I recently saw a 1930 Cadillac "Madame X" V16 on display at my local Caddy dealership. It belonged to a local collector who brings the car out once a year for my city's most famous charity ball. And you can tell a lot about custom coach building looking at vehicles like this. Everything about this vehicle was over the top at a time when Henry Ford had just begun selling the Model A. Back then you purchased a chassis, engine and plans, then hired a coach builder to finish the car with whatever flourishes you wanted. Most owners chose Fleetwood (which began as a separate company before GM brought them in house in 1929) but you could always choose someone else. When the '57 Eldorado Brougham was introduced. GM was literally on top of the world although by then they had ceded the ultra luxury market to the British. By now, GM was selling Motorama dreams to the public but it all about volume and those ultra-luxury cars just didn't sell in quantities. But GM decided to take a stab anyway, just as Ford did with the Continental Mark II. And while both cars were wonderful for different reasons, neither automaker wanted to go through the trouble of figuring out how to at least break even in this market. After all, Rolls & Bentley managed to survive as a tandem for decades before being swallowed by larger entities. It can be done. The problem with Cadillac in this space is that it never seems to last. The V12s and V16s were around for a decade. The Eldorado Brougham? Just 4 years between two different styled automobiles. The last attempt at a bespoke special production car was the Allante and we won't speak of that again here. Despite that, there is an opportunity here for GM. GM's Ultium technology could use a halo to separate themselves from others like Tesla, Lucid and even Rimac/Bugatti (the Hummer EV is a good start). Rolls, Bentley and Mercedes-Maybach haven't even introduced cars in this space yet. Enter this space like you intend to stay and be profitable (without cutting corners). My wish list? From an engineering standpoint, this car must have every special trick GM knows how to do for performance, range, handling, the works in terms of electrification. Nothing half-assed like putting the exact same drivetrain in the ELR like there was in the Chevy Volt. With all of that wheelbase in this car, there is plenty of room for batteries. Use all of it. I'll be disappointed if I see the final range be less than 500 miles, and that's with the 23" rims. Four wheel steering? Yes, please. And in terms of handling and ride, we haven't seen an EV use GM/Cadillac's magnetic shocks, not even on the Lyriq yet. If you have something special with the tech that's been waiting for EVs, this is the car to show that. Don't even think about bringing this to market without at least 800V charging. Be able to charge a beach house during a power failure. The Hummer EV has three EV motors...how about one for all four wheels? It doesn't have to be Tesla 0-60 in 2 seconds fast but it has to be quick and be effortless in doing it. We know that Ultracruise will ship with it, so that's good. Make sure it continues to improve for the life of the vehicle's technology, just like Tesla. The car needs to be as quiet as a casket....NVH is not something these customers will tolerate in any fashion. The audio system needs to appeal to audiophile snobs. AKG branding is nice but let's be compatible with high resolution streaming music formats and services. Can we do spacial audio/Dolby Atmos? In the '30s, coach building was all about custom body work. In the 50s, those days were over so Cadillac and Lincoln threw every futuristic option they could at their cars as standard equipment. Now the ultra-luxury market is all about personalization.....specific paints, special woods and trim pieces....leathers or vegans. Heck if someone wants wool like the limosines of the 50s, they could order it. Not much is too much....just tell them how much it will cost. Be prepared for someone to want (and pay for) an actual Flying Goddess on the hood, so someone better make it looks like it belongs there. Finally, customer service must be top notch. Only select dealers can offer this car. Onstar should be standard for at least three years, maybe five. Service should come to the owner if the car cannot be easily brought in. The service manager needs to have a specific specialist who knows the owner by name assigned to the car. Dealerships must have specific service training for this model, and frequent communication to the owner on the vehicle status. Body shops owned by Cadillac dealers must also receive training. Nothing should be left to chance for the total experience.
Cadillac was at the top of their game when customers could choose between V8, V12 and V16 powerplants. Cadillac earned their reputation for luxury and quality, but GM management wanted sales numbers that rivaled Chevrolet's - with the resulting hit in quality and reputation in the 1970's and 1980's, in my opinion.
Although I'll never own automotive unobtanium, foreign or domestic, I can applaud GM for letting the world know that an American car manufacturer can play in the same sandbox with Rolls, Bentley, and Maybach.without needeing to have a mechanic in the trunk. It's time to remind the world which country put men on the moon!
Great interview MotoMan. Very informative and it cleared up some concerns that I had but not all. I am 100% for Cadillac to up their game in the US and the world and happy that they are looking forward and staying focused. The CT5V Blackwing and new Escalade have proved that but this venture and price point becomes a totally different animal. For example, I’m not sure Cadillac dealerships are prepared to sell and service to that level of clientele. The Celestiq will get ALOT of press when it arrives and at that very low production volume shouldn’t be a problem to sell to the very affluent IF it’s visually pleasing and a well built car underneath. They have the money to spend on something nice and unique. This car will compete more against Bentley than Rolls or Bugatti in my opinion. It can set the standard for 21st century luxury and elegance if Cadillac plays its cards right. I think what is critical for Cadillac and even GM is that this level of car building trickle down to their other makes and models. Most important is for Cadillac to reap the benefits of this car and become more premium to become equal or even superior to MB, BMW and Lexus. If you go back in time about 100 years, Cadillac was IT. Hopefully the Celestiq is what gets them back to that level. .
Would LOVE for Cadillac to truly be the standard of the world again. Not just say it, but build the best damn car, anywhere. Tony has the right attitude and the right ideas, so here's looking forward to a hand-built Celestiq in my driveway!
12:30 A halo car to me means the manufacture is putting its BEST foot forward. Making the very best knowing they will not get a direct return. Id put it in the marketing budget because that's what it is. At the end of the day its a marketing push to tell the world here is the best we can do. If done correctly it brings in buyers to the brand indirectly meaning they come in to buy other products. Not many ppl can afford an LFA, GTR, NSX, Porsche GT1... those cars are aspirational. Thats what a halo product is.
I think this strategy makes a lot of sense, in order to reinvent Cadillac as a luxury EV brand. Maybe the best analogies are Lexus LFA, Toyota Century, and Mercedes Maybach/SLR/SLS. Occasionally brands like Porsche also launch halo cars, like the 959 or 918. Commercially, selling at $250-400K prices keeps the cars super unique and will attract enough buyers. There is a vast amount of concentrated wealth out there, and these kind of buyers would happily add a Celestiq to their personal fleets / collections without overthinking it. Remember that the average RR customer owns ten vehicles; these buyers are not either/or shoppers with hard budget constraints. They might own a RR Cullinan, and a 911 Turbo or Ferrari, and a Bentley Flying Spur, etc. A Range Rover, X7, GLS or Land Cruiser might be the grocery getter. Halo projects allow brands to stretch their capabilities, experiment, and build brand credibility. Many learnings eventually trickle down to the mainstream product line. What Cadillac has needed is to represent modern, tech forward, effortless performance and unapologetic American luxury. If Cadillac can embrace its American uniqueness, there is a market for that which European, Japanese and Korean brands cannot access. An analogy I use is that many wealthy folks around the world love Ralph Lauren, or even Brooks Brothers. There is a uniquely American luxury code - whether it’s from Art Deco New York, Beverly Hills, Palm Beach or Ivy League universities and northeastern prep schools that is widely admired and loved around the world. Cadillac needs to find and represent the automotive equivalent of that uniquely American expression.
Yes. It's about time Cadillac stopped teasing with endless beautiful concepts that never go into production. This is why I subscribe to your show ... you have genuine inside access. You're not a UA-camr who depends on their channel so they can eventually buy a Corvette. Great episode. Tx.
Doubt it. See my comment above....they always find a way to bamboozle any real momentum. Glad Motorman is getting on this dude because he is just spouting GM PR bullsheit that every new regime at Cadillac says.
Excellent interview! This is truly exciting! I think Cadillac is on exactly the right track with the Celestic. I’m excited that they’re doing such a great job keeping things secret and doling out details to keep it interesting. I think it’s a perfect way of showing how certain newcomer EV manufacturers don’t get the concept of “luxury” or even quality. I’m really hopeful that this car leads to an all-electric coupe or convertible.
For a while, Cadillac was basically a fancy Chevy so I'm glad to hear that they are actually changing. And as always, love this kind of interviews! Keep it up!
When you drive one of these into Cadillac service bay, do they still treat you the same way as if you had a CT4 base model? I'm sure someone spending $300k+ is going to enjoy that experience... The dealerships have been known to treat people well with GM cars hahah
Absolutely spot on. At the $300k level, it's the experience you're buying into as much as the car. Sharing dealership space with Chevy and Buick, like they are at my local dealership, will be a total fail.
Go Cadillac! It's time to get back to what this great old Marque once stood for . . . the best they can engineer, design and build. Cadillac never built many V-16's in the 1930's. It was a rolling statement of what they could do. The Eldorado Biarritz in the 1950's cost as much as a contemporary Rolls Royce, yet made an entirely different statement. True luxury means exclusivity. Anyone who whines that they can't afford a Celestiq doesn't get that and never will. The concept OR the car. So happy to see that General Motors is going to let Cadillac be Cadillac again. Just read, "The Penalty Of Leadership". It says it all. Thanks you, Motoman.
Yes bring Cadillac back to it's full glory they have some of the best handling sedans in the world and there designs are straight but let's bring it all together with a interior that's like no other and that swagger that only a Cadillac can have can't wait to see the final look 👍🏽
@@mgmcd1 If I'm understanding Tellie correctly, I believe he was referring to the current Art and Science and V model Cadillacs as best handling cars. Don't think he was referring to the pre A&S and V models.
It is long past time for Cadillac to again be the standard of the world. Cadillac has created a number of gorgeous show cars that they never built. I'm not particularly enamored with the pictures of this prototype, but we'll see what they deliver.
Cadillac finally taking a Sixteen-type leap is something we've all been waiting for since time immemorial. But y'all better not mess this up. And give it deep 4 digit horsepower for headlines.
Electrifying is the best thing that could’ve happened to Cadillac because if will allow it and give it the opportunity to once again be seen as an actual luxury brand and not some afterthought stuck in the middle of nowhere. In fact when I heard him talk about what they wanted to do with this car and not get stuck in the middle of no man’s land that thing was what Cadillac brand has become and it sounds like they know it.
The last time Cadillac had a rear center console in a production car was the 1974 Fleetwood Talisman. And that car was supposed to the ultra luxury halo of the day, despite just being a Fleetwood Brougham trim option.
@@Andoniscars Looks only get you so far. The .01% crowd want to be pampered in everything they do. They expect extraordinary customer service, especially from a vendor that may be new to them.
This is great for U.S. auto manufacturing. Love the direction Cadillac is going. Mercedes is getting old. BMW is not as interesting as it used to be. Rolls Royce is boring. The car looks great. I'm rooting for Caddy to be the best luxury car in the world again.
GM knew if they tried to make this a "mass produced" Cadillac it would be a flop because very few people would buy it. So they baked low volume into the formula. Now they can claim success when very few people buy this thing.
I love this interview and that Cadillac is trying to get to this level of craftsmanship is impressive. I’m a little concerned that they decided to make their first bespoke “halo car” an EV. I really think this needs to be a V10 or V12 Rolls Royce or Maybach level of opulence that the people that are going to buy a vehicle this expensive really want. I don’t believe that the person that buys a CELSTIQ is going to want to wait 30 minutes or more to charge their vehicle every 200 miles or so. I may be proven wrong, but I haven’t seen anyone other than maybe Mercedes Benz with the EQS bringing anything like this to market. IMO, This is going to be a huge gamble for GM. It may work, it may not. I’m pulling for them though.
How long and how much will be the question when it comes to how fast will it charge and how long will it go before we get back to the first questions answer 🎯
I mean if the quality and fitment of the hand built Celestiq matches the price tag, I see no reason to not offer the same treatment to top trims across the lineup (CT4, CT5). Low production high $$ car is one thing. But the only way the general car community will change their mind of the brand is if they actually get to SEE those changes, and that means making them available in products like the CT sedans and Escalade.
I want to buy a caddy, ready to trade my euro cars for one. Now I can't accept the interior quality/design of current vehicles (same goes for Tesla), until that is fixed it's Land Rover and BMW's for this family. Best of luck with this Halo model, and plz let some of that quality filter down to lesser models.
I’m not sure a car being hand built in this era is advantageous as it was decades ago when people were generally more precise and more capable in the assembly of complex parts that machines simply couldn’t do, or do accurately / efficiently. I’m not sure if he was making the implication that this car being hand built somehow elevates the build quality and craftsmanship. Probably more a function of the limited volume this car will be produced.
@@johnls39 I hear you but I don't believe it will be that high which is why I stated "fall" and "base price". Maybe the highest trim or special editions could reach $300K. But even hand built engines from the AMG S-Class and other performance models don't command $300K. And this will be all electric so I don't see hand built electric motors becoming a thing. Too many inconsistencies and liabilities. So are we getting a hand built coach then? And even then, Ghost and Flying Spur levels in terms of price? I'm estimating $160K or the highest Lucid Air trim for a base price
MotoManTV: Holey moley, George...I got to view you interviewing 2 top car manufacturers' development insiders within a few days... MB and now Cadillac. I would rather own this Caddy than a Bentley ( ain't no Roller fanboy). BUT IT CANNOT HAVE EVEN 1 KILO OF PLASTIC.
It will be hard for GM not to share platforms between Cadillac and other GM brands. The sharing of platforms is the thing that makes Cadillac not special.
There's nothing special about platforms anymore when it comes to an EV. They're basically a skateboard, and battery pack makes them very stiff. The differentiator between luxury now is tech content, comfort, sound deadening etc.
I am a big GM customer. I bought a 2000 Chevrolet Suburban LT 1500, 2002 Chevrolet Corvette convertible, 2004 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 2006 H2 Hummer SUT 2009 Cadillac CTS 4 2018 Cadillac CT6 Platinum. Most important thing is exterior styling. - love vertical LED front lights and rear lights. - I suggest using the long head light evolution and running light pipe along front hood lines rhrough the side of the car capturing the body lines with the light pipe and extending to the tail lights. Add some functionality by inuding pulsating lights to indicate signaling in the light pipe. Have it customizable to light up or not for those owners who do not want attention. Allow the light pipe to excentuate the body at night. - see if air ride can be adapted with magnetic ride. Interior Styling - I love the interior styling introduced into the Lyric. Keep moving there. I also love my 2018 Cadillac CT6 dash. Add mood lighting and high polished metals and premium materials. - Find a way to remove or open the B pillar from obstructing passenger feet entering and exiting the back seats. - creature comforts should have air cooled and heated seats, messaging seats, excellent HVAC ventilation, video entertainment, Karioki features, vanity mirrors for back seat passengers, reclining back seats, motorized open and close doors is important, motorized sun shades for doors and rear window or make glass opacity dark to limit sun light. Pro ide GPS mapping on rear displays. Allow rear displays to accept mobile phone video output and add video conferencing cameras for all passengers. - tech. Have Que have 1 button video conferencing capabilities to call anyone programed on DUO or FaceTime. Starlight ceiling. Commercialize that the EV Battery is capable of being removed in 5 minutes at any dealer to incorporate solid state batteries when the technology becomes available. Creative led rear brake lighting and signals. Improve more on Super Cruise and make system upgradable. When new autonomous features are built, allow owners to download new features.
Welp, not sure why Cadillac wants my opinion. Cadillac is catering to the 1%-ers, clearly. Go ask them. Cadillacs are within my price range, but Cadillac is trying to hard to be a German car company. So I guess that’s why they’re following Mercedes, who said they are done with proles, and will only cater to the super rich. So Cadillac is abandoning its bread and butter. Let them eat cake.
It’s a halo car which means it will be sold at a loss. I still maintain the Cadillac name was tarnished and then rusted by building sub-standard cars for 40 years from the 80s to now. If GM wants to compete with European luxury marques it should have created a new brand with a clean slate. And the name Celestiq??!! WTF? Sounds like a Vegas stripper. Was that honest enough?
The Customer service will kill it, the quality is simply not available anymore! They do not have the skills at tech to support or the work ethic at service to give buyers an experience to drop $300,000 on a car! You will get NBA players and ultra rich techies, but it will be a fad that last 1-2 years then it will be gone! Mary Barra does everything on the cheap, talks a big game then blames everyone else for her failures.!
Cadillac has always done the Half in approach within the past few decades. If they want to move upmarket they need to stop putting out half a$$ed designs and quality. Drop the bottom cheap cars and focus upmarket
I'm sorry but this is a car no one asked for. Cadillac should have leaned into real luxury years ago to build up to this point. You can't go from a mildly tarted up Chevy to a handbuilt $300k car like this and expect to sell. Who in their right mind buys this over a Bentley Bentayga AND a 911? Or an F8 Tributo? Or a Cayenne and a GT3? I mean come on... especially in today's economy.
The .01% have lots of money to burn. These people don't flinch at paying $300K-$500K for a car. And they don't need financing either. And the economy? It's a little unsettled but remember that Cadillac sold the V16 during the Depression...10 years worth of cars. The rich ALWAYS have money.
Listen, this car is marketed towards the multimillionaires and billionaires of the world. This car is being produced around 400 volume a year. This car will not have trouble finding homes for those who truly wants it. Also, there are people out there waiting for the next big thing and you will see change within Cadillac in a few years.
@@johnls39 I have $300k in Porsche's in my garage. I would need to be smoking some Hunter Biden Chinese crack rocks to swap that kind of value for one weird Cadillac that looks exactly like the $60k Lyriq. There are a lot of stupid rich people but even then, this is a tough sell.
See this is what I hate with Caddy...they always build these great cars that nobody can buy due to cost or will never build. Been here done that...talk to me when they build 7 decently priced cars ACROSS THE RANGE with an excellent design language THAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY WANT AND WILL CROSS SHOP AGAINST THE GERMAN AND JAPANESE MAKES. Plus Caddy also takes too damn long to take concepts to production too...but every damn year they'll take too notch concept cars to the Concourse d'Elegance to get people all wet for nothing. Do they ever listen to the criticism they get? This dude is talking bullsheit because GM bean counters will either mark it up and limit production or water the design down to something nobody likes.
The overall design is terrible, it is overwrought, overdesigned, and does not flow well at all. Cadillac needs to go back and take a look at the ELR, that should be their design philosophy and language of the future.
I rather they take this ev .... Make it a sedan and call it the ct6 ...or hell ct8 ... That backend is ugly AF.... And all these weird ass names that you got to let Google pronounce it's just a little too much I know it's nostalgic to go back to name and cars actual names but mehh ...
Is this going to cost $300K? That's way too much money. Cadillac is not Bentley or Rolls Royce. Maybe 70 years ago, but not now. The price should be half of that at most.
So stupid. Pandering to the rich. I have a more negative opinion of GM as a whole, and specifically caddy due to this low volume product. Disgusting capital expense and actually ugly. I’ll take 10x Model 3 please or a rolls/ Maybach who don’t make economy cars on the side.
Not sure why you think this is stupid. People on here acting like Cadillac is abandoning the bread and butter products. This is a halo car at very low volume that will be use to bring in potential buys to their mainstream products in the future. Also, Cadillac had such a car in the '30s thru the early '60s that was easily bought by the rich and wealthy.
Doesn't stack up to European competitors. Its low volume because it's ugly. Looks like an old Citroën CX. 🤢 Trying to look European doesn't make it so.
Pls show us the car first and tag-on the chat at the end of the video.. i lost interest 5mins in. Nothing nee being said here! (Positioning etc..) zero creativity.
I recently saw a 1930 Cadillac "Madame X" V16 on display at my local Caddy dealership. It belonged to a local collector who brings the car out once a year for my city's most famous charity ball. And you can tell a lot about custom coach building looking at vehicles like this. Everything about this vehicle was over the top at a time when Henry Ford had just begun selling the Model A. Back then you purchased a chassis, engine and plans, then hired a coach builder to finish the car with whatever flourishes you wanted. Most owners chose Fleetwood (which began as a separate company before GM brought them in house in 1929) but you could always choose someone else. When the '57 Eldorado Brougham was introduced. GM was literally on top of the world although by then they had ceded the ultra luxury market to the British. By now, GM was selling Motorama dreams to the public but it all about volume and those ultra-luxury cars just didn't sell in quantities. But GM decided to take a stab anyway, just as Ford did with the Continental Mark II. And while both cars were wonderful for different reasons, neither automaker wanted to go through the trouble of figuring out how to at least break even in this market. After all, Rolls & Bentley managed to survive as a tandem for decades before being swallowed by larger entities. It can be done.
The problem with Cadillac in this space is that it never seems to last. The V12s and V16s were around for a decade. The Eldorado Brougham? Just 4 years between two different styled automobiles. The last attempt at a bespoke special production car was the Allante and we won't speak of that again here. Despite that, there is an opportunity here for GM. GM's Ultium technology could use a halo to separate themselves from others like Tesla, Lucid and even Rimac/Bugatti (the Hummer EV is a good start). Rolls, Bentley and Mercedes-Maybach haven't even introduced cars in this space yet. Enter this space like you intend to stay and be profitable (without cutting corners).
My wish list? From an engineering standpoint, this car must have every special trick GM knows how to do for performance, range, handling, the works in terms of electrification. Nothing half-assed like putting the exact same drivetrain in the ELR like there was in the Chevy Volt. With all of that wheelbase in this car, there is plenty of room for batteries. Use all of it. I'll be disappointed if I see the final range be less than 500 miles, and that's with the 23" rims. Four wheel steering? Yes, please. And in terms of handling and ride, we haven't seen an EV use GM/Cadillac's magnetic shocks, not even on the Lyriq yet. If you have something special with the tech that's been waiting for EVs, this is the car to show that. Don't even think about bringing this to market without at least 800V charging. Be able to charge a beach house during a power failure. The Hummer EV has three EV motors...how about one for all four wheels? It doesn't have to be Tesla 0-60 in 2 seconds fast but it has to be quick and be effortless in doing it. We know that Ultracruise will ship with it, so that's good. Make sure it continues to improve for the life of the vehicle's technology, just like Tesla.
The car needs to be as quiet as a casket....NVH is not something these customers will tolerate in any fashion. The audio system needs to appeal to audiophile snobs. AKG branding is nice but let's be compatible with high resolution streaming music formats and services. Can we do spacial audio/Dolby Atmos?
In the '30s, coach building was all about custom body work. In the 50s, those days were over so Cadillac and Lincoln threw every futuristic option they could at their cars as standard equipment. Now the ultra-luxury market is all about personalization.....specific paints, special woods and trim pieces....leathers or vegans. Heck if someone wants wool like the limosines of the 50s, they could order it. Not much is too much....just tell them how much it will cost. Be prepared for someone to want (and pay for) an actual Flying Goddess on the hood, so someone better make it looks like it belongs there.
Finally, customer service must be top notch. Only select dealers can offer this car. Onstar should be standard for at least three years, maybe five. Service should come to the owner if the car cannot be easily brought in. The service manager needs to have a specific specialist who knows the owner by name assigned to the car. Dealerships must have specific service training for this model, and frequent communication to the owner on the vehicle status. Body shops owned by Cadillac dealers must also receive training. Nothing should be left to chance for the total experience.
Cadillac was at the top of their game when customers could choose between V8, V12 and V16 powerplants. Cadillac earned their reputation for luxury and quality, but GM management wanted sales numbers that rivaled Chevrolet's - with the resulting hit in quality and reputation in the 1970's and 1980's, in my opinion.
Although I'll never own automotive unobtanium, foreign or domestic, I can applaud GM for letting the world know that an American car manufacturer can play in the same sandbox with Rolls, Bentley, and Maybach.without needeing to have a mechanic in the trunk. It's time to remind the world which country put men on the moon!
I would love to see Cadillac build this. I’d love to see people buying a Celestiq instead of a Maybach. But it has to be amazing.
Great interview MotoMan. Very informative and it cleared up some concerns that I had but not all. I am 100% for Cadillac to up their game in the US and the world and happy that they are looking forward and staying focused. The CT5V Blackwing and new Escalade have proved that but this venture and price point becomes a totally different animal. For example, I’m not sure Cadillac dealerships are prepared to sell and service to that level of clientele.
The Celestiq will get ALOT of press when it arrives and at that very low production volume shouldn’t be a problem to sell to the very affluent IF it’s visually pleasing and a well built car underneath. They have the money to spend on something nice and unique. This car will compete more against Bentley than Rolls or Bugatti in my opinion. It can set the standard for 21st century luxury and elegance if Cadillac plays its cards right.
I think what is critical for Cadillac and even GM is that this level of car building trickle down to their other makes and models. Most important is for Cadillac to reap the benefits of this car and become more premium to become equal or even superior to MB, BMW and Lexus.
If you go back in time about 100 years, Cadillac was IT. Hopefully the Celestiq is what gets them back to that level. .
Would LOVE for Cadillac to truly be the standard of the world again. Not just say it, but build the best damn car, anywhere. Tony has the right attitude and the right ideas, so here's looking forward to a hand-built Celestiq in my driveway!
12:30 A halo car to me means the manufacture is putting its BEST foot forward. Making the very best knowing they will not get a direct return. Id put it in the marketing budget because that's what it is. At the end of the day its a marketing push to tell the world here is the best we can do. If done correctly it brings in buyers to the brand indirectly meaning they come in to buy other products. Not many ppl can afford an LFA, GTR, NSX, Porsche GT1... those cars are aspirational. Thats what a halo product is.
I think this strategy makes a lot of sense, in order to reinvent Cadillac as a luxury EV brand. Maybe the best analogies are Lexus LFA, Toyota Century, and Mercedes Maybach/SLR/SLS. Occasionally brands like Porsche also launch halo cars, like the 959 or 918.
Commercially, selling at $250-400K prices keeps the cars super unique and will attract enough buyers. There is a vast amount of concentrated wealth out there, and these kind of buyers would happily add a Celestiq to their personal fleets / collections without overthinking it. Remember that the average RR customer owns ten vehicles; these buyers are not either/or shoppers with hard budget constraints. They might own a RR Cullinan, and a 911 Turbo or Ferrari, and a Bentley Flying Spur, etc. A Range Rover, X7, GLS or Land Cruiser might be the grocery getter.
Halo projects allow brands to stretch their capabilities, experiment, and build brand credibility. Many learnings eventually trickle down to the mainstream product line. What Cadillac has needed is to represent modern, tech forward, effortless performance and unapologetic American luxury.
If Cadillac can embrace its American uniqueness, there is a market for that which European, Japanese and Korean brands cannot access. An analogy I use is that many wealthy folks around the world love Ralph Lauren, or even Brooks Brothers. There is a uniquely American luxury code - whether it’s from Art Deco New York, Beverly Hills, Palm Beach or Ivy League universities and northeastern prep schools that is widely admired and loved around the world. Cadillac needs to find and represent the automotive equivalent of that uniquely American expression.
Yes. It's about time Cadillac stopped teasing with endless beautiful concepts that never go into production. This is why I subscribe to your show ... you have genuine inside access. You're not a UA-camr who depends on their channel so they can eventually buy a Corvette. Great episode. Tx.
Cadillac finally grows some balls!
Doubt it. See my comment above....they always find a way to bamboozle any real momentum. Glad Motorman is getting on this dude because he is just spouting GM PR bullsheit that every new regime at Cadillac says.
All the best for the success of this new model!
Great interview! These are the next level questions that don't typically get discussed in the youtube automotive world.
Excellent interview! This is truly exciting! I think Cadillac is on exactly the right track with the Celestic. I’m excited that they’re doing such a great job keeping things secret and doling out details to keep it interesting. I think it’s a perfect way of showing how certain newcomer EV manufacturers don’t get the concept of “luxury” or even quality. I’m really hopeful that this car leads to an all-electric coupe or convertible.
Thoroughly enjoyable conversation.
Welcome back Cadillac if the vision is even 80% realized!
For a while, Cadillac was basically a fancy Chevy so I'm glad to hear that they are actually changing.
And as always, love this kind of interviews! Keep it up!
The Escalade is really just a fancy Tahoe. To be fair other car companies with luxury brands do the same thing.
I would have to say it’s about time Cadillac takes back it’s crown of world class cars
Gotta say.... Tony Roma has come a long way from cookin' ribs to designing cars. That is impressive career enrichment.
I was about to say that's such a good joke as Tony Romo was cooking ribs.... apparently his own during games
When you drive one of these into Cadillac service bay, do they still treat you the same way as if you had a CT4 base model? I'm sure someone spending $300k+ is going to enjoy that experience... The dealerships have been known to treat people well with GM cars hahah
Right. GM is General Motors not custom motors.
Absolutely spot on. At the $300k level, it's the experience you're buying into as much as the car. Sharing dealership space with Chevy and Buick, like they are at my local dealership, will be a total fail.
I'm sure there will be dealer training for this type of customer. Also, the shared stores will not get a hand on this car but the standalone.
Cadillac is not a competitor with Rolls Royce and Bentley .
Go Cadillac! It's time to get back to what this great old Marque once stood for . . . the best they can engineer, design and build.
Cadillac never built many V-16's in the 1930's. It was a rolling statement of what they could do. The Eldorado Biarritz in the 1950's cost as much as a contemporary Rolls Royce, yet made an entirely different statement. True luxury means exclusivity.
Anyone who whines that they can't afford a Celestiq doesn't get that and never will. The concept OR the car. So happy to see that General Motors is going to let Cadillac be Cadillac again. Just read, "The Penalty Of Leadership". It says it all. Thanks you, Motoman.
Yes bring Cadillac back to it's full glory they have some of the best handling sedans in the world and there designs are straight but let's bring it all together with a interior that's like no other and that swagger that only a Cadillac can have can't wait to see the final look 👍🏽
Best handling 😂? Try hustling a caddy from just a few years ago.
Cadillac at its greatest was NEVER a well handling car. It was ALWAYS a floaty boat.
@@mgmcd1 If I'm understanding Tellie correctly, I believe he was referring to the current Art and Science and V model Cadillacs as best handling cars. Don't think he was referring to the pre A&S and V models.
It is long past time for Cadillac to again be the standard of the world. Cadillac has created a number of gorgeous show cars that they never built. I'm not particularly enamored with the pictures of this prototype, but we'll see what they deliver.
Did they ever really set a standard? Only in American minds.
Ultra American luxury ! At least Cadillac took a leap unlike Lincoln
That 89 GranPree was the bomb.
Cadillac finally taking a Sixteen-type leap is something we've all been waiting for since time immemorial. But y'all better not mess this up. And give it deep 4 digit horsepower for headlines.
Electrifying is the best thing that could’ve happened to Cadillac because if will allow it and give it the opportunity to once again be seen as an actual luxury brand and not some afterthought stuck in the middle of nowhere.
In fact when I heard him talk about what they wanted to do with this car and not get stuck in the middle of no man’s land that thing was what Cadillac brand has become and it sounds like they know it.
Gorgeous. Like a Cadillac sport turismo
4:40 Take this man to play poker. Bring lots of money sir. 😂
The last time Cadillac had a rear center console in a production car was the 1974 Fleetwood Talisman. And that car was supposed to the ultra luxury halo of the day, despite just being a Fleetwood Brougham trim option.
Good job George, Pat
Nice ✊ 🔥
"What do I think of Cadillac taking a leap like this?" I'm not even from the right state for this, but two words come to mind. "Show me." :)
its very good designed and built concept ev car.
Definitely Cadillac. Make Standard of the World Again. Now do the CIENtiq, or something mid engine 😀
"Mid-engined" isn't really a thing in the EV space. Technically, all EVs are "mid-engined".
@@Sevenfeet0 it’s more about the looks
@@Andoniscars Looks only get you so far. The .01% crowd want to be pampered in everything they do. They expect extraordinary customer service, especially from a vendor that may be new to them.
didn't the ELR have a full length console?
If they stay true to the concept it'll sell out
This is great for U.S. auto manufacturing. Love the direction Cadillac is going. Mercedes is getting old. BMW is not as interesting as it used to be. Rolls Royce is boring. The car looks great. I'm rooting for Caddy to be the best luxury car in the world again.
GM knew if they tried to make this a "mass produced" Cadillac it would be a flop because very few people would buy it. So they baked low volume into the formula. Now they can claim success when very few people buy this thing.
I love this interview and that Cadillac is trying to get to this level of craftsmanship is impressive. I’m a little concerned that they decided to make their first bespoke “halo car” an EV. I really think this needs to be a V10 or V12 Rolls Royce or Maybach level of opulence that the people that are going to buy a vehicle this expensive really want. I don’t believe that the person that buys a CELSTIQ is going to want to wait 30 minutes or more to charge their vehicle every 200 miles or so. I may be proven wrong, but I haven’t seen anyone other than maybe Mercedes Benz with the EQS bringing anything like this to market. IMO, This is going to be a huge gamble for GM. It may work, it may not. I’m pulling for them though.
my 2013 volt has a full length console :)
Yes the El Mirage! But some how, it never materialized
300k for a GM? like if GM dealership will treat the car different from a Silverado…hard pass
How long and how much will be the question when it comes to how fast will it charge and how long will it go before we get back to the first questions answer 🎯
I mean if the quality and fitment of the hand built Celestiq matches the price tag, I see no reason to not offer the same treatment to top trims across the lineup (CT4, CT5). Low production high $$ car is one thing. But the only way the general car community will change their mind of the brand is if they actually get to SEE those changes, and that means making them available in products like the CT sedans and Escalade.
My opinion if GM wants to be in this space a New under brand needs to be established.
I want to buy a caddy, ready to trade my euro cars for one. Now I can't accept the interior quality/design of current vehicles (same goes for Tesla), until that is fixed it's Land Rover and BMW's for this family. Best of luck with this Halo model, and plz let some of that quality filter down to lesser models.
I think it is awesome I would pay 200-300k plus for this vehicle and might purchase if the vehicle is looks like the show vehicle.
I’m not sure a car being hand built in this era is advantageous as it was decades ago when people were generally more precise and more capable in the assembly of complex parts that machines simply couldn’t do, or do accurately / efficiently. I’m not sure if he was making the implication that this car being hand built somehow elevates the build quality and craftsmanship. Probably more a function of the limited volume this car will be produced.
The rear reminds me of the Porsche 928.
It's a HEARSE for rappers.
Sounds like a rival to the Ghost and Flying Spur with a hatchback. Wondering where the base price is gonna fall
Around $300K. They indicated that in the video.
@@johnls39 I hear you but I don't believe it will be that high which is why I stated "fall" and "base price". Maybe the highest trim or special editions could reach $300K. But even hand built engines from the AMG S-Class and other performance models don't command $300K. And this will be all electric so I don't see hand built electric motors becoming a thing. Too many inconsistencies and liabilities. So are we getting a hand built coach then? And even then, Ghost and Flying Spur levels in terms of price? I'm estimating $160K or the highest Lucid Air trim for a base price
💯🙏🙏💯👍💪💪
MotoManTV: Holey moley, George...I got to view you interviewing 2 top car manufacturers' development insiders within a few days... MB and now Cadillac. I would rather own this Caddy than a Bentley ( ain't no Roller fanboy). BUT IT CANNOT HAVE EVEN 1 KILO OF PLASTIC.
It will be hard for GM not to share platforms between Cadillac and other GM brands. The sharing of platforms is the thing that makes Cadillac not special.
There's nothing special about platforms anymore when it comes to an EV. They're basically a skateboard, and battery pack makes them very stiff. The differentiator between luxury now is tech content, comfort, sound deadening etc.
@@bahamatodd Exactly!
I am a big GM customer. I bought a
2000 Chevrolet Suburban LT 1500,
2002 Chevrolet Corvette convertible,
2004 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
2006 H2 Hummer SUT
2009 Cadillac CTS 4
2018 Cadillac CT6 Platinum.
Most important thing is exterior styling.
- love vertical LED front lights and rear lights.
- I suggest using the long head light evolution and running light pipe along front hood lines rhrough the side of the car capturing the body lines with the light pipe and extending to the tail lights. Add some functionality by inuding pulsating lights to indicate signaling in the light pipe. Have it customizable to light up or not for those owners who do not want attention. Allow the light pipe to excentuate the body at night.
- see if air ride can be adapted with magnetic ride.
Interior Styling
- I love the interior styling introduced into the Lyric. Keep moving there. I also love my 2018 Cadillac CT6 dash. Add mood lighting and high polished metals and premium materials.
- Find a way to remove or open the B pillar from obstructing passenger feet entering and exiting the back seats.
- creature comforts should have air cooled and heated seats, messaging seats, excellent HVAC ventilation, video entertainment, Karioki features, vanity mirrors for back seat passengers, reclining back seats, motorized open and close doors is important, motorized sun shades for doors and rear window or make glass opacity dark to limit sun light. Pro ide GPS mapping on rear displays. Allow rear displays to accept mobile phone video output and add video conferencing cameras for all passengers.
- tech. Have Que have 1 button video conferencing capabilities to call anyone programed on DUO or FaceTime. Starlight ceiling. Commercialize that the EV Battery is capable of being removed in 5 minutes at any dealer to incorporate solid state batteries when the technology becomes available. Creative led rear brake lighting and signals. Improve more on Super Cruise and make system upgradable. When new autonomous features are built, allow owners to download new features.
Just make it happen. Not sure I like the hatchback look.
I agree. I'm still having trouble of the halo being a hatch.
Welp, not sure why Cadillac wants my opinion. Cadillac is catering to the 1%-ers, clearly. Go ask them. Cadillacs are within my price range, but Cadillac is trying to hard to be a German car company. So I guess that’s why they’re following Mercedes, who said they are done with proles, and will only cater to the super rich. So Cadillac is abandoning its bread and butter. Let them eat cake.
Cadillac will hold on to the mass market but it does not hurt them to go even further upmarket.
It’s a halo car which means it will be sold at a loss. I still maintain the Cadillac name was tarnished and then rusted by building sub-standard cars for 40 years from the 80s to now. If GM wants to compete with European luxury marques it should have created a new brand with a clean slate. And the name Celestiq??!! WTF? Sounds like a Vegas stripper. Was that honest enough?
Lol someone is mad
@@julius6238 not mad. Honest.
Everyone wanted names to be back at Cadillac. Now that they've done it, you're still complaining.
@@Sevenfeet0 must have been people over 65. Anyone younger only knew Cadillac as a Chevy with lipstick.
The Customer service will kill it, the quality is simply not available anymore! They do not have the skills at tech to support or the work ethic at service to give buyers an experience to drop $300,000 on a car! You will get NBA players and ultra rich techies, but it will be a fad that last 1-2 years then it will be gone! Mary Barra does everything on the cheap, talks a big game then blames everyone else for her failures.!
Cadillac has always done the Half in approach within the past few decades. If they want to move upmarket they need to stop putting out half a$$ed designs and quality. Drop the bottom cheap cars and focus upmarket
Cadillac wants to go all out. The problem is GM
@@johnls39 valid point
I'm sorry but this is a car no one asked for. Cadillac should have leaned into real luxury years ago to build up to this point. You can't go from a mildly tarted up Chevy to a handbuilt $300k car like this and expect to sell. Who in their right mind buys this over a Bentley Bentayga AND a 911? Or an F8 Tributo? Or a Cayenne and a GT3? I mean come on... especially in today's economy.
👍
The .01% have lots of money to burn. These people don't flinch at paying $300K-$500K for a car. And they don't need financing either. And the economy? It's a little unsettled but remember that Cadillac sold the V16 during the Depression...10 years worth of cars. The rich ALWAYS have money.
@@Sevenfeet0 And the rich won't be caught dead in a $300k car that 99.9% of people think costs $60k (Lyriq).
Listen, this car is marketed towards the multimillionaires and billionaires of the world. This car is being produced around 400 volume a year. This car will not have trouble finding homes for those who truly wants it. Also, there are people out there waiting for the next big thing and you will see change within Cadillac in a few years.
@@johnls39 I have $300k in Porsche's in my garage. I would need to be smoking some Hunter Biden Chinese crack rocks to swap that kind of value for one weird Cadillac that looks exactly like the $60k Lyriq. There are a lot of stupid rich people but even then, this is a tough sell.
See this is what I hate with Caddy...they always build these great cars that nobody can buy due to cost or will never build. Been here done that...talk to me when they build 7 decently priced cars ACROSS THE RANGE with an excellent design language THAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY WANT AND WILL CROSS SHOP AGAINST THE GERMAN AND JAPANESE MAKES. Plus Caddy also takes too damn long to take concepts to production too...but every damn year they'll take too notch concept cars to the Concourse d'Elegance to get people all wet for nothing. Do they ever listen to the criticism they get? This dude is talking bullsheit because GM bean counters will either mark it up and limit production or water the design down to something nobody likes.
The overall design is terrible, it is overwrought, overdesigned, and does not flow well at all. Cadillac needs to go back and take a look at the ELR, that should be their design philosophy and language of the future.
I rather they take this ev .... Make it a sedan and call it the ct6 ...or hell ct8 ... That backend is ugly AF.... And all these weird ass names that you got to let Google pronounce it's just a little too much I know it's nostalgic to go back to name and cars actual names but mehh ...
The tail lights are horrible, the front end is way over designed, the interior is nice.
Just stick with your Honda Accord buddy. Leave this to the pimps That can actually afford this car.
Cadillac is not a competitor with Rolls Royce and Bentley even Honda and Toyota is better than Cadillac GM.
EV's are trash
Is this going to cost $300K? That's way too much money. Cadillac is not Bentley or Rolls Royce. Maybe 70 years ago, but not now. The price should be half of that at most.
This car is nothing special to look at, pass the front grill..
So stupid. Pandering to the rich. I have a more negative opinion of GM as a whole, and specifically caddy due to this low volume product. Disgusting capital expense and actually ugly. I’ll take 10x Model 3 please or a rolls/ Maybach who don’t make economy cars on the side.
Not sure why you think this is stupid. People on here acting like Cadillac is abandoning the bread and butter products. This is a halo car at very low volume that will be use to bring in potential buys to their mainstream products in the future. Also, Cadillac had such a car in the '30s thru the early '60s that was easily bought by the rich and wealthy.
Rolls Royce Bentley just has made a better vehicle than Cadillac has ever made.
Doesn't stack up to European competitors. Its low volume because it's ugly. Looks like an old Citroën CX. 🤢 Trying to look European doesn't make it so.
Pls show us the car first and tag-on the chat at the end of the video.. i lost interest 5mins in. Nothing nee being said here! (Positioning etc..) zero creativity.