Cadillac Celestiq Night Test Shows What $400K-Plus Customization Looks Like

Cadillac uses its flagship EV’s extensive personalization program to create a cooler, more focused take on ultra-luxury

written by Angel Sergeev
edited by Nick Yekikian
8/12/2026
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What’s new: Cadillac has created Celestiq Night Test, a one-off commission with midnight-blue paint, dark wheels and low-contrast exterior details inspired by its race cars.
Why it matters: The Night Test isn't something you can buy. It's here to show how far Cadillac’s bespoke Celestiq program can go.
Edmunds says: The Celestiq already impresses with its quiet ride, surprising agility and sense of occasion. The Night Test adds a more restrained personality without touching the formula underneath.

The Cadillac Celestiq was designed to be anything but anonymous, but Night Test takes a quieter approach. This one-off commission pairs midnight-blue paint with dark wheels and subdued exterior accents, giving the brand's hand-built electric flagship a more sinister, less flashy character.

This isn't a new Celestiq model or performance package, and you can't buy it. Instead, Night Test is another demonstration of how far Cadillac will let individual commissions go, with each car assembled at the Cadillac Artisan Center in Warren, Michigan, using a customer-specific combination of colors, materials and finishes.

A Celestiq with the brightness turned down

Cadillac says Night Test takes inspiration from its race car, and the connection is more about mood than stripes, wings or obvious motorsport graphics. The deep blue paint is paired with dark-finish wheels and low-contrast body detailing, creating a more understated look than people might expect from a car Cadillac currently prices starting in the low $400,000s.

The manufacturer hasn't announced any mechanical changes, so Night Test should retain the regular Celestiq's dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup. That means 655 horsepower, 646 lb-ft of torque, and a Cadillac-estimated 0-60 mph time of 3.7 seconds. Those numbers are certainly substantial, but outright speed has never been the most memorable part of the Celestiq.

Despite weighing 6,840 pounds, the Celestiq impresses with its exceptionally calm cabin and surprisingly agile handling. Rear-wheel steering helps make the enormous sedan easier to maneuver, while its air suspension, adaptive dampers and active anti-roll system keep the body controlled on winding roads. After spending some time behind the wheel, we came away feeling that the Celestiq genuinely drove like something rare and special, rather than simply an expensive Caddy with an extravagant interior.

Night Test will be displayed throughout Monterey Car Week, where its deliberately subdued finish may have to work a little harder than usual to attract attention. In a sea of brightly colored exotics, that's probably the point.

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by Angel Sergeev

Angel Sergeev is a seasoned automotive journalist with 15+ years of experience covering the industry. Born in Sofia, Bulgaria, he began writing in 2010 while studying transportation engineering. His work has appeared on WorldCarFans, Motor1.com (U.S. and U.K. editions), InsideEVs, MSN, HotCars, duPont Registry and more, spanning everything from EVs and classic cars to broader industry topics. He currently drives a 2021 Volkswagen ID 4 and keeps a fully restored 1993 Ford Probe V6 as a weekend project, while dreaming of adding a transaxle-era Porsche to the garage someday soon.

edited by Nick Yekikian

Nick Yekikian has worked in the automotive industry since 2019. He has written close to a thousand car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 200 vehicles over the course of his career. Nick is the Senior News Editor at Edmunds and has also contributed to MotorTrend, Automobile Magazine and Super Street. When Nick isn't zipping around town in his latest used-car find, he's probably making digital art in Photoshop or playing disc golf with friends.

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