While EVs are front and center, roughly 75% of Cadillac sales come from ICE-powered models
- Cadillac has delivered another Celestiq to its lucky owner.
- Roughly 25% of Cadillac sales now come from EVs.
- The brand is also gearing up to launch a new XT5.
After a lengthy delay, Cadillac began Celestiq deliveries earlier this year. They’re now picking up pace and the latest model was delivered to Michigander Mark Mitchell.
His ultra-luxury flagship was delivered in a private ceremony at The Daxton Hotel in Birmingham yesterday. While Cadillac House is only a stone’s throw away in Warren, the hotel was a fitting location as it’s owned by Mitchell.
More: Cadillac Delivers First $350,000 Celestiq EV
Besides receiving his Siku Tricoat Celestiq, which features a Camelia and Sheer Gray interior, Mitchell got his car signed by GM President Mark Reuss, who was in attendance for the event. Mitchell was delighted and said, “The vehicle completely surpassed my expectations.”
As a brief refresher, the car features a dual-motor all-wheel drive system that produces 655 hp (488 kW / 664 PS) and 646 lb-ft (875 Nm) of torque. It’s powered by a 111 kWh battery pack, which provides approximately 303 miles (488 km) of range.
A Brand Revamp And A New XT5
While the Celestiq marks the company’s return to the ultra-luxury segment, Cadillac’s John Roth recently noted the brand was struggling as recently as 2015. As he explained, “The product portfolio was good, but not great” and they were spending too much on incentives to attract buyers.
This caused a major rethink and a massive investment that would transform the brand. Part of this was driven by a plan to have Cadillac go electric-only and this necessitated a slew of new models including the Optiq, Lyriq, Vistiq, Escalade IQ, and Celestiq.
While that plan was ultimately abandoned, Cadillac has a lot of new product and roughly 25% of sales now come from EVs. The company also noted the Optiq, Lyriq, and Vistiq are conquest kings as more than 70% of buyers are new to the brand.
That’s good news, but a majority of sales still come from ICE-powered vehicles. This is a problem as the XT4 and XT6 are toast, while the XT5 is a dinosaur. However, the company is working to address that as Roth recently told dealers about the next-generation XT5.
The redesigned crossover will be launched in the second-half of 2027 and is expected to echo its Chinese counterpart. However, the US-spec model will be made in Tennessee and could use a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder that develops 328 hp (245 kW / 333 PS).
