Cadillac launching in Australia in 2024 as EV-only brand with direct sales model

Cadillac, the storied luxurious label of Phenomenal Motors, will open in Australia in 2024.

The resolution was once announced at a media occasion in Melbourne this day, the build a trio of Cadillac executives confirmed the marque could perchance be EV-ideal in Australia and Recent Zealand.

Phenomenal Motors maintained an extraordinarily runt presence in Australia promoting niche US units cherish the Chevrolet Corvette and Silverado since native label Holden was once discontinued in 2020.

Appreciate the Corvette – nonetheless unlike the Silverado – the Cadillac units on the methodology to Australia would maybe be inbuilt actual-hand power at the factory level.

Lyriq is the first of several Cadillac EVs for Australia

Cadillac’s emerging vary of electrical units had been engineered from their inception to be in a position to actual-hand power.

While a “portfolio” of Cadillac EVs will come to Australia, the first to intention could be the Lyriq mountainous SUV – a rival to the BMW iX and Audi Q8 E-tron.

Cadillac has also trademarked Optiq and Escalade IQ names in Australia. The Optiq is a rather smaller SUV while the Escalade IQ is an EV iteration of the iconic four-wheel power.

The Lyriq would maybe be released in Australia in 2024 as a 2025 mannequin-year automotive, most seemingly with an upgraded level of specification to what’s offered this day in the US.

Rear-wheel power (RWD) and all-wheel power (AWD) variations of the Lyriq are being constructed, with both sharing a 100kWh-usable Ultium lithium-ion NCMA battery.

Chasing Autos understands that the Lyriq will open in AWD structure with 372kW of power (500 horsepower) and 610Nm of torque. Fluctuate is rated in one more country at 530km (WLTP).

Cadillac Australia push led by Holden mature Jess Bala

The Cadillac push down beneath is being led by Jess Bala, an Australian-born mature of Holden who has labored at Cadillac headquarters in Michigan for the final decade.

Talking to Australian media this morning, Bala confirmed that Cadillac will use a inform-to-user gross sales mannequin with on-line and restricted retail gross sales. This mannequin bypasses the historical dealership community same to Tesla and Polestar in Australia.

Sales will ramp up, nonetheless Cadillac says it’ll originate by promoting “real volumes” – or a moderately runt choice of autos. Stores would maybe be established in Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland.

Pricing for the Lyriq would maybe be announced sooner than the SUV launches in 2024, nonetheless Cadillac’s level of curiosity on runt volumes and customized orders indicates top price positioning.

As managing director of GM Australia, Bala will epic to Cadillac’s leadership in the US, and Ernesto Ortiz, GM’s president of strategic markets, which encompass Australia.

In a video message, GM chief govt Mary Barra emphasised that establishing factory actual-hand power was once a vital strategic precedence for the carmaking group.

It isn’t the first time Cadillac has tried to open in Australia. The marque came within weeks of an Aussie liberate in 2008 sooner than world financial woes foiled the idea.

Upright-hand power Cadillacs would maybe be offered in Australia and Recent Zealand, while separate launches are also occurring in fellow actual-hook markets, Japan and the UK.

Upright-hand power presentations Cadillac is a apt luxurious label: Roth

Cadillac world vp John Roth represented the luxurious marque at the Australian announcement.

“That it is seemingly you’ll perchance maybe also’t be a tier-one luxurious [carmaker] with out a actual-hand power automotive,” Roth mentioned, noting that the Australian open is “a possibility to add scale and growth” for the emblem.

Roth spoke of Cadillac’s renaissance in the final two a long time into a more modern and technically-focussed top price automotive label.

Riding dynamics had been radically improved in that time, while the Cadillac label was once also the first GM scenario to be granted earn admission to to the 800-volt Ultium battery EV platform.

A phenomenal choice of Australians previously interested by Holden’s efforts transferred to the US these days. Some non-public had involvement in Cadillac product.

The Lyriq, an outstanding crossover that measures 5 metres in length, could be the first Cadillac to open in Australia nonetheless it absolutely is no longer seemingly to be the final.

Cadillac has already printed an extraordinarily-electrical version of its iconic Escalade four-wheel power which would maybe open in the US in 2024. It’s called the Escalade IQ.

A rather smaller mannequin could perchance come to Australia in the make of the Optiq, which measures 5 metres in length – as regards to a metre shorter than the massive Escalade IQ.

It isn’t yet known whether or no longer Australians would maybe be in a build to remark Cadillac’s fresh halo mannequin – the solely-electrical Celestiq sizable-sedan, of which ideal around 500 would maybe be hand-constructed per year.