Mystery Aussie snaps up $1m Cadillac Celestiq EV
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.'
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