Cadillac is getting ready to roll out the most expensive vehicle in its history, the exotic Celestiq set to start at just over $300,000. But one customer will wind up paying more than three times that, at least if they opt for a one-off version included in this year’s annual Neiman Marcus Fantasy Gifts list.
We’ll soon be inundated with ads about people buying cars for Christmas, but Neiman Marcus is offering a Cadillac Celestiq — for $975,000. The big dollar gift includes a $25,000 donation to the Detroit Opera House.
We heard a lot about dealers marking up vehicles during the COVID pandemic and subsequent semiconductor shortage that left buyers struggling to find the market’s most popular models. But even a $50,000 premium for the new Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray might seem affordable compared to what Neiman Marcus plans to charge for the new Cadillac Celestiq.
The Dallas-based retailer has never been shy about pricing and that’s especially true when it comes to its annual Christmas Book. But it’s taking things to new levels with a one-off version of what was already expected to be a very limited-edition supercar.
In case you’re contemplating buying the one-off Cadillac Celestiq offered by Neiman Marcus, here’s an actual picture rather than a romanticized drawing.
While Caddy plans to start the Celestiq at around $340,000 you’ll need to up that to $975,000 for the Neiman Marcus edition. The retailer isn’t saying much about the customized version beyond calling it “unlike anything available.”
“A bold artistic expression”
It describes its version of the Celestiq as a “bold artistic expression that takes driving to the next level.” Of course, that’s not much different from what Cadillac has already said. You could save more than $600,000 by shopping at your local Cadillac dealer and still get features such as parent General Motors’ semi-autonomous Super Cruise and a “smart” glass roof that can turn from opaque to transparent at the touch of a button.
There’ll be other niceties, including a magnetic ride control suspension, a 55-inch, pillar-to-pillar digital display and twin 12.6-inch screens for rear seat passengers. The doors will open and close by pressing a button, and there’ll be plenty of carbon fiber detailing.
But wait, there’s more!
For the lucky buyer, Neiman Marcus has a few other things in store, promising to let them “enjoy all the culinary, art, design, and history that Detroit has to offer.”
There’ll be other niceties, including a magnetic ride control suspension, a 55-inch, pillar-to-pillar digital display and twin 12.6-inch screens for rear seat passengers.
The new owner and a guest will get a two-day trip to Detroit where they’ll be given a tour of the Cadillac House studio where Celestiq customers will be able to extensively customize their purchase. They’ll stay at a boutique hotel and enjoy a private tour of the Cadillac Artisan Center — the facility where each Celestiq is almost entirely hand-built. And, to round out the visit, there’ll be a private visit to what Neiman Marcus describes as a “notable Detroit landmark” capped off by a dinner specially prepared “by a renowned Detroit chef.”
The $975,000 price tag also includes a $25,000 donation to the Detroit Opera House.
Caddy’s new EV halo car
For those unfamiliar with the Celestiq, it’s an exotic four-seat battery-electric vehicle by which Cadillac hopes to restore its once vaunted reputation as the pinnacle of the luxury market. It also will serve as a halo model for the brand’s rapid shift to EVs. Caddy has already launched the Lyriq SUV and confirmed plans to launch a zero-emissions version of its current flagship, the Escalade.
Celestiq will offer a dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain capable of turning out an estimated 600 horsepower and 640 pound-feet of torque. That’s expected to give it the muscle to launch from 0-60 in about 3.8 seconds. And its 111-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack is promised to yield about 300 miles per charge.
You could save more than $600,000 by shopping at your local Cadillac dealer.
Barbie, meet 007
In the world of the one-percenters, paying a premium for one-off or rare vehicles has become more and more popular. At the Barrett-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona last January the very first Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray went for $1.15 million, or roughly 10 times the hybrid sports car’s normal MSRP.
Neiman Marcus has a history of offering unique vehicles, including a 2019 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera that featured appointments from Daniel Craig. It also included tickets to the premiere of “No Time to Die,” the actor’s final turn in the role of super spy James Bond. Fittingly, it went for $700,007.
Last year, the retailer commanded $340,000 for a Barbie edition Maserati Grecale Trofeo.
The Neiman Marcus Cadillac Celestiq went on sale on Oct. 25. So far, however, there’s been no word of a buyer stepping forward.
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