Cadillac Australia thinks one hot electric SUV is enough for now

Cadillac will soon reveal the Optiq-V, which will be only the third SUV and the second electric vehicle to wear its vaunted V-Series performance nameplate.

And it won’t be coming here.

“No, [Optiq-V isn’t] coming here. We’ll have a Lyriq-V,” GM Australia and New Zealand managing director Jess Bala told CarExpert.

“We haven’t done a V-Series here before, so we want to assess that one first and then we have to look at different regulations within battery architectures and things like that.

“So we’ll start with Lyriq-V, and we’ll continue to assess if there are opportunities that arise.”

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As both an electric SUV and a member of the V-Series line, the Optiq-V is expected to get a more powerful dual-motor all-wheel drive electric powertrain than the regular Optiq, which is due on sale here in 2026.

The larger Lyriq-V is also due here in 2026.

General Motors’ luxury brand has yet to confirm powertrain details for the Optiq-V, recently releasing only a pair of teaser images, but it says its engineers have “delivered a unique package prioritising precision, dynamic suspension and tight steering for an exhilarating driving experience”.

The regular dual-motor all-wheel drive Optiq produces 224kW of power and 480Nm of torque, with power supplied by an 85kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NCM) lithium-ion battery.

It features strut front suspension, and as with the larger Lyriq there’s a five-link rear suspension system and Passive Plus Dampers all round.

Visible changes evident from Cadillac’s two teaser images include V-Series badging and a rear spoiler, though we’d also expect other aesthetic upgrades to include more aggressive rocker panels and unique wheels.

The Optiq-V will slot in under the Lyriq-V – at least in the US market – with the larger SUV featuring a dual-motor electric powertrain producing 459kW and 880Nm.

Cadillac claims a 0-60mph (0-96km/h) time of just 3.3 seconds in V-Mode or Velocity Max mode.

That just shades the 3.4-second sprint time of the supercharged V8-powered CT5-V Blackwing sedan when equipped with an automatic transmission, despite being down 40kW and 13Nm and weighing more.

The Lyriq-V pumps out an extra 71kW and 270Nm over the regular dual-motor Lyriq, though it doesn’t gain Magnetic Ride Control like other V-badged models within Cadillac’s lineup. Instead, it features standard Continuous Damping Control.

Changes over the regular Lyriq include a quicker steering ratio, Brembo front brakes, a new artificial propulsion sound, and new Competitive and customisable V-Mode drive modes.

While it’s quick, it’s quite different from the traditionally V8-powered models that have worn the V-Series nameplate over the years.

Cadillac’s first V-Series model was the 2004 CTS-V sedan, which featured an overhead-valve 5.7-litre V8 (later a 6.0-litre) shared with the Chevrolet Corvette, mated with a six-speed manual transmission.

It was soon joined by the STS-V sedan and XLR-V convertible, which used a supercharged version of Cadillac’s Northstar overhead-cam V8, mated with a six-speed automatic.

These lasted a single generation, but the CTS-V went for two more generations, both with supercharged V8 power.

V-Series models were later joined by tamer VSport models, which swapped V8 power for twin-turbocharged V6 engines. That said, not every hardcore V-Series model has packed a bent eight, with the BMW M3-rivalling ATS-V for example being the first V with a twin-turbo V6.

In recent years, Cadillac revised its V-Series strategy, rolling out models like the CT4-V and CT5-V that are less powerful than previous Vs – the CT4-V even features a four-cylinder engine, a first for a V-Series – but replacing the full-fat ATS-V and CTS-V models with new CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing models.

It also introduced the first ever Escalade-V, the first time the V-Series name has been used on an SUV.

Thus far, the more hardcore Blackwing nameplate hasn’t graced an electric vehicle.