After a slow buildup with teasers that literally spanned years, things are now moving much faster for the Cadillac Celestiq. This is technically our first proper catch of a Celestiq test vehicle in public, and while the camo wrap hides details regarding the final design, its tires offer clues to power and performance.
For the record, yes we've seen a camo-wrapped Celestiq in production trim before. However, those "spy" images were officially released by Cadillac, which means they were subject to scrutiny by the automaker before publication. This time, it's just our spy photographer, a camera, and a series of unfiltered images showing a test car in white camo.
Gallery: Cadillac Celestiq Production Prototype Spy Photos
The thin fender strip just behind the front wheel is very easy to see here, and it could feature light-up elements similar to the concept. Speaking of lights, zooming in on the rear shows the concept's upper and lower taillight structures should make it to production, though they could be toned down a bit. The thin side mirrors from the concept are replaced by standard mirrors here, and we can see snazzy wheels with a six-lug bolt pattern behind those solid covers.
We know the production version of the Celestiq will closely resemble the concept revealed in July, but we don't know anything yet about performance. That's why the tires are of particular interest in this batch of images, because we can clearly see Michelin Pilot Sport on the sidewall. The specific type is unknown, but any version of the Pilot Sport is a serious performance tire.
We know the Celestiq will use the Ultium platform, but Cadillac hasn't been forthcoming with any hints regarding power. It's safe to assume that, with a set of these tires in play, Cadillac isn't simply building a posh luxury cruiser. Our spy sources say they've heard 0-60 mph times under three seconds mentioned, but that's wholly unconfirmed at this point. Such thrust would certainly be enough to match or beat electric competition from Porsche, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz, though performance close to the two-second mark would be needed to challenge the Lucid Air Sapphire and Tesla Model S Plaid.
During the reveal of the Celestiq Show Car, Cadillac pledged to share more details on the production version in the coming months. Whether that includes performance figures remains to be seen, but all information should be revealed no later than late next year with the official debut.
