First Cadillac Celestiq, the ultra-luxury “handcrafted” EV, delivered

The first Cadillac Celestiq, an ultra-luxury “handcrafted” electric vehicle with a starting price of around US$350,000, was delivered at a private ceremony at General Motors' Global Technical Center.

The event took place at the Cadillac House at Vanderbilt, a state-of-the-art facility on the campus in Warren, Michigan, where a consultant accompanies each customer during the selection of colors and finishes to create a completely unique and highly personalized Celestiq according to their tastes and preferences.

“With the delivery of the first model, Cadillac marks a new milestone in American luxury and innovation,” said GM's luxury division in announcing the milestone.

The company said that the engineering and design philosophy behind the Celestiq was “Isolated Precision,” and that the vehicle lives up to this philosophy with incredible ride comfort and precise handling.

The Celestiq generates 655 horsepower and 646 lb-ft of torque, enabling 0-60 mph acceleration in 3.7 seconds in Velocity Max mode, while the estimated battery range is 303 miles, or 487.6 kilometers.

Thanks to an integrated set of advanced automotive technologies such as adaptive air suspension, active rear steering, magnetic ride control, and active roll control, the vehicle offers exceptional interior comfort and spaciousness, while delivering performance and handling similar to that of a much smaller model.

Both the exterior and interior were designed together under a new philosophy where the “art of travel” created a “holistic vision of ultra-luxury and electrified mobility,” according to this premium division.

The team was made up not only of designers, but also artists with backgrounds in disciplines related to fashion, architecture, and industrial design, among others.

The design combines carbon fiber to create distinctive shapes that would be impossible to achieve with traditional metal panels, with visible surfaces finished in authentic metal that require fine milling, anodizing, and final hand polishing, reflecting the authenticity and high level of craftsmanship applied to each vehicle.

Inside, 3D printing plays an important role, as its precision and flexibility became the perfect solution for creating more than 130 additive manufacturing parts that provide a unique touch of personalization in each vehicle.

The use of this technology produces several important design elements of the Celestiq, such as the center of the steering wheel, which represents the largest 3D-printed metal part made by GM to date.

Craftsmanship is also evident in every leather surface, where the customer participates in the choice of colors, materials, and finishes, including the opportunity to develop new colors or matching paints in collaboration with the Cadillac design team.

This allows for endless options, ensuring that each vehicle is a truly unique creation.