Monterey Car Week 2026 held in California last week was an important moment for General Motors’ luxury brand Cadillac and a powerful expression of where the brand is headed, according to Kristian Aquilina, Vice President for Global Cadillac.

At The Quail by The Peninsula, A Motorsports Gathering, the brand revealed the V-ONE Concept, an exploration of Cadillac performance, design, and technology.

“Seeing V-ONE on display again at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance underscored the range of our ambition, from race-bred performance to bespoke craftsmanship,” he wrote on LinkedIn.

Regarding the latter, the brand revealed Curated by Cadillac Escalade IQ, extending its exclusive, concierge-led, customization experience to the all-electric flagship SUV. Cadillac also introduced Celestiq Night Test, the “stealthiest expression” of the brand’s electric, hand-built, ultra-luxury sedan.

Throughout the week, the brand engaged with media, influencers, VIPs and clients at its Cadillac House.

“This is what the moment means for Cadillac: we are bringing together performance, design, engineering, and curation as one integrated luxury proposition and showing that Cadillac has a distinctive point of view in the next era of luxury,” concluded Aquilina.

 

V-ONE Concept

The V-ONE Concept is a study combining the brand’s V-Series performance legacy with a one-of-one, single-seat car—the first of its kind for the brand. With V-Series.R foundations, the concept explores how a competition racecar could be translated into a driver-focused road car. It was on display at The Quail in Carmel, CA.

“The Cadillac V-ONE Concept is the ultimate manifestation of a customer performance concept and is a clear sign of our ambition for the Cadillac V-Series brand in the future,” said Dominic Najafi, Executive Design Director, Global Cadillac.

The V-ONE leans heavily on Cadillac’s LMDh racing and V-Series.R race car programs. Co-developed by Cadillac Design, Cadillac Racing, and chassis constructor Dallara, the concept is designed to deliver factory-level prototype performance and technology. It is backed by Cadillac Racing’s experience in the IMSA WeatherTech Championship and the FIA World Endurance Championship, which together include 10 wins, 16 pole positions, and 32 podiums since the the V-Series.R’s debut in 2023.

The V-ONE features a body with dramatic proportions and an aerodynamic package inspired by the V-Series.R, but introduces refinements intended to make the concept feel more advanced, technical, and tailored to Cadillac luxury. A new V-Series wheel design and darker V-Series badging are meant to add a more bespoke, high-performance character. The “hand-sprayed” paint gradient from silver to deep navy reflects the day-to-night transition of an endurance race.

The concept adapts some of the racer’s tech in areas such as its V8 hybrid powertrain, suspension, transmission, and select electronics. While maintaining a similar level of performance, the concept is intended to be easier to operate.

The hybrid V8 powertrain produces a peak 830-hp (619-kW) output. The shared suspension components include double wishbone suspension and pushrod-actuated coil and torsion spring elements with lateral and heave dampers, front and rear.

Inside, the single-seat, “fully bespoke, race-bred cockpit” blends an exposed carbon structure and an immersive, custom UX/UI (user experience/user interface), and personalized materials, including Cadillac Collection recycled fabrics, to create “an elevated expression of Cadillac performance luxury.” An intuitive, race-inspired interface and data visualization concept is meant to give drivers clear feedback and coaching as they explore the car’s full capability.

The steering wheel’s design is racecar-like, with a button and switch layout developed by racing engineers and tailored for customers. The seat is also customized to the driver’s specifications.

 

Curated by Cadillac Escalade IQ

A Curated by Cadillac Escalade IQ concept was on display at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA. The program extends the brand’s exclusive and low-volume concierge-led experience from its all-electric Celestiq sedan to its all-electric flagship SUV.

“Curated by Cadillac Escalade IQ gives clients the chance to create a vehicle that reflects their individual taste by working alongside expert Cadillac designers,” said Aquilina. “We’re extending the hand-built Celestiq experience to deliver true customization capabilities for a select number of Escalade IQ clients.”

For the program, vehicle customization is taken to a new level for a more personal expression of Cadillac luxury with millions of available design combinations. Beyond customization, it offers access to a comprehensive, elevated client experience. The journey includes dedicated concierge support and design consultation, aiding personalization through inspiration, personas, and guided configurator sessions.

The expansive exterior color and finish choices involve more than 160 available choices, including solids, metallics, tri-coats, frosts, and mattes. Interior customization features an expanded palette of up to 44 colors to create combinations on all three rows of seating, center console, and floor mats.

Each vehicle is hand-painted to Cadillac elevated appearance and quality standards, hand-built by artisans, and marked with a unique VIN and exclusive serialized builder’s badge.

The Escalade IQ is 228.5 in (5803 mm) long, 94.1 in (2389 mm) wide (with mirrors), and 76.1 in (1933 mm) tall, on a 136.2-in (3460-mm) wheelbase.

Its electric powertrain delivers up to 750 hp (559 kW) and 785 lb·ft (1064 N·m) in Velocity Max mode for 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) acceleration in 4.7 s. The SUV uses a massive 24-module, 205-kW·h usable capacity Ultium lithium-ion battery pack for a Cadillac-estimated range of 465 mi (748 km).

Among the SUV’s tech highlights are a 55-in Horizon display, Super Cruise driver assistance technology backed by a three-year OnStar Super Cruise plan. An 800-V architecture battery supports rapid DC fast charging and options that include vehicle-to-home bidirectional charging.

Curated by Cadillac Escalade IQs will be hand-built at the Artisan Center in Warren, MI, for model year 2027. The vehicle will be sold in the U.S. and Canada, and deliveries are expected to begin in the second half of 2027. The Curated by Cadillac package for the Escalade IQ is $54,995, adding to the starting price of $132,695.

 

Celestiq Night Test

As the ultimate expression of Cadillac technology and personalization, the Celestiq all-electric flagship sedan is custom-tailored to each individual client’s taste and expectation. Making its debut during Monterey Car Week is the latest Celestiq commission called Night Test.

Like every Celestiq, the Night Test was hand-assembled at the Artisan Center from an individually curated palette of colors, materials, and finishes. The latest one-of-one example is said to illustrate how a bespoke vehicle can embody a singular creative vision.

It is coated in Caspia Metallic paint, with dark-finish 23-in wheels. Up front, a Jade lighting bezel frames the headlamps with a stealthy dark finish, diffusing light instead of reflecting it. Inside are Backen Black and Sheer Gray leather seats, carbon fiber accents, and brushed metal details to create an interior “that feels like a precision instrument.”

The Celestiq is 217.2 in (5517 mm) long, 81.9 in (2080 mm) wide, and 57.2 in (1453 mm) tall on a 130.2-in (3307-mm) wheelbase. It is built on a dedicated EV propulsion architecture that combines a 111-kW·h useable energy battery pack for an EPA-estimated 303 mi (488 km) range and a two-motor, all-wheel-drive propulsion system producing 655 hp (488 kW) and 646 lb·ft (879 N·m) for 3.7-s 0-60-mph acceleration in Velocity Max mode.

The car’s ride and handling experience elevates the Cadillac reputation for isolated precision. Leveraging an integrated suite of advanced automotive technologies, including adaptive air-ride suspension, active rear steering, magnetic ride control, and active roll control, the car is engineered to deliver exceptional interior comfort and roominess while performing and handling like a much smaller vehicle.