Cadillac Celestiq Will Take The Fight To Rolls-Royce And Bentley

With the Escalade sitting at the summit of its range, you'd be forgiven for thinking Cadillac's image of excess and wanton consumption won't change anytime soon. The imminent arrival of the high-performance V derivative confirms this but, as GM plans to tackle electrification head-on, this is set to change.

The all-electric Lyriq is a symbol of change for the American luxury carmaker. While it retains the company's familiar design traits, the battery-powered SUV will lead the charge into the EV era. It's the first of many, with the Celestiq sedan set to redefine what a full-size Cadillac sedan is. And, if the latest reports are to be trusted, the svelte EV will also target unfamiliar rivals - Bentley and Rolls-Royce.

Reports now suggest that Cadillac will rival the bespoke programs on offer from the aforementioned carmakers, allowing would-be Celestiq owners to personalize the luxury sedan to their exacting requirements.

The elegant electric vehicle will reportedly be "extremely customizable" and, therefore, rival the Bentley Mulliner and Rolls-Royce Bespoke services. No specific details have been given, but we anticipate General Motors will offer the same unlimited paint, upholstery, and trim options as its British counterparts.

This would make the Celestiq the company's most customizable vehicle yet and will probably create the need for a specialized production line and, importantly, line workers with extraordinary skills. This level of customization explains the reported $200,000 price tag, which would make the Celestiq Cadillac's most expensive car yet.

With styling inspired by the Escala concept seen above, the Celestiq will be particularly elegant in its appearance, although we expect several design cues from the Lyriq (with which it shares the Ultium platform) to make its way to the sheet metal.

The interior is expected to be the Celestiq's high point, with a Mercedes EQS-rivalling touchscreen display. Elsewhere, an ultra-modern glass roof will feature configurable transparency for each of the four occupants; the Celestiq will boast a spacious 2+2 layout. The range-topper will also gain Ultra Cruise, an intelligent driving assistance system.

GM's CEO Mary Barra has described the Celestiq as a halo model in "every way" and, while that may be true, it will face plenty of competition upon its arrival. BMW's recently introduced i7 and the previously mentioned EQS may have styling best described as polarizing, but that doesn't detract from the fact that they're hugely talented automobiles. So too is the Lucid Air.

So, when can we expect Cadillac's awe-inspiring sedan to debut? Soon, actually - the Celestiq is scheduled to make a splash sometime this year but, with the supply chain issues facing GM at the moment, we won't be surprised if this introduction date is pushed back.