Cadillac is entering the ultra-luxury electric vehicle market with the 2024 Cadillac Celestiq, a sedan with a one-of-a-kind look and an outrageous price tag. The Celestiq will cost $300,000 when it launches, and many are already questioning if it will be worth it.

Cadillac has positioned the Celestiq as its big halo car, which means it will not only be competing with other high-end luxury cars on the road today but also some of Cadillac’s previous concepts. 

Cadillac concepts before the Celestiq

Before getting into the specifics of the Cadillac Celestiq, it is important to understand what a halo car is. AutoNation describes a halo car as a vehicle that demonstrates the best of a brand’s design. They are over-the-top and typically made in limited production, and a successful halo car is the sort of car that a brand’s fans will love. By positioning the Celestiq as a halo car, Cadillac is throwing all of its best technology and design elements into the luxury EV.

This is not the first halo car Cadillac has designed, but the most famous previous attempt did not make it to production. CarScoops states that in 2003, Cadillac unveiled the Sixteen concept car, and the publication compares this concept halo car to a Rolls-Royce. The Cadillac Sixteen was a gorgeous luxury sedan, and its shadow has hung over any ultra-luxury vehicles Cadillac has designed since. 

In recent years, Cadillac attempted to expand its luxury lineup with the Cadillac CT6. However, this model did make it to production. It just wasn’t the halo car the Sixteen was and never gained significant sales momentum.

Production of the CT6 in the United States only lasted a few years. This sets the stage for the Celestiq to be Cadillac’s attempt to claim a place in the luxury market that it has struggled with.

Initial reception for the Celestiq has been mixed

Reviewers have not yet gotten to spend time beyond the wheel of the Cadillac Celestiq, so it might surprise everyone and be a truly impressive electric halo car. However, the initial responses to the Celestiq have been mixed.

The look of the Celestiq has been a particular target of criticism. It is a liftback, and its design incorporates a variety of curves mixed with sharper angles that give the Celestiq a lack of a cohesive design. If the Celestiq’s design is compared with the Sixteen’s, it would be considered a significant downgrade.

The EV capabilities of the Celestiq have also been criticized, as the Celestiq has an estimated range of just 300 miles. This is a perfectly acceptable range for an average EV, but because the Celestiq will cost at least $300,000, it will be compared to other high-end EVs. When the Lucid Air has a range of 520 miles, the Celestiq looks mediocre in comparison.

We also know how much horsepower the Celestiq will make. With its all-wheel drive dual-motor setup, the Celestiq will produce 600 hp. It can also supposedly accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.8 seconds. Unlike the Celestiq’s average EV range, this is a number that highlights some serious promise for the new Cadillac. 

Production date and more for the 2024 Cadillac Celestiq

Even though the initial responses have not been particularly favorable for the Cadillac Celestiq, we will have to wait until it gets closer to release to know whether it will be Cadillac’s halo car. According to Forbes, production for the Celestiq will begin in December 2023. 

Cadillac has not announced exactly how much the Celestiq will cost, but the $300,000 estimate is considered the minimum for the luxury liftback.