GM, Cadillac electric cars will attack Australia? ‘Watch this space’

Big electricity Cadillac SUV can come to Australia under Special vehicles of GM banner in 2023… but it’s not locked yet.

Senior members of the General Motors team in Australia say auto expert there’s “a lot of exciting things to come this year”. Currently, the American giant sells the Chevrolet Corvette And Silverado through its GMSV dealer network.

When it comes to Cadillacs, a spokesperson for General Motors simply says “stay tuned.”

The luxury brand is seen as a rival to BMW and Audi in the United States, and has been on local enthusiasts’ wish lists since before Holden left Australia.

The brand’s flagship Lyriq electric SUV has been Broken right handlebarand General Motors recently filed a trademark application for the Down Under nameplate. At the time, GM said it was “GM’s general practice to secure key brands globally”.

However, that practice has not seen it register any other Cadillac models with IP Australia.

The fact that the Lyriq is an electric vehicle also seems to affect GMSV’s plans locally.

Marc Ebolo, managing director of GM Australia and New Zealand, said auto expert There’s “a lot of excitement about GM going to electrify vehicles”.

“We’re going to have a lot more to talk about this year, that’s for sure,” he said of The General’s push for electrification.

GM has previously indicated that there is “strong demand for these products in the international market”.

Shilpan Amin, GM Senior Vice President and President of GM International, told the media in 2022: “We have talent, investments, and strong financial and commercial momentum to capitalize on. opportunities around the world.

GM also points to the flexibility of its Ultium platform as a way for it to more easily build upcoming electric models for more markets.

The Lyriq is available with a choice of single-engine rear-wheel drive and dual-motor four-wheel drive overseas, both paired with a 102kWh lithium-ion battery.

In North America, the US-made rear-wheel drive model has 255kW and 440Nm of torque, and its all-wheel drive model has 373kW and 610Nm.

The rear-wheel drive version has a range of 502 km under the more stringent US EPA test cycle.

The luxury SUV supports DC fast charging up to 190kW, which can travel about 122km in just 10 minutes. Cadillac will also offer buyers a 19.2 kW home charger that can travel an additional 84 kilometers per hour.

The Lyriq measures 4996mm long, 2207mm wide (including mirrors) and 1623mm tall on a 3094mm wheelbase.

That makes it the same size as a Electronic Audi or bmw ix. It starts at $62,990 (AU$92,891), thousands of dollars less than those competitors, and in line with Performance Tesla Model Y.

In addition to the Lyriq, there are many Cadillac products suitable for the Australian market following the death of the locally produced large sedans by Holden and Ford.

The Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing is a rear-wheel drive sedan with power from a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine that produces 498 kW of power and 893 Nm of torque, mated to a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. 10-speed automatic transmission.

GM estimates a 0-60mph (0-96km/h) acceleration time of 3.7 seconds with the automatic transmission and a top speed of over 200mph (321km/h).

The smaller CT4-V Blackwing avoids V8 power to the twin-turbo 3.6-liter V6.

It produces 352kW of power and 603Nm of torque, and is mated to a 6-speed manual or 10-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive.

GM claims a 0-60mph (0-96km/h) time of 3.8 seconds with the automatic, with a top speed of 189mph (304km/h).

However, the pair of powerful sedans seems less likely to come to Australia.

The last time Cadillac officially sold cars in Australia was in 1969, but 40 years later the company is very close to returning to the local market with the second-generation CTS.

It officially announced the launch of the luxury sedan in 2007 and has already obtained local certification for its sale, with many registered dealers bearing the brand to be sold alongside the Hummer and Saab models.

GM even imported several dozen CTS sedans, only to divert them when the company canceled plans to sell the brand in January 2009 just weeks before they went on sale.

Since then, Cadillac has not produced any other right-hand drive vehicles and has further reduced its presence outside of markets such as North America, China and the Middle East. For example, it sells only one vehicle in Europe, the XT4 compact crossover.