What next for GMSV? These are the Chevrolet, Cadillac and GMC models the company should be adding in Australia

It’s been two years since the demise of Holden and the establishment of General Motors Speciality Vehicles in Australia. In that time the brand has successfully established the Chevrolet Silverado pick-up range and introduced the highly-anticipated Chevrolet Corvette C8 Stingray.

Which raises the question - what next?

The point of establishing ‘GMSV’ as opposed to Chevrolet was that it opened up the possibility of other models within the wider General Motors portfolio, such as Cadillac and GMC.

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It was also designed to be what GM calls a ‘niche’ player in the Australian industry, rather than worrying about bringing in models that have to sell in significant volume like Holden. That’s why it has focused on the low-volume, high-margin models like the Silverado pick-ups and the Corvette.

Fortunately for GMSV, there are several models that potentially fit the criteria in the current General Motors catalogue. Obviously a business case would need to be built for each one, and the reality that most would need to be converted locally to right-hand drive would make that hard, but one (or all) of these models would make an exciting new addition to the GMSV line-up.

Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing

This is the most exciting model on our list - but also the most unlikely. Cadillac has been on a mission for the past few years to become a serious rival to the German luxury giants (Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz) in its home market.

And nothing hits at the heart of those three brands than a red-hot, track-ready sports sedan. Which is precisely what the CT5-V Blackwing is - powered by a 498kW/893Nm 6.2-litre supercharged V8 and available with a six-speed manual transmission and the largest brake package the company has ever fitted to a production model.

This would make an ideal replacement for the HSV sports sedans that used to be a key element of Holden’s overall success in Australia. And while that market has begun to decline, the CT5-V Blackwing would give the likes of the BMW M3, Audi RS4 Avant and Mercedes-AMG C63 something to think about - and fit nicely within GMSV’s ‘niche over volume’ philosophy.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban

Before GMSV took over local operations, HSV was considering expanding its then Silverado/Camaro line-up with the Chevrolet Tahoe and/or Suburban SUVs because they share the same platform as the Silverado 1500.

Holden briefly offered the Suburban in Australia in the late 1990s but it was arguably too much SUV for the time. But over time our love of SUVs has grown, particularly big ones like the Tahoe and Suburban. 

There’s no doubt, looking at the pricing for the Silverado range that should GMSV introduce the Tahoe/Suburban duo they would be priced well above $100k, but that would line it up nicely against the Toyota LandCruiser, Nissan Patrol and even the likes of the Range Rover and BMW X7.

Chevrolet Silverado EV

Speaking of electric models, perhaps the most obvious choice would be the upcoming 2024 Silverado EV. It would obviously be in keeping with the current range, but add a new option that would broaden its audience significantly.

Like the Lyriq it’s also built on the Ultium architecture which provides it with sports car-levels of performance and a meaningful driving range. Importantly, if GMSV made the call early enough it could be at the leading edge of what is shaping up to be a key period for electric utes. The US will soon have all-electric pick-ups from Chevrolet, GMC (Hummer), Ford (F-150 Lightning), Rivian (R1T), Tesla (Cybertruck) and Volkswagen (Scout), so it’s only a matter of time before that trend spreads down under. 

GMC Hummer

If GMSV considers an electric future then the re-born Hummer would seemingly make an ideal addition to the local range. Sold under the GMC logo rather than its own sub-brand, the new Hummer retains the aggressive, boxy appearance of the original ‘Humvee’ but will be available in both SUV and ute body styles.

This would give GMSV an entry into not one, but two potentially booming segments in the second half of this decade as people look to switch to EVs without compromising on space and practicality.

The Hummer Edition 1 is powered by a trio of electric motors that GM claims is good for 745kW/1085Nm, but expect less potent (and therefore cheaper) variants to become available before GMSV thinks about it. If they do though, it would be fitting addition to General Motors’ Australian operation.