ups and downs, with issues like battery production, infrastructure, adoption, and more plaguing manufacturers since the beginning. Now, Cadillac has four fully electric SUVs: the Lyriq, Vistiq, Optiq, and the Escalade IQ. On top of that, there's the uber-pricey, hyper-exclusive $350,000 Celestiq sedan. These aren't niche vehicles for the brand in the way the LEAF is for Nissan. A report from Jalopnik states that Cadillac is drawing in a whole new swath of luxury car buyers, and 8 in 10 Cadillac EV owners are new to the brand. Tesla defectors run to Cadillac 2025 Cadillac Vistiq — Source: Cadillac Tesla's sales losses are a boon for Cadillac. Many former owners of Tesla's Model S ($79,990) sedan and Model X ($84,990) SUV are turning to electric Cadillacs. Those higher-end Tesla models are getting long in the tooth without a second-generation redesign and end up sitting on Tesla lots. They also don't exude luxury the way the Caddy EVs do. The controversy surrounding Elon Musk doesn't help matters, either. His polarizing personality, political influences, and his unbridled outspokenness tend to rub some people the wrong way, and that hasn't been good for the Tesla brand. It's the right time for Cadillac, especially since its Lyriq ($60,090) and Vistiq ($79,090) both undercut the Model X. CNBC reported that these new Cadillac owners weren't cross-shopping both Tesla and Cadillac. They were actually leaving their Teslas for Cadillacs. In fact, 10% of Cadillac's trade-ins are Teslas, and a mindblowing 25% of Lyriq buyers have traded their Teslas for the Caddy model. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. 2025 Cadillac Optiq — Source: Cadillac Even the new Optiq ($54,390) is an appealing alternative to Tesla. Not only is it a great entry-level luxury EV, but it doesn't actually look entry-level. For example, the base Luxury 1 dual motor AWD trim offers up to 302 miles of range and comes with high-end standard features such as a 33″ diagonal infotainment display, a 19-speaker AKG Studio audio system, and Super Cruise driver assistance technology. Final thoughts It's important to keep in mind that Cadillac still has a battle ahead of it. EV sales won't send its sales volume numbers through the roof, not yet, anyway. The stats show that the big gas-guzzling Escalade still dominates with the majority percentage of the brand's sales, with the CT5 luxury sedan in second place. The EVs are just a fraction of the brand's 2025 year-to-date sales, even though the Lyriq is currently the best-selling midsize luxury electric SUV in America. Will Cadillac's momentum continue to build, or will their EV success story be a short one? The segment will continue to grow, but the luxury EV niche is a challenging one, especially since many buyers want cheaper EV models.
Miami Herald
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Auto review: Hands-free in the Caddy ‘Baby Escalade' Vistiq
The Baby Escalade is Cadillac's most mature electric vehicle. The Vistiq is the fifth and final piece in the GM luxury brand's EV squadron and, at $79,290, its combination of size, speed and tech make it the best value of the quintet. That value is relative as Caddy's EV lineup makes a big move to the ultra-luxury EV market (led by its $340K Celestiq flagship) over its outgoing internal combustion models. Expect the EVs to cost $20,000-$40,000 more than their ICE peers. My all-wheel-drive Luxury model asks a 30-grand premium over the comparable $50K gas-powered XT6 Luxury model, which is retiring after this year. On Patterson Lake Road's rollercoaster in Livingston County, I confidently leapt from turn to turn in the three-ton, three-row, three-story Vistiq despite its girth. Thanks to the 102-kWh battery's location in the basement, my tester sported a low center of gravity to stay planted through the twisties. That low CG is an EV trait - but in the smaller Optiq and Lyriq crossovers, it's, um, outweighed by a lack of nimbleness compared to their 1,000-pound-lighter internal-combustion engine peers. In a three-row SUV class where everything tips the scales over two tons, however, the low CG stands out. Add rear-wheel steer in upper Premium Luxury and Platinum trims, and this is a rhinoceros in tennis shoes. The rear-drive feature is shared with Papa Escalade IQ, but the electric family's patron will set you back another (cough) 40 grand. ZOT! I buried my right foot and Vistiq hit 60 mph in a fantast-iq 3.9 seconds merging onto I-94 West. Baby Escalade coming through! Vistiq is also a technology showpiece. Without taking my eyes off the road, I toggled the raised adaptive cruise switch on the steering wheel and set my speed at 75 mph, then fingered a nearby braille pad for Super Cruise. The steering wheel lit green for hands-free driving. While Baby Escalade took over driving duties, I rearranged icons on the 33-inch curved dash screen as I would my phone. I dragged icons for DRIVE MODES, CHARGING and SELF PARK ASSIST (features I used frequently) to the left side of the screen. GM pioneered hands-free driving in 2017, and has been neck-and-neck with Tesla ever since. Tesla's Full-Self-Driving system leap-frogged GM cars last year when it went hands-free with navigation, enabling its cars to take you door-to-door across secondary roads and divided highways. Super Cruise is slowly adding secondary roads to its network of mapped, divided highways - but it won't navigate. What it will do, like Tesla, is automatically change lanes. At 75 mph, Vistiq sensed slower traffic, automatically applied its turn signal, moved into the fast lane and swept by a line of cars. Safely clear, it automatically pulled back into the slower lane. Terrif-iq. Approaching my off ramp, Tesla FSD would automatically transition to the slower secondary road. The Caddy? It handed driving duties back to me, the steering wheel light turning red. Super Cruise comes standard on Vistiq for three years, plenty of time for owners to learn the system. You won't want to go back. Not standard is an augmented reality head-up display available on Premium Luxury and Platinum trims. Caddy's been a HUD pioneer, and AR advances the game by placing directions over the road ahead. Alas, my standard Luxury version did not option even a regular head-up display. Neither did it have a frunk for storage like the Escalade IQ - or Rivian and Tesla models. Baby Escalade doesn't have big brother's curved, A-pillar-to-A-pillar 55-inch jumbotron, but the 33-incher does just fine, thank you very much. Especially as the touchscreen is paired with the same console climate touchscreen found in Escalade. Like a scarf and mittens, they make a nice pair. Not that I touched them much. Vistiq is powered by Google Built-in, so I could talk to the car for many of my needs. Hey, Google, turn the driver's side temperature to 68 degrees. Hey, Google, tune to Sirius XM Comedy Greats. Hey, Google, Tell, me a joke. Google: How do trees access the Internet? They log in. Hey, Google, what was the score of the Tigers game? Google: The Tigers won on Wednesday, 6-5 against the Red Sox. Pick up the kids from school in my Luxury tester and it will fit seven passengers across three rows including bench, second-row seats (captain's chairs optional). Even the third row is comfortable, accommodating my long 6'5" frame. If the second row is empty, I encourage taking a seat in the third row. I dropped the second-row bench seat and used it like an ottoman - stretching my legs so I could work on my trips, however, are three-row EVs' kryptonite. The Escalade IQ is so expensive because it packs a mighty 202-kWh battery with 460 miles of range. Vistiq keeps its cost below $100K with a 102-kWh battery that makes similar range (302 miles) as little brothers Lyriq and to your cottage up north (in perfect 70-degree weather) going 75 mph on I-75 and real range is 225 miles - or 75% of EPA estimates. In truth, your range will be 181 miles because charging to over 80% of battery range at a fast charger slows to a we there yet? To prevent hearing those infamous words from your kids, a 250-mile trip north (to, say, Charlevoix) is best done with one charging stop in Bay City for 20 minutes so the kids can tinkle and stretch their legs. In less ideal temperatures, your range could crater to 50% as it did in a brutal three-stop, subfreezing December trip I took in one of Vistiq's competitors, the $78K Kia EV9 GT-Line, a couple of years back. If you have a second home, install a 240-volt charger to ease end-to-end range anxiety. Staying in a hotel? Find lodgings with 240-volt charger so you can charge your battery to 100% overnight for a fresh a.m. start. Faced with these restrictions, GM buyers may prefer a comparably priced family-sized Chevy Tahoe with Google Built-in, 456 miles of range and more third-row seat and cargo room. Or (horrors) you might cross the road to a Lincoln dealer and pick up a $62K three-row Aviator ICE with Blue Cruise hands-free driving and 505 miles of if you want a three-row EV that can drive you hands-free across Michigan, then Baby Escalade has a leg up on peers from Rivian, Volvo, Hyundai and Kia. Next week: 2025 Nissan Murano and Nissan Titan 2026 Cadillac Vistiq Vehicle type: Battery-powered, all-wheel-drive, six- or seven-passenger SUV Price: $79,090, including $1,395 destination fee ($79,890 Luxury as tested) Powerplant: 102 kWh lithium-ion battery with dual electric-motor drive Power: 615 horsepower, 650 pound-feet of torque Transmission: Single-speed direct drive Performance: 0-60 mph, 3.7 seconds (mfr.); towing, 5,000 pounds Weight: 6,326 pounds Range: 302 miles Report card Highs: Livable interior; Super Cruise Lows: No frunk; limited range for a family hauler Overall: 3 stars ____ Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
The Cadillac Celestiq in Photos
More from Robb Report First Drive: The $340,000 Cadillac Celestiq Is a Quiet Tour de Force With a Lot Riding on It Lexus's New IS 500 Ultimate Edition Might Be the Last of Its Kind The New Hummer EV Is the Fastest One Yet Best of Robb Report The 2024 Chevy C8 Corvette: Everything We Know About the Powerful Mid-Engine Beast The World's Best Superyacht Shipyards The ABCs of Chartering a Yacht Click here to read the full article. The all-electric Cadillac Celestiq, the marque's first hand-built production car since the 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham. The model is a four-door hatchback presenting a mid-century modern aesthetic. The Celestiq has a low-slung fastback profile, but its wheelbase exceeds that of a Cadillac Escalade. With 655 hp and 646 ft lbs of torque, the car is claimed to cover zero to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds on its way to a purported top speed of 130 mph. The interior features a 3-D-printed steering-wheel casing, hand-polished aluminum controls, and options that include leather floors and eucalyptus-fiber mats. A smart-glass roof features four quadrants for passengers to control opacity. The car embodies America's 'very optimistic, very strident view of the world' in the 1950s, '60s and '70s, according to Michael Simcoe, Cadillac's vice president of global design. The Celestiq is Cadillac's most technologically advanced production vehicle to date, which factors into the car's next-level pricing compared to others in the automaker's model line. Cadillac hopes the Celestiq will capitalize on the brand's legacy while catapulting the automaker into the future.
