A fastback sports sedan with a manual-gearbox Blackwing, two luxury crossovers, and a hand-assembled electric flagship that was reported at US$340,000 in 2025.
The Cadillac CT5 is a fastback sports sedan, the XT5 a compact luxury crossover, the XT6 a three-row mid-size crossover, and the Celestiq a hand-assembled battery electric flagship with 488 kW and a reported 2025 price of US$340,000.
Cadillac has spent US$81 million building a low-volume production line inside the General Motors Technical Center in Warren, Michigan, a campus that since 1956 had only ever turned out concept and show cars. The Celestiq, a hand-assembled electric flagship, is the first car sold to the public from that building. Around it, Cadillac sells a fastback sedan, the CT5, and two luxury crossovers, the XT5 and XT6.
What is the Cadillac CT5?
The CT5 is a mid-size luxury car that General Motors has marketed under the Cadillac brand since 2019, replacing the CTS. It debuted at the 2019 New York Auto Show and went on sale that autumn. Unlike the CTS and the flagship CT6, it has a more fastback body.
Four trim levels were offered at launch: Luxury, Premium Luxury, Sport and V. In the United States the CT5 started at $36,895 in the fourth quarter of 2019, while Canadian buyers paid from $41,998. Cadillac offers one gearbox on the regular car, a ten-speed automatic.
A sedan with a manual gearbox, two crossovers, and a flagship assembled by hand in a building that built only show cars for nearly seventy years.
How powerful is the CT5?
The CT5 comes with either a turbocharged four-cylinder or a twin-turbo V6. The base 2.0-litre LSY makes 177 kW (237 hp; 240 PS) at 5000 rpm and 350 N m (258 lb ft) between 1500 and 4000 rpm. The optional 3.0-litre LGY makes 250 kW (335 hp; 340 PS) in the standard car.
In the CT5-V, the same 3.0-litre V6 is tuned to 268 kW (360 hp; 365 PS) at 5400 rpm, and its 549 N m (405 lb ft) of torque is on tap from 2350 to 4000 rpm. The standard car's V6 is rated at the same 405 lb ft. In 2021 Cadillac made Super Cruise, its semi-autonomous driving system, an optional extra at $2,500. It is the second generation of the technology and adds lane changes on demand.
A facelifted CT5 for 2025 appeared at the 2023 North American International Auto Show in Detroit and launched in China in December 2023. The powertrain carries over, with a restyled front end and interior updates.
What is the CT5-V Blackwing?
The CT5-V Blackwing is the fast CT5, announced in early 2021 for the 2022 model year and regarded as the spiritual successor to the CTS-V. It has a supercharged 6.2-litre V8 making 498 kW (668 hp; 677 PS), with torque of 893 N m (659 lb ft), and a six-speed manual is standard.
A ten-speed automatic is optional. With it, Cadillac claims 0-97 km/h (0-60 mph) in 3.4 seconds and a ceiling of 336 km/h (209 mph). Cadillac said at launch that this car and its smaller sibling, the CT4-V Blackwing, would be its final petrol-engined V models.
Carbon-ceramic brakes from Brembo are available, the first time Cadillac has offered such a package. The copper-free system is around 29 kg (64 pounds) lighter than the standard cast-iron brakes. Car and Driver put the Blackwing on its 10 Best list every year from 2022 to 2026. Below it, the ordinary CT5-V was unveiled on 30 May 2019 alongside the CT4-V, replacing the CTS-V Sport and XTS-V Sport, with a 2020 US starting price of $47,695 and MagneRide adaptive dampers fitted from that model year.
What is the Cadillac XT5?
The XT5, short for Crossover Touring 5, is Cadillac's compact luxury crossover. It was introduced at the Dubai Motor Show and the LA Auto Show in November 2015, then went on sale in early 2016 as the replacement for the SRX. It was the second Cadillac with the new alphanumeric naming scheme, after the CT6.
American cars are built at GM's Spring Hill plant, and the Chinese-market version comes from Shanghai through SAIC-GM. The first generation introduced a streaming video rear-view mirror, a 360-degree reversing camera, and GM's Electronic Precision Shift, which swaps a hydraulic shifter for an electronic controller. Together with a lighter chassis, that saved 126 kg (278 lb) compared with the SRX.
In the United States the XT5 had one engine at first, a 3.6-litre V6 delivering 231 kW (310 hp) and 367 N m (271 lb ft), fitted with stop-start and cylinder deactivation. China got a turbocharged 2.0-litre four, estimated at 192 kW (258 hp). Customers could choose front- or all-wheel drive. The all-wheel-drive system from GKN Driveline puts a twin-clutch differential on the rear axle, so it can send all of the torque to either end or to either rear wheel, and it can disconnect the rear drive for economy.
The 2017 line-up had base, Luxury, Premium Luxury and Platinum grades, and the entry front-drive car started at $38,995 in the United States. That year it was awarded Top Safety Pick by the IIHS for cars with the optional collision-prevention systems. For 2020 Cadillac reshuffled the trims into Luxury, Premium Luxury and Sport, changed the grilles slightly, and made a new 2.0-litre turbo four, rated at 177 kW (237 hp) and 350 N m (258 lb ft), the base engine in North America.
What changed with the second-generation XT5?
The second-generation XT5 was unveiled in China in August 2024 with larger dimensions and styling brought into line with other Cadillacs. It has adaptive high-beam headlights, 20- or 21-inch wheels, continuous damping control, and optional six-piston Brembo brakes with red calipers.
A 33-inch curved display stretches from behind the steering wheel to the middle of the dashboard. Seats are semi-aniline leather, trim is wood and aluminium, and the floating centre console carries an air-cooled 15W wireless charger and a crystal control knob. There is 126-colour ambient lighting, a panoramic sunroof, and a 15-speaker AKG sound system. The petrol model has a 2.0-litre turbo four with a 48V mild-hybrid system, rated at 169 kW (227 horsepower; 230 PS), driving through a nine-speed automatic.
What is the XT5 plug-in hybrid?
A plug-in hybrid XT5 appeared in filings in China in May 2026, was shown at the 2026 Chengdu Auto Show that August and reached sale on 7 September 2026. It uses Cadillac's own Super plug-in hybrid system, with a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine, two motors and a 2-speed transmission.
The 1.5-litre engine makes 110 kW (148 hp; 150 PS). A 160 kW (215 hp; 218 PS) permanent-magnet motor drives the front axle and a 110 kW (148 hp; 150 PS) induction motor the rear, for 385 kW (516 hp; 523 PS), while combined torque is 740 N m (546 lb ft). Its 35.5 kWh battery weighs 194 kg (428 lb) and is good for 215 km (134 mi) on the CLTC test cycle. Recharging from 30 to 80 percent takes 15 minutes, and the car can power external devices through vehicle-to-load.
Cadillac claims 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.8 seconds with a full battery and 5.4 seconds with it empty, and a ceiling of 210 km/h (130 mph). A roof-mounted lidar module replaces the shark-fin antenna, the grille gains active shutters, and the interior adds twin 50-watt wireless chargers, a refrigerator-heater compartment and 84 mm (3.3 in) more room behind the console. Infotainment is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8775P chip and uses ByteDance's Doubao AI model for voice commands from four seating zones. Cadillac says it delivered 3,000 of them in the first three weeks.
Where does the XT6 fit in?
The XT6, short for Crossover Touring 6, is a mid-size luxury crossover with three rows of seats. It debuted at the North American International Auto Show on 12 January 2019 and went on sale in June that year as a 2020 model. It is Cadillac's third crossover, and the largest XT, sitting above the XT5 and below the full-size Escalade.
American cars are built at Spring Hill, Tennessee, and the Chinese version in Shanghai. The XT6 reached Russia in February 2020 and Japan in early 2020, where it came in one trim, with six seats and left-hand drive. It is the upscale answer to the Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave, but shares its wheelbase with the GMC Acadia, the Cadillac XT5 and the Chinese Chevrolet Blazer. Cadillac calls it a mid-size plus vehicle, since it regards the XT5 as its main mid-size crossover.
Seven seats are standard, with six as an option, and the trims are Luxury, Premium Luxury and Sport. A 2.0-litre turbo four with 177 kW (237 hp) or a 3.6-litre V6 with 231 kW (310 hp) drives through a nine-speed automatic, with front- or all-wheel drive.
Reviews were mixed. Critics judged the styling and features weaker than those of the Lincoln Aviator launched at the same time, and several faulted the lack of a hybrid option available on rivals. On safety, the IIHS awarded it Top Safety Pick+ for three consecutive years, although the 2024 model year received an overall poor rating in the updated moderate overlap test, because of a reported injury risk, medium to high, for the rear passenger.
What is the Cadillac Celestiq?
The Celestiq is a battery electric liftback and Cadillac's flagship sedan, with production starting in 2024. Cadillac builds it by hand. The body is an aluminium spaceframe with carbon fibre panels, and the doors use sheet-moulded composite so they can carry embedded sensors.
Its roots go back through a string of concepts: the Sixteen of 2003, the Ciel of 2011, the Elmiraj of 2013 and the Escala of 2016. The Escala had been approved for production before Cadillac pivoted to selling only electric vehicles, so it became a halo car for the brand's electrification effort, and the Celestiq concept came from it. Pictures of the show car were released on 22 July 2022, and the production version followed at a press event on 18 October 2022.
Designer Magalie Debellis also designed the Lyriq, and the two share the front grille and taillamps, among other elements. Inspiration came from the 1957 Eldorado Brougham, the Cadillac V-16 of the 1930s, and the architecture of Eero Saarinen, who designed the Technical Center. At Monterey Car Week in August 2022 the concept was shown to the public, and that September it took two EyesOn Design awards, one for Best Concept and one for its use of colour, graphics and materials.
How is the Celestiq made?
The Celestiq is assembled by hand on a line that cost an estimated $81 million. Cadillac uses additive manufacturing and soft tooling to keep costs down for such low volumes, so many parts are 3D-printed in aluminium, titanium or stainless steel. The main chassis is welded from six large castings in front, rear and central modules.
Prototypes were spotted testing in Michigan in June 2023, and the car appeared again at Monterey in August 2023 and 2024. A year of production had already been sold. The first customer delivery took place in June 2025 at the Cadillac House at Vanderbilt, on the Technical Center campus, where owners order and customise a car one-on-one with an advisor.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the Celestiq would cost near US$300,000 and that fewer than 500 would be built each year; a 2025 report put it at US$340,000.
What does the Celestiq offer?
Two electric motors, one per axle, give all-wheel drive with a combined 488 kW (655 hp) and 876 N m (646 lb ft). Cadillac estimates 0-97 km/h (0-60 mph) in 3.7 seconds. The 111 kWh Ultium battery uses pouch cells laid flat in stacks, six high under the footwells and nine to twelve under the seats. It charges at up to 200 kW DC, with an estimated range of 488 km (303 mi).
The car is built on General Motors' BEV3 platform, with a multilink adaptive air suspension, magnetorheological dampers and steerable rear wheels. Each headlamp has digital micromirror devices of 1.3 million pixels per side and plays a welcome sequence, including the Cadillac crest, for an approaching driver. A smart glass roof in four quadrants lets each area set its own opacity, and a Dolby Atmos system has 38 speakers. A dashboard-width touchscreen is among the other reported features. Cadillac is anticipated to fit GM's next-generation Ultra Cruise driver-assistance system.
Customers can choose colours, trim materials and finishes, starting from four Design Inspiration themes: Magnetic, in dark black and blue; Vale, in earth tones; Mist, with a silver exterior and brown leather; and Aurora, in sporty reds. The Cadillac House is named for Suzanne Vanderbilt, who designed for Cadillac from 1955 to 1977 and was responsible for the 1958 Eldorado Seville Baroness and 1958 Series 62 Saxony.
How do the five Cadillac models compare?
| Model | Body | Powertrain | Output | Launch price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CT5 | Mid-size fastback sedan | 2.0 L turbo four or 3.0 L twin-turbo V6 | 177 kW to 250 kW | $36,895 (US, 2019) |
| CT5-V Blackwing | Performance sedan | 6.2 L supercharged V8 | 498 kW | - |
| XT5 | Compact luxury crossover | 3.6 L V6, later 2.0 L turbo four | 231 kW (first generation, US) | $38,995 (US, 2017) |
| XT6 | Three-row crossover | 2.0 L turbo four or 3.6 L V6 | 177 kW or 231 kW | - |
| Celestiq | Electric liftback | Two motors, 111 kWh battery | 488 kW | US$340,000 (reported, 2025) |
When does the second-generation XT6 return?
The first-generation XT6 was discontinued in North America in 2025. General Motors is developing a second generation, expected to ride on the same platform, be built at Spring Hill and gain a slightly longer wheelbase for more third-row room. Cadillac has stated that its return will follow the launch of the redesigned XT5 in 2027.
For the XT5, the plug-in hybrid launched in China on 7 September 2026 is the most recent step. The Celestiq, meanwhile, is delivering to customers, and Cadillac is anticipated to give it Ultra Cruise driver assistance.
