Cadillac shocked the automotive world when it announced plans to build the $300,000 Celesitq electric luxury car, but the big bet is paying off.
The four-door liftback is set to enter production in late 2023, with each car individually appointed to its buyer’s specifications and entirely unique.
It will be handcrafted in a special facility at General Motors’ Warren Technical Center in Michigan at a rate of about two per day, and it sounds like that’s not going to be enough.
The car’s chief engineer, Tony Roma, told Autoline that the list of “hand-raisers” who have shown interest in ordering one has already grown quite long.
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Roma said there are “many many more than we’re going to be able to build in the first year or 18 months,” meaning the car is essentially sold out into 2025.
“It’s a fantastic problem to have, to have so much interest,” he said.
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Getting a Celesitq isn’t as easy as writing a check. You have to apply for a slot, then be approved by Cadillac based on a range of criteria that includes brand loyalty and how well the buyer will represent it.
After that, the customer works with a concierge on the design details. For instance, Lenny Kravtiz, who is an official brand ambassador, is having a guitar strap integrated into his car.
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The mechanicals will be the same on all the vehicles, however, and include a 600 hp all-wheel-drive powertrain, four-wheel steering and Cadillac’s upcoming Ultra Cruise electronic driver aid, which the company said will be capable of handling 95% of the driving when its software is fully developed.