Cadillac challenges Rolls-Royce

Americans’ self-confidence has never been lacking. This also applies to the three major automakers in the land of opportunity: General Motors (GM), Ford and Stellantis (formerly Chrysler). And even if Tesla is the only US brand to talk about in Europe, the “Big Three” are still firmly in the saddle in the domestic market.

At GM, luxury brand Cadillac with its new flagship Celestiq should keep it that way. The ultra-long mega-sedan – Cadillac doesn’t show an exact length – is all-electric, but it doesn’t even want to compete with Tesla. Cadillac wants to play in the Champions League with the Celestiq and is challenging Rolls-Royce. At least in terms of price: The luxury cruise ship should be the equivalent of at least 300,000 francs – at least!

Handmade unique pieces

Because every Celestiq should be unique. Not only because they are made by hand, but also because every customer is free to choose the equipment. In contrast, the well-heeled customer is not sitting with an ordinary salesman, but with a “concierge”. The Cadillac design team is also involved and works with customers to develop colors and materials during the configuration process.

To make the job a little easier and have the necessary flexibility for all customer requests, Americans therefore produce some components indoors using a 3D printer. These include the center of the steering wheel, seat belt guide rings, window regulators, grab handles and the surface of the center console. 115 components of the entire vehicle come out of the printer.

Six screens and 41 speakers

Surprisingly, Cadillac continues to use genuine leather. A panoramic glass roof is also included for more headroom. The light transmittance adapts to the weather conditions or can be controlled manually. There are also at least 41 speakers and three amplifiers. Three of the speakers are facing outward.

Five high-definition displays complete the equipment. Or six? Cadillac counts the two instrument clusters and front passenger as one screen, as they sit behind a common glass surface, similar to Mercedes’ three-screen hyper-display. Celestiq has two screens on the center console, one at the front and one at the rear, as well as two more screens for rear passengers embedded in the backrests of the front seats.

608 horsepower and 483 kilometers

The drive technology looks almost ordinary. The Celestiq is based on the same technical platform as the Cadillac Lyriq with 400-volt charging technology. The new Megaliner can pump electricity into the battery with a maximum of 200 kilowatts. This corresponds to about 125 kilometers in ten minutes. The battery in the lower body has a capacity of 111 kilowatt hours (kWh). This should allow for a range of about 483 kilometers, according to the American test cycle.

The Celestiq has one electric motor per axle with system output of 608 hp and maximum torque of 868 Nm. Both engines have their own transmissions with slightly different gear ratios. All-wheel drive is active only when necessary. For example, when it comes to accelerating from zero to 100 km/h in the specified 3.8 seconds.

Duel against the British

Compared to the electric Rolls-Royce Specter, the Cadillac is around 100,000 francs cheaper, has a few horsepower and is 0.7 seconds faster to 100 km/h, while the Brit has slightly more torque and 40 kilometers more range. In terms of numbers, the Celestiq and Specter are on par. Now Cadillac has to prove that the brand can play in the top league when it comes to handling.

Production of the Celestiq will not begin for more than a year in December 2023. It will be hand-assembled at GM’s design and engineering campus in Warren, USA. Interested parties can now be placed on a waiting list.