Cadillac News

Cadillac has created a hand-made luxury EV with proportions that it admitted “look impossible to achieve”, a price tag that can run well north of $1 million, and an Active Roll Control system it claims can deliver “zero degrees of roll, which is better than any sports car out there”.

Australia and America used to be close allies on the automotive front, but it seems time is increasing the distance between the two countries.

General Motors Australia is running out of options.The American automotive giant has just introduced its third brand into the Australian market, with GMC now available here alongside Chevrolet and Cadillac. The new GMC Yukon Denali joins the Chevrolet Silverado and Corvette as well as the new Cadillac Lyriq in Australian showrooms. But it also represents one of the last new models the conglomerate could offer in Australia in the near-future.Put simply, there aren’t many other models in the broad General Motors portfolio that could make sense here. Cadillac has the most growth potential, with the Optiq, Vistiq and Lyriq V already confirmed for local sale. But despite introducing the GMC brand, it looks to be a one model brand.The challenge for GM Australia and its GM Speciality Vehicles off-shoot, which oversees Chevrolet and now GMC, is that while the Cadillacs and Corvettes are built in right-hand drive from the factory, there are no other such options available. That means anything else would need to be converted to right-hand drive locally, by GMSV’s partner Promoso; which now has 140 employees working on GM products.The obvious challenge with right-hand drive conversion is the cost it adds into the vehicle, which is why the more premium GMC brand was chosen for the Yukon SUV, rather than introducing the Chevrolet Tahoe - as both the Yukon and Tahoe sit on the same underpinnings as the Chevy Silverado. By opting for the more premium brand, it has allowed GM Australia to price and position the Yukon in a semi-premium area of the market.GM Australia Managing Director Jess Bala is still confident the brands have room to grow. ”I mean, we're always assessing what might make the most sense for our market from an opportunity standpoint, from within the GM portfolio,” she told CarsGuide.“So I would say that that work's never done. We're having discussions all the time. From a GMSV standpoint we've just agreed to open two more dealerships, one's already open in Springwood in Queensland.“So I was looking at those growth opportunities to allow us to maximize our own sales volume, but also provide the support that we think our customers should be getting in a country of our size and geography. So I'd say no, we’re still very much believers we're in a growth phase and working with the team back in the US as to what those other opportunities could be and should be.”However, there are not many other GM models available for right-hand drive conversion that could be offered here at a competitive price, besides the likes of the Tahoe and GMC Sierra pickup, which are simply alternative versions of what’s offered here already in the Yukon and Silverado.“ Definitely for conversion, a hundred per cent, you're a hundred per cent correct,” Bala said. “But we're always in conversations as GMs working through product plans and next generations and things like that. When and if there might be an opportunity to study right-hand drive in the plant. That depends . It's got to be a much bigger global study, obviously extensive business cases, things like that.“And then that's only part of it. And then if not, to your point, what could we look at potentially converting here? We're always working with Promoso very closely. They do a phenomenal job of finding efficiencies, cost savings and things like that. And then also learnings as they go.“So, you know, there are things that they've discovered and improved from converting the trucks that are now being flipped into the Yukon conversion as well, and finding efficiencies. Obviously it definitely helps that it's all the one architecture underneath, it's all off the T1 platform, but we're always assessing what else could be and what makes the right sense, especially in a very competitive and saturated market.”She added: “And to your point, from a conversion standpoint, it really doesn't make a lot of sense for us to bring in… a very mainstream model entry that's just gonna be priced higher when we're in so much heavy competition.”That effectively rules out any chance a vehicle such as the Chevrolet Colorado, the smaller sibling of the Silverado, which would make a natural rival to the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux, could be offered here as it would be much too expensive to be competitive after local conversion. ”It would,” Bala admitted. “Knowing where the, the two main players in the mid-size truck market are versus where we would end up if we had to convert it. We are better off as a company focusing on the full-size truck.”But she’s confident that long-term GM management will look after its Australian outpost.“ We have a very strong seat at the table and we've got some really great advocates back in the US that have learned a lot about us, have visited us in the last 18 months, two years to learn more about what we're doing and then what we could potentially do in the future,” she said.

General Motors Australia has conceded for the first time that it would consider introducing petrol-powered vehicles, most likely the Escalade SUV, if electric vehicle sales stay flat.

Despite a global slowdown in EV sales, Cadillac is remaining bullish about its prospects in Australia.

Cadillac likes its chances in the Australian market.Before commencing deliveries of its electric Lyriq SUV and its high-performance sibling, the Lyriq V, the all-American brand has gone and announced two new SUVs for its Australian line-up.Poised to land on our shores in 2026, the Optiq and Vistiq electric SUVs will serve as two luxury electric SUVs on either side of its middle-of-the-road Lyriq.The Optiq will be the brand’s entry point, Cadillac said, while the full-sized, seven-seat Vistiq will resemble the closest thing Australia has ever had to an Escalade.Pricing for either models is yet to be determined, but we do expect a starting price of near the $100,000 mark for the Optiq and closer to $140,000 for the Vistiq, based on the Lyriq’s local starting price of $117,000 and the Lyriq V’s estimated price of $125,000 (both at before on-road costs).The Optiq lines up at 4820mm long, 2126mm wide and 1644mm tall, making it the smallest electric Cadillac model to date.It still exceeds the Tesla Model Y, BYD Sealion 7 and more luxurious models such as the BMW iX3 and Genesis GV70 in size.It comes equipped with dual electric motors for an all-wheel drive setup and an output of 224kW/480Nm available from the pedal.An 85kWh battery provides 482km of range, while 150kW DC fast-charging capability can add up to 130km range in ten minutes, the brand claims.Inside, it carries a 33-inch LED 9K display for the driver's instruments and the car's multimedia functions. It has Google Built-in, a 19-speaker AKG audio system with Dolby Atmos, heated front seats and steering wheel, synthetic leather seats and a fixed glass roof.Over to the Vistiq, it lines up at 5222mm, 2203mm wide and 1804mm tall, giving it additional room for a third row.That will make it one of the largest EVs on the Australian market, exceeding rivals such as the Volvo EX90, BMW iX and Hyundai Ioniq 9, while falling roughly 300mm shy of LDV's eTerron 9 ute, which will line up at 5500mm long when it lands here later this year.Underpinning the Vistiq is a dual-motor all-wheel drive setup that provides 452kW/880Nm on US-specified versions, although Cadillac hasn’t confirmed outputs for Australia just yet.A 102kWh battery pack delivers approximately 482km of range in the US, while the Vistiq is quoted with a staggering 3.7 second 0-98km/h sprint time, which is mighty impressive for a nearly 3-tonne beast.Inside it carries the same 33-inch touchscreen, which sits above an 8.0-inch display for climate control functions, of which the Vistiq has five-zones. Additionally, there is a 23-speaker Dolby Atmos sound system, optional 21-, 22- or 23-inch alloy wheels, along with carbon-fibre and real wood trims.Cadillac says supreme ride comfort is delivered via GM’s adaptive damping control which provides coil springs or air springs as customisable options.Both the Optiq and Vistiq will come equipped with Cadillac’s blind zone steering assist system, cyclist alert, forward collision alert and night vision, the latter of which uses infrared camera technology to give the driver better vision of cyclists and pedestrians at night.More details on Australian specifications, including prices, are expected closer to either models launch in 2026.

Cadillac's electric car assault on Australia is continuing with the souped-up Lyriq-V electric SUV, the brand's fastest car off the line ever.Earmarked for a local on-sale date of early 2026, production of the Lyriq-V will commence at the brand’s plant in Tennessee imminently.Australian prices remain unconfirmed, but it will start in the US at $79,990 ($127,256). Expect it to incur a considerable premium once it lands here.Cadillac has confirmed the Lyriq-V will have a zero-100km/h sprint time of just 3.3 seconds, which blitzes a Tesla Model Y Performance (3.7 seconds) and even trumps a Porsche 911 GT3 (3.4 seconds).Power is sourced from dual-electric motors that deliver 452kW/880Nm to all four wheels, while power is maximised through a selectable driving mode called ‘Velocity Max’.Underpinning the powertrain is a huge 102kWh lithium-ion battery pack, which delivers a claimed 458km of driving range, down from 530km on the standard Lyriq.Cadillac also claims a DC fast charger will deliver approximately 120km of range in about 10 minutes, while a “low state of charge” to 80 per cent will take approximately 40 minutes.In terms of design, the Lyriq-V is beefier than its more sensible Lyriq sibling, adding a unique front fascia, side rockers and the option of additional carbon fibre trims.There’s also a unique “chin spoiler”, V-series logos on the front doors and tailgate, as well as a V-patterned mesh on the front grille to distinguish it from other Cadillac models.Bulky 22-inch alloy wheels, etched with a V-series logo, and a black painted roof come standard, while special Magnus Metal Frost paint will be offered to customers in very limited numbers.Dimensions are quoted at 5004mm long, 2207mm wide, 1627 mm tall and with a wheelbase of 3094mm. That puts it in the size category of a Hyundai Ioniq 9, a Volvo EX90 or a Kia EV9.Stepping inside, the Lyriq-V shares the same 33-inch panoramic dashboard as the Lyriq, which incorporates the digital driver’s display, climate controls and the central multimedia display into one.There's a fixed panoramic glass roof, a 23-speaker AKG audio system, paperwood trims and optional Nappa leather upholstery, along with a dual-plane augmented-reality head-up display, which is Lyriq-V-specific.Otherwise, the only thing that really distinguishes it from the standard model is the V-Series steering wheel, which adds V-series branding and a V-mode, allowing for quick customisation of steering feel, pedal response and the noise played through the cabin.More details, including local pricing, are expected closer to the Lyriq V’s official launch in 2026.

Mike Simcoe, designer of some of Australia’s most iconic cars, will retire from his post as head of General Motors design in July.

It’s fair to say General Motors’ decision to close Holden was not a popular one amongst the car-loving population of Australia (blue-blood Ford fans excluded). But in 2025 GM’s decision could be justified if its new vision for our market pays off.That vision, of course, is the switch to running under the General Motors Australia (and New Zealand) banner, with GM Specialty Vehicles (GMSV) offering Chevrolet and GMC models as well as the long-awaited introduction of Cadillac to our shores. GMSV, which sells the right-hand drive converted Chevrolet Silverado and soon the GMC Yukon as well as the Corvette range, sits under a separate banner to Cadillac, but it’s all one big happy GM family behind the scenes. This new business model will never see GM achieve the kind of sales volumes Holden did, but it has the potential to be a very profitable business for the American automotive giant. However, it will need to enjoy a successful 2025 if it’s to feel good about its long-term hopes in Australia, with several major challenges ahead of it.Firstly, there is its existing Silverado line-up, which faces increased competition from the Ford F-150 and Toyota Tundra, as well as the new-generation Ram 1500 due in 2025. These new rivals arrive amid a decline in sales for the ‘over $100k ute’ segment, which feels inevitable given the expense and fit-for-purpose nature of these types of US-style pickups.Silverado sales are on course to finish well up on the segment (nearly 15 per cent for the Silverado 1500 and more than 20 per cent for the Silverado HD), but maintaining that kind of growth in ‘25 will be crucial to the long-term viability of both Chevy models — and potentially the overall ‘big truck’ market.To diversify, GM Australia decided to introduce an SUV to its mix — the GMC Yukon.This works on multiple levels for the company as the Yukon is based on the same platform as the Silverado 1500 GMSV is already converting, but is a more luxurious model and therefore can carry a higher profit margin.It will become the only full-size SUV with a V8 engine and is loaded with space and creature comforts, the Yukon will be a tough sell. It’s priced from $169,990 (plus on-road costs), which positions it well above (circa-$20k) the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, its most obvious rival, so it high volumes won’t be likely but it could add meaningful sales to GMSV’s bottom line.Then there’s arguably GM Australia’s biggest risk — Cadillac. The American luxury brand is finally expanding its operations beyond North America, but there’s an obvious question around the timing of launching an all-electric brand now.Demand for electric vehicles has, at best, cooled off after a sudden surge a few years ago (when GM was making its decision). However, the brand’s first Australian-bound model, the Lyriq SUV, undercuts its key rivals from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi on price, so it stands some chance on conquesting luxury buyers.There’s also a chance that Australian buyers will surge towards this all-new but very well-known brand in the market. We’ve seen an Australian soft spot for similar American vehicles in the past, such as the Corvette and Ford Mustang, and while the Cadillac Lyriq is a very different proposition it’s not outside the realms of possibility that Australians will be attracted to it.There are some fairly large ‘ifs’, ‘buts’ and ‘maybes’ surrounding General Motors’ Australian chances in 2025 so it could go either way. On the plus side it could establish its roots for even further growth, but on the flip side there is potential for a rough year that could cause GM’s Detroit management to re-think its Australian outlook. Only time will tell which way that will go, but we will watch General Motors’ sales performance with great interest next year…

Cadillac has unveiled the Vistiq in the US, a luxury three-row electric SUV that is a potential candidate for the Australian market as the iconic American brand looks to expand local operations.