We’re starting to like this timeline again as not only are we more able to get around and hang out with folks once more, auto manufacturers are starting to develop concepts and show cars again. Take the Cadillac Celestiq show car, teased here. Not even a few years ago, something like this wouldn’t see the light of day because OEMs were more interested in making production-intent or even production-ready show cars. Now, we’re starting to see outlandish, stylish, and even artistic designs brought to life once again, at least from GM.
Cadillac initially only offered four new teaser images of the Celestiq, but the images are impressive for what they are and the luxury carmaker has turned around and dropped another batch focused on the interior.
First up, the exterior: The tail light image is a modern take on the classic Cadillac tail fin light design that’s been around since the 1960s. It’s a bit more swoopy, but that tall light design is still there. It also seems that Cadillac intends for these lights to put on a bit of a “welcoming show,” as the luxury brand describes them with a “lively and soulful choreographed symphony of light” that “boldy invites each passenger into the vehicle.” We do wonder how long this trend of flashy lights will last, but, again, the Celestiq is a wonderful take on Cadillac’s design staple.
Interestingly, of the images Cadillac displayed were of its door hinge—that cheekily has “Standard of the World” stamped into its bolt—and a “silhouette” of the car. We’re not exactly sure where this was taken on the car, but it is a very striking image with its blending of a piece of metal trim to a portion of the body. It’s possibly on the upper body or greenhouse, as the lower black portion does look like darkly tinted glass with a small trim line following it. However, the best teaser is possibly the driver’s front quarter. Tweaking the exposure of the image gives us a preview of an aerodynamic 21 inch wheel and the 285/35R21 Michelin tire this show car is using.
The hood has a bodyline break above the headlights that transitions into the wheel well, and terminates at the front of the driver’s door before heading back up to the cowl. It’s going to be one massive hood, possibly leading to a “frunk.”
A fresh batch of interior photos reveal a bold, blood-red color scheme and plenty of expensive-looking hardware. Even though this is a show car, a lot of what we’re seeing so far in the cabin is production-feasible. The seat controls, console control knob, and metal speaker grille visible in the photos look wild—but they appear to be very similar to the pieces in the new 2023 Cadillac Lyriq SUV, which for the first time in the modern era, are unique to Cadillac and not shared with any Chevy, GMC, or Buick products.
Cadillac hasn’t said what would power this concept car, but knowing GM and Cadillacs electric vehicle future—along with wheels that would only really work on an EV—it’s most likely a version of GMs Ultium electric powertrain. Cadillac also hasn’t divulged when the full car will be shown, but it’ll likely be unveiled later in the summer of 2022. We can’t wait to see what it looks like in person.
This story was originally published June 8, 2022, and has since been updated to include new preview images from Cadillac.
Keyword: Cadillac Celestiq Concept Teases Another Striking Vision of the Future