Performance version of electric SUV launches early next year, but technical details are still under wraps
October 29, 2024 at 10:30
- Cadillac has confirmed its Lyriq SUV will be the firm’s first EV to get the V performance treatment.
- The 2026 Lyriq-V launches early next year and will be sold around the world in both left- and right-hand drive forms.
- Exact specs are still secret but Cadillac promises every electric V will offer “exceptional performance, competitive range and standard all-wheel drive.”
Cadillac’s Lyriq is getting a high-performance Lyriq-V spinoff for the 2026 model year. GM’s fanciest brand confirmed today that the SUV would be the first Cadillac EV to get a hot variant, and says it will debut early next year.
The announcement offered nothing in the way of spec details, but two images and a short teaser video drop a few clues about what the BMW iX M60 rival will offer. Although the exterior makeover is subtle, the Lyriq V looks tangibly meaner than the stock EV thanks to its more aggressive bumpers and color-coded bodykit.
Related: The Lyriq Is Cadillac’s Second Best Seller This Year As Other Models Struggle
Brembo brake calipers are visible behind fat multispoke alloy wheels and the body looks noticeably closer to the ground in V form. And just in case those cues aren’t obvious enough, there are V badges on the nose and tail and one at the base of each rear door.
A driver in the video can be seen pressing a V button on the Lyriq‘s steering wheel to engage a performance driving mode, and although we don’t know what that does to the power and handling, Cadillac does promise every electric V will offer “exceptional performance, competitive range, and standard all-wheel drive.”
All-wheel drive versions of the regular Lyriq come with 500 hp (507 PS / 373 kW) and 450 lb-ft (610 Nm) of torque, but we can expect the V model to deliver far more of both. Chevy’s Blazer EV, which uses the same GM Ultium platform as the Lyriq, already offers 595 hp (603 PS / 444 kW) in SS trim.
The 2026 Lyriq-V doesn’t only have its sights set on stealing sales from the likes of BMW, Tesla, and Audi in the US, but right across the globe. Cadillac says it will build the SUV in both left- and right-hand drive and sell it initially in North America, Australia, and New Zealand, with availability in other markets coming later in 2025.
