The Cadillac Celestiq is the start of what the brand hopes to become a shift in public perspective of its products. Now, the chief engineer says that if all hand raisers follow through on a purchase, the Celestiq is going to be sold out for some 18 months.
Speaking to Autoline After Hours, Celestiq Chief Engineer Tony Roma says that the brand plans to build about 2 examples a day. Each one will be largely ‘hand-built’ and Cadillac expects no two to be exactly alike. General Motors estimates that the finished product will develop some 600 hp (447 kW) and 640 lb-ft (866 Nm) of torque.
Despite those details, many have wondered if Cadillac could actually sell a car at this sort of price. Evidently, that’s not a problem. Roma says: “We have quite a few hand-raisers. Many, many more than we’re going to be able to build in the first year, 18 months.”
More: How Does The Cadillac Celestiq Compare With Its $300k Luxury And Electric Rivals?
It’s very much worth noting that there’s a big difference between ‘hand raisers’ and converted orders. Even the most die-hard Cadillac fans who have the means to afford the Celestiq could have something that causes them to back out after initially ‘raising their hand’ to get on the order list. Cadillac hasn’t confirmed exactly how many converted orders it has at this point.
Those who do end up with a Celestiq in their garage will appreciate its advanced technology. A collection of five different displays include a pair of 12.6-inch rear-seat displays and a 55-inch center infotainment screen. The roof is an all-glass panel that can change opaqueness at the touch of a button.
General Motors expects the car to go into full production late in 2023 and ship to owners not long after. Even if Cadillac only ends up converting half of the hand-raisers it has right now it would prove that there’s a big appetite for the Celestiq. It also lends credence to the idea that a future Escalade EV could be priced even higher given the right exclusivity.