Working to redefine American automotive luxury and the company itself, Cadillac will produce its most expensive car ever. The Celestiq, a high-tech, high-horsepower, high-priced EV, is a turning point as the General Motors (GM) brand delves into hand-built vehicles. Despite a foretold MSRP well into six figures on the limited-run model, Cadillac is now sold out into 2025.

What is the Cadillac Celestiq?

To compete with Bentley, Lucid, and Rolls-Royce in the growing ultra-luxury EV segment, Cadillac unveiled its “all-electric flagship sedan” last year. Built on GM’s BEV3 platform, the Celestiq is said to have an output of 600 horsepower and 640 pound-feet of torque. With a 111-kWh battery pack and advanced all-wheel drive, the Celestiq has a theoretical 0-60 mph time of 3.8 seconds.

Performance aside, where the Celestiq shines is inside. Rich leathers, rare material inlays, and a door-to-door, 55-inch infotainment screen are just some of the potential features. Like Bentley and Rolls-Royce, Cadillac will offer a customization program tailored to the deep-pocketed. CarBuzz says Celestiq customers will have “unparalleled freedom of expression” indulged “to create their dream vehicle” through the Concierge and Cadillac Design Team.

Why is the Celestiq sold out?

While the Cadillac Celestiq isn’t on sale yet—nor have they been built—they are technically sold out. Cadillac is said to have plans to produce only 500 cars each year as a limited run. Yet, GM Authority points to an Autoline After Hours Interview wherein Celestiq chief designer Tony Roma said GM plans to build two per day. Therefore, production numbers sit between 500 and 730 units per year.

GM plans to initiate production in December 2023. Roma said there are “many more [orders] than we’re going to be able to build in the first year, 18 months.” Consequently, potential customers will have to wait behind as many as 1,095 others.

Cadillac looks to compete with Bentley and Rolls-Royce

With an MSRP of at least $300,000, the Celestiq concerned many that Cadillac was biting off more than it could chew. After all, it’s been half a century since it built opulent luxury barges. Yet, since Bentley and Rolls-Royce posted record sales figures in 2022, it’s a bet that will pay off. Consequently, Cadillac is learning that potential buyers are a lot different than traditional GM customers.

“These truly are people that tell you about a $100-million-dollar yacht that they spent three years building,” Roma said, according to GM Authority. “‘I can’t afford that’ doesn’t enter their vocabulary,” he added. “They don’t understand the word ‘no’ like most of us do.”

What’s Cadillac doing to fulfill consumer demand? 

There are no plans to expand production quantity per year or move up the start date. So, what happens when the line for the Celestiq goes past 2025? It seems Cadillac will begin selecting the “right” people to buy its ultra-luxury sedan.

“We’re going through the process of who is the right person to have it and who is the right person for the brand,” Roma explained. However, if the “right” person comes along with atelier-style requests, Cadillac isn’t going to shoo them away. Roma said, “we’ve baked a mantra – Never tell a customer ‘no’ – into how we make the car and the material choices.” Cadillac will tell potential buyers only “how much and how long.”