While many popular cars, trucks, and SUVs can be customized by visiting an automaker’s website and choosing between different engines, wheels, accessories, and optional equipment packages, built-to-order models offer a level of personalization and exclusivity that the average vehicle will never be able to match. The latest model to embrace the built-to-order approach comes from Cadillac, which recently debuted an entirely new, ultra-luxurious sedan in the Celestiq. Priced at an eye-watering $340,000, the all-electric Celestiq is easily the most expensive model in Cadillac’s long history. While high-end European brands have long upstaged the Cadillac, the Celestiq aims to give the likes of Rolls-Royce, Bentley, and Mercedes-Benz a run for their money and solidify Cadillac’s position as the first name in American luxury. It’s a stunning effort on the part of the Detroit-based automaker, but the sedan’s high price and built-to-order model mean that you’re unlikely to stumble across the Celestiq in the wild. Join us as we take a closer look at Cadillac’s newest automotive work of art and explore a few other relatively affordable built-to-order models.
Cadillac Celestiq
From its bold design and 55-inch digital dashboard to its premium interior materials, Eames-inspired seats, and 38-speaker AKG Studio Reference stereo system, the Celestiq boasts all the hallmarks of a true luxury vehicle. Cadillac has spared no expense to craft a premium ride, employing a dedicated team of craftspeople who handbuild the Celestiq from headlights to tailpipe. It’s a refreshing change of pace and a pretty gutsy move in an industry increasingly reliant on automation, but it’s just the sort of approach Cadillac needs to take if it hopes to compete with Old World stalwarts like Rolls-Royce.
The Celestiq might be a bit of an outlier in the segment with a maximum capacity of four, but those passengers will be riding in style and comfort thanks to four bucket seats wrapped in premium leather. Best of all, the upholstery can easily be customized to the driver’s liking, allowing owners to craft a singular sedan that speaks to their own personal style. The leather extends to much of the cabin, and even the rear cargo area, while an electrochromic glass roof can turn the entire ceiling into a skylight at your discretion. Brushed metal accents and open-pore wood round out the interior, but it’s the Celestiq’s impressive array of tech that really helps to justify the high price. Backseat riders are treated to their own 12.6-inch displays while GM’s enhanced Super Cruise hands-free driving system headlines the Cadillac’s impressive array of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS).
While the Celestiq’s premium features earn much of the attention, performance certainly can’t be treated as an afterthought when you’re charging upwards of $300,000. Cadillac has clearly taken this to heart, outfitting the sedan with an all-electric powertrain that includes dual-motor all-wheel drive capable of producing some 655 hp. With the ability to speed from zero to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds, the Celestiq is as thrilling as it is luxurious. The Cadillac EV also provides an elegant, responsive ride thanks to its adaptive air suspension and a unique rear-wheel steering feature that’ll make all the difference when it comes time to park the Celestiq or perform a tricky turn.
Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
For many drivers, the Chevrolet Corvette is the definitive American sports car. The iconic model has been providing a blood-pumping, hair-raising driving experience since it was first introduced in the early 1950s, and is still a standout in today’s market. While the base Corvette is no slouch in terms of performance with a 490 hp V8 and slick eight-speed dual-clutch automatic, the standalone Z06 and ZR1 models really up the ante. While some lucky drivers might stumble across the odd Z06 at their local Chevy dealership, the ZR1 is exclusively available from the factory itself. Why the exclusivity for such a famous badge? Most drivers simply aren’t in the market for a 1,064-hp supercar that can sprint from zero to 60 in 2.3 seconds, or simply lack the funds needed to meet the $175,000 to $195,000 sticker price.
What does a cool $200,000 get a driver in the 2025 Corvette ZR1? The highlight would have to be the new LT7 engine, a 5.5L twin-turbo V8 paired with a full suite of premium performance upgrades. From a new intake system and secondary port fuel-injection system to new cylinder head castings, pistons, and connecting rods, the ZR1 has all the hardware you’ll need to live out your supercar dreams. With great power comes the need for great downforce, and the crafty Corvette doesn’t disappoint with a comprehensive aero kit that produces 1,200 lbs of the stuff. Clad in carbon fiber and outfitted with a new flow-through hood that improves both downforce and cooling, the ZR1 cuts an imposing figure that speaks to its high-performance potential.
Ford Mustang GTD
Like the Corvette Z06 and ZR1, the Ford Mustang sees a legendary model cranked up to 11 thanks to a full arsenal of high-performance components and advanced engineering. Based on the Mustang GT3 race car, the GTD is a street-legal performance beast that, with 815 hp and 664 lb-ft of torque, is the fastest Mustang ever produced. A supercharged 5.2L V8 lifted from the Mustang Shelby GT500 provides all the power a driver could ask for, not to mention a top speed of 202 mph. While the GTD shares some basic components with lesser Mustang trims like the EcoBoost and Dark Horse, it also leverages plenty of high-performance upgrades and its fair share of firsts.
Take the dry-sump oil system, a first for any roadgoing Mustang. The novel design minimizes oil aeration and reduces the parasitic power loss caused by oil sloshing around in the engine, but it’s just one part of the GTD’s unhinged arsenal. Instead of holding luggage, road flares, or a set of golf clubs, the Mustang’s trunk is reserved for a transmission cooler that keeps everything in the ideal temperature range no matter how far you decide to push the engine. Four-corner Multimatic Adaptive Spool Valve (ASV) dampers are fully customizable, giving drivers the ability to swap between 16 bump and rebound responses thanks to a standalone motor. When thrown into Track Mode, the suspension can also lower the GTD by up to 1.6 inches, allowing it to slice through the air to provide an edge-of-your-seat driving experience you won’t soon forget. A massive rear wing keeps the Mustang firmly planted to the ground, and can even be upgraded to an active design to tweak the aerodynamics to your discretion. The GTD has already proven itself on motorsport’s biggest stage, setting a new American-made production car to notch a sub-seven-minute lap at the famed Nürburgring Nordschleife with a time of 6:52.072.
Aston Martin Vantage
Those looking to unleash their inner James Bond need look no further than the Aston Martin Vantage. The high-performance sports car is typically one of Aston Martin’s more affordable models with a starting price that hovers just below $200,000, which is certainly good news when you don’t have MI6 footing the bill. Aston Martin has drastically overhauled the Vantage’s engine going into the 2025 model year. While it retains the same 4.0L displacement and twin-turbo design, a few clever tweaks to the cam profiles, cooling system, and compression ratios see the V8 make an additional 128 hp compared to the 2024 version for a grand total of 656 ponies. Aston Martin has also stiffened the sports car’s chassis, reworked the dampers, and paired it with a set of Michelin Pilot Sport 5S tires that allow the Vantage to rocket from zero to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds. The tech-heavy interior features a 12.5-inch touchscreen infotainment display with plenty of connectivity options and an exclusive GPS navigation system that’ll make you feel like you’re talking in some sort of secret agent code every time you step behind the wheel. The what3words system divides the entire world into three-meter squares that can be recalled using just three words. Instead of having to spell out the entire address, drivers could simply say “calls, closes, flesh” to be directed to Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium or “planets, inches, most” if you’re in the mood to check out the Statue of Liberty.
The Vantage isn’t exclusively available as a built-to-order model, but it is entirely handmade at Aston Martin’s boutique factory in Warwickshire, England, and offers the same sort of customization potential thanks to the Aston Martin Q configurator. Named after 007’s go-to gadget guy, the Aston Martin Q configurator gives drivers the opportunity to create a bespoke Vantage with countless colors, materials, finishes, and features to choose from. While the Q configurator might lack the laser beam tire slashers, heat-seeking missiles, and ejector seats provided by Her Majesty’s Secret Service, you’ll ride in style with an exclusive Vantage that sets itself apart from the crowd and reflects your personal taste.
Start by choosing between the Coupe or convertible Volante model, then select from dozens of exterior colors, carbon fiber packages, grille finishes, seven optional wheels and brake caliper colors, and more. The interior can be customized to your liking with plenty of primary and secondary colors to choose from, but those looking for a ready-made combination can select from premade Environments ranging from the luxurious Inspire to the sporty Accelerate. Customers can even choose the color of their stitching and seatbelt, opting for a cohesive look or selecting a few accent hues that really allow the interior to pop. The Vantage’s Sport Plus seats offer 16-way power adjustment, but those seeking a more dynamic throne will appreciate the weight-saving performance seat with six-way adjustability and a heating feature.
Not Exclusive Enough?
These four models aren’t the only tailor-made offerings on today’s market, but they are some of the more affordable. If a custom-made luxury vehicle that retails for over $200,000 isn’t quite up to your standards, plenty of brands offer an even more premium driving experience. Rolls-Royce’s Bespoke division and Bentley’s Mulliner branch are similar to Aston Martin Q, giving drivers the chance to choose every detail and create a distinctive ride that’s half vehicle, half statement piece. Packed with all the modern amenities one would expect from the luxury segment, and sporting potent powertrains designed to inject a healthy dose of excitement into your ride, these custom vehicles like the Cadillac Celestiq, Chevy Corvette ZR1, Ford Mustang GTD, and Aston Martin Vantage represent the ideal synthesis of performance, opulence and exclusivity. If you have the funds to spend, a made-to-order vehicle can offer the exclusivity that will make other drivers turn green with envy.
