Latest news with #Celestiq
Miami Herald
12-07-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Cadillac EVs Are Luring Buyers Away From Audi And Mercedes
Cadillac reached higher luxury peaks than most other automakers back in the 1960s and 1970s, both in terms of actual car design and sales. These days, German automakers easily outsell Cadillac, but the American brand is reclaiming some of its prominence in the luxury segment, and it's all because of its EVs. Not only was Cadillac number 1 in second-quarter EV sales for luxury brands, but what stands out is the brand's conquest sales. Conquest rates for Cadillac's EVs are incredibly high, at 79% for the Lyriq and 76% for the newer Optiq. In other words, more than three-quarters of customers are new to the Cadillac brand. Asked which brands these customers are coming from, Cadillac Vice President John Roth dropped some very prestigious names. "Tesla, Mercedes, Audi, Lexus," said Roth, according to Inside EVs. "Yeah, all the big luxury tier one buyers are coming our way and we're super happy about that. We're giving them a great vehicle and a great experience with great range, great technology, great customer experience, and a great dealer network to service them." Interestingly, Cadillac EV buyers are around 47 or 48 years old, significantly below the average age for luxury car buyers in general. It's noteworthy that Cadillac is selling more luxury brands than the likes of Audi, since the latter has been in the EV game for longer, and has an extensive EV lineup with models like the S e-tron GT, Q4 e-tron, Q6 e-tron, and Q8 e-tron. Cadillac's EV range starts with the compact Optiq, which starts at $52,895. Last month, the brand revealed the first Optiq-V, a high-performance version of the crossover with 519 horsepower and a 0-60 mph time of only 3.5 seconds. The mid-size Lyriq has been around for longer and begins at $58,595. This looks and feels like a plush, high-tech luxury car in every aspect, and is also topped by a high-performance V derivative. Related: 5 Reasons Why the New Optiq-V Might Be Cadillac's Best EV Yet The three-row Vistiq hasn't been on sale for long enough to determine how successful it'll be, but we know how popular three-row mid-size SUVs are in America, so it's expected to do well. The Escalade IQ, Escalade IQL, and Celestiq are all much more expensive models expected to sell in lower volumes, but all add an aspirational element to the brand's EV lineup. This range of EVs - from compact crossovers to the $300,000 ultra-luxury Celestiq - covers a multitude of segments, yet all of them have the competitive range, performance, and luxury appeal they need to win over buyers. Profitability in EV production remains a challenge, and that won't get any easier once the tax credit falls away at the end of September; the Lyriq is already more expensive than it was. For now, though, Cadillac has clearly found a winning recipe with its EV lineup. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The Drive
10-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Drive
Cadillac Still Sees EVs as Critical Despite Disappearing Incentives
The latest car news, reviews, and features. Cadillac Global Vice President John Roth delivered a business update today, reiterating the brand's commitment to being a luxury EV leader by 2030, but also confirming that its pledge to have a fully electric lineup within five years has been abandoned. He also shared some insights on the state of demand for electric cars, specifically as it relates to luxury vehicles. Cadillac has been on an aggressive revitalization plan spanning 2015 to 2030, with the goal of improving the customer experience through a more polished dealership network (there are 567 Caddy stores in America right now) and, of course, enticing younger and wealthier people to buy its cars. The brand's leadership is very proud of the recent success it's had in racing, specifically citing LeMans as a driver of brand caché in Europe. Another point of pride is the success it's had in converting people who used to drive rival cars into its EVs, and the fact that its flagship Celestiq simultaneously represents tradition and new tech for the brand. 'Celestiq is not about sales targets,' Roth said, answering a question about how many have been sold so far. 'This is all about delivering a bespoke, one-of-one vehicle. It allows us to elevate what Cadillac stands for in the marketplace. We haven't hand-built vehicles in over 50 years; this is an opportunity for us to get back to our roots, but at the same time, deliver a modern ultra-luxury vehicle that can compete with any ultra-luxury vehicle.' Fair enough, but unless you're pivoting to be a purely small-batch business, you do need to move units to keep the lights on at a car company as large as Cadillac. So, how is GM's luxe brand planning to weather the storm of softening EV demand and the end of federal tax credits on electric cars? 'The general market has shifted a bit, but the luxury market hasn't changed as much. We haven't seen any slowdown in our growth. If anything, year on year, our EVs are up,' Roth said. He also noted that Cadillac has the 'largest U.S.-based manufacturing of anyone in the luxury space,' which insulates the brand somewhat from import tariffs. The Optiq is made in Mexico and China, but the majority of the brand's lineup is built at one of five Stateside facilities. So while public interest in mass-market electric cars might be waning, Cadillac appears confident that the upper end of the segment will continue to grow. Makes sense, to a degree—people looking at lower-priced items are far more likely to be price-sensitive, whereas a $7,500 rebate doesn't seem as big of a deal when you're ringing up a $130,000 Escalade IQ. Cadillac's crew declined to comment on the possibility of adding pricing incentives to compensate for the soon-to-disappear federal tax credits on electric cars, but maintained staunchly that the growth of EV model sales is expected to keep going up and to the right into the future. As for the future of its gasoline-powered products, I think everybody already figured they weren't going away within five years, and Roth confirmed as much. 'The auto business is not a straight line, the EV business is certainly not, and you've got to make sure you're working your strategy [as in: remaining adaptable], but also make sure you're consistent with your strategy.' The idea of consistency is one he hit hard in his presentation. 'Luxury is all about consistency in the marketplace, and those who are the most consistent will win,' Roth said. So, at least publicly, Cadillac is remaining committed to having luxury EVs be a critical component of its catalog. Though the sentiment was couched just a little with: 'These are great Cadillacs, regardless of propulsion system.' Got a tip? Drop us a line at tips@
Motor Trend
10-07-2025
- Automotive
- Motor Trend
2026 Cadillac Car Lineup: Celestiq Shines on Its Own
Cadillac's car range—consisting of the CT4, larger CT5, and enormous handcrafted Celestiq—offers an American interpretation of performance and luxury, posing an alternative to upscale sedan mainstays from European and Asian competitors. As Cadillac puts more focus on SUVs and EVs, its lineup of cars enters 2026 with few changes. Cadillac's 2026 lineup features the CT4, CT5, and the handcrafted Celestiq. The CT4 and CT5 receive minor updates, including new paint options and standard heated seats for the CT4. The Celestiq remains customizable and may lead to future Cadillac EV sedans. This summary was generated by AI using content from this MotorTrend article Read Next 2026 Cadillac CT4 Cadillac's smallest and most affordable model is the CT4. Larger than a subcompact but not quite as big as a compact, the CT4 occupies a unique middle ground in the segment. Launched for model year 2020, the CT4 lineup later expanded with the high-performance V and V-Blackwing variants, the latter available with a manual transmission. This year, heated front seats become standard, and ventilation is added to the Premium Luxury and Sport trims. Vibrant White Tricoat and Coastal Blue Metallic paints are introduced as Crystal White Tricoat and the V-Blackwing's Magnus Metal Frost are discontinued. The Cinnamon and V-Blackwing's Sky Cool Gray interior color schemes are no longer available. Last year's CT4 V-Blackwing Petit Pataud edition won't continue into 2026. MotorTrend Ranked: #4 in Luxury Subcompact Cars Read Our Experts' Full Cadillac CT4 Review 2026 Cadillac CT5 Sized to fit between the compact and midsize classes, the Cadillac CT5 fills an unusual niche. It arrived for 2020 and received a substantial refresh for 2025, continuing to offer a range of powertrains—turbo-four, twin-turbo V-6, and a ferocious supercharged V-8 in the V-Blackwing. In V-Blackwing form, especially with the six-speed manual transmission, the CT5 transforms into a thrilling super sedan. But strip away the performance hardware, and the CT5's mediocre driving experience and uncertain positioning causes other variants to fall flat. The 2026 CT5 can be painted in Vibrant White Tricoat, Coastal Blue Metallic, and on the Sport trim, Cyber Yellow Metallic. Optional Crystal White Tricoat and the V-Blackwing's Magnus Metal Frost are no longer available. Production ends for the CT5 V-Blackwing Le Monstre edition. MotorTrend Ranked: #6 in Luxury Compact Sedans Read Our Experts' Full Cadillac CT5 Review Seeking to reclaim 'Standard of the World' status among ultra-luxury cars, Cadillac introduced the Celestiq for 2025. Given that each Celestiq is specified exactly to its buyer's wishes and then built by hand, changes to standard features and equipment don't apply like they do to Cadillac's mass-production cars. Look forward to seeing some splendid Celestiq configurations as production ramps up in 2026. Perhaps this model will give way to relatively affordable Cadillac EV sedans in the years ahead. MotorTrend Ranked: Not yet ranked Read Our Experts' Full Cadillac Celestiq Review 2026 Cadillac Car Lineup 2026 Cadillac CT4: Unchanged 2026 Cadillac CT5: Unchanged 2026 Cadillac Celestiq: Unchanged
The Drive
06-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Drive
The $340K Cadillac Celestiq Has Sensors in Its Ball Joints
The latest car news, reviews, and features. The $340,000 Cadillac Celestiq isn't any ordinary car. General Motors is touting it as the new standard of the world with a 10+ foot wheelbase, giving it certified land yacht status, and a roof made from the largest piece of automotive glass in the world. We already knew about those details, but ZF just put out a press release cluing us in on another one of the Celestiq's party tricks: It has newfangled sensors integrated into its ball joints. ZF calls them Smart Chassis Sensors. They measure the relative movement of the ultra-luxury car, replacing traditional height sensors while gathering tons more data. In turn, that data can be sent to multiple vehicle systems—like the air suspension and adaptive headlights—for lightning-fast adjustments. For the Celestiq, there are four of these sensors: two in the front wishbones and two in the back. Ball pivot measurements are then sent to the Cadillac's computers. ZF says that, depending on the level of integration and vehicle networking, they can relay road conditions for multiple purposes. Of course, this is useful for adjusting the chassis and suspension to mitigate pothole impacts, but the data can be used in other applications, too. Steffen Reichelt, head of the Chassis Components Product Line at ZF, explains, 'The data collected by the sensor allows additional conclusions to be drawn about the vehicle, its surroundings, and the road surface. These findings are particularly attractive for commercial vehicle users and fleet owners, but also for the maintenance of road infrastructure.' Clearly, these Smart Chassis Sensors are intended to go beyond the Celestiq. ZF On top of all this, the integration of these sensors into the Celestiq's ball joints means they don't require separate installation. This simplifies the assembly process and also saves weight. ZF brags that in addition to being easier to install, lighter, and cheaper, they're also less exposed to inclement weather and able to transmit data more reliably thanks to improved signal quality. It's unlikely that most Celestiq owners will ever think about their ball joints, let alone the sensors that are inside them. But this seems like a genuinely useful piece of tech that not only benefits Cadillac owners but could help make our roads better, too. Lord knows we need that. Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: caleb@
29-06-2025
- Automotive
There was 'insane pressure' to get the $350K Celestiq right, chief engineer says
In 32 years, Tony Roma has done it all. The longtime engineer, who started his General Motors career working on the C4 Corvette, replaced Tadge Juechter last July as executive chief engineer for Corvette and the performance cars team. Roma's toughest project, though, may be the Cadillac Celestiq, the pinnacle of Cadillac engineering and a halo vehicle for the brand, which is on U.S. drivers' radar again for its current roster of sleek and competent electric SUVs. Roma and his team were tasked with creating an ultra-luxe sedan that was technologically advanced and delivered the performance expected of a vehicle with a six-figure price tag (655 horsepower and 646 lb.-ft. of torque; zero to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds). Six years later, customer deliveries of the $350K sedan have commenced. Each unit is built by hand in Warren, Michigan, and Roma is still heavily involved in the vehicle's planning and rollout. Roma sat down with ABC News to talk about the pressures of making an engineering and design masterpiece, why EVs are fun to drive and how the Celestiq is "trying to make your life better." The interview below has been edited for clarity. Q: You've been working on the Celestiq for six years. What was more important to achieve: performance, design or comfort? A: I was employee No. 1 on the Celestiq. When you're creating something like Celestiq, all the things you mentioned are equally important. It had to fulfill the design -- that was mission critical. It had to be a rolling work of art. The craftsmanship had to be authentic and real. At the same time, at least from an engineering perspective, it had to back it up by an actual, credible car -- it had to be amongst the best cars in the world. Well executed, surprisingly comfortable, nimble, athletic -- it had to be surprisingly beautiful and surprisingly well crafted and dynamic and comfortable. Q: How important is the car's performance to customers? A: Different clients come at it for different reasons. One of our clients is an owner of an art gallery in Miami. He's certainly buying this car because of the aesthetics and the vision. But this person will be delighted by the fact that it's a competent luxury car. For other customers, if the Celestiq didn't have the [driving] dynamics, they wouldn't be interested. Q: Why does everyone care about horsepower in an electric vehicle? The instant torque already makes them so fast. A: It's not trying to be the best electric car in the world -- the Celestiq is trying to be among the best cars in the world. It just happens to be propelled by electricity. The gimmick with EVs is that they're quick. There's a difference between quick and fast. Top speed usually isn't an EV thing. It's all about going 0-60 mph in these frankly uncomfortable numbers. If you've ever been in some of these, you can get queasy as a passenger. Sometimes it's not even an enjoyable thing. For Celestiq, we don't talk about big power numbers. Zero to 60 in 3.7 seconds is plenty fast -- it doesn't need to show off in that way. It's not a differentiator anymore -- all EVs are fast. But what else can you do for me? With Celestiq, it's the ride, air springs, the MR dampers, the technology. The rear steer when you're maneuvering around parking lots -- it pivots into these parking spots with confidence even though it's huge. Q: The main competitor to the Celestiq is the Rolls-Royce Spectre, which is now available as a Black Badge. Would we see a variant like that for Celestiq? The Celestiq V maybe? A: Honestly I doubt we'll do a performance variant of the Celestiq. We wouldn't just add power and call it a V. The volume on this car is so incredibly low. I don't think there's a huge market ... I would be surprised if we decided to do that. Q: EVs drive very differently depending on the brand. So what was important from an engineering aspect for this vehicle? Did you want it to drive like a internal combustion luxury sedan? A: I wanted it to drive like a competent luxury sedan. You want your car to be your co-conspirator. You want it to be precise and turn in well and not be jarring. If you're on phone call, you want the noise to go away. Whatever you're doing, you want this car to help you do it in a way to make your life easier. Step on the brake and the power doors close. This car is trying to help make your life better. Q: This car is so niche and so expensive, did you face any pressure -- even from yourself -- to get it right? A: Yes. There's insane pressure. This is a do it right or don't do it kinda thing. There's no halfway in this segment. We had a ton of very dynamic conversations along the way, arguing about whether a line on the door has to go that way. So yes, there was a lot of pressure but at the same time that's what we come to work for -- the opportunity to work on a project like this. It was awesome. Q: What's more exciting for you as an engineer - how to squeeze every ounce of horsepower from an ICE engine or working on new battery technology? A: It's solving hard technical problems. That's what gets us all out of bed in the morning. I'm a driver and I really enjoy driving, so you can kinda guess which vehicles I gravitate toward.- But the Celestiq has been a fantastic project. A: I think people don't like change. I think there's just an inertia to that change. A certain segment of the car community does think EVs are fun because they are -- the sudden acceleration, the instant torque. There are a number of EVs that handle really well and I have driven them on tracks. It will just take time. We're changing the culture of the car community in a very fundamental way. You can still buy a 1,064 hp monster Corvette -- nobody took that away from you. Q: How important are motorsports events like Le Mans, where Cadillac had four cars in the Hypercar class, for selling Cadillacs to U.S. drivers? A: It's the whole reason we've been doing the V-Series for the last 20 years. If you want to be a modern luxury brand, the expectation is this element of sport and competition and racing has been part of V-Series since the very beginning. It's been baked into our DNA. A lot of us who work on the street cars work on the race cars and travel with the race team. And I think our customers expect it and our brand would lose a certain amount of appeal if we didn't do things like this.
